Global logistics/supply chain management: Business leaders say sustainability is vital
The survey also revealed that companies should take two key actions to rebuild the public’s trust in business that dropped as a result of the economic crisis:
Patrick Burnson -- Logistics Management, 10/27/2009
SAN FRANCISCO—Climate change and human rights are the most significant priorities for business’ sustainability efforts in the year ahead, according to the Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) “State of Sustainable Business Poll 2009” of 274 business leaders from 15 countries who attended the BSR Conference 2009.
The survey also revealed that companies should take two key actions to rebuild the public’s trust in business that dropped as a result of the economic crisis: demonstrate positive social and environmental impacts, and innovate for sustainability.
“Innovative companies that embrace the immense opportunities presented by our ‘reset world’ will be poised for growth and success,” said Aron Cramer, President and CEO of BSR. “The survey shows that sustainability is not simply about the green economy. It’s about the whole economy.”
Climate Change: Top Priority, Significant Opportunity Climate change tops the list of “very significant” priorities in the next 12 months (selected by 41 percent of respondents), followed by human rights (32 percent), workers’ rights (29 percent), and
water availability/quality (26 percent). Most respondents (44 percent) said “energy efficiency” is the most significant element of their climate strategy, up from 31 percent in a 2007 survey of BSR Conference participants. Respondents also see more significant opportunities than barriers in addressing climate change:
Seventy percent said that “lowering energy costs and/or other efficiencies” is the most
significant business opportunity in addressing climate change, followed by “improving
stakeholder relationships” (67 percent), “driving innovation” (65 percent), and
“strengthening credibility with consumers” (65 percent).
The most significant barriers to addressing climate change are “competing strategic
priorities” (cited by 49 percent), “short-term financial pressures/recession” (46 percent),
followed by “complexity of implementation” (44 percent), and “uncertain/insufficient policy frameworks” (40 percent).
When asked to name up to two industries that have acted most responsibly in terms of their sustainability efforts in the past few years, respondents most often selected “consumer products/retail” (56 percent) and “information and communications technology” (32 percent), up from 50 percent and 18 percent, respectively, in 2007. At the bottom of the list of responsible industries were “financial services” (1 percent) and “media and entertainment” (2 percent).
Despite the amount of attention it has garnered from policymakers and the media, “reform executive compensation” was cited by only 4 percent of respondents as the action companies should take to rebuild the loss of public trust that occurred as a result of the economic crisis.
Nearly 10 times as many respondents said that companies should “create innovative products and business models designed for sustainability” (39 percent) and “measure and demonstrate positive social and environmental impacts” (38 percent) to regain trust.
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