Sustainable Development - Newsletter

NZ Business Council for Sustainable Development - Newsletter

Dear All

BRANDS, BOARD & BUSINESS MODELS: BEYOND THE TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE

An Edmonds Management Conference

DATE: Monday, 31 March 2003

TIME: 8.00 - 3.30 PM

VENUE: Stamford Plaza Hotel, Albert Street, Auckland

It's time to move beyond the triple bottom line!

For much of the last decade the focus has been on balance sheets - on accounting, reporting and the ways in which financial markets might value and reward triple bottom line (TBL) progress. As that agenda increasingly overlaps the governance agenda, the spotlight is shifting to Boards. As investor and wider societal trust in business has eroded in the wake of major corporate scandals and collapses, corporate governance has rocketed to the top of the political priority list.

We are concurrently going to see a new emphasis on Brands - specifically on how TBL information can be built into conversations with customers, consumers and investors. And, more fundamentally still, we are going to see a growing investment in new, more sustainable Business Models.

The really big challenges of the next decade - for private and public sectors alike - will have less to do with questions about how we report better, or govern companies better, and more to do with how we use and change market mechanisms to define, develop and deliver sustainable business solutions.

See http://www.nzbcsd.org.nz/publicevent.asp?EventID=105 for a copy of the conference brochure, including registration form.

THE NEW WBCSD SDR GUIDE "STRIKING THE BALANCE" SETS THE SCENE FOR THE FUTURE OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

The new WBCSD report on sustainable development reporting answers the worldwide call on companies for greater accountability and transparency by explaining why and how reporting can help turn the recent wave of boardroom scandals into renewed boardroom trust.

A by business, for business pragmatic guide, Striking the balance is co-authored by three industry leaders:

Bert Heemskerk, Chief Executive Officer, Rabobank Group, Pasquale Pistorio, President and Chief Executive Officer, STMicroelectronics, and Martin Scicluna, Managing Partner, Global Strategic Clients, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu.

It is designed to encourage companies to provide a rationale, the business case, and tools to produce such reports.

"Sustainable development reporting can help companies to mitigate risk, protect their corporate brands, and gain competitive advantage," the authors say. "We hope our report will help companies to understand that added value." Download the report from http://www.wbcsd.org/newscenter/releases/20030106_sdreport.htm

NEW WBCSD WEB PORTAL GUIDES COMPANIES THROUGH THE MOTIONS OF SD REPORTING

Following the Johannesburg Summit call on the corporate sector for increased accountability, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) has launched a web-based "reporting portal" to bolster companies' efforts to report on their sustainable development activities.

The reporting portal provides visitors with an understanding of the issues companies are currently tackling in their sustainable development reports and the kind of information they are presenting. Visit the portal at http://www.sdportal.org/templates/Template8/layout.asp?MenuID=36

UNIQUE WBCSD LEARNING TOOL PROVIDES A COMPLETE PICTURE OF THE CONCEPT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

This unique 18-page learning tool brings a complete picture of the concept of sustainable development. It uses few words opting instead for a graphical description of the connections between the natural, economic, and social dimensions of our world. In six stages it brings the complete picture alive and helps to better organize and manage the mass of information that keeps rolling out on the issues of sustainable development. Download this tool from www.wbcsd.org/newscenter/2002.htm - it is the report with the heading "Sustainable Development" and is a 5.4 MB pdf.

VIDEO: THE BUSINESS CASE FOR SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS

The WBCSD website features a new video. The video illustrates how companies operating in developing countries can act as positive agents of change and contribute to creating better livelihoods. In addition, views of three business leaders give an insight into what 'sustainable livelihoods' means to them. The video can be downloaded from http://www.wbcsd.org/newscenter/real.htm

NGA CONSULTATION

The New Zealand Climate Change Project is this month holding consultation with key stakeholders on the details of NGA (Negotiated Greenhouse Agreements) policy. The meetings will involve a brief presentation of the proposed policy followed by opportunity for feedback and discussion.

