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The Young People Move to the Streets to Protest Slow or Lack of Action on Climate Change Challenges… When young people take to the streets in significant number, there is usually a revolution of some type in store, history tells us. Revolutions belong to the young, we can say with some certainty if history is our guide. (Think: American Revolution, French Revolution, Civil Rights protests in the American South. Dramatic change followed these protests.) So what to make now of four million young men and women flooding into the streets and plazas of large cities and local communities around the world to “protest” their views of “inaction on climate change challenges” by those adults in charge (government and business, especially). In New York City, Rome, Amsterdam, Tel Aviv, Madrid & Barcelona, Montreal, Berlin, Vienna, and many other of the world’s cities, on September 20th hundreds of thousands of young people rallied in protest and called on leaders to protect our planet. There were marches, music, signs of all sorts, speeches, and other public expressions intended to draw attention to the dangers posed by climate change. As symbol of the moment, climate activist Greta Thunberg (at age 16) boldly sailed over the seas from her home in Sweden (rather than take a jet airplane) to get to New York City for the celebration of Climate Week and the gathering of leaders at the United Nations General Assembly). In interviews she commented that she does not understand why world leaders would mock children and teenagers for acting on science that advances evidence that climate change is real – and dangerous for humanity and our planet. But business is responding – and investors and the public sector, too. In one of the focus features we bring you this week, in the Harvard Business Review author Andrew Winston tells us what 1,000 CEOs really think about climate change and inequality. (We know Winston from his best-seller, “Green to Gold”.) He reminds us that nearly 200 CEOs working through the Business Roundtable (BRT) declared that business is no longer just about maximizing shareholder profit. Many more hundreds of CEOs are in agreement and many are focused on climate change. Are we moving fast enough? A report from UN Global Compact and Accenture (“The Decade to Deliver: A Call to Business Action”) presents the views of more than 1,000 global executives on their views of sustainability. All of the large-cap company CEOs interviewed believe that sustainability issues are important to the future success of their enterprises. The biggest challenge is climate change. This week our Top Stories are presented as snapshots of where we are as consumers, investors, government leaders and yes, business leaders, focus on sustainability and especially climate change matters. An appropriate footnote: in rural Southwest Montana, a participant in the local rally by mostly young people had this to say in a letter to the editor of the Bozeman Daily Chronicle in response to criticism of the young peoples’ rallies: “Climate change is not a political issue. It is a life or death issue. Our children are asking in what way school matters when our future is disintegrating before our eyes. Children have as much right and reason to march anyone. They march because they can still see possibility, opportunity and reasons to fight four just futures. Next time, maybe you should join us to understand what our kids are marching for.” Our offerings for you this week: After strikes, youth climate activists keep pressure on leaders What 1,000 CEOs Really Think About Climate Change and Inequality Business leaders join the UN Global Compact Leaders Week to address climate crisis and advance the SDGs Banks worth $47 trillion adopt new UN-backed climate, sustainability principles Markets face major risks over lax climate forecasts, top investors warn Climate Activism Requires More Than Just Sustainability Statements From Brands Most of world's biggest firms 'unlikely' to meet Paris climate targets Lead on global climate change and sustainability Editorial: Climate Week 2019 Climate crisis seen as 'most important issue' by public, poll shows
Corporate Reporting Dialogue shows high level of alignment between major global reporting frameworks on TCFD recommendations - Source: IIRC What do we need to see from a regulatory and standards perspective to support the sustainability transition in capital markets? - Source: CDSB FSB Climate Disclosure Framework Poised For 2020 Traction - Source: Kirkland Also of Interest: |
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G&A Institute Sustainability Update™ Generation M – the “Millennials” – Making a Difference in Many Spheres of Society
Sector Study on Sustainability Materiality of the SDG Targets & GRI Indicators ________________________________________ ________________________________________ G&A IS THE GRI DATA PARTNER FOR USA, UK & IRELAND
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ESG / Sustainable & Responsible Investment MSCI issues guide for investor reporting to TCFD guidelines - Source: The Sustainability Report
Corporate Sustainability / ESG Nominate Your Company for the 2020 WEC Gold Medal Award for Sustainability (Due Oct 16) - Source: 3BL / World Environment Center To address worsening climate crisis and scant progress on sustainable development, UN looks to countries and private sector to mobilize resources - Source: UN SDGs How Companies Can Tackle Poverty Through Inclusive Employment Strategies - Source: BSR Banking on a circular economy - Source: Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Global Sustainability: Continuing Forward Momentum! The Power of Sustainability Partnerships - Source: 3BL / Schneider Electric United Nations Global Compact launches network of Chief Financial Officers to direct funds towards Sustainable Development Goals - Source: UNGC United Nations Global Compact targets gender equality - Source: UNGC 2019 Climate Action Summit: Businesses Are Pulling Governments towards a Net Zero Economy - Source: BSR Climate Finance Leadership Initiative and European Development Finance Institutions Partner to Drive Climate Finance in Emerging Markets - Source: Bloomberg 5 Things to Tackle Climate Change - Source: PSEG
Sustainability Data That Matters Marine Industry Guidance Just Published in Race Towards Low-Sulfur Fuel by 2020 - Source: ISO CDP and ACEEE Announce New Partnership to Streamline Collection of City Energy Data - Source: CDP Aggregating Small Energy Demand Case Study: How Five Companies Partnered to Build an Innovative Procurement Model - Source: Bloomberg JetBlue Introduces the Largest Electric Ground Service Equipment (eGSE) Fleet at New York’s JFK International Airport, Cutting Four Million Pounds of Greenhouse Gas Emissions per Year - Source: 3BL / Jet Blue
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Governance & Accountability Instiute is the "Sustainability Headquarters™" for clients in the corporate, investment, public and social sectors. Based in New York, G&A is a for-profit consulting organization providing a range of value-added strategies, services and resources related to ESG & sustainability to clients in the corporate and capital markets communities. For G&A's full range of services, click on each of the links: Sustainability / ESG Consulting Services, Communications & Recognition Services, Investor Relation Services. For more information, visit www.ga-institute.com or contact us at 646.430.8230 or info@ga-institute.com. | ||||||||||||||||||
Sustainability Reporting
