COVID-19 Exposes Supply Chain Vulnerabilities that Cause Food Insecurity

The cornavirus pandemic has highlighted supply chain weaknesses that are causing food shortages. As explained in an FAO report, the global pandemic is threatening supply lines leading to concerns about food insecurity. "A protracted pandemic crisis could quickly put a strain on the food supply chains, a complex web of interactions involving farmers, agricultural inputs, processing plants, shipping, retailers and more," the report said. In a March paper the U.N. Committee on World Food Security (CFS) warned that Covid-19 will cause heightened instability in global food supply. The pandemic also prompted the Food and Land Use Coalition to issue a call to action for world leaders over what they describe as a humanitarian crisis requiring urgent coordinated action.

Climate Change was the Hot Topic at the World Economic Forum in Davos

Climate change was the dominant theme at and this year's World Economic Forum (WEF). Panel discussions covered a wide range of related topics and including global warming, ocean sustainability and biodiversity. Al Gore, David Attenborough and Jane Goodall were among the participants.

This year's Global Risk Assessment report released at the WEF in Davos revealed, yet again, that climate change and related phenomenon are among the greatest risks both in terms of impact and likelihood. The report surveys nearly 1,000 decision-makers (public sector, private sector, academia and civil society) who are asked to assess the risks facing the world.  Over a ten-year horizon, extreme weather and climate-change policy failures are seen as the gravest threats.

Event - Goodness Matters Benevity Conference

The Goodness Matters annual Benevity conference will take place on February 6 - 8, 2018 in Palm Springs, California.  The occassion also marks Benevity's tenth anniversary.  At GM2018 corporate giving professionals will gather in sunny Palm Springs to learn and participate in discussions that will augur the next era of corporate goodness. From insightful talks to client showcases, product previews to fun networking opportunities.

Apple's Earth Day Leadership in 2017

Leading corporations are helping to show the way forward this Earth Day and no company has come further in recent years than Apple. 

They were slow off the mark but since Tim Cook took over as CEO in 2011 and hired former EPA administrator Lisa Jackson in 2013 Apple has made amazing progress. Jackson is Apple's VP of environment, policy, and social initiatives. In the last four years Apple has significantly improved their environmental sustainability performance while ameliorating working conditions and transparency.

In 2017 Apple led the Greenpeace Tech Company Rankings and strengthened its competitive advantage by showing leadership in recycling, clean energy, emissions reduction, waste management and water stewardship.

Apple Leads Greenpeace Tech Company Rankings

For the third year in a row Apple is at the top of Greenpeace's environmental rankings for tech companies in 2017.  Apple led platform operators with a score of 83 percent on Greenpeace’s Clean Energy Index. Facebook came in second with a score of  and Google 67 percent and Google came in third with 56 percent.

Apple's final grade was an A for energy transparency, renewable energy commitment, energy efficiency and mitigation, and renewable procurement. The company received a B for advocacy. Google got all A's except for a B in the transparency category, however as noted above they did not fare well in the clean energy component.

Engaging Boards of Directors on Sustainability is a Key Success Factor

Boards of directors can play an invaluable role helping a company to inculcate sustainability into their DNA. Because of their unique position, boards of directors are well placed to integrate sustainability into business strategies and practices. This supports both the long-term profitability and the viability of an enterprise.

However, there is a disconnect between what is good for a firm and what they are actually doing. Most boards of directors are not engaged in sustainability even though almost all managers and directors think they should be.

Event - The Sustainability Summit 2017

This Summit will take place on March 23-24, 2017 in London. What does COP21 and the push for greater environmental sustainability mean for business? The Sustainability Summit will bring together key thinkers, policymakers and business leaders, who will deliver strategies, ideas and solutions to decision makers, helping them to turn challenges into new opportunities and prepare for the future.

How Sustainability has Become a Mainstream Phenomenon

Sustainability programs are not just for forward-thinking international conglomerates they are now part of mainstream practices for business both large and small. The data has convincingly made the case that sustainability is good for business and managers are integrating it into their strategies in ever increasing numbers.

There are a number of good reasons why businesses are embracing sustainability. In 2015 sustainability reached a tipping point and in 2016 it has become obvious that sustainability is a 21st-century megatrend. We are even beginning to conceive of a post sustainability world.

