Monthly Archives: September 2018

Seven Compelling Corporate Sustainability Stories For You – How Entrepreneurs Are Managing Their Sustainable Business and Meeting Society’s Needs

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by Hank Boerner – Chair and Chief Strategist – G&A Institute

How do we structure a more sustainable (and responsible) business – it’s a question we are regularly asked here at G&A Institute. By big firms and small companies — publicly-traded or privately-owned (and numerous planning to go public).

As we get into the conversation, what often becomes clear is that the company really was founded to meet some kind(s) of societal need, and sometimes it actually created a need (think of the popularity of the Apple eco-system or the early days of the Ford Motor Company and the “horseless carriage”) that it fills, benefiting society.

And in the firm’s “growing up and maturing” phase the leaders want to be recognized as a sustainable and responsible enterprise.

There are well-known corporate models that can help point the way for a management team.  We explain the successes of our “top performers and reporters” roster as examples of how the industry leaders (depending on sector and industry) have achieved clear, recognized leadership in sustainability. Their stories are inspirational as well as instructive.

(Tip:  read the companies’ GRI reports for a deep dive into corporate strategies, programs, collaborations, and achievements – our team dives into 1,500 corporate reports and more each year in our work as GRI Data Partners for the USA, UK and Republic of Ireland.)

But what about smaller enterprises, not “giants” in their industry, or niche players, run by talented entrepreneurs and managers who want to do the right thing as they build their business?  How do we find their stories?

You know, like the early story of Ben & Jerry’s (ice cream), two young guys with borrowed money operating a small store (a renovated gas station) in downtown Burlington, Vermont; the founders, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, built their business as a pioneer in social responsibility. (In 1985, the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation got 7.5% of annual pre-tax profits to fund community-oriented projects and supporting dairy family farming was a priority – like the duo’s support of Farm Aid.)

What we have for you today are the stories of seven perhaps less well-known firms briefly profiled by tech blogger Kayla Matthews in her guest commentary on the Born2Invest platform.  The quick-read profiles explain the companies’ business models and how they try to operate as sustainable enterprises.

These are: Prime Five Homes (building $1 million eco-mod homes in Los Angeles); LaCoste (marketing the well-known crocodile brand of clothing); Liberty Bottleworks (recycled water bottles); Cleancult (paving the way for more efficient detergents); Andean Collection (marketing jewelry from the rainforest and providing Ecuadorian women with jobs ); Blockchain (technology); Wash Cycle Laundry (eco-friendly local laundry service).

What is interesting is that each of the companies, the author explains, develop products and manufacturing processes that benefit employers, employees and Mother Earth by striving for and being (more) sustainable.  The stories are fascinating – and very appealing in this age of anxiety for many of us.

These stories remind us of the 2018 “Sense of Purpose” letter sent to public company CEO’s by Chairman and CEO Larry Fink, who heads the world’s largest asset manager, BlackRock. As a fiduciary, he explains, BlackRock engages with companies to drive the sustainable, long-term growth that the firm’s clients (asset owners) need to meet their goals.

And society, he explains to the CEOs receiving the letter, “…is demanding that companies, both public and private, serve a social purpose.”

To prosper over time, Mr. Fink wrote, “…every company must not only deliver financial performance but also show how it makes a positive contribution to society…without a sense of purpose, no company can achieve its full potential.”

You can read Larry Fink’s letter to corporate CEOs here – it well worth the read: https://www.blackrock.com/corporate/investor-relations/larry-fink-ceo-letter

You can follow Kayla Matthews on her tech blog, Productivity Bytes, where she often connects technology and sustainability topics: https://productivitybytes.com/

And do read our top story – it’s a fascinating and brief read to learn more about these innovative companies striving for greater sustainability and societal responsibility.

