Harvards Eccles on the UN SDGs
They Are Good for Business After months of study, deliberation and negotiation, members of the United Nations task force charged with establishing “Sustainable Development Goals” can take a bow -- all 193 member nations have signed on to the goals, which address a wide range of ESG issues, such as solving hunger and poverty issues, addressing inequalities, dealing with climate change issues, creating more “sustainable cities,” and encouraging “more responsible” consumption. There are 17 goals in total, and large—cap company managers we are speaking with in North America and Europe describe how their enterprises are now at work adopting goals and applying these to their long-term planning and target setting. Companies are structuring programs and actions around the goals. The actions/programs usually relate to the mission of the company. A handful of companies that we’ve chatted with are attempting to address all 17 goals. Are these companies unusual? Should corporate boards and managements be wary of the UN setting goals that affect their business prospects? Do senior managers view this as the UN interfering with the ability to create value for shareholders? Harvard University professor Bob Eccles says “no,” business leaders should and are adopting the goals for their companies. Writing in Forbes, Eccles advises: “The 2030 Agenda is very good news for the corporate community. Its goals represent clear business opportunities for those companies that understand sustainable change can be met through innovative products and services.” Some goals, he explains, are industry-specific (such as clean water); some goals can be supported by every company (such as gender inequality). The goals represent aspirational markers for managements in both the short- and long-term (the goals go out to 2030). Important: Eccles sees it as the duty of the board of directors as fiduciaries to recognize the importance of the SDGs, and work to ensure that their company is responding with appropriate strategies. The UN first set these types of goals in 2000, at the start of the new century, with the Millennium Goals. Many public companies adopted these and fitted the goals to their own operations (such as reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions). The usual practice was to align the company strategies and actions with the 2015 target date of those goals. The new goals are much more sweeping and comprehensive and take the actions out to the 2030 date…companies are now assessing the 2000/2015 efforts and strategizing their embrace of the Sustainable Development Goals. The goals were officially launched in September at the United Nations meetings in New York City. In the weeks and months ahead, there will be much news and commentary about the SDGs, with companies, governments, NGOs, multi-lateral agencies, investor coalitions, and other stakeholders weighing in. If you have not tuned in yet, we should point out that Harvard Professor Eccles is a prominent and credible voice in sustainability circles -– we encourage you to read our Top Story with his views. And finally... if you're a company that wants to explore what the SDGs mean to your organization's strategy we've put together several resources and services here at G&A (and through our partners) that can assist you in this important strategy setting process. Please contact us at lcoppola@ga-institute.com to learn more about how we can help. Top Story of the Week UN Sustainable Development Goals: Good For Business
(Wednesday - October 21, 2015)
Source: Forbes - Businesses today are expected to be part of the solution to our world’s greatest challenges – from climate and water crises, to inequality and poverty – as captured in the Sustainable Development Goals Trust! the magazines introductory Showcase of Service Providers Trust! That’s the title digital magazine of the Trust Across America organization. The Fall 2015 issue is out with the introduction of TAA’s “Showcase of Services Providers.” This the first anniversary issue and Governance & Accountability Institute is pleased to be included in the organizations profiled in the issue. Here is the link to the magazine, with the new directory of providers. The directory profiles contain very interesting and useful information. Barbara Kimmel is TAA founder and executive editor of the 4X a year magazine, which is dedicated to “helping leaders and organizations build long-term trust.” To view, click the cover or go to: http://trustacrossamerica.com/magazine.shtml
Sustainability in Focus
The path to sustainability runs through politics
(Monday - October 19, 2015)
Source: Chronicle Journal - Welcome to the federal election edition of Sustainability Matters. As you head out to the polls today, know that as far as sustainability is concerned, it doesn’t matter whom you vote for. Science, Sustainability And The Dangers Of Naïve Policy
(Monday - October 19, 2015)
Source: NPR - Every five years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department Health and Human Services convene an advisory committee to develop dietary guidelines based on the latest scientific and medical research. The 2015 Dietary... Sustainability Requires Technology, Ethics and Political Will
(Tuesday - October 20, 2015)
Source: Huff Post - We need a mature, realistic dialogue and a sophisticated partnership between the public and private sectors to make the transition to a sustainable, renewable economy. I believe there is plenty of political space to develop a... Bentley on Bloomberg: Four Reasons Why Teaching Sustainability Matters to Our Economic Future
(Tuesday - October 20, 2015)
Source: Bentley.edu - Sustainability is no longer just about “being green” and “saving the environment,” but creating economic and social change that will benefit society and business’ bottom line.
How entrepreneurs are monetising sustainability
(Tuesday - October 20, 2015)
Source: The Guardian - One of my favorite examples of a business that connects entrepreneurship with sustainability is Crop Mobster, a community exchange program in the San Francisco Bay area that uses social media and instant alerts to spread the word... 3 Trends Shaping the Future of Business Sustainability
(Wednesday - October 21, 2015)
Source: Triple Pundit - For those of us involved with the small business, not-for-profit, and startup world, the future of sustainability is here, whether we realize it or not. Here are three ways that sustainability is changing for the business world 5 Companies Engaing Their Employees Around Sustainability
(Wednesday - October 21, 2015)
Source: Triple Pundit - Sustainability is no longer a buzzword that companies can simply talk about in order to improve their image. Sustainability and corporate social responsibility are standard policies that every successful company must embrace to...
