Top Story of the Week So where would you rank your country if asked who you thought were the most sustainable countries in the world? First, of course -- what is the criteria? In this case, RobecoSam (Switzerland) looked at public environmental policies, emissions, energy sources, risk mitigation, and biodiversity. The top most sustainable? Sweden (#1) followed by Australia, Switzerland, Denmark, Norway. So why do the Viking nations of yore rank so high? And what about other developed nations? Look in the report for answers. The United Kingdom came in at #6, followed by Canada, Finland, the United States of America, and the Netherlands. Do you agree with these rankings? What "matters" most in terms of a nation's sustainability profile?
Sweden's increasing use of renewable energy sources and lowering of CO2 emissions were major factors. All of this is in the report prepared by RobecoSam, which is a unit of Rabobank (based in the Netherlands). RobecoSam is the manager of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI) and advisor to asset managers. The considerations for the nation ranking were "risks and opportunities" evaluated against the familiar ESG key performance indicators (KPIs). (21 developed and 38 emerging economies were examined in the research effort.) After you read the details - where would you rank your country? Sustainability Reporting: What Does ‘Good’ Look Like?(Wednesday - August 21, 2013)
Source: Triple Pundit - Sustainability reporting has become commonplace for businesses that want to communicate with and engage their stakeholders. However, amidst the deluge of information available, it can be difficult to determine what makes a report... Sustainability in Focus Encouraging investors to play bigger role in sustainability: what you said
(Friday - August 23, 2013)
Source: Guardian.co.uk - This year, the study set out to understand the relationship between investors and sustainability. While the results suggest the investment community is beginning to pay more attention to sustainability, the pace of change appears... Are bottom-up sustainability initiatives filling gap left by Rio+20?
(Thursday - August 22, 2013)
Source: Guardian.co.uk - In the absence of a meaningful global agreement at the Rio+20 Earth summit last summer, expectations collapsed – but didn't disappear. They shifted from big to small, from global to local. In response, sustainability leaders... If boards don't see the real case for sustainability, we'll get nowhere
(Wednesday - August 21, 2013)
Source: Guardian.co.uk - Sustainability is either desired or tolerated, based on how it may support the conventional aims of the business – enhancing reputation, supporting growth, or improving the bottom line. Mostly, this means a focus on... Rio 2016 launches sustainability plan with support from UNEP
(Wednesday - August 21, 2013)
Source: Rio 2016 - The Organising Committee for the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games has launched its Sustainability Management Plan, as part of its commitment to achieving its sustainability goals. 6 Ways To Make Brand Sustainability Resonate With Consumers
(Tuesday - August 20, 2013)
Source: Fast Coexist - According to a recent report from The World Economic Forum and Accenture, sustainability is in desperate need of a makeover. Despite millions of dollars spent marketing the concept over the past decade, only 28% of people know... Sweden ‘Most Sustainable Country in the World’
(Tuesday - August 20, 2013)
Source: Environmental Leader - Sweden is the most sustainable country in the world, a ranking it earned for its use of renewable energy sources and low carbon dioxide emissions, as well as social and governance practices such as labor participation, education... Levi's sews sustainability into brand from ground up
(Monday - August 19, 2013)
Source: San Francisco Chronicle - Levi Strauss founded his dry goods company in 1853, after moving to San Francisco from Bavaria. His business became as much a part of San Francisco's hagiography as sourdough bread, cable cars and the 49ers - miners and team. ESG Issues & Players Shareholder support for environmental resolutions hits 10-year high
(Friday - August 23, 2013)
Source: GreenBiz - It wasn't too many years ago when sustainable investors would be happy with just enough support for a shareowner resolution addressing environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) for it to qualify for the following... Are Activist Investors Really as Evil as CEOs Claim They Are?
(Friday - August 23, 2013)
Source: Fox Business - Major splashes by activist investors tend to provoke dramatic and divergent reactions: shareholders cheer wildly, the media gets whipped into a frenzy and target CEOs quietly cringe. But by throwing down wads of cash to acquire... Leaked UN climate report warns of dangerous global warming. Will the world listen?
(Wednesday - August 21, 2013)
Source: Treehugger - The United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was expected to delivery its fifth Assessment Report (AR5) next month, but over the past weekend, a draft of that report was leaked to Reuters, which reported... Asset Managers, US Pension Funds, Sovereign Wealth Funds Obama asks regulators to speed up Wall Street reforms
(Tuesday - August 20, 2013)
Source: Reuters - President Barack Obama called top U.S. financial regulators to the White House on Monday, instructing them to speed up Wall Street reforms in the face of intense bank lobbying. Roughly five years after the depths of the financial... We All Have a Stake in Pension Reform
(Tuesday - August 20, 2013) Associated Profiles : California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS)
Source: citywatchla.com - However, it would allow government agencies to prospectively adjust benefit formulas, employee contributions, retirement ages and cost-of-living increases either through the collective bargaining process... Sovereign funds assets to gain 60pct by 2016, UBS
(Wednesday - August 21, 2013) Associated Profiles : National Fund [of Kazakhstan]
Source: opalesque.com - Sovereign investors will also add more assets in emerging markets and cut holdings denominated in currencies such as the euro and the Japanese yen, he said... Watching the Watchers Water Environment Federation
Headquarters: Alexandria, Virginia
Established: 1928 as Federation of Sewage Works Associations OVERVIEW/MISSION
The Water Environment Federation describes its work by writing that its members, member associations, and staff have a mission to "provide bold leadership, champion innovation, connect water professionals, and leverage knowledge to support clean and safe water worldwide." BACKGROUND
The Water Environment Federation was founded in 1928 as the Federation of Sewage Works Associations. The organization has had two other names over the years: Federation of Sewage and Industrial Wastes Associations and the Water Pollution Control Federation. As WEF, the organization continues to focus on water treatment and quality. The WEF describes itself as “a not-for-profit technical and educational organization with 36,000 individual members and 75 affiliated Member Associations representing water quality professionals around the world.” Members work in a broad range of water-related positions. WEF itself employs about 100 people. News Sweeps Heart of wastewater treatment celebrates 100 years
(Friday - August 23, 2013) Associated Profiles : Water Environment Federation
- Patch - The Water Environment Federation, a not-for-profit technical and educational organization representing water quality professionals around the world, convened a special forum in June at Stonehill College in... Water & Wastewater Treatment Control Panels Suppliers
(Friday - August 23, 2013) Associated Profiles : Water Environment Federation
- ThomasNet Industrial News Room - Custom manufacturer of industrial control panels. Controls can be operator controlled to fully automated or any combination in between. ETL certified panel shop. All panels built in house will... WEF Names Interim Executive Director
(Thursday - August 22, 2013) Associated Profiles : Water Environment Federation
- trenchlessonline.com - The Water Environment Federation (WEF) has announced the appointment of Dr. Eileen O’Neill as WEF interim executive director following the resignation of executive director Jeff Eger.... | G&A Announces...
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