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Editor's Note
Advancing the Sustainability Agenda Through Information and Communications Technology
The information and communications technology (ICT) industry is in a unique position to advance the sustainability agenda. With an annual spend of around US$2 trillion and a growth rate faster than other industries, the ICT sector is becoming a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and e-waste. It has also contributed to lesser-known negative social impacts such as poor working conditions in some factories, slavery, child labor, and other human rights abuses.
And yet, the industry is also viewed as essential to solving many of these problems. At BSR, we work with our member companies and clients to minimize the negative aspects and maximize the opportunities that ICT provides—from evaluating how wireless technologies can be used to reduce our environmental footprint to showcasing how technology is used for social benefits.
Drawing on our work with some of the world's leading ICT companies, we present here a compendium of our recent articles, reports, and blogs on the following topics:
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Sustainable supply chains: How can ICT companies avoid the use of conflict minerals, report on Scope 3 emissions, and mitigate water pollution in their supply chains?
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ICT and human rights: How can ICT companies apply the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights to their strategies, and what are their responsibilities in protecting human rights?
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ICT as a sustainability solution: How can ICT companies promote wireless technology to solve environmental problems, deliver social benefits to developing countries, reduce product obsolescence, and adapt to climate change?
For more information on our work in the ICT sector, contact Vijay Kanal.
Sustainable Supply Chains
Best Features of the New Scope 3 Standard (October 25, 2011)
By Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy, BSR
BSR Insight article: 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. This article explores the most important new features of this game-changing development and what they mean for business. Read more →
Conflict Minerals Due Diligence: What Can Companies Expect? (July 5, 2011)
By Sasha Radovich, Manager, Advisory Services, BSR
BSR Insight article: The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission will soon issue regulations requiring public companies to report on "conflict minerals" in their supply chains. But what does it mean for companies to manage their supply chains in a responsible manner? And what will stakeholders expect for companies at different ends of the supply chain, from mines to retailers? Read more →
Creating a Supply Chain Strategy for Conflict Minerals (May 24, 2011)
By Marshall Chase, Manager, Advisory Services, BSR
Video: Learn about the steps company leaders should take—from visioning and internal alignment through supply chain mapping and external engagement—to address conflict minerals in their supply chains. Watch now →
Maximizing Benefits From a Sustainable Supply Chain (March 2011)
Report: This brief explores the business case for improving the social and environmental impacts in supply chains, and provides some lessons learned about how companies have been able to capture the benefits of a sustainable supply chain such as productivity and efficiency gains. Read more →
Mitigating Water Pollution Risks in Electronics Supply Chains in China (December 21, 2010)
Report: This report provides global electronics companies with context for China's water challenges, discusses results of a supplier risk assessment conducted on behalf of Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition (EICC) member companies, and presents recommendations and resources for identifying water pollution risks in the global electronics supply chain. Read more →
Read the BSR Insight article on the same report.
ICT and Human Rights
Applying the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights to the ICT Industry | Version 1.0 (August 2011)
Report: In this report, BSR explores how ICT companies can apply the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and have proposed four priorities: engage with users, undertake due diligence on business relationships, understand opportunities for leverage, and increase comparability in human rights reporting. Read more →
Related Video: How the Tech Sector Should Address Human Rights
By Dunstan Allison Hope, Managing Director, Advisory Services, BSR
Watch now →
Bad Bedfellows: Avoiding Complicity in Human Rights Violations (December 13, 2011)
By Faris Natour, Director, Human Rights, BSR; and Peter Nestor, Associate, Advisory Services, BSR
BSR Insight article: The issue of corporate complicity in human rights violations is complex, but companies can take four concrete steps to help minimize their legal risk and meet societal expectations. Read more →
Protecting Human Rights in the Digital Age (February 14, 2011)
By Dunstan Allison Hope, Managing Director, Advisory Services, BSR
Report: This report describes the freedom of expression and privacy risks faced by ICT companies, and how these risks can be more effectively mitigated by the industry. Read more →
Read the related BSR Insight article.
Egypt and the Realization of Human Rights in the Digital Age (February 14, 2011)
By Aron Cramer, President and CEO, BSR; and Dunstan Allison Hope, Managing Director, Advisory Services, BSR
Blog: The developments in Egypt in 2011 provided increasing hope for all of us who believe in democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. They also provided ample new material for the “cyber-optimists” versus “cyber-skeptics” debate. Read more →
ICT as a Sustainability Solution
Wireless and the Environment: A Review of Opportunities and Challenges (October 11, 2011)
Report: The purpose of this report—commissioned by CTIA – The Wireless Association and prepared by BSR—is to explore environmental opportunities and challenges that arise from existing and emerging uses of wireless (licensed spectrum) technology, with a particular focus on the areas of transport, utilities, agriculture, and public services in the United States. Read more →
Read the BSR Insight article and blog related to this report.
Mobility and Sustainability: The Impact of Wireless on Social Issues and Business (November 2, 2011)
BSR Conference 2011 session summary: This panel discussion featured wireless technology and social impact leaders, who spoke on how wireless is changing the lives of hundreds of millions of people in the developing world, opening vast new markets for goods and services, and presenting business opportunities for companies and individuals.
Read more →
Adapting to Climate Change: A Guide for the ICT Industry (March 31, 2011)
Report: This primer on climate change adaptation in the ICT industry summarizes how ICT companies are reporting on climate change risks and opportunities. It outlines current and emerging best practices and guidance for ICT companies on how to develop a proactive approach to climate change adaptation and makes recommendations. Read more →
Trends in Sustainability Software (November 4, 2011)
BSR Conference 2011 session summary: From energy management to materials analysis to managing sustainable supply chains, there is an increasing proliferation of software tools for sustainability. This session features experts' perspectives on the current capabilities of these tools, how they are evolving, what's new on the horizon, the challenges of implementation, and what factors customers should consider when evaluating products.
Read more →
The Sustainability Opportunity in Product Obsolescence (November 15, 2011)
By Marshall Chase, Manager, Advisory Services, BSR
BSR Insight article: The challenge with rapid obsolescence—the growing trend of retiring consumer products before the end of their useful life—is not what you think. Here, we look at how the high-tech sector can address this challenge with solutions focused on design and engaging consumers. Read more →
Opportunities for Technology in Sustainability: In Conversation With BSR’s New ICT Practice Director (July 25, 2011)
Interview with Vijay Kanal, Director, ICT Practice, Advisory Services, by Eva Dienel, Communications Manager, BSR
BSR Insight article: After serving almost 15 years in the technology industry, Kanal joined BSR as Director of the ICT Practice to, as he puts it, “have a much bigger stage from which to make an impact.” Here, he tells us about his personal mission for his work at BSR, the one issue he thinks all ICT companies should be thinking about, and what other organizations can learn from high-tech’s “risk-taking” culture. Read more →
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