BSR Insight Articles About Environment

‘Smart’ Networks Pave the Way for Innovation and Efficiency

Linda Hwang, Former Manager, Research

At GreenBiz.com's VERGE Roundtable last week in San Francisco, more than four dozen top executives gathered to look at how energy, information, buildings, and vehicle technologies are coming together to enable new waves of innovation and efficiency. Throughout the conversation, speakers discussed how "intelligent" products like electric vehicles, smart buildings, and the smart grid are quickly becoming commoditized. As a result, potential value will be realized in software that links these products together. For example, “intelligent” cities are being conceptualized with smart buildings, electric vehicles, and smart grids all sharing data for better energy management. Read more →

Posted: June 28, 2011 | Topics: Energy, Environment, Strategy & Integration, Transportation

Water as an Unequal Human Right

A recent posting on Visualizing.org—a creative community that provides graphical representations of data on complex issues—looks at the differences in how "consuming" countries and developing countries use water and are affected by the lack of clean water. The visual representation—created by Tuduyen Nguyen and Cameron Reynolds-Flatt—was created to encourage people to conserve water resources by pointing out facts such as the number of bottles of water consumed each year in the United States and the percentage of the world’s population that lives without basic sanitation. Read more →

Posted: May 17, 2011 | Topics: Economic, Social & Cultural Rights, Environment, Water

WBCSD’s New Guide to Corporate Ecosystem Valuation

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s “Guide to Corporate Ecosystem Valuation” helps business leaders understand the value and benefits of ecosystem services such as fresh water, food, fiber, and natural hazard protection. They can use this data to manage risks and opportunities and make more informed decisions that align financial, ecological, and societal objectives. Read more →

Posted: May 10, 2011 | Topics: Ecosystem Services, Environment, Strategy & Integration

Managing Energy by Working Directly With Suppliers

Ryan Schuchard, Manager, Climate and Energy

With increasing pressure from investors and growing energy constraints, it’s no longer a question for company leaders about whether to address climate change impacts. It’s a priority. One of the surest bets for company managers to do so is to identify opportunities to reduce energy waste, whether through an organized sustainability program or as part of quality management and lean efforts. Read more →

Posted: May 3, 2011 | Topics: Energy, Environment, Strategy & Integration, Supply Chain

Improving the Environmental Performance of Ports and Terminals

Raj Sapru, Former Director, Advisory Services

BSR’s new report—supported by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund—highlights the risks and opportunities associated with improving the sustainability performance of ports and terminal operations, a part of the supply chain often left out of broader supply chain sustainability efforts. Read more →

Posted: April 26, 2011 | Topics: Environment, Strategy & Integration, Supply Chain, Transportation