This Week’s Top Story

How 7 Eco-Friendly Businesses Are Changing The Sustainability Game
(Tuesday – September 11, 2018) Source: Born To Invest – To save the planet, it’s going to take cooperation from everyone, including both individuals and corporations. In fact, an increasing number of corporations are realizing that modern consumers are growing more environmentally…

Economic Growth, Protecting & Preserving Our Ecological Systems – Are These Conflicted, Or Complementary As We Strive For Greater Global Sustainability?

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by Hank Boerner – Chair and Chief Strategist – G&A Institute

The continued drive toward greater societal sustainability is very encouraging.  The public sector, multilateral organizations, companies, investors, NGOs, and other stakeholders are adopting new strategies and embracing new approaches and best practices.  Picture the installation of the vast array of a desert solar generating “farm” – that’s progress to cheer.

But there are substantial societal challenges that will require much more effort than we see today if we are to achieve greater, widespread sustainability — worldwide.

Growth is good/growth is an issue.  We are on track, demographers tell us, to see the global population grow from today’s 7.6 billion to 9.6 billion by the year 2050.  We recall a description that describes the challenge of meeting this particular situation: It is like changing tires on an automobile that is moving.

The imagery of that is tantalizing to consider.  This could apply to the challenges of developing solutions to vexing social, environmental and governance issues of 2018 as we steadily move towards 2050.

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (the SDGs) comprise an excellent roadmap for us to (1) look at the vexing societal issues and (2) collaborate and innovate to develop solutions, even as economic, population, demographic, political, financial, and other issues throw up still more challenges to meet as we strive to meet today’s challenges.

Reality:  We have to continue “growing”, right?

The 17 SDGs include such laudable and aspirational goals as ending poverty (#1), proving education (#4), providing clean water and sanitation (#6), and achieving “zero” hunger (#2).

Governments, industry, investors, civic leadership, NGOs, and other stakeholders are busily trying to figure out the “how” of addressing the challenges.  (And, how to pay for the work to be done.)  This week the UN Secretary General spoke about the lack of progress in general since the goals were structured in 2015.  Only 12 years are left until the 2030 deadline for having solutions in place, observers noted.

So the question:  Can sustainable development logically co-exist with current economic growth?  The Phys.Org organization provides an interesting (brief) exploration of the topic in a feature article in September. There’s an elephant in the room, say the authors, and that is the “trilemma of population growth, economic growth, and environmental sustainability” – which (they say) reveals the vast incompatibility of current models of economic development with environmental sustainability.

These are some of the findings of a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academic of Sciences (USA); the lead author is Professor Graeme Cumming of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University.

An example of the research results:  High-income countries often rely more on non-extractive industries, such as manufacturing and services, but consume more per capital and import more raw materials.

In low-income countries, populations depend more on the extractive industries (agriculture, mining, logging), but have lower per capita consumption rates and higher population growth (and will have more mouths to feed).

The world is divided into two distinct groups of national economies, the authors posit in the Proceedings, roughly equated to developed and less developed nations…and both are pushed toward two different equilibrium points that are unsustainable under population growth. (They studied data and models that are described in the Journal report.)

The solution that we can all agree on:  We need to find ways to make economic development and good standards of living compatible with ecological sustainability.  We can use this knowledge to steer economic growth towards win-win outcomes for people and the environment (so say the authors).

The Journal article is available to you at:
Linking Economic Growth Pathways and Environmental Sustainability by Understanding Development as Alternate Social-Ecological Regimes http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2018/09/04/1807026115

Our Top Story provides highlights of the report authored by Professor Cumming and his colleague, Stephan von Cramon-Taubadel); Dr. Cumming presents brief highlights for you.

This Week’s Top Story

Can sustainable development co-exist with current economic growth?
(Thursday – September 06, 2018) Source: Phys.org – New research confronts the elephant in the room—the ‘trilemma’ of population growth, economic growth and environmental sustainability—and reveals the vast incompatibility of current models of economic development with…

Colleges and Universities and Global Sustainability – Many Higher Ed Institutions Are Addressing the 21st Century’s Great Societal Challenges in Many Ways in North America, Asia-Pacific and Europe

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by Hank Boerner – Chair and Chief Strategist – G&A Institute

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon thinks that institutions of higher learning are “…the leading torch bearers for global sustainability.”  The world’s universities, adds the Study International organization team: “…Universities play a vital role in helping us understand climate change…”

The Study International Staff looks at the roles of universities in addressing climate change challenges in the U.S.A., Asia-Pacific and in Europe in a very informative wrap-up that is one of our Top Stories this issue.