The following three meetings are scheduled: * Christchurch: Tuesday, 11 February 2003, 10am-1.30pm, Hotel Grand Chancellor * Wellington: Wednesday, 12 February 2003, 10am-1.30pm, James Cook Hotel Grand Chancellor * Auckland: Thursday, 13 February 2003, 10am-1.30pm, Mercure Hotel

Visit http://www.nzbcsd.org.nz/story.asp?id=249 for more information on the meetings and the relevant NGA consultation paper.

THE NZ CLIMATE CHANGE PROJECT HAS MOVED

>From Monday, 27th January 2003 The Climate Change Office will be operating as a separate business unit within the Ministry for the Environment at:

Level 25, Grand Plimmer Tower 206 Gilmer Terrace P O Box 10-362 Wellington

Tel: 04 917 7400 Fax: 04 916 7615

FORUM INVITATION - Will trade liberalisation lead to the eradication or the exacerbation of poverty?

The Council for International Development (CID) invite you to attend a forum to:

* build the capacity of New Zealand civil society to engage on the issue of trade liberalisation * assist CID to draft a policy on trade * enable NZAID to hear perspectives on trade from developing countries and NGOs

Who should attend? Anyone with an interest in trade related international development issues.

Forum Details: St John's Church Hall Cnr Willis and Dixon Streets, Wellington 9.00-5.00 pm, Friday 21 February

Forum Cost: $30 per person ($15 unwaged)

For information on the Forum, please call Ewan Morris (04) 472 6375 cid.ewanmorris@clear.net.nz Details are also on www.cid.org.nz

Registrations, with payment, must be received by Wednesday, 5th February.

DESIGN FOR GLOBAL PROFITABILITY - WORKSHOPS IN IMAGINATION

Six five-day workshops during April, connecting business leaders with international innovation expertise.

This series of workshops are designed to enable participants to explore the process of innovation with some of the world's leading international industrial designers and learn how to explore the potential of materials and develop specifications that are free of constrictive thinking.

Places are restricted to just 20 participants on each course, so you are urged to book early and secure your place.

See http://www.nzbcsd.org.nz/publicevent.asp?EventID=140 for further information and registration form.

INDUSTRY MAY SOFTEN TO AUSTRALIAN KYOTO STANCE

The Australian Industry Group and the Business Council of Australia have been engaged in a consultation process with its members to look again at the benefits versus the disadvantages of signing up to the Kyoto Protocol. http://abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s776680.htm

Source: Carbon Market News 4 February

ANEW NZ SEMINAR - CURITIBA - THE CITIZEN CITY: AN EXCITING EXAMPLE OF URBAN RENEWAL Curitiba is a world leader in creating a people's centred urban environment. Dr. Morgan Williams, The New Zealand Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, facilitated a tour of key motivated New Zealanders to Curitiba, Brazil in 2002. They came back fired up to find ways of transferring the ideas that could be moulded into a Kiwi context.

Dr. Morgan Williams will present the "NZ experience of Curitiba" along with a panel of participants from the 2002 trip.

Date: Wednesday, 26 February 2003, 5:00 -7:30 PM

Venue: AUT Conference Centre, 55 Wellesley St., WA Building, Auckland For more information visit www.anewnz.org.nz

DELOITTE CARBON UPDATE

The latest Deloitte Carbon Update includes the following stories. Email Andrew Sharpe (asharpe@deloitte.com.au) to subscribe:

*JAPAN INTRODUCES $10/tonne CARBON TAX * WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM ESTABLISHES INTERNATIONAL GREENHOUSE REGISTER * BUSH BACKS HYDROGEN FUEL CELL CARS * UN GLOBAL COMPACT AND WBCSD TO PARTNER * AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY SHIFTING ON KYOTO STANCE * AGO UNDER FIRE FOR BEING TOO GREEN

Please feel free to distribute this newsletter - you can subscribe by visiting http://www.nzbcsd.org.nz/news.asp#join or responding to this email.

Regards The Team at NZBCSD

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