“If Congress won’t act soon to protect future generations, I will,” says Obama in his 2013 State of the Union address which devoted a substantial portion on climate change. Direction is set for more oil and gas drilling, but also more funding for electric cars and energy efficient buildings. The
Continue readingTag: Thought Leadership
Carbon49 - Sustainability for Canadian businesses: A Cardboard Box and Green Business Strategy
Each day offices across Canada and the U.S. receive thousands of shipments in cardboard boxes. Once unpacked they go straight to recycling depots or landfills. Office supplies chain Grand and Toy and its US parent OfficeMax launch their reusable Boomerang Box to help their customers go green and reposition themselves
Continue readingCarbon49 - Sustainability for Canadian businesses: Winning Cleantech by Design
Being able to get across a green product’s essence to consumers and investors is a key that can turn it from a fringe interest to mass market success. Design can connect consumers with a cleantech product’s functions, values, and green character better than words can. This article shows the key
Continue readingCarbon49 - Sustainability for Canadian businesses: Oxford Properties Building New RBC Headquarters
Can your landlord help your business attract talents, reduce environmental footprint, and foster team collaboration? Royal Bank of Canada aims to achieve all that with its new Canadian headquarters in Toronto being built by Oxford Properties. I take a look at the special features custom designed for sustainability, employee engagement,
Continue readingCarbon49 - Sustainability for Canadian businesses: Green R&D: Companies Betting Big On Green Innovation
The Green Transition Scoreboard reports that $241 billion was recently invested in green R&D by large multinationals like Samsung, General Electric, and Nissan and smaller companies like Owens Corning, Cree, and First Solar. Companies around the world are recognizing a tremendous opportunity as we shift from a dirty fossil fuel-based economy
Continue readingCarbon49 - Sustainability for Canadian businesses: TD Greening from Inside Out
While some ‘green’ businesses do little more than changing light bulbs and focus on greening their reputations, TD Bank take a long term view and green themselves slowly and steadily from the inside out. In this exclusive interview, TD Chief Environmental Officer Karen Clarke-Whistler explains how this long term approach
Continue readingCarbon49 - a blog on sustainability for Canadian businesses: Three CEOs in One Room: Walmart, Coca-Cola, Unilever
Some of the biggest CEOs in Canada come together for the Walmart Green Student Challenge. I took this rare opportunity to ask them: Where is sustainability going for Canadian industries? Walmart, Coca-Cola, and Unilever already share best practices for their common goals in sustainability. Now they want to see more
Continue readingCarbon49 - a blog on sustainability for Canadian businesses: How Third-Party CSR Ratings Impact Share Price
Being added to external corporate social responsibility indices enhances a company’s reputation and can affect its share price, but not always in ways expected. This article examines how the stock prices of 121 companies changed after being added to or removed from the Calvert Social Index. Socially responsible investing has
Continue readingCarbon49 - a blog on sustainability for Canadian businesses: Integrating Corporate Responsibility Into Brand: GM vs Zipcar
There is a powerful opportunity for brand managers to integrate corporate responsibility commitments into brand platforms to win consumer loyalty. General Motors and Zipcar both ran recent campaigns in universities to win over students. One car company shows they understand their target audience while the other shows a disconnect. You
Continue readingCarbon49 - a blog on sustainability for Canadian businesses: Sustainability Reports: Separating Green Heroes from Green Washers
Most corporate social responsibility reports look great on the surface. But how do you read between the lines to separate the green heroes from the green washers? This article looks at reports from Merck, Procter and Gamble, De Beers, Ferrero and shares 16 tips on how to read sustainability reports
Continue readingCarbon49 - a blog on sustainability for Canadian businesses: Integrated Reporting: Experiences from KPMG, PwC, Experts, Practitioners
What is integrated reporting? What are the benefits and what’s involved in its adoption? We survey views from PricewaterhouseCoopers, KPMG, and talked to Michael Krzus, the author of One Report: Better Strategy through Integrated Reporting. Joanne Westwood of Vancity shared with us their practical experiences.
