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Quality Development Driven by Green Development

Joshua Lanshe, Intern, Guangzhou, BSR

In the recent China 2030 World Bank report, China looks to shift from relying heavily on fossil fuels and dated management methods to embracing green technologies and innovative solutions in an effort to improve the quality of future growth.  The report indicates that for the next 18 years, China will aim to develop into a more “modern, harmonious, and creative high-tech society.” Fittingly, this phrase also is used in China’s current five-year plan, and perfectly captures the commitment of the country’s government to improve the balance and quality of its growth. Read more 

Posted: March 15, 2012 | Tags: Climate Change, Economic Development, Energy, Environment

A Sustainability Compass for Ocean Issues

Laura Ediger, Environmental Manager

Last week at the Economist World Oceans Summit in Singapore, it was widely noted that oceans don’t get much attention, perhaps in part because we humans are (now) a highly terrestrial species. But the topics were clearly relevant to the humans in attendance, who ranged from representatives of conservation NGOs, to leaders of small island states, to people from companies like Google, Tiffany & Co, Shangri-La Hotels, and Electrolux, and ocean-oriented businesses such as Maersk Line, APL, Norpac, and China Fishery Group. Read more 

Posted: February 28, 2012 | Tags: Climate Change, Ecosystem Services, Environment, Water

Davos 2012: Easy Decisions, Hard Decisions

Aron Cramer, President and CEO

Davos 2012 opens against the backdrop of some pretty ominous numbers. European debt figures are high, and projections for growth in the mature economies are low. Income equality is declining in emerging markets like China and in the home of the 99 percent, the United States. 2011 was yet another year of record-setting warmth, with more summer melting in the Arctic. And this year’s Edelman Trust Barometer reports poor levels of trust, with faith in government tumbling to all-time lows in the West. Read more 

Posted: January 24, 2012 | Tags: Climate Change, Energy, Strategy & Integration, Sustainable Consumption

Protecting Our Oceans: Key to Sustainability

Aron Cramer, President and CEO

In February, I will speak at The Economist's "World Oceans Summit," a valiant—and valuable—effort to increase awareness and commitment to preserving the oceans. The world's oceans cover three-fourths of the Earth's territory, but they occupy far less than that in terms of mindshare regarding sustainability. This Summit may help change that. Read more 

Posted: December 19, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment

What the Eurozone Crisis Teaches Us About Durban

Aron Cramer, President and CEO

For the past few years, I have tried to see the results of the COP meetings in Copenhagen, Cancun, and Durban through a “glass-half-full lens,” arguing that even weak agreements keep the process going. Read more 

Posted: December 12, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Leadership

In Your Words: AMD CR Director Tim Mohin on Leadership

Tim Mohin, Corporate Responsibility Director, AMD

Tim MohiniThis guest blog is part of BSR's ongoing series exploring what leadership for sustainability looks like in today's world.

Read more 

Posted: December 6, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Information & Communications Technology, Leadership

BSR on COP17 in Durban

Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy

We'll be following the COP17/CMP7 Durban conference on climate change through December 9. Check back here for a roundup of tweets, blogs, news articles, videos, and more. Content is curated by BSR's Ryan Schuchard and Tiffany Finley. Read more 

Posted: November 29, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change

Still Inconvenient, Still the Truth

Aron Cramer, President and CEO

I just finished a week in China, including three days at the World Economic Forum’s “Summer Davos” in Dalian. The WEF established this event with three key ideas in mind: the shift of economic and political power to the south and east, the rise of “new champion” companies from emerging markets, and the increasing importance of sustainability. Read more 

Posted: September 19, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change

Why Solar Should Care About Sustainability

Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy

Solar power is a poster child of sustainability, at least from the standpoint of energy users. It provides a clean alternative to GHG-emitting fossil fuels and runs indefinitely on free energy from the sun. What more, then, is there to the sustainability of solar energy? Read more 

Posted: July 14, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Energy, Environment, Human Rights, Strategy & Integration, Supply Chain

Staff Spotlight: Vijay Kanal

Vijay Kanal, Director, Information and Communications Technology Practice, Advisory Services

As part of a new series of BSR staff spotlights, our Information and Communication Technology Director Vijay Kanal offers his insights on the greatest opportunities and challenges for the industry. Read more 

Posted: June 9, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Conflict Minerals, Human Rights, Information & Communications Technology

GBC Health’s 10th Anniversary: Time to Look at the Big Picture

Aron Cramer, President and CEO

I spoke yesterday at the morning plenary of GBC Health (formerly the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria), along with business leaders like AngloAmerican CEO Cynthia Carroll, Conservation International Founder Peter Seligman, and Sarah Brown, health care activist and wife of former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.  Read more 

Posted: June 3, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment, Strategy & Integration

Calling Port in Oakland in a Hybrid

Eva Dienel, Communications Manager

I pull into the Port of Oakland’s Global Gateway Central terminal following a silver Honda Insight that looks microscopic next to the Singapore, an APL container ship at berth nearby. But the 14-foot car and the 900-foot ship have something in common: They’re both hybrids. Read more 

Posted: May 31, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Energy, Environment, Supply Chain, Transportation

Planning for an Uncertain Future and More at WEC

Mark Little, Director, Health Care, Advisory Services

Last week, I joined the World Environmental Center’s colloquium on sustainable development as a driver for innovation, which gathered an impressive panel of leaders from both business and civil society. Speakers included Jeff Seabright (Coke), Andrea Thomas (Walmart), Claus Conzelmann (Nestle), Bob Langert (McDonalds), Gavin Neath (Unilever), Albert Cho (Cisco), Jason Clay (WWF), Jane Nelson (Harvard), Peter Schnurrenberger (Roche), and many more.   Considering the companies represented on the panels, it was no surprise to see the discussions focus predominantly on food and agriculture. But the key “calls to action” cut across industry lines: Read more 

Posted: May 24, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment, Food, Agriculture & Beverage, Strategy & Integration

A Letter from San Francisco

Dunstan Allison Hope, Managing Director, Advisory Services

Seven years ago today, I boarded a Virgin Airways flight from London Heathrow to San Francisco armed with a one-way ticket, a quaint English accent, and all the unbounded optimism that accompanies a promising new stage of life. I was headed west to work for BSR, tasked with engaging the world’s largest technology companies in their efforts to become more sustainable. I’d never been to the United States before, but from all I’d read about San Francisco, I’d clearly hit the jackpot. Fast forward seven years and I’m moving to a new, equally engaging role at BSR, handing over my portfolio of work to Vijay Kanal, BSR’s new director of our Information and Communications Technology (ICT) practice. In light of this transition, I’ve reflected on how the ICT industry’s approach to sustainability has shifted over the past several years. Here I offer what I believe to be the three most significant developments that I’ve had the privilege to witness, and the corresponding areas where significant improvement is required. Read more 

Posted: May 17, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Conflict Minerals, Human Rights, Information & Communications Technology, New Media, Supply Chain

Japan: Tragedy to Turning Point?

Aron Cramer, President and CEO

I arrived in Japan for a week of meetings to find Tokyo more deserted than ever before. Maybe the economy really had collapsed in the wake of the triple whammy of the earthquake, tsunami, and ongoing nuclear accident at Fukushima-Daiichi. Read more 

Posted: April 29, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Energy, Environment

On Earth Day 2011, Who Will Tell the People?