Innovators large and small converge on San Jose for sustainability solutions
(Thursday - October 22, 2015)
Source: Green Biz - GreenBiz Group's flagship VERGE event will take over downtown San Jose Oct. 26-29, a convergence of the world's biggest companies, most innovative disruptors, cities, utilities and others to explore how technology can address the... Sustainable Investing Is Booming. Is It Smart?
(Thursday - October 22, 2015)
Source: Bloomberg - Want to invest in “high-quality, attractively priced companies making a positive impact on the world”? Of course you do. The question is, will you make money?
Farmers Are Embracing Sustainability -- You Just Aren't Hearing About It
(Thursday - October 22, 2015)
Source: Huff Post - When farmers make the news in relation to climate issues like droughts, floods or extreme heat, they are often described in opposition to both environmentalists and, sometimes, scientists alike. How to set sustainability goals amidst change
(Friday - October 23, 2015)
Source: Green Biz - Google "2020 sustainability goals" and you’re likely to turn up a Who’s Who of U.S. companies and a lengthy roster of targets and commitments. Can sustainability and economic growth go hand in hand? Secretary Moniz has the answer.
(Friday - October 23, 2015)
Source: EDF - U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz joined more than 15,000 of our members during a jam-packed 45-minute tele-town hall this week, fielding live questions about everything energy. Konica Minolta Among Top 100 Companies in Asia in Sustainability,
(Friday - October 23, 2015) Associated Profiles : Jantzi-Sustainalytics, Sustainalytics
Source: IT Business Net - Jointly organised by regional broadcaster Channel NewsAsia, CSR Asia, a provider of advisory, research and training services on sustainable business practices in Asia, and Sustainalytics, a... Panera And Shake Shack Create Sustainability Platform That Wins With Millennials
(Friday - October 23, 2015)
Source: Forbes - Millennials have brought the sustainability mindset into the food and restaurant space. When it comes to diets, Millennials are less concerned about calories and are more concerned about creating balanced sustainable lifestyles. ESG Issues & Players Walmart, McDonald’s and 79 Others Commit to Fight Global Warming
(Tuesday - October 20, 2015)
Source: Time - consortium of more than 80 American companies including Walmart, Alcoa and Coca-Cola have agreed to a White House-led plan to combat climate change, the Obama administration said Monday, as the president ramps up his climate plan
Why Having Diversity On Your Board Matters
(Wednesday - October 21, 2015)
Source: Forbes - Choosing a board of directors may be one of the most important steps a startup’s CEO will ever take. You may wake up at night wondering, “Will I end up being led astray and selling my $60 million company for $500,000, like Kevin... U.S. leads industrialised nations in shift from coal: study
(Thursday - October 22, 2015)
Source: Reuters - The United States is leading a shift away from using coal among leading industrialized democracies, with Japan the main laggard in policies that will help to combat climate change, according to a study on Wednesday. If science is good for climate change, why not for GMOs?
(Thursday - October 22, 2015)
Source: Green Biz - We have an important battle going in our society: the conflict between science and emotion — facts vs. fabrications and nuance vs. simplicity. When I started working in the field of sustainability, I thought science was... Asset Managers, US Pension Funds,
Sovereign Wealth Funds US public pension funds slowly wake up to risk
(Friday - October 23, 2015) Associated Profiles : California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS)
Source: MSN - Calpers is considering cutting its expected rate of return in years following strong investment gains and adjusting its portfolio to reflect those lower return assumptions. The move would essentially cut... Sovereign wealth funds sell chunk of Indian stocks, oil-rich countries top sellers
(Thursday - October 22, 2015) Associated Profiles : Abu Dhabi Investment Authority
Source: Economic Times - Abu Dhabi Investment Authority has sold 6.35 lakh shares of Larsen & Toubro worth Rs 110 crore. They have also reduced their stake in other stocks such as HDFC, Infosys, Apollo Hospital and Dr Reddy's... Watching the Watchers  EUROSIF – European Social Investment Forum
Headquarters: Paris, France
Established: 2001
KEY PARTNERS
Vigeo/Avanzi and Morningstar Europe have collaborated with Eurosif on the “SRI Funds Service.”
OVERVIEW / MISSION
Eurosif writes that its mission is: "Develop Sustainability through European Financial Markets." “Eurosif, European Social Investment Forum, was created in 2001 to serve as an umbrella association to cover socially responsible investment issues at the European level.” Forum members are pension funds, financial service providers, academic and research institutions, and NGOs. Members’ collective assets total more than 1 trillion Euros. Eurosif assists members through four types of activities: • European Union lobbying;
• Research related to socially responsible investment (SRI);
• Pan-European networking and initiatives; and
• Events. News Sweeps Alphabetic list of European Parliament accreditations
(Tuesday - September 29, 2015) Associated Profiles : EU Social Investment Forum
- ec.europa.eu - EUROSIF A.I.S.B.L (EUROPEAN SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT FORUM) MAVRIDIS Dimitrios Details EUROSIF A.I.S.B.L (EUROPEAN SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT FORUM) GROS Marianne Details...
Coca Cola Enterprises : Joins Dow Jones Sustainability Index Listing
(Tuesday - September 15, 2015) Associated Profiles : EU Social Investment Forum
- 4 Traders - As a reflection of its own commitment to advocating sustainable investment practices, RobecoSAM is a signatory of the UNPRI and a member of Eurosif, ASrIA and Ceres. Approximately 130 professionals... Madison raises $825m for liquidity fund
(Saturday - September 12, 2015) Associated Profiles : EU Social Investment Forum
- Investment Pensions Europe - Madison International Realty has closed its liquidity fund with $825m of equity. US public pension funds, Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds, insurance companies and family... 
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