February 18th, 2010 by Dave Knight
I was at the ACCA/KPMG Climate Change Challenge event the other evening. I was there with captains of industry, entrepreneurs, leading practitioners and experts in accounting, business and climate change.
I came away challenged. On one hand there was a total acceptance of the basis of the science. Sure, as our enquiry widens and we become cleverer at piecing together inherently complex issues like climate change, we will improve on the detail. But the contention that humans are inducing climate change to a degree which warrants immediate attention and action simply wasn’t a matter for debate.
On the other hand, there was a lack of consensus on the speed and scale of change that’s needed to prevent the most adverse consequences predicted.
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Tags: Climate change, dave knight, sustainability
Posted in Climate change | 1 Comment »
February 3rd, 2010 by Rob Pearson
Are buying decisions now being influenced by a product’s carbon footprint? Guardian News and Media (GNM) is a Two Tomorrows client – we provide ethical assurance to them on a range of issues. Their recent decision to choose a paper supplier on the grounds of its relative carbon footprint has prompted a lively debate on their website.
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Tags: Assurance, carbon, Climate change, guardian, Rob Pearson
Posted in Climate change, General CR and sustainability issues | 1 Comment »
January 25th, 2010 by Todd Cort
We work a great deal with clients in the energy sector. There is obviously a great deal of drive to engage in and discuss alternate energy technologies and infrastructure – wind, solar, biofuels, geothermal, hydrogen, etc. But just because alternate energy gets the green stamp of approval does not mean stakeholders will give carte blanche to new developments. Communities and governmental stakeholders will continue to have concerns that need to be managed and communicated.
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Tags: Climate change, renewable energy, stakeholder engagement, todd cort
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November 29th, 2009 by Alex Nichols
More of our clients are asking us about integrating their sustainability disclosure into their company’s main annual report. So in my fourth post on key issues in CR and sustainability reporting, some words of caution about going down the integration route . . .
As sustainability issues take their rightful place at the heart of business decision-making, they will no longer be seen as add-ons to be covered in a separate report. Instead, they will be material enough to merit inclusion as a core part of annual reports for mainstream investors.
The logical next step for reporters might then be for the annual report to swallow the sustainability report completely – as is already the case in some organisations.
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Tags: alex nichols, Reporting
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November 20th, 2009 by Alex Nichols
The World Travel Market (WTM) in London last week showed that the hotel and leisure industry is seeing growing demand for responsible travel.
Faced with a changed economic climate, travellers are seeking less luxury and more authenticity by getting closer to the people, communities and surroundings of their destinations. Often this involves taking on an activity rather than sunbathing constantly.
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Tags: alex nichols, hotels, tomorrow's value rating, tourism and leisure
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November 17th, 2009 by Dave Knight
I’ve just read an article in Ethical Performance (Nov 09 edition, Vol 11, issue 6 p2) about the price of tomatoes. A host of US companies including McDonalds and the worlds biggest catering company, Compass, have agreed to pay a premium for their tomatoes.
Current business conditions are keeping the pressure on to reduce costs. So why are these companies prepared to do this, and what does the price of toms have to do with the rest of business?
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Tags: dave knight, sustainability
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October 22nd, 2009 by Alex Nichols
The third in my series of posts on CR and sustainability reporting. This time, I’m looking at an issue that comes up a lot in my discussions with would-be reporters: the GRI guidelines and their pros and cons . . .
The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) sustainability reporting guidelines are viewed with mixed feelings by reporters. At Two Tomorrows, we helped shape the original guidelines and are an official ‘organisational stakeholder’ of GRI, so of course we’re broadly supportive. But we do understand the reservations some companies have, and frequently support those who don’t use GRI at all.
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Tags: alex nichols, GRI, Reporting, Two Tomorrows
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October 20th, 2009 by Dave Knight
I envy people who are able to stick to a gym schedule. But it’s not for me – I don’t quite manage it. Instead, I go to the everyday gym.
I’m the fella jogging up the stairs coming out of the Bakerloo Line at Paddington, running for the bus, pushing a rotary mower around the garden, making life that little bit more difficult for myself.
And I’m not the only one. There’s a growing band of people out there who recognise the benefits of a bit of extra manual effort in our daily activities. And we know it’s not just beneficial for our own wellbeing, but also for the planet’s.
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Tags: carbon, Climate change, dave knight
Posted in Climate change, General CR and sustainability issues | 2 Comments »
October 12th, 2009 by Dave Knight
I’m soon to fly off to San Francisco for work. I’ve always wanted to go and have even considered taking some flowers for my hair (but I was worried about getting through Customs).
It will be my first time visiting the city and it will give me an opportunity to catch up with colleagues as well as clients I have worked with for a while but not been to visit.
Hang on a minute, I’m a sustainability advisor. What am I doing flying? Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: 10:10, Climate change, dave knight, sustainability, Two Tomorrows
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September 30th, 2009 by Alex Nichols
The second in a series of reflections on CR and sustainability reporting. This time, I’m looking at how you can set your report apart from the herd by avoiding the five most common reporting traps . . .
If you report your company’s sustainability performance, do you baulk at the idea of writing the sustainability report? If you have an interest in a company or its product, do you relish the idea of reading the sustainability report?
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Tags: alex nichols, Assurance, Reporting
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