Aron Cramer, President and CEO

Almost 20 years ago, the journalist William Greider wrote Who Will Tell the People, his account of dysfunctional decision-making in Washington. Greider’s thesis was that Washington officials were preoccupied with perpetuating their own power, with scant regard for the interests of the people they were supposed to represent. Read more 

Posted: April 22, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Energy, Environment

Bringing Energy Efficiency to Inland China

Last week, I traveled to Wuhan, the capital of China’s Hubei Province for a two-day meeting on energy efficiency and carbon reduction with representatives from the Guangdong and Hubei provinces and the British Embassy. Wuhan has approximately 9 million people, three city centers, and is sprawled across several rivers and lakes—but more importantly, the city is currently in the middle of a major modernization effort. Read more 

Posted: March 18, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment, Supply Chain

Japan, YouTube Moments, and Energy Policy

Aron Cramer, President and CEO

The earthquake and tsunami in Japan have been a stunning disaster and a terrible human tragedy. We don’t yet know precisely how many lives will be lost or shattered, but the numbers will be immense. My thoughts, like those of people around the world, are with Japan and its people. Read more 

Posted: March 15, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Energy

For Solutions in Cancun, Look beyond the Moon Palace

As global ministers and high-level delegates arrived in Cancun over the weekend, they landed amid encouraging signs that progress in key areas could be made by the end of this week’s talks. While the future of the Kyoto Protocol remains uncertain, the draft text for a potential Long-Term Cooperative Action (LCA) agreement was released on Saturday. Although not a globally binding agreement that so many developing countries are calling for, the document recognizes that “deep cuts in global emissions are required according to science,” and includes key issues such as mitigation, adaptation, verification, technology development and transfer, forests, and finance. While the critical issues are represented, in some areas, the draft text puts forth multiple options that reflect the different positions of the negotiating countries. While vulnerable nations implore the negotiators to move faster on climate commitments, expectations and progress remain modest and are quietly moving forward. Read more 

Posted: December 7, 2010 | Tags: Climate Change

A Sense of Urgency and Optimism in Cancun

While the call to curb global carbon emissions remains strong, the voices of climate scientists, vulnerable nations, organizations working in those countries, and even an impassioned youth movement to mobilize committed funds to start implementing measures now to prepare for the challenges of living in a warmer world are getting louder. As expectations for progress toward a binding global agreement seem to be on pause, the conversation and the science have turned to assess the potential of the voluntary Copenhagen Accord to put us on track to avert a more than 2°C increase that would lead the way, experts say, to an irreversibly different planet. Read more 

Posted: December 3, 2010 | Tags: Climate Change

Moment Has Arrived for Business in Climate Negotiations

Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy

Though hopes for Cancun are modest, we are in a phase of climate progress. Recently, all major emitting countries updated their emissions-reductions commitments through the Copenhagen Accord, and rich nations have pledged US$30 billion for long-term finance. China is coming around, finally acknowledging that it is the number one emitter of greenhouse gasses, and saying that it has no problem with transparency mechanisms. Meanwhile, there are more ways than ever for China and the United States to work together. Read more 

Posted: December 2, 2010 | Tags: Climate Change

BSR at Cancun: What We’re Watching at the Climate Talks

Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy

The sixteenth annual UN climate treaty negotiations are underway in Cancun, Mexico, where my colleague Joyce Wong and I are looking for insights on how business can take the lead ahead of slow-moving governments. We’re also investigating topics like how companies can best adapt to climate change and motivate people for more climate sustainable consumption. Read more 

Posted: December 1, 2010 | Tags: Climate Change

Making Customers Behave: Download from the Behavior, Energy, & Climate Change Conference

Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy

I just returned from the sold-out Behavior, Energy, and Climate Change Conference, a three-day event examining ways to understand decision making on climate and energy. Here are a few ideas I took away: Read more 

Posted: November 17, 2010 | Tags: Climate Change, Sustainable Consumption

The Future of Carbon Disclosure

Laura Ediger, Environmental Manager

At this week’s launch of the Carbon Disclosure Project’s (CDP) regional report for Asia (excluding Japan) in Hong Kong, CDP’s Sue Howells showed a video message reflecting on the CDP’s achievements over the last 10 years and what the CDP sees for the future. As with most organizations focused on mitigating climate change, CDP’s view of the future “if we don’t succeed…” was rather grim, with glimpses of not just melting glaciers and increasing storms, but also resource conflicts and armed violence. When the lights came on, though, the discussion focused on the opportunities for improvement in corporate performance. Read more 

Posted: October 8, 2010 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment

Gearing Up by Slowing Down

Raj Sapru, Director, Advisory Services

The international container shipping industry is gearing up to take on a new business environment in which social and environmental performance will play a key role. In our latest industry report, which is based on interviews with more than 30 global customers and key stakeholders, the message is clear: The container shipping industry must reduce its environmental footprint. Read more 

Posted: September 17, 2010 | Tags: Climate Change, Transportation

Low-Carbon Development at the Shanghai Expo

Wei Dong Zhou, Vice President, Broad Group

BSR’s China Director Wei Dong Zhou sent in this picture from the Shanghai Expo where he attended the China-UK Climate Change Forum with 20 senior officials from China's Development Reform Committee (at both the national and province level). Read more 

Posted: September 7, 2010 | Tags: Climate Change

Summer Reading and Climate Change: A Tale of Two Novels

Aron Cramer, President and CEO

Leaving Heathrow in mid-July, I picked up two novels for my summer vacation reading. One, Ian McEwan’s Solar, was an obvious choice. What could be better than seeing one of my favorite authors, anointed by many as the reigning champion of English-language fiction, take on the topic of renewable energy? The other book, Financial Times columnist Lucy Kellaway’s In Office Hours—her latest take on businesspeople behaving badly—was ostensibly a light read, with little link to sustainability. Read more 

Posted: August 18, 2010 | Tags: Climate Change

Going for the Cold: What the Vancouver Games Can Teach Us About Adaptation to Global Warming

Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy

When the winter Olympics kicked off virtually snowless last week, the record heat was due not only to El Niño, said Tim Gayda, vice president of the Vancouver Organizing Committee, but to “something else that nobody understands at this point." Read more 

Posted: February 19, 2010 | Tags: Climate Change

U.S. SEC Directs Companies to Disclose Material Climate Issues

Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy

On January 27, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ruled that climate change is a category of risk that companies should consider when disclosing material risk and opportunities. Along with this, the SEC is providing interpretive guidance for disclosing climate risks on key issues such as the: Read more 

Posted: January 29, 2010 | Tags: Climate Change

Here’s a Plan B

Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy

Our global climate agenda may need a Plan B, but if we are to choose the right one, some popular misconceptions need to be clarified. This post was originally published as a response to The Wall Street Journal Op-Ed, “Time for a Plan B,” by Nigel Lawson on 12/21/09. Read more 

Posted: December 23, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change

Was Copenhagen Really a Failure?

Diane Osgood, Ph.D.

At the risk of being considered a Pollyanna, I don't think that Copenhagen was the huge failure the critics are rushing to proclaim. The Copenhagen process delivered two significant outcomes. Read more 

Posted: December 23, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change

Corporate Climate Leadership at Copenhagen

Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy

On my third day at COP15, I presented at the International Emissions Trading Association panel, "Corporate Climate Leadership," where I said that companies should consider three leadership activities: Read more 

Posted: December 17, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change

Information, Please! The Knowledge Crux at Copenhagen

Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy

I spent half of my first day at COP15 in line, mostly outside, in the cold. But I was one of the lucky ones to eventually emerge inside the Bella convention center. Others waited for six hours or more only to be turned away at the door (if they even made it that far). Read more 

Posted: December 16, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change

Mountains: The Bellwethers of Climate Change

Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy

Today is International Mountain Day. And in flat Denmark, the role of mountains is getting more attention as part of the international climate negotiations. Some prominent mountain-oriented activities at COP 15 include: Read more 

Posted: December 11, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change

Why ‘MSM’ Still Matter

Aron Cramer, President and CEO

Marc Gunther recently posted an excellent entry on his blog celebrating social media as the technology that may save the planet. Read more 

Posted: December 11, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change, New Media

Policymakers and Protecting Human Rights in Supply Chains

Cody Sisco, Manager, Advisory Services

This week I testified before a joint committee hearing (PDF) of the California State Senate. Three senators, including Senate leader Darrel Steinberg, heard testimony from academics, campaigners, social services providers, business, and fair trade organizations on the role of state government in protecting human rights throughout global supply chains. Read more 

Posted: December 10, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change, Supply Chain

The Debate over the Accuracy of GHG Footprinting

Marshall Chase, Manager, Advisory Services

A recent Wall Street Journal article highlights concerns about greenhouse gas (GHG) footprinting: "The results have the appearance of precision. But... measuring carbon footprints is inexact. It is clouded by varying methodologies and definitions—not to mention guesses." While this is true, the article gets bogged down in a discussion of uncertainties and competing standards, and loses sight of a few important points. Read more 

Posted: October 5, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change

Climate Leaders: A Break from the Industry Pack

Aron Cramer, President and CEO

Some of this week’s most interesting developments related to business and climate didn’t come from the UN Climate Summit in New York or from Pittsburgh (site of the G20 Summit), but instead from San Francisco and Beaverton, Oregon. Read more 

Posted: September 24, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment, Strategy & Integration

Less Stick, More Carrot in the Carbon Tax Debate

Farid Baddache, Director, Europe

The carbon tax debate is all over the French media these days—and this fascinating battle may hold lessons for how this debate will play out across the rest of Europe and more widely. Read more 

Posted: August 20, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment

The Word from São Paulo? Copenhagen

Diane Osgood, Ph.D.

