The Sustainability Learning Forum

From Global Compact to Global Leadership

Prof. V. Kasturi Rangan, Harvard Business School

The global financial crisis of 2008 was a stark reminder of business’s role in society. When well governed and well led, the role of business transcends one of profitability for its owners and incentives for its managers. Its role is to create value for society. Profit is a means to an end, not an end in itself. Without profit, there is no growth, and without growth there is no development. But if business does not create value and instead divvies up the same pie over and over again for personal gains (remember the subprime mortgages, collateral debt obligations, and credit default swaps?), then it is bound to fail and cause havoc for society. more[...]

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The Global Compact 2000–2010

Prof. Andreas Rasche, Copenhagen Business School

Over the last 10 years, the Global Compact has grown significantly, both in terms of the number of participants and their engagement. While only a handful of companies and NGOs met on July 26, 2000, at the UN Headquarters in New York to launch the Global Compact, today (as of February 2010) more than 7,300 business and non-business participants are part of the initiative. more[...]

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The Future of Cities

Wolfram Haller, Siemens
Siemens

Today more than half the world’s population lives in cities, which emit 80 percent of all greenhouse gases and use 75 percent of energy – figures rising. It is thus with the cities that we must start if we want to manage population growth, increasing energy demand and climate change. Many solutions are already available, including environmentally compatible energy supply, highly efficient building, transportation and water supply systems and affordable financial models. These improve climate protection, increase the security of supply, enhance the quality of life and reduce costs. For world wide success, however, cooperation on a global basis is needed, for example in United Nations programs. more[...] login_required

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The Future of Cities

Wolfram Haller, Siemens

Today more than half the world’s population lives in cities, which emit 80 percent of all greenhouse gases and use 75 percent of energy – figures rising. It is thus with the cities that we must start if we want to manage population growth, increasing energy demand and climate change. Many solutions are already available, including environmentally compatible energy supply, highly efficient building, transportation and water supply systems and affordable financial models. These improve climate protection, increase the security of supply, enhance the quality of life and reduce costs. For world wide success, however, cooperation on a global basis is needed, for example in United Nations programs. more[...]

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Systematic and Holistic Program for a Balanced Industrial Ecology

M Bhaskar, TÜV Rheinland Group
Dagny Buehler-Thierfelder, TÜV Rheinland Holding
TÜV Rheinland Holding

In Karnataka, one of the fastest-growing states of India, officials have become aware of the increasing pollution and exploitation of natural resources by the major industries and the growing population. Indian energy production has risen over 20 percent since 2000; during the same period, CO2 emissions went up by nearly 30 percent. The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has identified 118 companies – the majority small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) – from all the main industries that are using resources inefficiently and are polluting the environment. More than half of the companies are located in the district of Bangalore and are a constant threat to the ecological balance of the region. more[...] login_required

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Systematic and Holistic Program for a Balanced Industrial Ecology

M Bhaskar, TÜV Rheinland Group
Dagny Buehler-Thierfelder, TÜV Rheinland Holding

In Karnataka, one of the fastest-growing states of India, officials have become aware of the increasing pollution and exploitation of natural resources by the major industries and the growing population. Indian energy production has risen over 20 percent since 2000; during the same period, CO2 emissions went up by nearly 30 percent. The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has identified 118 companies – the majority small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) – from all the main industries that are using resources inefficiently and are polluting the environment. More than half of the companies are located in the district of Bangalore and are a constant threat to the ecological balance of the region. more[...]

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Factory of the Future – The Otto Grameen Textile Company

Editorial Team

Over two million people work in the textile industry in Bangladesh, with women accounting for 80 percent of the workforce in clothing factories. The clothing industry is one of the region’s key employers and plays an important role as a source of income for the poorest strata of society. These people need the jobs, yet all too often they have to work in textile factories under poor safety conditions for wages that do not even cover their basic needs. more[...] login_required

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Factory of the Future – The Otto Grameen Textile Company

Andreas Streubig, Otto Group
Otto Group

Over two million people work in the textile industry in Bangladesh, with women accounting for 80 percent of the workforce in clothing factories. The clothing industry is one of the region’s key employers and plays an important role as a source of income for the poorest strata of society. These people need the jobs, yet all too often they have to work in textile factories under poor safety conditions for wages that do not even cover their basic needs. more[...]

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Imagine What We Can Do Together: Randstad – VSO Partnership

Eveline Kramers, Randstad

“We strongly believe that companies have no reason to exist if they don’t add value to society,” says Ben Noteboom, CEO of Randstad Holding nv. “Our core activity, putting people to work, means improving people’s lives. But we want to do something extra. Working with development organization VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas) is a perfect match because we can help them select the right people, something we do every day. And: All of our employees can play a role in this partnership.” Randstad supports VSO financially, through in-kind donations and by providing expertise in recruitment & selection. Most importantly we stimulate our employees, who come from varied backgrounds -IT, HR, finance, etc.- to volunteer or raise awareness or funds for VSO. So far over 75 Randstad employees have volunteered with VSO in developing countries reaching thousands of beneficiaries. more[...] login_required

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Putting our skills to work in pursuit of the MDGs

Editorial Team

Our people are getting involved in hundreds of citizenship projects around the world, and our member firms are developing initiatives to suit their local communities and environments. By harnessing the skills we use every day and applying them to the world and communities around us, we can help make positive changes in our communities – locally and across the world. more[...]

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Putting our skills to work in pursuit of the MDGs

Lord Michael Hastings, KPMG International

Our people are getting involved in hundreds of citizenship projects around the world, and our member firms are developing initiatives to suit their local communities and environments. By harnessing the skills we use every day and applying them to the world and communities around us, we can help make positive changes in our communities – locally and across the world. more[...]

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Bringing the Work to the People

Why would Bangladeshis, of all people, make better entrepreneurs? Samantha Morshed of Dhaka, Bangladesh, the British CEO of nonprofit enterprise Hathay Bunano, has the best answer to her own question. Because the number of CEOs in Bangladesh is still rather small on the whole, Hathay Bunano has committed to creating sustainable rural employment. more[...] login_required

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Bringing the Work to the People

Gerd Pfitzenmeier

Why would Bangladeshis, of all people, make better entrepreneurs? Samantha Morshed of Dhaka, Bangladesh, the British CEO of nonprofit enterprise Hathay Bunano, has the best answer to her own question. Because the number of CEOs in Bangladesh is still rather small on the whole, Hathay Bunano has committed to creating sustainable rural employment. more[...]

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Coop Naturaline – Fashion & Fairness

Emma Arvidsson, Coop
Simona Matt, Coop
Coop

In close partnership with Remei AG, Coop ensures organic cotton production, ecological processing and fair working conditions along the entire textile supply chain. This is guaranteed by strict independent controls. more[...] login_required

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Coop Naturaline – Fashion & Fairness

Emma Arvidsson, Coop
Simona Matt, Coop
Coop

Coop launched its Naturaline brand in 1993. Today, the company is one of the world’s largest retailers of Fairtrade organic cotton. Coop has worked with REMEI AG since 1994. Together, they have developed a set of social and ecological requirements for fashionwear. more[...]

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