BT Thought Leadership on environmental business opportunities...

A major international study by the Economist Intelligence Unit, sponsored by BT, has revealed that organizations are failing to realize business benefits from sustainability programs. While almost half (46 per cent) said that sustainability programs helped improve brand value, just one in five (20 per cent) felt they improved profitability.

The research indicates that, while sustainability may be firmly on the boardroom agenda as organizations compete for a 'responsible' reputation, executives have yet to find a way to harness it as a commercial force. One third (33 per cent) of respondents admitted that their company only makes sustainability efforts in markets where it is perceived to have an impact on customers' perceptions of the firm, and a similar proportion (31 per cent) admitted that their company's sustainability efforts mostly center on communication, rather than actual change.

Intel makes its insides greener.

Intel have announced that theirs new chip factory (Fab32) is among the company's most environmentally friendly, incorporating a number of energy and water conservation measures. Intel intends to certify the facility as the company's first official Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards factory based on new criteria being developed for Fabs by the Green Building Council.

Temporary disruption

 

I'm off to Iceland for the week, so forgive the more sporadic updating. Back on the 2nd!

Interbrand to moderate sustainability conference.

Although I'm not sure what 'moderate' implies, it certainly suggests branding agencies are becoming more and more interested in green brands - both internal and external.

The conference is the Ethical Corporation "Employee Engagement for a Sustainable business" event, on the 3-4 December.

http://www.ethicalcorp.com/employee-engagement/

The future of offsetting?

What about putting an optional offset on food too? Tills could be programmed not just with price details but also with carbon emissions. I bet the cost would be so small I might even pay it...

Silverjet makes offsetting optional.

Silverjet has backed down from it's industry-leading compulsory offsett scheme, citing the doubling of air passenger duty for business-only airlines as the motivation behind the action. At £80, the APD is no small sum.

Lawrence Hunt, Silverjet CEO, said: “we feel that given the doubling of APD as well as growing recognition for the ‘polluter pays’ principle, it is right for us to offer an opt-out option for our own carbon offsetting scheme and let customers decide whether they wish to pay the extra amount."

Now here's a thought - since the polluter should be paying, who do you think will be the first airline to include an optional offset in their fare, payable by them to the environmental cause of your choice?

This seems appropriate...

http://www.chrismadden.co.uk/

Design competition - last call!

Premier Farnell plc has announced its expert panel of judges for the international design competition, 'Live Edge' - Electronic Design for the Global Environment. Since its launch in May 2007 over 3,200 design engineers and students from 102 countries have registered to submit their designs to create an innovative product that utilises electronic components and has a positive impact on the environment. There's still time to register. The top 10 countries currently for registrations are (in order) the U.S., U.K., China, India, Spain, Germany, Mexico, Italy, Brazil and France.

Advertising: Polo Bluemotion

Green Thing

Green thing

The dangers of environmental publicity - Nike takes a hit

A sceptical article from BusinessWeek on the carbon-cutting claims of big corporates.

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_44/b4056003.htm

Listen in...

BusinessWeek’s John Byrne and Ben Elgin on what made leading corporate sustainability advocate Auden Schendler change his tune about the profitability of environmentally friendly companies

http://www.businessweek.com/mediacenter/qt/podcasts/cover_stories/covercast_10_18_07.mp3

Green product lifecycle

http://feeds.treehugger.com/~r/treehuggersite/~3/175153957/7_steps_in_the.php

The report

http://www.unep.org/geo/geo4/media/index.asp

The UN criticeses global governments

The UN Environment Programme, UNEP, has released a study which reveals, contrary to all expectations, that governments are not taking the environmental crisis seriously enough (note my irony).

 

But governments have already been hit by the facts. What will it take to force them to act?

Guardian launches 'Tread Lightly'

Tread Lightly is a programme for those who want to resuce their environmental impact, but don't know how. If you sign up, you'll be led through the process in a series of weekly steps.

 

This week's pledge is to replace lightbulbs with energy-efficient alternatives. 18 people have signed up at point of writing this, and the savings which they will generate are shown on the website.

 

The pledges are released each Friday, hopefulyl to make more productive use of our lazy weekends... Where did those go, by the way? I wonder what the emissions reductions would be if we all stayed home and stopped running feverishly around the town/country/globe trying to pack in a week's worth of activities?...

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/treadlightly

Notice Nature Noticed.

An Irish environmental campaign, 'Notice Nature', has won a European award for best practice in communicating environmental issues.

 

Have a look at: http://www.noticenature.ie/

 

 

The Greenery hits it off...

...with over 100 visits to date! Thanks guys!

 

 

Keep it clean

Springwise have posted about a rather fun new idea. Have a look at the newest way to take marketing to the streets...

 

http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/springwise/~3/174506739/