I am presenting at Sustentável 2009, the 3rd International Congress for Sustainability in São Paulo, where over 1,000 people from business, government, and civil society have assembled for three days. Read more 

Posted: August 9, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change

Why You Should Care that Fish Are Shrinking

Stephanie Greene, Former Manager, BSR

Guess what? Fish are getting skimpier. And not just because of overfishing, but because of climate change.  Read more 

Posted: August 3, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change, Supply Chain

All (Climate) Politics Is Local

Aron Cramer, President and CEO

The failure of last week’s G8 summit to make meaningful progress toward an agreement on climate change is dispiriting enough—but the reasons behind it may be even more worrying. Read more 

Posted: July 15, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment

Message to the G8: Use Climate Commitments to Restore Trust

Farid Baddache, Director, Europe

At the G8 talks in Italy, German Chancellor Angela Merkel seemed confident that the G8 would limit global warming to no more than 2 degrees Celsius. But we should be pessimistic about how these discussions have carried forward the global agenda on climate change mitigation. A success at COP15 is still a very long way off. Read more 

Posted: July 13, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment

Waxman-Markey and the Business Case for Strong Climate Policy

Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy

In light of the disappointing outcomes at the recent G8 negotiations on climate, many now see the U.S. Senate’s forthcoming deliberations over America’s first-ever cap-and-trade law (the American Clean Energy and Security Act, or Waxman-Markey), as the next big step on the road to Copenhagen. Read more 

Posted: July 10, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change

Finding Ourselves at a Crossroad

Diane Osgood, Ph.D.

Where are we? Are we out of the recession? Are we into a depression? Read more 

Posted: May 27, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change

The G20: Building Low-Carbon Economic Prosperity

Aron Cramer, President and CEO

Following on my post earlier this week, I want to draw your attention to an open letter (PDF) BSR joined in sending to UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, which outlines several steps to the creation of “low-carbon economic prosperity.” This letter is organized by the climate program of the World Economic Forum and is signed by 52 companies—including many BSR members—and other organizations and individuals actively working to combat climate change.  Read more 

Posted: April 1, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change

Here Comes the G20

Aron Cramer, President and CEO

All eyes are on London this week for the G20 Summit. In a column that ran in 27 countries on Monday, U.S. President Obama has called for "a new kind of global economic cooperation." Unfortunately, last week’s comments from Czech Prime Minister Topolanek on U.S. policy being the "way to hell," and from Brazilian President Lula on white, blue-eyed bankers” as the source of our current problems don’t sound like global cooperation to me. Read more 

Posted: March 30, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change

Field Notes: Helping Guide GHG Protocol’s “Scope 3”

Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy

As BSR goes to press with “Looking for Signs Along the Road to Copenhagen,” the debate about whose emissions are whose and what constitutes progress is heating up. It is going to get hotter, because it looks more likely that the WTO will enforce prospective border measures on carbon. Read more 

Posted: March 5, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change

BSR Conference Session Summaries

The Power of Clean Air and Water: What If Your Employees Are Divided About Climate Change?

BSR Conference 2011
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Posted: November 7, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Water

BSR Conference Session Summaries

The Future of Energy in Transportation

BSR Conference 2011
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Posted: November 7, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change

BSR Conference Session Summaries

The CSR Blueprint for Solar

BSR Conference 2011
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Posted: November 7, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Supply Chain, Sustainable Consumption

BSR Conference Session Summaries

Sustainability in the Increasingly Accessible Arctic

BSR Conference 2011
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Posted: November 7, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Reporting & Communications, Stakeholder Relations

BSR Conference Session Summaries

Sustainability in Mainstream Financial Reporting

BSR Conference 2011
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Posted: November 7, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Financial Services, Reporting & Communications

BSR Conference Session Summaries

Networks and Nodes: The Future of Moving Stuff

BSR Conference 2011
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Posted: November 7, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change

BSR Conference Session Summaries

Introducing the New “Scope 3” Supply Chain Greenhouse Gas Inventory Standard

BSR Conference 2011
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Posted: November 7, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change

BSR Conference Session Summaries

In Conversation With Bea Perez, VP and Chief Sustainability Officer, The Coca-Cola Company

BSR Conference 2011
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Posted: November 7, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Strategy & Integration, Water

BSR Conference Session Summaries

Environmental Challenges and Transparency in China

BSR Conference 2011
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Posted: November 7, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment

BSR Insight Articles

Burning at Both Ends: Understanding Energy’s Two Major—and Opposite—Climate Trends 

Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy

Recently, Bank of America and Citigroup were both labeled the “greenest” banks while another group called them the “filthiest.” The first name was for investing in clean energy and reducing emissions from operations, while the latter was for providing financial support to carbon-intensive energy such as coal. Read more 

Posted: May 15, 2012 | Tags: Climate Change, Energy, Environment, Mining, In Depth

Taking Ethics to the Cloud 

Dunstan Allison Hope, Managing Director, Advisory Services ; Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy

Just a decade ago, it would have been hard for all but the most tech-savvy to imagine the extent of cloud computing today. A complex system of data centers worldwide that store, process, and deliver information on demand over the internet, the cloud provides users with resources, applications, and information that they previously would have stored locally. The cloud—what some are calling “the factory of the 21st century”—is run by a network of IT service companies, internet firms, and telecommunications services providers, and it offers services to all of us: from banks and retailers to individuals like you and me. It is both real—requiring traditional inputs such as electricity—and virtual. Read more 

Posted: April 10, 2012 | Tags: Climate Change, Energy, Human Rights, Information & Communications Technology, In Depth

KPMG Report Picks 10 Sustainability ‘Megaforces’ 

Population growth, material resource scarcity, climate change, and energy and fuel are among the issues in sustainability that could have significant impact on the business landscape over the next 20 years, according to a recent report by KPMG International. Read more 

Posted: April 3, 2012 | Tags: Climate Change, Ecosystem Services, Energy, Environment, Financial Services, Food, Agriculture & Beverage, Land Use & Biodiversity, Strategy & Integration, Sustainable Consumption, Water, Toolbox

Report: U.S. Consumer Support for Clean Energy Waning 

In the United States, consumer support for clean energy declined significantly between 2009 and 2011, according to a report released last month by Pike Research, a sustainability market research company. Read more 

Posted: March 13, 2012 | Tags: Climate Change, Energy, Toolbox

Sustainability Leadership in Manufacturing 

Raj Sapru, Director, Advisory Services

Despite persistent volatility in the markets, the manufacturing sector is cautiously optimistic about growth. Sustaining this growth will require that sector become a lot more adept at anticipating the future. Read more 

Posted: February 28, 2012 | Tags: Climate Change, Energy, Stakeholder Relations, Strategy & Integration, Transportation, In Depth

Business: Blue and Green 

By Michael Sutton, Vice President, Center for the Future of the Oceans, Monterey Bay Aquarium