Under the Climate Leadership Network, they explain, more than 600 colleges and universities in every U.S. state and the District of Columbia have committed to take action on climate change, preparing students through research and education to solve 21st Century challenges.

The institutions profiled today:  the University of Utah’s College of Mines and Earth Sciences; the University of Queensland in Australia; College of Science and Technology, Temple University (USA); Asian School of Environment, Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore.

Our other two related Top Stories for you are (1) a feature from Florida by Bakari M. McClendon at the Florida A&M University’s Sustainability Institute (go Rattlers!), about the great work being done at the school to work toward “climate (impact) neutrality”, collaborate with the community and prepare students for the sustainability challenges of the 21st Century. (The school is a public, historically  African-American institution).

It’s a fascinating wrap up and FAMU faculty, staff and students are justifiably proud of telling.

And (2) on the other American coastline, far to the west, at the University of California’s Santa Barbara campus, there’s news about the school being named among the top-performing institutions in the 2019 Sustainable Campus Index (did you know there was such an index?).

The index is from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (“AASHE”) and it annually ranks the nation’s most sustainable colleges and universities in 17 impact areas related to academics, engagement, operations and administration based on it “STARS” methodology.  UCSB is part of the “sustainability revolution” in California that is helping to set the pace for the U.S.A. in addressing climate change challenges.

Here at G&A Institute we have a program for select intern-analysts to assist with ESG / sustainability / corporate disclosure and reporting research projects — which we then share results [of] with you on our G&A web platforms.

We are proud of the men and women who have participated in our rigorous programs over the years since 2010 – they are now influential in helping to advance corporate sustainability and sustainable investing out “in the real world” – you can find their profiles on our Honor Roll at:  https://www.ga-institute.com/about-the-institute/the-honor-roll.html

And the results of their research over the recent years that these outstanding professionals have helped to conduct is found at: https://www.ga-institute.com/research-reports/research-reports-list.html

If you are a college/university student, particularly a grad student, and you would like to be considered for an internship with G&A Institute, please examine this: INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES: SUSTAINABILITY REPORTS DATA ANALYST

P.S.  If you don’t know about the Study International organization, which operates from the UK, Australia and Malaysia, and helps students find educational institutions and graduate employers connect, you can tune in to their web platform: www.studyinternational.com

Perhaps you will find an institution that your organization can collaborate with, or a graduate to fill that sustainability position at your organization.

This Week’s Top Stories

Resilient research hubs that strive for global sustainability
(Thursday – August 30, 2018)
From heads of states to businesses, civil society to Silicon Valley, leaders are not immune to the forces of change before us. Developmental, environmental and other social challenges…

Education is a launch pad for sustainability problem-solvers
(Tuesday – August 28, 2018) Source: Tallahassee Democrat – Colleges and universities are uniquely positioned to build pathways to interdisciplinary, solutions-oriented sustainability education for the thought leaders of tomorrow

Sustainability Strides
(Tuesday – August 28, 2018) Source: The Current – UC Santa Barbara named among top-performing institutions in three key categories in the 2018 Sustainable Campus Index

Calling Your Attention To

The JAMA Network (Journal of the American Medical Association) published an analysis of Health Care Organizations’ sustainability and CSR reporting. We share with you this week a very informative commentary from the JAMA Network (Journal of the American of the American Medical Association -AMA) that should be interesting reading for managers of healthcare facilities. This is an assessment of the sustainability reporting by large health care delivery organizations (HCOs) performed by two medical professional, Emily Senay, M.D., MPH; and, Philip J. Landrigan, M.D. MSC2:

Assessment of Environmental Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting by Large Health Care Organizations
(Thursday – August 30, 2018) Source: Jame Network, Emily Senay, MD, MPH1; Philip J. Landrigan, MD, MSc2 – Do large health care organizations participate in the business trend to report on sustainability activities?

