Carbon Disclosure Possibilities?

The fifth survey of business by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) has generated the highest response rate yet - 77% of the FTSE 500 honouring it with a response. Well worth tracking down any clients you may have lurking in there.
So what does it tell us? Well, key highlights include:

"95% of companies that consider climate change to present a commercial risk have implemented a greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction program with a specific target and timeline."

The other 5% obviously have an interesting approach to risk...

"Climate change is viewed as a strategic issue by both carbon-intensive and low-carbon companies."

That would suggest maybe marketeers should start thinking about their own agencies...

"Carbon-intensive sectors had an average response rate of 75% compared to low-carbon sectors which had an average response rate of 69%."

Low-carbon doesn't mean no-carbon! Is there still, therefore, real leadership opportunity in the low-carbon sectors?

Not only are more companies acknowledging and reporting their emissions as a potential risk, but many are also acknowledging the commercial opportunities which the issue presents. I guess we've only seen the beginning of the 'greenrush' to produce new products and services. Equally, however, carbon accounting and response quality has apparently improved, so maybe we'll see products which are more verifiably green.... we can but hope.

All in all, not a bad year!