Tomorrow, the Economist’s World Ocean Summit in Singapore will highlight for an audience of global business leaders the latest concerns about threats to our oceans, and how business activities are impacting this ecosystem. While all of us can play a role in caring for our ocean resources, perhaps the only force powerful enough to reverse the decline of our global environment is commerce itself. Read more 

Posted: February 21, 2012 | Tags: Climate Change, Ecosystem Services, Environment, Food, Agriculture & Beverage, Travel & Tourism, Water, In Depth

Business’ Role in Ocean ‘Custodianship’ 

BSR President and CEO Aron Cramer will lead a discussion on how companies can be “custodians” of the oceans at the Economist’s World Oceans Summit in Singapore later this week. Read more 

Posted: February 21, 2012 | Tags: Climate Change, Ecosystem Services, Environment, Water, Spotlight

When Policy Fails on Climate, What Can Business Do? BSR’s 2012 Climate Initiatives 

Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy

As 2011 draws to a close, we have registered a record year for weather disasters following the largest-ever jump in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and the carbon intensity of the world’s fastest-growing economies is only rising. Following the inconclusive end of the UN climate talks in Durban, there is also little reason left to believe that our outmoded international treaty system is going to lead the world away from the ever-worsening state of climate change. Read more 

Posted: December 20, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment, Strategy & Integration, In Depth

Black Carbon Provides Climate Change Mitigation Opportunities 

Raj Sapru, Director, Advisory Services

Black carbon—which includes particles emitted from cars, trucks, stoves, industrial facilities, and some forest fires—is the second-largest contributor to climate change after carbon-dioxide emissions. This happens because when black carbon is suspended in the air, particles absorb sunlight and warm the atmosphere. Also, when black carbon is deposited on ice and snow, it decreases reflectivity and accelerates melting. In addition to accelerating global warming, black carbon has significant impacts on human health and crop yields. Read more 

Posted: December 20, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment, Strategy & Integration, Spotlight

COP17 Results and Related Resources 

Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy

Over the weekend, negotiators attending the UN Climate talks in Durban, South Africa, agreed on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action, which, for the first time, brings developed and developing countries together under the same framework to reduce emissions. More specifically, the agreement outlines a new commitment period to start by 2020, extends the Kyoto Protocol for a limited time to keep climate commitments by the EU and other developed countries active, and directs the Green Climate Fund to disburse US$100 billion per year to help developing countries adapt to climate change and promote clean energy. Read more 

Posted: December 13, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Toolbox

Climate and Energy Highlights From the BSR Conference 

The BSR Conference 2011 featured several sessions highlighting some key themes and issues that will be important for business in the near future: Read more 

Posted: November 18, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Energy, Spotlight

How Companies Should Adapt to Climate Change 

Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy

Consider three developments: Read more 

Posted: September 13, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, In Depth

Climate Change Adaptation: Building Resiliency 

Tiffany Finley, Associate, Advisory Services

Today, BSR is releasing the final four industry briefs in its “Climate Change Adaptation” series, which provides insight on climate-related risks and opportunities, actions companies are taking, and recommendations for how companies can lead their industries’ adaptation measures. Read more 

Posted: September 13, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Consumer Products, Energy, Financial Services, Food, Agriculture & Beverage, Information & Communications Technology, Mining, Transportation, Toolbox

The Business Case for Supply Chain Energy Efficiency 

Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy

In this video, learn about the business case for investing in supply chain energy efficiency, which includes three elements: Read more 

Posted: August 30, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Strategy & Integration, Supply Chain, In Depth

The Global Food Crisis 

Elissa Goldenberg, Associate, Advisory Services

According to Oxfam International, which recently published an interactive map of the global food crisis, food prices—caused by climate change and resulting crop failures, rising oil costs, and short-sighted biofuel strategies—have lingered at an all-time high since late 2010. Read more 

Posted: August 16, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Community Engagement & Development, Economic, Social & Cultural Rights, Human Rights, Quick Hit

Traveling in a Changing Climate 

Celine Suarez, Manager, Advisory Services

Perhaps no other industry is more dependent on climate than travel and tourism. From warm, sunny, beachfront resorts, to majestic, snowy mountains, and turbulence-free flights, nearly every aspect of the industry is better off and more profitable when the weather is stable and predictable, and travelers can move about safely and without disruption. Read more 

Posted: July 19, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment, Strategy & Integration, Travel & Tourism, In Depth

Increasing Costs, Water Scarcity Top Business’ Climate Change Concerns 

According to a recent report by the Global Compact, UN Environment Programme, Oxfam, and World Resources Institute, water scarcity and the increasing costs of raw materials and natural resources are business’ two greatest concerns about climate change risks. As the report notes, climate change impacts—including rising temperatures, floods, and extreme weather events—present a variety of risks to companies’ operations and value chains, including: Read more 

Posted: July 5, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Land Use & Biodiversity, Strategy & Integration, Water, Quick Hit

Partnership Innovation: It Takes a Supply Chain to Improve Women’s Health 

Over the past six weeks, I have traveled from meeting to meeting in Washington, D.C., Bangkok, and Geneva to develop opportunities for BSR to partner with funders and others to provide resources to tackle challenges as diverse and broad as childhood nutrition, climate change adaptation, and energy efficiency. These discussions have gotten me thinking about the importance of innovative partnerships in addressing big challenges, and how business can be more effective in its work with government, civil society, and even private funders. Read more 

Posted: May 31, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Community Engagement & Development, Consumer Products, Financial Services, Human Rights, Labor Migration, Stakeholder Relations, Supply Chain, In Depth

Climate Adaptation Measures to Manage Risks and Create Opportunities 

Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy

With the increasing severity of storms and weather disasters, receding rivers, advancing deserts, and more frequent landslides, floods, and sinkholes, there's no question that the effects of climate change will test business' ability to deliver products and services. Read more 

Posted: May 31, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Strategy & Integration, Spotlight

Climate Change Adaptation for the ICT and Consumer Products Sectors 

For the consumer products and ICT sectors, climate change has the potential to disrupt supply chains, damage critical assets and infrastructure, and create new customer needs. The latest reports in BSR’s "Climate Change Adaptation" series—which provides insight on climate-related risks and opportunities for a variety of industries—include practical examples of actions companies are already taking, as well as recommendations on how company leaders can improve their business’ resiliency. Read more 

Posted: May 24, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Consumer Products, Information & Communications Technology, Strategy & Integration, Toolbox

Climate Change Adaptation in the Middle East 

Chhavi Ghuliani, Manager, Advisory Services

In the Middle East and North Africa, where half of the population already lives under water-stressed conditions, climate change and the expected rise in global temperatures will likely intensify persistent issues such as droughts and floods. To avoid the business risks posed by climate change, companies operating in the region need to create targeted adaptation strategies. Read more 

Posted: March 22, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment, Strategy & Integration, Spotlight

Will Old Europe Become the New World of Sustainability in 2011? 

