GRI’s updated standard on water and effluents requires reporting impacts in the value chain
Press Release
STOCKHOLM, August 28, 2018 /3BL Media/ – Access to freshwater is essential for all life, and a human right recognized by the United Nations. However, millions of people around the world suffer from water scarcity, poor water quality, and inadequate sanitation. Companies operating in areas with water stress have an urgent responsibility to track their impacts, to make informed decisions that trigger meaningful action.
Water is arguably our most precious resource. It is requisite for the survival of all life on our planet. It is also finite. While water is endlessly recyclable through the hydrologic cycle, there’s only so much of the stuff, and only about 1% of it is freshwater that is usable for human consumption.
HP Inc. says that sustainable impact was a key differentiator for more than $700 million in new business last year. The company’s newly published 2017 Sustainable Impact Report shows a 38% year-over-year increase in sales bids with sustainability requirements.
“In 2017, customers with sustainable purchasing criteria — including criteria related to eco-labels — represented a total of approximately $15.8 billion of existing and potential business revenue,” the report says.
Traditional wisdom states that companies should stay away from politics, at least publicly. But over the past few years a remarkable number of companies have begun to take public stances on social and political issues.
Learn how to approach potentially divisive issues, when to weigh in and why remaining neutral is not always the best option in 3BL Media's eBook, Stand or Sit: Changing Roles of Companies & CR Directors in Politically Divisive Times.
To get a good job and earn a good salary: stay in school, go to college, and get a degree. So goes the conventional wisdom, and the research bears this out. Countless studies have shown that individuals with college degrees will earn more money over the course of their careers than those without a degree.
But the numbers also show that for many, the degree comes with a mountain of student loan debt that will take a good portion of their careers to pay off.
We’ve seen a massive shift towards values-based leadership over the last several years, particularly within the ranks of established corporate leadership teams.
But what role do values and operationalizing the creation of shared value play for the emerging entrepreneur, for whom it can be a matter of business life-or-death if funds aren’t quickly raised and partners don’t come alongside to support their urgent growth? Is there a role for social impact as an entrepreneur or ICO leader?
Schneider Electric, global specialist in energy management and automation, participated at the regional World Economic Forum (WEF) with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and members of the government recently. The forum highlighted the need to develop and strengthen partnerships between the private and public sector to engage on critical topics for South Africa's future development, including health, security, workforce, higher education, youth skills and governance.