Apple's Apps for Earth Initiative Raised Awareness and Funds for WWF

Apps are big business and a partnership between Apple and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) funneled some of these revenues to ecological causes.  Given the number of apps and the volume of demand  using apps to generate revenues for the environment is a boon. As of June 2016 there are approximately 2.2 million apps available and 2 million in the Apple App Store. In 2015, global mobile app revenues amounted to $41.1 billion. In 2020, consumers are projected to spend over $101 billion on mobile apps via app stores.

Extracting Value from Recycling - Apple's e-waste Management (Video)

Apple has mined a small fortune from its own waste in both dollars and social capital. While Apple has only recently become a sustainability leader, they have been focused on recycling for many years dating back to the time when Steve Jobs was still at the helm. The problem of waste is increasingly serious but Apple is ahead of the curve and leading the way forward.

The volume of waste keeps increasing while many landfills are rapidly nearing capacity. Smart businesses need to follow Apple's lead as we anticipate a more stringent regulatory regimes in the form of Extended Provider Responsibility regulations.

Apple's Growth Streak Has Ended but its Sustainability Leadership is Still Going Strong

Apple's growth streak may have come to an end but as a mature company its sustainability leadership is going stronger than ever. In fact Apple is poised to double down on sustainability. Every product has a life cycle and Apple's products are no different. Smartphones may have reached market saturation as the global smartphone market has shrunk for the first time. Despite the dropping demand for its premiere product line,  this corporate giant will continue to be a powerful sustainability leader for years to come.

Event - GRI Global Conference 2016

The fifth GRI Global Conference will take place on May 18 - 20, 2016 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Up to 1,500 sustainability leaders from around the globe will be present to exchange leading-edge knowledge on best practices, innovations and trends that are empowering sustainable decisions and changing the world. GRI is  the globally accepted standard for enabling business, governments and other organizations to understand and communicate their impacts on critical sustainability issues.

Apple's Renewable Energy Investments in China

On October 21, 2015 Apple announced that it is ramping up its renewable energy investments in China. The company is working with its Chinese suppliers to produce 2.2 gigawatts of solar power and other renewable energy. This move will decrease Apple's carbon footprint by an estimated 20 million metric tons of greenhouse gas as more of its suppliers rely on renewable energy between now and 2020.

Innovate or Die: The Next Big Trend in Sustainability

Innovative approaches to sustainability are rapidly becoming the next frontier of corporate differentiation. Being more innovative is not only essential to improve the bottom line, it is also a pathway to growth.

The combination of rapid technological change and slow economic growth are driving innovation. At the macroeconomic level innovation is essential to profitability and economic growth, at the level of the individual organization, innovation is increasingly a key success factor.

Carbon Trust Sustainability Certification

Carbon Trust offers certification for organizations in sustainability. This includes energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, water use and waste management. Carbon Trust independently validates and certifies organizational achievements in adopting more sustainable business models.

The certification process acts to identify inefficiencies in resource use and provides a framework for improving management processes. The Carbon Trust Standard helps organizations to measure, manage and reduce their environmental impact, whilst improving their resource management and operational sustainability.

Competing Visions of Capitalism Viewed through the Lens of Renewable Energy Investment Strategies

In the wake of the Greek financial crisis, and the Pope's Encyclical there is a lot of hyperbole about economic dysfunction. Fueled by popular resistance to austerity, wild allegations about the imminent demise of capitalism abound.  Contrary to the musings of some idealistic pundits, capitalism is alive and well. In fact, led by the sustainability movement, there is an economic renewal underway.  By marrying self interest and altruism a new brand of capitalism is emerging that has seen advances on both the social and environmental fronts.  However, this vision of capitalism is at odds with some basic tenants of conservative economics .  What follows is a review of these two competing interpretations represented by the renewable energy investment strategies of Bill Gates and Warren Buffet.
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Bill Gates and Warren Buffet are philanthropists who are both invested in renewable energy. While their actions may appear similar, their diverging investment philosophies reflect two different visions of capitalism.