Peder Michael Pruzan-Jorgensen, Managing Director, Europe, Middle East, and Africa

European companies, government officials, and civil society representatives have tended to scoff at their American cousins’ approach to sustainability, and also at the perceived fundamental disregard for the environment and human rights in BRIC countries. But as we make our way into 2011, I sense a shift in Europe toward a more somber mood, similar to the sobriety that comes to a soccer team the day after an unexpected defeat by a mignon competitor: heads down, feet dragging, and a realization that something different has to be done. Read more 

Posted: February 7, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Consumer Products, Energy, Environment, Financial Services, Food, Agriculture & Beverage, Health Care, Human Rights, Information & Communications Technology, Media & Entertainment, Mining, Reporting & Communications, Strategy & Integration, Supply Chain, Transportation, Travel & Tourism, In Depth

Adapting to Climate Change: BSR’s New Industry Series 

Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy

As climate change sets in, its impacts—such as increasing severity of storms and weather disasters, receding snow and rivers, advancing deserts, and more frequently occurring landslides, floods, and sinkholes—will test companies’ ability to effectively deliver products and services. Read more 

Posted: January 18, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment, Food, Agriculture & Beverage, Strategy & Integration, In Depth

UN Climate Chief Calls on Business to Lead a Global Solution 

Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy

Last week, the UN finished its 16th annual climate negotiations in Cancun, Mexico. As observers grew frustrated by the continually slow progress, negotiators started paying greater attention to business’ role in taking the lead. Read more 

Posted: December 14, 2010 | Tags: Climate Change, Energy, On the Record

The Advent of Supply Chain Climate Reporting: Reading CDP’s 2010 Results on Scope 3 

Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy

The Global 500 Report, Carbon Disclosure Project’s (CDP) annual summary of climate reporting by the world’s 500 largest companies released in September, gives the most insight to date on corporations' reporting about climate change and their supply chains. But what does it tell us? Read more 

Posted: November 23, 2010 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment, Supply Chain, In Depth

Transitioning to Climate-Smart Agriculture 

According to a new report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, agriculture in developing countries must be transformed in order to meet the global challenge of food security and respond to climate change. Key technical, institutional, policy, and financial responses are needed to establish climate-smart systems throughout the agricultural sector. Read more 

Posted: November 16, 2010 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment, Food, Agriculture & Beverage, Land Use & Biodiversity, Toolbox

‘Workers’ Rights’ Tops List of Priorities in Year Ahead 

According to one key finding from a new survey of nearly 400 BSR members (see chart below), workers' rights has jumped to the top of the list of significant priorities for companies' CSR/sustainability efforts in the year ahead, followed by human rights, climate change, and water quality/availability. Climate change dropped two spots from last year, when it was at the top of the list and workers' rights was third. Read more 

Posted: November 2, 2010 | Tags: Climate Change, Economic, Social & Cultural Rights, Supply Chain, Quick Hit

Three Tools for Managing Supply Chain Transparency on Climate 

Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy

With guidance on supply chain reporting by the GHG Protocol just around the corner, companies will soon have more clarity on how to manage “Scope 3” emissions. At the same time, companies like HP and others in BSR’s Energy Efficiency Partnership are working on climate change with a growing number of suppliers. As a result of these developments, minimum expectations for climate reporting on the supply chain are rising. Read more 

Posted: October 5, 2010 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment, Governance & Accountability, In Depth

Climate Change and Supplier Energy Conservation 

Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy

At the recent Energy Efficiency Partnership (EEP) kickoff meeting in Guangzhou, China, 11 companies including Starbucks, HP, and Levi Strauss & Co. gathered with more than 80 of their suppliers to share best practices and trends in energy management. Participants learned how to use energy action plans and take advantage of local service providers like CLP, which has a free energy audit program backed by the Chinese government. Read more 

Posted: September 7, 2010 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment, Supply Chain, On the Record

Practical Frameworks to Help Business Prepare for Climate Change 

Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy

While it's impossible to predict the exact impacts climate change will have on business, several practical frameworks are designed to help managers understand and prepare for climate change: Read more 

Posted: August 31, 2010 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment, Toolbox

Preparing for the Unpredictable: Lessons on Adapting to Climate Change 

Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy

With managers across industries under pressure to develop sophisticated views about how climate change will impact their company, it might seem natural to look to the insurance industry for guidance on how to act and communicate about risks and opportunities. Read more 

Posted: August 31, 2010 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment, Strategy & Integration, In Depth

Buyer’s Guide to GHG Accounting Tools 

Despite (or perhaps because of) last year’s failed climate talks in Copenhagen, the demand for tools and software programs that help companies track greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions has increased dramatically over the past year. Read more 

Posted: May 25, 2010 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment, Strategy & Integration, In Depth

Getting Started on Supply Chain Energy Efficiency in China 

Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy

Late in 2008, following Walmart Vice Chairman (now CEO) Mike Duke’s announcement that the company would improve the energy efficiency of its top 200 China-based suppliers by 20 percent by 2012, Walmart enlisted BSR to help launch its first supply chain energy-efficiency effort in China. Read more 

Posted: May 11, 2010 | Tags: Climate Change, Energy, Supply Chain, In Depth

B4E Leader Calls for Price on Carbon 

Last week, BSR President and CEO Aron Cramer joined leaders from business, government, international agencies, and NGOs at the Business for Environment (B4E) Summit in Seoul to discuss business-driven solutions for the world's most urgent environmental challenges. Discussion topics ranged from women's empowerment and renewable energy to new business paradigms and population control. Read more 

Posted: April 27, 2010 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment, On the Record

2010 Proxy Preview 

Elissa Goldenberg, Associate, Advisory Services

As You Sow's "2010 Proxy Preview" categorizes the hundreds of proxies filed in the United States on social and governance issues, explores important issues, identifies the key investors and organizations filing them, and provides a list of companies and upcoming proxy votes. Read more 

Posted: April 20, 2010 | Tags: Climate Change, Governance & Accountability, Human Rights, Investor Perspective, Reporting & Communications, Stakeholder Relations, Toolbox

Following Walmart’s Lead: Driving Emissions Reductions 

Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy

In late February, Walmart announced that it would eliminate 20 million tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from its supply chain—a commitment that will address climate change, cut costs, and make the company’s suppliers leaner and more competitive. The initiative will likely influence thousands of other companies, as Walmart suppliers teach their suppliers, and other companies follow Walmart's lead. Read more 

Posted: March 16, 2010 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment, Strategy & Integration, Supply Chain, Spotlight

Corporate Climate Reporting: How to Communicate About Policy Engagement 

Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy

With the fiscal year drawing to a close for many companies, it’s writing season for corporate social responsibility (CSR) reports. As usual, reports provide a medium for communicating to investors who want to see companies creating value, customers who want to know which companies and products are leaders versus laggards, and watchdogs looking for inconsistencies. Read more 

Posted: March 16, 2010 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment, Reporting & Communications, In Depth

Considering the Big Picture 

By Linda Hwang, Manager, Research & Innovation, BSR; Kit Armstrong, Senior Advisor, BSR; and Sissel Waage, Senior Advisor, BSR

In its 2008 corporate responsibility report, the Walt Disney Company made a pioneering commitment that the company will have a “net positive impact on ecosystems.” As part of this strategy, Disney will develop habitat and restoration solutions based on ecosystem impacts identified during the design-review process of new projects. In a similar fashion, some government agencies have begun to place more emphasis on ecosystems as a whole, as opposed to single environmental issues such as greenhouse gas emissions: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, for example, has oriented its research agenda around ecosystem services, and the European Environment Agency began investing heavily in ecosystem services research and tools to aid its decision-making for management of environmental issues. Read more 

Posted: February 16, 2010 | Tags: Climate Change, Ecosystem Services, Energy, Environment, Food, Agriculture & Beverage, Land Use & Biodiversity, Mining, In Depth

The Climate in 2010 

Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy

As 2010 dawns, there are looming questions about climate change action: Will the international political agreement developed for the next “COP” meeting include detailed targets and rules? Will those targets and rules be binding? What will happen with the U.S. Senate’s vote on cap-and-trade? Will U.S. public opinion about climate change—which has a major impact on how the Senate votes—ever begin to converge with science? Read more 

Posted: January 19, 2010 | Tags: Climate Change, In Depth

Overheard at COP15 

BSR Research & Innovation Manager Ryan Schuchard spent last week at COP15 in Copenhagen. After standing in line for hours to get in, Schuchard presented on corporate climate leadership, watched presentations on climate science and U.S. legislation, and attended Klimaforum, the people's summit. Here is some of what he heard at Copenhagen: Read more 

Posted: December 22, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change, On the Record

Energy Efficiency in China Requires Going Back to the Basics 

By Daniel Gross

After Copenhagen, attention will switch from government commitments to on-the-ground changes needed now to lower emissions, especially in developing countries. Read more 

Posted: December 15, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change, Energy, Supply Chain, Spotlight