INTERNSHIP: SUSTAINABILITY REPORTS DATA ANALYST

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G&A is offering unpaid internship opportunities for qualified students interested in learning more about corporate sustainability and corporate ESG performance (“Environmental, Social, Governance”) issues. G&A Institute interns learn important elements about the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards for sustainability reporting as well as other common frameworks such as CDP, RobecoSAM CSA (DJSI), SASB, IIRC, SDGs, and concepts in sustainability such as materiality, stakeholder engagement, assurance, balance, comparability, and many others that can be used in their future work situations.

The work will support G&A’s pro-bono unpaid relationship as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) data partner for the US, UK, and Ireland, along with contributing to associated research on sustainability reporting trends.

This is a very fast growing area of interest to corporations and Wall Street.  The GRI’s reporting framework and standards are the most widely used in the world for these types of reports.

Opportunity:  Learn to analyze data and interpret content from GRI sustainability reporting

Intern Position:  Sustainability Report Data Analyst (supporting G&A’s GRI Data Partner relationship)

Location: Virtual — Work is done remotely – at your own location with a flexible work schedule.  Initial training via virtual meeting tools. There will be opportunities to attend industry networking and training events with G&A’s network of event and training partners.

Time Requirements: Position requires approximately 10 hours per week and begins ASAP.  The timing of the work is flexible for a majority of the time required and can be done remotely.  The internship will take place starting in September 2018 and ending May 2019.

Compensation: This is an unpaid experience only internship position.

MORE ABOUT THE INTERN POSITION
In this role, you will work as part of a team to analyze sustainability reports for inclusion in the largest global database of sustainability reports, the GRI’s Sustainability Disclosure Database (database.globalreporting.org).

Learning to read, analyze, use and structure data from reports using the GRI Standards, GRI G4, GRI-Reference, as well as NON-GRI corporate and institutional reports, will comprise the majority of this assignment.  The research will also contribute to several published research reports on various trends in sustainability reporting which are widely referenced by media, academics, business, capital markets players and other important sustainability stakeholders.

The student(s) selected will have the opportunity to experience a fast-paced, highly-adaptive (and nurturing) culture in a small but growing company with a unique niche. This is a hands-on position with a considerable learning opportunity for those headed for a career in corporate responsibility, sustainability, citizenship or impact investment.

G&A interns get public recognition for their work in our published reports, on our web platform, and in other ways.

We are proud of our intern alumni and are happy to share their success with the world, as they accomplish great things through their careers navigating the way to sustainability.  To see what other interns have been doing (and their backgrounds) check out G&A’s Intern Honor Roll at http://www.ga-institute.com/about-the-institute/the-honor-roll.html

REQUIREMENTS

  • Must be in senior year of Bachelors program or in a Masters program with major/studies focused on business, capital markets, ESG, environmental and/or sustainability issues and topics.
  • Demonstrate strong background / keen interest or past work experience in ESG and sustainability-related issues / topics.
  • Having a basic understanding of business and the capital markets is mandatory.
  • Must have strong skillsets and experience in independent online research and analysis.
  • Must be excellent at using Excel / Google Sheets and researching on Google.
  • Have strong technical, communication and organizational skills.
  • Must be self-driven and able to work independently to meet expectations and deadlines.
  • Must be fluent in English, additional languages are a plus.
  • Applicants with good writing and editing abilities will have a preference.

APPLICATION PROCESS
Interested students must send:

  • A cover letter outlining why you would be a good fit for this role.
  • Resume including your education, skill sets, and work experience.
  • A one-to-two page introduction essay on what you would like to learn more about (in terms of your career goals), what your interests are, and anything else you feel may be relevant to the job/our organization.
  • Samples of writing or research on sustainability or other topics are also a plus.

