| |
In This Issue
Editor's Note
What the Facebook IPO Teaches Us About the Value of Ecosystems
Facebook’s recent IPO valued the company at a record-breaking US$104 billion—roughly US$1 for each of the connections in its “human ecosystem.” This week, BSR Research Manager Linda Hwang considers what it would look like if we valued the connections in nature’s ecosystem much the same way.
“We need to address the ‘economic invisibility’ of nature so that the many benefits it provides are not ignored,” she writes. But, Hwang asks, will valuation go far enough to protect natural resources?
This week, we also highlight the European Environmental Agency’s newest report on sustainability trends for the upcoming year, and in light of U.S. President Obama’s decision to ease formal sanctions against Myanmar, we revisit Chris Nolan and Jeremy Prepscius’ recommendations on the responsible approach to entering risky markets.
 |
In Depth
What the Facebook IPO Teaches Us About the Value of Ecosystems
By
When Facebook launched its initial public offering in March, the company—which specializes in the connections of its "human ecosystem"—was valued at US$104 billion. If we valued the connections in our ecosystem the same way, does that help us understand their true worth?
Read more →
|
Toolbox
European Environmental Agency Report: Sustainability Themes for the Coming Year
By Julia Robinson, Communications Associate, BSR
The European Environment Agency's latest annual report covers four main sustainability trends for the year ahead:
-
Changing patterns of consumption, as people live longer and become more urban
-
Waste issues and solutions, particularly in mining and agriculture
-
The true cost of products: For example, one cup of coffee in the Netherlands requires 37 gallons or 140 liters of water from farm to table
-
Local and global efforts to conserve natural resources
The publication, which digests complicated subjects for non-experts, discusses the complex web that crisscrosses production, consumption, economic development, and protections for people and the planet.
This links to the notion of a "green economy"--in which considerations about maximizing capital go beyond the financial to include natural, human, social, and other forms of wealth and wealth creation. Such considerations will be vital going forward, as companies increasingly integrate social and environmental approaches into core strategies.
On the Record
As U.S. Eases Sanctions in Myanmar, Responsible Investment is Key
By Julia Robinson, Communications Associate, BSR
"Responsible investment will help facilitate broad-based economic development and help bring Burma out of isolation and into the international community. My administration will continue to support the government of Burma in its efforts to work toward international standards for economic growth, responsible governance, and human rights."
--President Barack Obama, in a written statement on July 11, 2012
Following April's "targeted easing" of nearly 20 years of sanctions on Myanmar, the United States has authorized American companies to invest in the country, while maintaining the ability to place sanctions on individuals or groups that have committed human rights abuses or undermined the peace process.
In June, BSR's Chris Nolan and Jeremy Prepscius examined how companies can enter risky markets responsibly, focusing on the case of Myanmar, and offered four steps to companies that are considering investing.
|
|
|