Renewable energy is a critically important part of sustainability oriented business practices and responsible investment strategies that are driving environmental and social change. Renewables are a low carbon energy source that can reduce our reliance on climate change causing fossil fuels. While renewables are an important part of solving the climate crisis, they are of interest to many investors largely because they offer impressive rates of return. A 2012 Forbes piece titled "Investors are Making Money with Renewable Energy," states that for "investors looking for financially sound, environmentally responsible, climate-friendly investments, renewable energy finance is worth a very close look."

It would appear that the market agrees with the Forbes assessment. As reviewed in a 2015 report, renewable energy investment increased by more than 17 percent to $270 billion in 2014.

Social obligations

While earning returns from investments is important, Gates and Buffet are two high profile examples of men who use their wealth for social betterment. Forbes, reports that Gates, who is worth $79 billion, is the richest man in the world and Buffet, who is worth a paltry $72 billion, is the third richest man in the world.

Both Gates and Buffet refute the stereotype of the wealthy one percent. They both see that their wealth comes with certain social obligations. Even the capitalist icon David Rockefeller understood this more than half a century ago when he said, "The old concept that the owner of a business had a right to use his property as a he pleased to maximize profits has evolved into the belief that ownership carries certain binding social obligations."

Gates has committed his life to his perceived social obligations. He first embraced philanthropy while at the helm of Microsoft, and now, through his full time involvement in the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, he has made social betterment the "primary purpose" of his life. His foundation is focused on improving people's health and education. "My full-time work for the rest of my life will be at the foundation," Gates was quoted as saying in a 2013 Telegraph article. So far, Gates has given away $28 billion to philanthropic causes.

Creative capitalism

Contrary to the writings of people like Naomi Klein and Paul Mason who believe that capitalism is profoundly flawed and destined to die, Gates argues that capitalism offers our best hope for social and environmental renewal. Gates is an advocate of system innovation, an approach that he calls creative capitalism.

Gates offers a form of ecological economics. His practical approach is grounded in the fundamentals of human psychology, while the ambiguous utopias insinuated by Klein and Mason are an offshoot of socialism, which has proven to be at odds with human nature.

According to Gates, capitalism can be made to serve those in need and the environment upon which we all depend. In his view, capitalism can harness innovation on the massive scale required to confront the challenges we face. Gates' approach seeks to leverage the fact that human nature is composed of two fundamental elements, self interest and the desire to help others.

In a January 24, 2008 speech at the World Economic Forum, Gates said, "The genius of capitalism lies in its ability to make self-interest serve the wider interest. The potential of a big financial return for innovation unleashes a broad set of talented people in pursuit of many different discoveries." Gates says. "This system driven by self-interest is responsible for the great innovations that have improved the lives of billions."

Gates believes we need to measure and publicize social responsibility to give consumers the tools they need to make good buying decisions. He also suggests that to make markets work, we need to see more collaboration between governments, businesses, and nonprofits.

"Creative capitalism takes this interest in the fortunes of others and ties it to our interest in our own fortunes—in ways that help advance both." Gates says. "There is a growing understanding around the world that when change is driven by market-based incentives, you have a sustainable plan for change—because profits and recognition are renewable resources."

Renewable energy

As reviewed in an Entrepreneur article, Gates has invested over $1 billion in renewable energy and now he is looking to double that amount. In an interview with the Financial Times, Gates said that investing in technology companies is the best way to find cost effective solutions to climate change.

"The only way you can get to the very positive scenario is by great innovation," he said. "Innovation really does bend the curve." He sites the case of current battery technology saying that if we are to fulfill the promise of renewables we will need more reliable energy storage than is currently available. However, Gates' approach to capitalism is anything but laissez faire. He explains that advancing technology requires the kind of massive investments that only governments can provide. Gates says that efforts to improve renewable technologies require Manhattan or the Apollo style government projects.

Another powerful man who has invested massively in renewable energy is Warren Buffet. Through his investment firm, Berkshire Hathaway, Buffet has invested $30 billion in renewable energy. Buffet has also given away more than $17 billion to philanthropic causes.

Buffet's stellar record of wealth creation has earned him a reputation as the world's foremost investment genius. In 2009, Buffet's investments in lithium show that he was already ahead of the sustainability investment curve. In addition to his other renewable energy investments, Buffet has invested more than a billion dollars in solar energy alone, this includes the massive Agua Caliente solar array in Arizona.

