Accounting the carbon footprint of electricity: why UK businesses should prepare for change
Next year is likely to see the release of new Green Power Accounting Guidelines, which are likely to impact on the way UK companies have to account for carbon footprint of electricity. I sit on the group, which advises the World Resources Institute (WRI) and World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) on the development of the international GHG Protocol Green Power Accounting Guidelines (final name to be agreed). The debate around how... Read More
How do we measure social value?
What social value does Coca-Cola’s sponsorship of the Olympics bring? The new Public Services (Social Value) Act, which came into force on January 1 2013, not only affects all those public authorities who procure services but any business that wants a slice of the UK’s £677 billion public sector spend. In other words, most of us. Contrary to what is suggested by the title, the Social Value Act requires public authorities to consider the economic... Read More
Mandatory carbon reporting: what you need to know
FTSE-listed companies will have to report their carbon emissions from next year You have until October 17 to comment on the draft Regulations for Mandatory Greenhouse Gas Reporting or as they are to be formally known as: ‘The Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Directors’ Reports) Regulations 2013′. They are, thankfully, concise and brief; just three pages. The accompanying consultation document (which is rather longer) does not follow the... Read More
RHI and FiTs: the unintended consequences of penalising green energy ‘early adopters’
Eco householders can't sell their green energy back to the grid Anyone who was brave enough (or stupid enough) to invest in on-site renewable technologies before July 15 2009 will not have forgotten the disappointment and sense of injustice when they discovered they were going to be ‘penalised’ for their efforts under the Feed-in Tariff (FiT), the Government’s mechanism for incentivising small-scale renewable electricity. Due to the cost... Read More
Corporate responsibility: what are we going to do about our broken banking system?
My flat in Bow offers a good view of Barclays Bank’s Canary Wharf headquarters, rising up alongside the other skyscrapers that symbolise London’s financial centre. Where once the Barclays’ signage was plain to see at the top of Churchill Place’s 156 metre tall tower block, there is now a gaping hole. Is this coincidental, or a deliberate attempt by its bosses to hide the true identity of this now tarnished brand? In his Sustainable Business... Read More
What’s the best approach to unlock value and drive sustainability?
Our earlier blogs have dealt with the sources of value that can help drive company financial and sustainability performance and the wide range of skills often required to deliver this value. A third question that we are asked often by clients is: ‘What is the right approach to identify opportunities and drive sustainability performance?’ Many companies have found themselves concentrating on reporting, compliance and passive/reactive adaptation.... Read More
Sustainability Predictions for 2012
2012 will see a boom in LED lighting We have made four predictions for 2012: sustainability as a profit driver; focus on the ‘how’ of sustainability; innovation, and LED lighting. Our 2011 predictions were about 80 per cent right, so we’re pretty confident about our 2012 predictions. So for 2012, what do we expect? 1. Sustainability as a profit driver: A number of recent studies have demonstrated that laggard companies have recognised the... Read More
Profitable sustainability: show me the money
In our experience, most organisations think that sustainability is all about compliance or keeping up with competitors in a race to be the most ‘eco’-friendly. Consequently, many sustainability teams and projects are given limited budgets and little management attention. This is the wrong way to think about sustainability. Over the last 16 years, I have found that a good sustainability approach can increase company profits, with lower risks and... Read More
Why do companies treat sustainability as a cost?
It is disappointing that many companies begrudgingly treat sustainability as a compliance exercise – which costs them money and can limit the social and environmental benefits. There is a better way: solutions to today’s business challenges can be both profitable and sustainable, with new value available if companies can think a little differently. Why do many companies treat sustainability as a cost? Perhaps it is because corporate thinking is... Read More
The CRC League Table: should we keep it or ditch it?
After a few false starts, the Environment Agency on Tuesday published the UK’s first league table ranking some of our best-known companies on their efforts to improve their energy efficiency. Its publication has been both welcomed and criticised – with some even calling for it to be scrapped altogether. So is league table a worthwhile project, or a waste of time? The Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) Performance League Table ranks more than 2000... Read More
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