What Copenhagen Means for Business: Five Key Issues to Watch Now and in the Future 

Marshall Chase, Manager, Advisory Services

The headlines leading up to the UN-led climate negotiations that began yesterday in Copenhagen provide a nice snapshot of an extraordinary roller-coaster ride: Read more 

Posted: December 8, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment, In Depth

New Report Urges Policymakers to Protect Ecosystems 

Linda Hwang, Manager, Research

According to a new report from The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) initiative, policymakers can increase economic returns, jobs, and livelihoods by investing in ecological infrastructure; integrating ecosystem services values into price signals; and creating adequate institutions, regulatory frameworks, and financing opportunities to protect ecosystems. Read more 

Posted: November 24, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change, Ecosystem Services, Environment, Investor Perspective, Strategy & Integration, Water, Toolbox

Want to Lead on Climate? Advance Straight to Policy 

Laura Ediger, Environmental Manager; Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy

As negotiators gather in Copenhagen next month to discuss a global climate policy framework, there has never been a better time for companies to influence policy instruments that could dramatically affect the future of climate change. Read more 

Posted: November 17, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment, In Depth

A Window Into the Future of Climate Change 

The Climate Rapid Overview and Decision-Support Simulator (C-ROADS)—developed by the Sustainability Institute, Ventana Systems, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology—simulates climate change, giving decision-makers a peek at the long-term implications of potential global climate agreements to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Read more 

Posted: November 3, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment, Toolbox

The State of Sustainable Business 

For a snapshot on the state of sustainable business, take a look at our brief report from the BSR/GlobeScan survey of nearly 300 business leaders at the BSR Conference 2009. Highlights include: Read more 

Posted: November 3, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment, Human Rights, Strategy & Integration, Water, Quick Hit

Plenary Sessions Featured on BSR’s YouTube Channel 

The BSR Conference 2009 plenary sessions featured global experts who shared ideas on how to successfully navigate the "reset world." Read more 

Posted: October 27, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change, On the Record

Business Models in a Low-Carbon World 

Arthur D. Little's report "Business Models in a Low-Carbon World" asserts that the global economic recession triggered a radical change toward a less carbon-intensive world. According to the report, this new "low-carbon agenda" will affect every company, whether due to brand recognition implications, impacts on operating costs, or changes in investors’ perceptions of value. Read more 

Posted: October 20, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment, Toolbox

Apple Opposes U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Climate Policy 

When Apple Inc. resigned from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce last week, the company joined Exelon Corp., Nike, PG&E Corp., and PNM in opposing the Chamber’s position on U.S. climate change policy. Read more 

Posted: October 13, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change, On the Record

Minding the Gaps: Three Unmet Needs for Climate Leadership 

By Besty Fargo and Ryan Schuchard

Building on our article last week on why climate matters for every company, managers should be aware that there are some important, and very specific, opportunities for creating business value while promoting climate stability. Read more 

Posted: October 13, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment, Travel & Tourism, In Depth

Planetary Boundaries: How Far Can We Go? 

In a new report by the Stockholm Resilience Centre, scientists assert that to avoid catastrophic environmental change, humanity must stay within defined "planetary boundaries" for nine essential Earth-system processes: climate change, stratospheric ozone, land-use change, freshwater use, biological diversity, ocean acidification, nitrogen and phosphorus inputs to the biosphere and oceans, aerosol loading, and chemical pollution. Read more 

Posted: October 6, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment, Toolbox

Not Just for Heavy Emitters: Why Climate Change Matters to Every Company 

Marshall Chase, Manager, Advisory Services

Recently, BSR has fielded inquiries from a range of member companies asking how climate change is relevant to their business. The timing of these questions is obvious: With prospective climate change legislation and policy discussions in the United States and elsewhere, intensive international negotiations culminating later this year, and ongoing stakeholder interest, companies are scrambling to develop or boost their climate change strategies, assess their internal and supply chain emissions, and examine the potential risks and opportunities throughout their operations, value chain, and industry. Read more 

Posted: October 6, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change, Consumer Products, Energy, Environment, Financial Services, Food, Agriculture & Beverage, Information & Communications Technology, Media & Entertainment, Mining, Transportation, In Depth

Moving Toward an Ecosystem Approach to Natural Resources Management 

Linda Hwang, Manager, Research

As we prepare for the Copenhagen climate negotiations, there is a parallel discussion about the need for an "ecosystem approach" that includes ecological restoration and biological conservation to counter the loss of ecosystem services caused by climate change. Ecosystem services—the collective benefits, such as clean water, that people obtain from healthy, functioning ecosystems—represent a new development in the relationship between society and nature. Read more 

Posted: September 29, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change, Ecosystem Services, Environment, Spotlight

Sustainability the Danish Way 

As Denmark prepares to host the COP15 climate change talks this December, it’s a good time to look at the country’s sustainability progress. Read more 

Posted: September 1, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment, Spotlight

Responsible Engagement on Water Policy 

By Gavin Power, Deputy Director, UN Global Compact

As the CEO Water Mandate prepares for its fourth working conference as part of World Water Week in Stockholm this week, we believe it is important to reflect on the broader context in which water resides—specifically, its role as a global security issue, and its relation to other critical environmental and social issues. Read more 

Posted: August 17, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change, Energy, Environment, Reporting & Communications, Supply Chain, Water, In Depth

Navigating U.S.-China Relations: A Climate Policy Update 

Laura Ediger, Environmental Manager; Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy

Earlier this year, we said that staying on the critical path to an effective climate treaty would require that the United States enact serious climate legislation, that both China and the United States ratchet up their respective commitments, and that the U.S. Senate ratify the international treaty resulting from public negotiations in Copenhagen this December. Read more 

Posted: August 11, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment, In Depth

Events

BSR Conference 2011: Leadership Required

Leadership in business is changing fast. In today’s global, integrated, and transparent world, business is expected to do more than deliver shareholder returns. At its best, business is a creative force and an integral player in delivering prosperity for 9 billion people, applying game-changing technologies for social benefit, and radically reducing our use of natural resources. Learn more 

Event Date: November 1-4 | Tags: Civil & Political Rights, Climate Change, Community Engagement & Development, Conflict Minerals, Consumer Products, Economic Development, Economic, Social & Cultural Rights, Ecosystem Services, Energy, Environment, Financial Services, Food, Agriculture & Beverage, Governance & Accountability, Health Care, Human Rights, Information & Communications Technology, Investor Perspective, Labor Migration, Land Use & Biodiversity, Materiality, Media & Entertainment, Mining, New Media, Philanthropy, Reporting & Communications, Return on Investment, Stakeholder Relations, Strategy & Integration, Supply Chain, Sustainable Consumption, Toxicity & Product Design, Transportation, Travel & Tourism, Water, Women & Sustainability

Webinar: Payments for Ecosystem Services in Agriculture

There is divergence of opinion about how we can feed 9 billion people adequately by 2050 while conserving natural resources, securing food supply, and bolstering rural incomes. Increasingly, attention is focusing on viable economic models which:

  • Pay farmers to preserve agricultural biodiversity
  • Help efforts to mitigate/adapt to climate change
  • Protect watersheds
  • Alleviate rural poverty
 Learn more 

Event Date: September 23, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Ecosystem Services, Food, Agriculture & Beverage, Water, Add to French Site

Reports

The Quiet (R)Evolution in Expectations of Corporate Environmental Performance

The amount of activity related to ecosystem services within government, business, financial services, and academics indicates that the concept has finally come of age. Read more 

Posted: April 30, 2012 | Tags: Climate Change, Ecosystem Services, Environment | Download (PDF) |

Adapting to Climate Change: A Guide for the Mining Industry

This primer on climate change adaptation in the mining industry summarizes how mining companies are reporting on climate change risks and opportunities. Key risks and opportunities include disturbance to mine infrastructure and operations, changing access to supply chains and distribution routes, challenges to worker health and safety conditions, challenges to environmental management and mitigation, more pressure points with community relations, exploration, and future growth. The brief outlines current and emerging best practices and guidance for mining companies on how to develop a proactive approach to climate change adaptation, and makes recommendations. Read more 