Send application materials to Governance & Accountability Institute at:
lcoppola@ga-institute.com & agallagher@ga-institute.com

ABOUT GOVERNANCE & ACCOUNTABILITY INSTITUTE
Founded in 2006, Governance & Accountability Institute is a New York City-based company that specializes in research, communications, strategies and other services focused on corporate sustainability and corporate ESG performance (“Environmental, Social, Governance”) issues.

G&A is the data partner for the United States, United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland for the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).  The Global Reporting Initiative is a non-profit organization that promotes the use of sustainability reporting as a way for organizations to become more sustainable and contribute to sustainable development.

GRI provides all companies and organizations with a comprehensive set of sustainability reporting standards that are the most widely used and respected around the world.  Currently, thousands of global organizations use the GRI to report on their Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) strategies, impacts, opportunities and engagements (www.globalreporting.org).

As the US, UK and Ireland data partner of the GRI, G&A’s role is to collect, organize, and analyze sustainability reports that are issued by corporations, public entities, not-for-profits and other entities in the United States, United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland for the benefit of all stakeholders.

Send application materials to Governance & Accountability Institute at:
lcoppola@ga-institute.com & agallagher@ga-institute.com

Sustainability Over the Next Two Decades – Forward? Backward? Something We Just Take For Granted in Running a Company or Investing In One?

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by Hank Boerner – Chair and Chief Strategist, G&A Institute

Predicting the way forward (that is, defining the future) is always challenging but pundits do try anyway. One of the most often quoted of such predictions is the 1944 forecast for the computer and copier markets with CEO Thomas Watson of IBM projecting…a market of perhaps five computers and as many as 5,000 copying machines! 

This week we bring you a two-part look at where Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility may be headed over the next 20 years, with 20 business leaders with expertise and experience in sustainability and CR weighing in on Edie.net.

The experts bravely putting forth their views of the future include John Elkington, well-known author and Co-founder, Volans Ventures; the Director of Sustainability for Carlsberg (Simon Boas-Hoffmeyer); the Managing Director, Energy Services of Renault-Nissan (Francisco Carranza Sierra); Moody’s head of Global CSR, Arlene Isaacs-Lowe; Interface’s Jon Khoo (he’s an Innovation Partner); Leonie Schreve, Global Head of Sustainable Finance at ING, Peter Harris, the director of sustainability at UPS…and others.

Among the intriguing perspectives shared in the two-part feature on Edie.net are these brief outtakes:

What is “sustainable” today will be the new normal so we’ll need something transformational.

We are witnessing the design of the future city; it’s an urban design experiment and the future city will need to be cleaner and greener.

The next two decades for sustainability in real estate will be absolutely critical.  The window of opportunity for preventing the worst effects of climate change is fast closing and so meaningful action across all parts of the R.E. value chain is essential.

The sustainability role is going from being executing sustainability-related actions to be a driver of change.  Driving the development through an integration of the sustainability agenda in the different functions of the company…going from doer to change maker.

Companies have always been bottom-line driven but the question now is whether their views will shift from short-term return perspective to long-term sustainability perspective.  The reality is that because of the way we invest, there needs to be a deliberate focus on what the long-term future of a company is going to reveal.

There’s much more for you in the two part feature.  So  – what are your thoughts about the directions of sustainability (forward… back… sideways… really unknown?) for the next 10 or 20 years?  Send us your views and perspectives so we can share them in our newsletter and on the blog!

This Week’s Top Stories

Thinking Forward: 20 Business Leaders Define the Next 20 Years of Sustainability – Part One
Thinking Forward: 20 Business Leaders Define the Next 20 Years of Sustainability – Part Two
(

Thursday/Friday – August 23 & 24, 2018)
Source: Edie – we’ve gathered the insights of 20 sustainability experts to give their views on the next 20 years of corporate sustainability, across of range of key areas. From resource efficiency to green finance; board diversity to consumer…