Continue readingCarbon49 - a blog on sustainability for Canadian businesses: CDP Canada 2011: Key Highlights
Carbon Disclosure Project releases its Canada 2011 report today at the Toronto Stock Exchange. More Canadian companies than ever publicly report their greenhouse gas emissions. Contrary to the common believe that going green slows growth, businesses who take the lead into a low carbon economy deliver twice the financial return compare to their peers.
Continue readingCarbon49 - a blog on sustainability for Canadian businesses: The Future of Corporate Sustainability: McKinsey, PwC
Recent reports by McKinsey and PricewaterhouseCoopers find more companies are managing sustainability to improve process and pursue growth instead of focusing on reputation alone. In this article, guest contributor Venkat S. Somasundaram analyzes these reports and presents three key challenges to the future of corporate sustainability.
Continue readingCarbon49 - a blog on sustainability for Canadian businesses: 12 Ways To Turn Green Intentions Into Green Actions
82% of consumers have good green intentions, but only 16% are dedicated to fulfilling these intentions, according to an Ogilvy study. This puts 66% in what is called the ‘Middle Green’, a group that is neither active environment crusaders nor anti-greens. How do we turn mainstream consumers’ green intentions into green action?
Continue readingCarbon49 - a blog on sustainability for Canadian businesses: Canadian Companies Show Leadership in Corporate Social Responsibility
Canadian companies such as Talisman Energy are showing leadership in corporate social responsibility on the global stage. In a globalized world, it is important for companies that are operating in other countries or those seeking to establish international subsidiaries to act responsibly and furnish reports to prove the credibility.
Continue readingCarbon49 - a blog on sustainability for Canadian businesses: How To Embed Sustainability Into Corporate Culture: A Cheat Sheet
93% of CEOs see sustainability as important to their company’s future success, as found by a UN-Accenture study. But how does one embed sustainability into a company’s core culture? Dr. Stephanie Bertels of Simon Fraser University conducted one of the most extensive researches in this subject. Her findings in the 74-page report are distilled into a core framework diagram. This cheat sheet will guide you through the key points.
Continue readingCarbon49 - a blog on sustainability for Canadian businesses: Coca-Cola: A Case Study In Sustainability
How does Coca-Cola integrate sustainability into their operations? For several years its facility in Brampton, Ontario, one of its largest in North America, has been transforming its manufacturing and distribution to save energy, reduce carbon footprint, water usage, and material usage. In this case study we look at the goals, implementation, and progress of the programs put in place by this $20 billion food and beverage giant.
Continue readingCarbon49 - a blog on sustainability for Canadian businesses: Top Talents Attracted By Corporate Social Responsibility
Talents are key to success in today’s business. How much would a company pay to lower staff turnover rate by 12%? Best Employers in Canada winner LoyaltyOne achieved this through going green. I talked to Chief Sustainability Officer Debbie Baxter to see how embedding sustainability into their corporate culture changes the company.
Continue readingCarbon49 - a blog on sustainability for Canadian businesses: Environment Minister Sets Canada’s Carbon Policy
Environment Minister Peter Kent sets the tone of Canada’s carbon policy for the next four years in his first interview after the federal election that resulted in a Conservative majority. Instead of cap-and-trade or carbon tax regime, Canada will introduce sector based regulations, starting with the transportation, coal, and oilsands sectors.
Continue readingCarbon49 - a blog on sustainability for Canadian businesses: Sears Canada Open Their Sustainability Playbook
Companies know that a coordinated sustainability initiative is a business imperative. But how do you implement your sustainability initiative? Where does sustainability fit within the corporate structure? How do you overcome the inevitable challenges? Sustainability Leader of Sears Canada James Gray-Donald opens his playbook and shares the challenges and successes of leading Sears towards greater sustainability.
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