Posted: September 12, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Mining, Strategy & Integration | Download (PDF) |

Adapting to Climate Change: A Guide for the Financial Services Industry

This primer on climate change adaptation in the financial services (FS) industry summarizes how FS companies are reporting on climate change risks and opportunities. Key risks and opportunities include disruption to owned assets and operations, investment portfolio exposure, and investor and public confidence. The brief outlines current and emerging best practices and guidance for FS companies on how to develop a proactive approach to climate change adaptation, and makes recommendations. Read more 

Posted: September 12, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Financial Services, Strategy & Integration | Download (PDF) |

Adapting to Climate Change: A Guide for the Transportation Industry

This primer on climate change adaptation in the transportation industry summarizes how transportation companies are reporting on climate change risks and opportunities. Key risks and opportunities include disruptions to service operations, threats to assets and infrastructure, and changes to underlying markets. The brief outlines current and emerging best practices and guidance for transportation companies on how to develop a proactive approach to climate change adaptation, and makes recommendations. Read more 

Posted: September 12, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Strategy & Integration, Transportation | Download (PDF) |

Adapting to Climate Change: A Guide for the Energy and Utility Industry

This primer on climate change adaptation in the energy and utility (E&U) industry summarizes how E&U companies are reporting on climate change risks and opportunities. Key risks and opportunities include changing access to energy fuel supplies, greater demand for energy management solutions, water availability, policy and investor pressure, and workforce safety and security. The brief outlines current and emerging best practices and guidance for E&U companies on how to develop a proactive approach to climate change adaptation, and makes recommendations. Read more 

Posted: September 12, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Energy, Strategy & Integration | Download (PDF) |

Adapting to Climate Change: A Guide for the Consumer Products Industry

This primer on climate change adaptation in the consumer products (CP) industry summarizes how CP companies are reporting on climate change risks and opportunities. It outlines current and emerging best practices and guidance for CP companies on how to develop a proactive approach to climate change adaptation, and makes recommendations. Read more 

Posted: May 23, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Consumer Products, Strategy & Integration | Download (PDF) |

Adapting to Climate Change: A Guide for the ICT Industry

This primer on climate change adaptation in the information and communications technology (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 

Posted: March 31, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment, Information & Communications Technology | Download (PDF) |

Beyond the Factory Gates: How Brands Improve Supply Chain Sustainability Through Shipping and Logistics

BSR's Clean Cargo Working Group (CCWG) produced this report, which includes an overview of CCWG tools used for benchmarking performance, estimating average CO2 emissions for global trade lanes, and understanding the environmental challenges and opportunities in the sector. Read more 

Posted: February 25, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Consumer Products, Supply Chain, Transportation | Download (PDF) |

Adapting to Climate Change: A Guide for the Food, Beverage, and Agriculture Industry

This is a primer on climate change adaptation for food, beverage, and agriculture (FBA) executives. It summarizes how FBA companies are reporting on climate change risks and opportunities, which include supply chain security, water scarcity, infrastructure and distribution, evolving consumer demands, and workforce stability. It also outlines common current practices and discusses practices that can be expected to grow in importance. This guide serves as a resource for executives considering material issues tied to climate change and provides guidance on developing a proactive and responsible approach to adaptation. Read more 

Posted: January 23, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment, Food, Agriculture & Beverage, Strategy & Integration | Download (PDF) |

Preparing for the Unpredictable: Lessons on Adapting to Climate Change

In the absence of accurate predictions of climate change impacts, there are four ways to prepare your business: develop climate change literacy, identify plausible impacts, evaluate priorities, and build resilience. Read more 

Posted: September 28, 2010 | Tags: Climate Change | Download (PDF) |

Unlocking Energy Efficiency in China

This guide helps global sustainability professionals establish supply chain energy-efficiency programs, with a focus on China. The report outlines how companies can succeed with a four-step process that includes building foundations for a comprehensive program, helping suppliers take the first steps, facilitating progress over time, and enhancing the program’s impacts. Read more 

Posted: May 28, 2010 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment, Strategy & Integration, Supply Chain | Download (PDF) |

Communicating on Climate Policy Engagement

Public policy engagement has rapidly become a crucial aspect of reporting on climate change. While reporting on direct climate impacts and on risks and opportunities remains important, environmental advocates and other stakeholders are calling on companies to demonstrate how they are playing a role in climate policy development. In response, a growing number of companies are reporting on their climate policy engagement efforts, and emerging third-party measurement frameworks are providing a basis for comparison Read more 

Posted: March 15, 2010 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment, Mining, Reporting & Communications, Strategy & Integration | Download (PDF) |

Value Chain Approaches to a Low-Carbon Economy: Business and Policy Partnerships

This paper is prepared in support of a workshop at the World Business Summit on Climate Change Summit on leveraging value chains to reduce climate impacts and build a low-carbon economy. Read more 

Posted: May 28, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment, Food, Agriculture & Beverage, Information & Communications Technology, Supply Chain, Transportation | Download (PDF) |

Measuring Corporate Impact on Ecosystems: A Comprehensive Review of New Tools

Learn how to integrate new ecosystem services into your corporate planning and daily decision-making. This report on ecosystem services—the collective benefits provided by a community of animals and plants interacting with one another and with their physical environment, such as clean water and pollination of plants—allows you to compare the various tools that measure and assess the value of ecosystem services. Read more 

Posted: December 28, 2008 | Tags: Climate Change, Ecosystem Services, Environment, Land Use & Biodiversity, Water | Download (PDF) |

Offsetting Emissions: A Business Brief on the Voluntary Carbon Market (Second Edition)

This business brief is intended for companies that are considering the purchase of voluntary offsets for their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It offers clear steps that guide early assessments and enable corporate decision makers to become educated consumers within voluntary carbon markets. Read more 

Posted: February 28, 2008 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment, Reporting & Communications | Download (PDF) |

The New Markets for Environmental Services: A Corporate Manager's Resource Guide to Trading in Air, Climate, Water and Biodiversity Assets

The natural environment provides society with essential services—such as clean air and reliable flows of clean water—which are increasingly being valued in financial terms. Environmental markets— some regulatory and others voluntary—are now trading credits as well as derivatives. Regulatory environmental markets are operating in Europe, the U.S., Australia and other countries around the world. Voluntary markets and business-to-business “payments for environmental services” (PES) deals are also underway, in both industrialized and developing countries. These markets and transactions are sending price signals about environmental values. The result is that businesses can place a financial value not only on environmental compliance, but also increasingly on voluntary actions. Read more 

Posted: December 28, 2007 | Tags: Climate Change, Ecosystem Services, Environment, Land Use & Biodiversity, Water | Download (PDF) |

Bio-Carbon and Corporate Climate Strategy: A Business Brief on Emissions Reductions Via Forestry and Land Use Projects

Read more 

Posted: November 9, 2007 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment, Land Use & Biodiversity | Download (PDF) |

Environmental Markets, Executive Briefing

A shift is occurring in how environmental issues are understood and what corporate environmental expectations exist. The current focus on incremental improvements and discrete issues is becoming outmoded. Key regulators’ and stakeholders’ approaches to environmental issues are broadening to include the overall function of ecological systems as well as the application of market-based of incentives for environmental performance. Read more 

Posted: October 10, 2007 | Tags: Climate Change, Ecosystem Services, Environment, Land Use & Biodiversity, Water | Download (PDF) |

Beyond Neutrality: Moving Your Company Toward Climate Leadership

Read more 

Posted: October 9, 2007 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment, Supply Chain | Download (PDF) |

A Glimpse into the Future: A Survey of Food and Agriculture Industry Key Trends

This report reviews some of the key CSR trends emerging for the industry in the coming three to five years and point to implications for company practices. Read more 

Posted: October 8, 2007 | Tags: Climate Change, Food, Agriculture & Beverage, Labor Migration, Water | Download (PDF) |

Getting Carbon Offsets Right

Companies around the world are taking a closer look at their contributions to climate change,1 with an increasing number voluntarily reducing their “carbon footprints” by purchasing offsets elsewhere. In a practice known as offsetting, businesses pay to outsource emissions reductions when it is more cost-effective or technologically feasible than doing so in-house. The market for these voluntary offsets, fueled by corporate commitments to become “carbon neutral,” is growing rapidly. Read more 

Posted: July 28, 2007 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment | Download (PDF) |

Who's Going Carbon Neutral?

