In This Issue
Editor's Note
An Insider’s Guide to the New Scope 3 Standard
At the BSR Conference next week, Climate and Energy Manager Ryan Schuchard will talk with Greenhouse Gas Protocol Director Pankaj Bhatia and Levi Strauss & Co.’s Global Environmental Sustainability Director Colleen Kohlsaat about the new Scope 3 standard, which will help companies define and measure their total greenhouse gas impacts, risks, and opportunities—including those that are beyond the company’s direct operating control.
This week, Schuchard offers a preview of that session with his take on the most important new features of the updated framework.
We also get a preview of Research Manager Linda Hwang and Advisory Services Director Ted Howes’ session on how companies can redesign business models, products, and services to serve the needs of future urban citizens. If these consumers prefer to grow food in their backyards, what will the next generation of large food stores look like?
And we review a new Ceres toolkit that helps companies manage water-related risks and opportunities.
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In Depth
Best Features of the New Scope 3 Standard
By Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy, BSR
Value chain management of GHG emissions took a step forward with the launch of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol’s Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Accounting and Reporting Standard earlier this month. This article explores the most important new features of this game-changing development and what they mean for business.
Read more →
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Spotlight
Re-Scaling for the New Local
By
In the next decade, rapidly growing urban regions will need redesigned infrastructure, goods, and services to match peoples’ needs and work within planetary constraints. New efforts to track well-being and happiness, ecological systems under stress, and community and culture shocks like forced water restrictions and food-safety scares are driving people to pursue more resilient solutions such as low-impact housing, off-grid water and energy, seed-sharing programs, and community-supported agriculture.
In this environment, tomorrow’s business models will look radically different. But it won’t mean starting from scratch. Large food retailers, for example, could re-envision their sites as cooperative spaces for multiple kinds of food systems, including new modes of retail, distribution, storage, and preparation as well as for communities interested in sharing the use of productive land.
How will your company adapt to this future scenario? At a two-hour working session during the BSR Conference 2011, we will challenge participants to redesign current business models, products, approaches to consumer engagement, and more to explore how to create value and be relevant in this future scenario.
Toolbox
New Tool Helps Companies, Investors Assess Water-Related Risks
The Ceres Aqua Gauge, an Excel-based tool to help companies and investors assess water-related risks and opportunities, allows investors to score a company's water-management activities using a four-tiered rating system: no action, initial steps, advanced progress, and leading practice.
The tool assesses how well companies perform in the following categories:
Measurement: It looks at how well a company gathers and monitors data related to regulatory compliance, water use and discharge, and environmental and social impacts on water sources. It also assesses how well a company identifies and quantifies direct and indirect operational water risks.
Management: The tool shows how well a company establishes accountability for water issues at the board, senior management, and public policy level; sets performance standards and goals; and integrates water into decision making.
Stakeholder engagement: This demonstrates how well a company engages with stakeholders on water-related issues.
Disclosure: Finally, it shows how the company discloses water-related risks, data in financial filings, and audited or assured water-related data.
The accompanying report lays out a step-by-step framework to help companies develop comprehensive water strategies.
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