Climate ambivalence

Despite his philanthropy and investments in renewable energy, Buffet has garnered some well warranted criticism. Although Berkshire has invested in renewables, they also own Burlington North Railroad which ferries huge amounts of coal.

One of those who dare to criticize the Oracle of Omaha is Rob Berridge, the director of shareholder engagement at Ceres, one of the most important sustainability focused organizations in the world.

Buffet's supporters may point to the fact that in the fourth quarter of 2014, Berkshire sold its $4 billion stake in Exxon Mobil. However, withdrawing these funds was due to market conditions, not environmental or social concerns. His move was prompted by the falling price of oil and the realization that oil's glory days are gone.

Buffet has also been criticized for his suggestion that extreme weather is not on the increase due to climate change.

Despite what Buffet has said publicly, Berkshire is vulnerable due to its investments in the reinsurance business. Extreme weather is expected to substantially increase insurance pay outs.

Buffet is sending mixed messages said Berridge. "He'll undoubtedly go down as one of the world's greatest investors and most ethical businesspeople." Berridge said, however, "with climate change having such an important impact on the largest parts of his business, we'd love to see him be clearer."

Buffet's statements indicate that he acknowledges the science of climate change. However, his position suggest something far worse than denial. His investment decisions indicate that he is indifferent to climate change.

Buffet may be a titan in the field of renewable energy, but his motivations are suspect and his ambivalent stance on climate change is unlikely to be judged kindly by future generations.

Investment philosophies

Buffet and Gates have two different investment philosophies that are premised on two dissimilar visions of capitalism. Buffet seeks out investments that are exclusively about the returns that they generate. His investment philosophy is focused on value hunting, his gaze myopically seeks out companies that will generate returns. Conversely, Gates' investment philosophy considers issues beyond corporate profits.

On the surface, Gates and Buffet may appear to be very similar, but when it comes to their investment philosophies, the two men are profoundly different. While Buffet is interested in earnings, Gates wants to solve complex global problems. Gates invests in renewables to work towards global betterment, while Buffet invests to generate attractive rates of return.

Buffet makes vast sums of money with his investments and he is generous with his billions, but when it comes to climate change, he seems to be devoid of a higher purpose.

Source: Global Warming is Real

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Best Practice in Sustainability Reporting and Sustainability Communications

Ethical Corporation has recently published its complimentary Annual Review on CR Reporting and Sustainability Communications. Ethical Corporation helps thousands of businesses all around the globe to be more responsible. They work with NGO's, think-tanks, academia, governments and consultancies. Their work not only benefits the wider world, it also makes good business sense for the organizations that they serve. Their efforts include work in CSR, compliance, risk and governance communities.

Event - Project NZ: Telling Good Stories

This event will take place on September 3, 2015 at AUT University in Auckland, New Zealand. While organizations are increasingly integrating sustainability into their practices, they must also be able to effectively share that information. Communicating sustainability in a compelling way affords a powerful competitive advantage. However there is a gap between sustainability initiatives and public awareness. At this conference attendees will learn how to share their sustainability stories with the general public and stakeholders.

New GRI Sustainability Reporting Tools and Resources

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) is a leader in sustainability reporting and they continue to provide resources to help companies to track their performance. GRI's latest contribution is another helpful installment in this rapidly growing field. This fast moving and increasingly complex realm has seen the proliferation of a number of tools and resources to help companies rise to the challenge.

Sustainability in the Apparel Industry and Eco Fashion (Video)

Sustainable apparel and eco-friendly fashion is growing. This type of fashion has a much smaller environmental footprint this includes minimizing waste and eliminating the use of harmful chemicals. For years the clothing industry has been dominated by cheap imports from places like China and India, however, burgeoning consumer awareness about social and environmental issues are pushing brands in more responsible directions.

Nike has been pushed by consumers to become a more sustainable company and Patagonia has made a name for itself by being one of the most responsible and sustainable companies in the world. A host of other brands have also boarded the sustainability train. This includes accessible brands like H&M and North Face, to high end designer brands like Gucci, Calvin Klein and Stella McCartney.