BSR Insight Articles About Food, Beverage & Agriculture

Prosperity on a Crowded Planet: BSR’s Next Phase of Work on Sustainable Consumption

Virginia Terry, Former Director, Advisory Services

By nearly any measure, our current consumption patterns are not sustainable. The 2010 World Wildlife Fund Living Planet Index—which reflects changes in the health of the planet’s ecosystems—shows a drop by about 30 percent since 1970, and its 2010 Living Planet Report concludes that we are now using 50 percent more natural resources than Earth can sustain. This decline is already stalling progress addressing the needs of the more than 1 billion people who still lack adequate food, clothing, and shelter. As the population continues to grow, from 7 billion today to 9 billion in 2050, we need to shift to a more sustainable form of consumption that meets people’s needs without overtaxing natural resources. Read more →

Posted: March 15, 2011 | Topics: Consumer Products, Environment, Food, Beverage & Agriculture, Information & Communications Technology, Reporting & Communications, Stakeholder Relations, Strategy & Integration, Supply Chain, Sustainable Consumption, Travel & Tourism

Closing the Gender Gap in Agriculture

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization released a new report on the business case for addressing gender issues in agriculture and rural employment. According to the report, women in all regions face gender-related constraints that reduce their productivity and impose real costs on society. Read more →

Posted: March 8, 2011 | Topics: Economic Development, Food, Beverage & Agriculture, Strategy & Integration, Supply Chain, Women & Sustainability

Women and Sustainability: Integrating Women Into Your Business and Sustainability Strategies

Racheal Meiers (née Yeager), Director, HERproject

Growth in women’s income, education levels, and labor participation rates makes them essential participants in the global economy, and engagement with women and girls increasingly critical to sustainable growth for every industry. Women contribute to the private sector’s social license to operate; market, crop, and supply chain stability; a talented and stable employee base; and market growth and innovation. Additionally, investments in women have a multiplier effect, as women are more likely to reinvest in education, health, and economic activities at the community level. Read more →

Posted: March 8, 2011 | Topics: Consumer Products, Economic Development, Energy, Financial Services, Food, Beverage & Agriculture, Health Care, Information & Communications Technology, Media & Entertainment, Mining, Supply Chain, Sustainable Consumption, Transportation, Travel & Tourism, Women & Sustainability

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

Peder Michael Pruzan-Jorgensen, Vice President, 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 | Topics: Climate Change, Consumer Products, Energy, Environment, Financial Services, Food, Beverage & Agriculture, Health Care, Human Rights, Information & Communications Technology, Media & Entertainment, Mining, Reporting & Communications, Strategy & Integration, Supply Chain, Transportation, Travel & Tourism

State of Green Business 2011

GreenBiz's fourth annual "State of Green Business" report presents the top 10 trends and 20 indices for measuring how well companies are improving their environmental performance. According to the report, green business did not die during the recession; rather, companies are diving deeper and investing in longer-term sustainability initiatives. Read more →

Posted: February 7, 2011 | Topics: Consumer Products, Energy, Environment, Financial Services, Food, Beverage & Agriculture, Health Care, Information & Communications Technology, Media & Entertainment, Mining, Reporting & Communications, Toxicity & Product Design, Transportation, Travel & Tourism, Water