Companies, non-profits, government agencies, individuals and even cities are claiming to be -- or announcing their intent to become -- carbon neutral. With the number of such claims growing rapidly in both number and type, BSR is working with our member companies to ensure that business voices are incorporated into emerging NGO efforts to set guidelines for “carbon neutrality.” Read more 

Posted: June 28, 2007 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment | Download (PDF) |

Dipping Their Toes In

Some see carbon as merely the first of a whole range of markets for ecosystem services. But, as Sissel Waage and Emma Stewart found, the corporate world is approaching with caution Read more 

Posted: May 1, 2007 | Tags: Climate Change, Ecosystem Services, Environment, Land Use & Biodiversity, Water | Download (PDF) |

Environmental Markets: Opportunities & Risks for Business

A shift is occurring in how environmental issues are understood and what corporate environmental expectations exist. The current focus on incremental improvements and discrete issues is becoming outmoded. Key regulators’ and stakeholders’ approaches to environmental issues are broadening to include the overall function of ecological systems as well as the application of market-based of incentives for environmental performance. Read more 

Posted: July 10, 2006 | Tags: Climate Change, Ecosystem Services, Environment, Land Use & Biodiversity, Water | Download (PDF) |

Case Studies Report

Actionable Research on Sustainability

Our Research team tracks emerging trends and solutions central to building sustainable business. We aim to help business leaders stay ahead of the curve and shape future-oriented decisions on a wide range of challenges, from energy management, to sustainable consumption, to human rights. Learn more 

Posted: June 3, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Ecosystem Services, Human Rights, Sustainable Consumption

Walmart: Improving Supplier Energy Efficiency

In 2008, Walmart committed to improving the energy efficiency of its top 200 suppliers’ factories in China by 20 percent by 2012. With the aim not only to benefit the environment but also to help suppliers become more competitive, Walmart sought to replicate the success it has had in Europe and the United States in increasing supply chain efficiency. In China, however, the company found that its suppliers often prioritize overall growth over increased energy efficiency. As a result, operations managers commonly lack the necessary incentives and know-how to achieve efficiency improvements. An additional challenge in China is the lack of a developed professional energy-efficiency industry to provide equipment and data-measurement tools that make this process easier in other regions. To help overcome these barriers, Walmart enlisted BSR’s help. Learn more 

Posted: June 1, 2010 | Tags: Climate Change, Consumer Products, Energy, Environment, Supply Chain

Building the South China Energy Conservation Community

Today, China is one of the world’s largest carbon emitters and consumers of energy, with the average Chinese factory using about 11 times as much energy as its equivalent in Japan. In 2005, the Chinese government began an aggressive five-year plan to improve the energy efficiency of the country’s top 1,000 energy-consuming enterprises. These companies, which together account for one-third of China’s energy use, each emit more than 450,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year. The companies include China’s largest power plants, steel mills, petrochemical companies, and paper mills, among others. Learn more 

Posted: June 1, 2010 | Tags: Climate Change, Energy

Shell Wind: Community Engagement in a New Era of Energy

Shell Wind Energy is involved in 11 wind-generating facilities across the United States and Europe, with 550 megawatts of owned generating capacity—saving around 1 million tons of carbon dioxide per year compared to conventional energy sources. Shell recognizes that wind projects can have a range of impacts that require community engagement, and that community engagement is central to positive outcomes. For example, while wind developments in rural areas can support the regional economy, important public services also need to be readied for managing revenues, safety, and communications regarding planned construction and operating activities. Shell asked BSR to support community engagement with wind projects in several locations, including New Mexico and Texas. Learn more 

Posted: June 1, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change, Community Engagement & Development, Energy, Stakeholder Relations

Sustainability Matters

Introducing the New ‘Scope 3’ Value Chain Greenhouse Gas Inventory Standard 

The long-awaited “Scope 3” standard for greenhouse gas accounting and reporting in value chains, along with its companion standard for evaluating products, was released last month by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. Learn more 

Event Date: December 7, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Reporting & Communications

Unlocking Energy Efficiency in China 

In this webinar, we explored emerging standards and tools for partnering with suppliers on energy efficiency. Learn more 

Event Date: May 26, 2010 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment, Supply Chain

Communicating on Climate Policy Engagement 

Listen to our discussion on the findings of BSR's report, "Communicating on Climate Policy Engagement," and understand how they apply to your job today. Learn more 

Event Date: March 24, 2010 | Tags: Climate Change, Environment, Reporting & Communications

Training: Getting Engaged in Climate Policy 

Following the success of the BSR Conference 2009 pre-conference training on climate policy, this virtual training will outline key trends in climate policy and engagement opportunities your company should be thinking about. Learn more 

Event Date: December 8, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change

What to Watch at Copenhagen: Tracking Upcoming Climate Negotiations at the United Nations 

With international climate treaty negotiations in Copenhagen (COP-15) just around the corner, climate policy is on everyone's agenda. But what does this mean for your company? Learn more 

Event Date: December 2, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change

The Case for Climate Policy Engagement 

In this webinar, you will learn why and how companies should engage in climate policy, particularly in the context of pending climate legislation in the United States and the global treaty negotiations that will take place in Copenhagen in December. Learn more 

Event Date: October 7, 2009 | Tags: Climate Change

BSR Review

Sustainability in the Chinese Context

With China's incredible growth, it will soon become the world's second-largest economy. However, the country strives for more than just economic prosperity—sustainable development is a top priority for the country, as evidenced by the latest 12th Five-Year Development Plan. View email publication 

Posted: June 22, 2011 | Tags: Climate Change, Economic Development, Energy, Environment, Human Rights, Reporting & Communications, Strategy & Integration

Climate Change and Energy Management

Welcome to the second edition of the BSR Review, our bi-monthly update on issues central to sustainable business. This edition features a collection of BSR’s recent work on climate change and energy management—a topic we selected to coincide with the COP-16 conference underway in Cancun, Mexico, which comes less than a year after a disappointing summit in Copenhagen. View email publication 

Posted: December 8, 2010 | Tags: Climate Change

Other Publications & Events Tagged, Climate Change

  • Blog [ 48 ]
  • BSR Conference Session Summaries [ 9 ]
  • BSR Insight Articles [ 56 ]  
  • BSR Review [ 2 ]
  • Case Studies [ 3 ]
  • Events [ 3 ]
  • Research Reports [ 26 ]
  • Sustainable Investment in China Article [ 0 ]
  • Sustainability Matters [ 6 ]  

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Publications

Blog

Opinions, ideas, and notes from the field from BSR staff members around the world.

BSR Insight 

A weekly member-only email newsletter, providing members with expert insights, tools, and analysis on timely global sustainability topics.

BSR Review

A collection of articles, research reports, and opinion pieces written or developed by BSR Sustainable Investment in China Newsletter: Helping investors support sustainable businesses, and helping businesses attract and engage these investors.

Case Studies

Snapshots of our impact working with business to create a just and sustainable world.

Research Reports

Independent, business-critical research to help you stay ahead of the curve and advance corporate responsibility.

Sustainable Investment in China

A quarterly newsletter will help investors in China understand how sustainable investing can mitigate business risk and create opportunities for greater financial as well as social and environmental returns.

Sustainability Matters 

Snapshots of our impact working with business to create a just and sustainable world.

 BSR member-only content; valid login required.