If you gave your employees one day to work on any project or idea that they had to make your business more responsible, the chances are that you’d get a whole load of ideas and stuff done that would go way beyond the things that you instruct them to do. Let’s all try it, we can make the world a little bit better, or as Steve Jobs would say ‘ make a ding in the universe.’
Despite Americans becoming increasingly sceptical about man-made climate change, Al Gore does not despair as you’ll discover in this great radio interview by Mike Williams for BBC One Planet.
I came across recent research from the Institute of Environmental Management & Assessment (IEMA) showing more recruits are hoping to work in environmental roles in business.
Its June survey found 88% of employees experiencing high satisfaction levels after changing to an environmental career. Nearly 45% had made the career change either to make an environmental difference or because they have a personal interest in the subject. A further 20% said the area had become vital to the development of an existing role.
IEMA has launched a skills map that offers HRDs a framework to recruit, train and engage staff in environmental roles.
The initiative is appropriate in many ways, not least because the green economy is seen as a platform to kick-start growth, but also because UK plc needs to meet carbon reduction targets.
Defra conservatively estimated the UK would save £23 billion per annum through implementing no-cost/low-cost energy resource and waste-efficient measures.
A key challenge to organisations is how to equip their workforce with the skills required to reduce their environmental impact. IEMA claims its skills map will bridge that gap by defining the knowledge and skills required to become an environmental practitioner – one who works to deliver cost savings and environmental improvements.
Caroline Parsons, HR manager in Balfour Beatty’s sustainability working group, is convinced. Like many large private sector firms in the construction industry, Balfour Beatty takes its commitments in this area seriously. By 2020, it wants sustainability to be embedded in everything it does. Parsons says that means all parts of the business are ‘focused on the challenge – from marketing and bid teams, project management and design through to service delivery and procurement, finance and human resources.’
She said: “Balfour Beatty employs more than 50 environmental and sustainability practitioners in the UK. The launch of the IEMA skills map is timely. It will help us to develop environmental talent.”
Another advocate of the skills map is EEF, the trade association for UK manufacturing. Malcolm Bland, its head of professional development said: “By using the skills map, HR professionals will be able to identify effective training interventions and retain the best of what the environmental profession has to offer.”
IPSol provides testing, certification and consultancy services to the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry writes Tim Carter of IPSO Ventures.
While its customers are the manufacturers of the solar panels you see on roofs and in solar farms, the value of what it does cascades through the supply chain all the way to the beneficiaries of the clean energy that is generated. The economics of solar electricity production rely in significant part on the long-term performance of the panels, generating day-in-day-out for 15-25 years. Such assurance comes in the shape of an international system of certification that rigorously assesses safety, performance and reliability.
IPSol has recently been recommended for accreditation to test these international standards by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service. It is the first such lab in the UK, and competes with only a handful of specialist providers around the world. Partnered with the Centre for Renewable Energy Systems Technology (CREST) at Loughborough University, it is also able to provide bespoke testing and measurement for clients developing new PV products, including thin film and concentrator panels. A consultancy division completes its service offering, allowing IPSol to advise on aspects of solar PV from manufacture to design, installation and monitoring.
So why did we invest?
A couple of years ago IPSO Ventures looked to make its first play in the clean energy market. While solar was and remains an attractive sector, even then there were a reported 150+ privately-backed solar PV technology companies globally. So IPSO looked further for its opportunity in this gold rush, eventually focussing on the significant unmet needs in testing and certification. IPSol was the result, and its timing could not have been better.
UK solar, long a small backwater of the fiercely growing global clean energy market, was finally poised to enter the mainstream. In April last year the government introduced a ‘feed-in tariff’ for the generation of clean energy, including solar PV. A similar subsidy in Germany has given it the largest installed PV capacity in the world, and that despite no more sunshine than in the UK. From just a few installed MW of PV capacity at the introduction of the tariff, the UK now has around 500 MW. The growth potential of IPSol lies in international growth and this massively expanding, but naïve, national market, which requires testing and advice.
IPSol did not find easy traction with the venture capital community, not being based upon disruptive technology and a 20x return. However, for those with knowledge of the solar PV market the business’s solid fundamentals, lower risk profile and high capex spend proved an attractive package. Following seed investment by IPSO, the company raised £400k in finance late last year predominantly from angel investors. The company is currently considering raising growth capital, enabling it to take full advantage of the current expansion in its customer base.
The ULI is a global non-profit education and research institute. Its mission is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide.
Greenpoint is providing strategic comms advice covering media relations, events, awards, publications, social media and membership engagement across 16 countries. The remit is also to help the ULI celebrate its 75th anniversary, which takes place later this year. The account is headed by Michael Saxton and associate director Julie Kirby.
Said Michael Saxton: “The ULI delivers leadership in responsible land use and sustainable community building. Given that members include leading cities, institutions, private and public sector organisations, the ULI has the unique ability to anticipate emerging trends and issues and propose creative solutions. For example, the Gensler/ULI Open Spaces report, which is influencing the plans to develop the north bank of The Thames as a destination in its own right.”
Planet Positive
We’ve measured our carbon footprint – and we’ve made a commitment to reducing our emissions by 5% on an annual basis with Planet Positive.
In becoming a Planet Positive certified business, we have had our footprint independently measured and reported by Planet Positive. It stands at 8.81 tCO2e. We have joined pioneering companies like Land Securities and Deloitte in precisely measuring our carbon footprint and taking steps to reduce it.
As part of the certification, businesses make an investment into approved sustainability projects through the Planet Positive Foundation, a UK-registered charity.
Greenpoint has chosen to support the Planet Positive Schools Programme engaging children and their families with sustainability and creating links between businesses and schools.
“We believe that good business goes hand-in-hand with positive social and environmental actions,” said Michael Saxton, Director of Greenpoint. “Achieving and maintaining our Planet Positive certification demonstrates our commitment to reduce our carbon emissions and environmental impacts. Our employees are a major part of this activity and, along with Planet Positive, they will help us create a better way of doing business.”
The certification is based on the internationally recognised Planet Positive Protocol, which brings together sustainability methodologies from around the world. The Protocol is administered by an independent Technical Committee of academics and experts to ensure that it is always at the forefront of best practice.
Martin Goodman, Executive Chairman of Planet Positive, said: “Planet Positive is about taking action. We are delighted that Greenpoint PR has shown leadership and become Planet Positive certified. They can prove their commitment to the environment by cutting their carbon emissions, saving energy and saving money. Being green is good for employees, good for sales and good for business. Greenpoint is now part of the solution.”
Planet Positive is an international certification and environmental management system for businesses, products, buildings and services. Certification demonstrates a company’s commitment to environmental sustainability to employees, stakeholders and customers.
Planet Positive goes beyond compliance into proof of action, behaviour change and encouraging business to support local and global sustainability projects. The Planet Positive Foundation, a UK registered charity, has been established to develop, promote and fund sustainability projects locally, nationally and internationally.
China tops the world in CO2 emissions and other gases that warm the atmosphere. To counter this, China has become a world leader in clean
energy generation. It currently produces 20 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources. These sources are mostly hydro and wind. However, to satisfy consumer demand and keep up its unstinting drive towards growth, renewable sources are not enough. Coal-fuelled growth means that China’s emissions will continue to soar. The illustration below neatly things up.
Energy experts doubt that these will not peak before 2030, which means the greening of China will probably come too late. Too late for what? Potentially, the melting of the glaciers in the Himalayas, and the rising of sea levels, the doomsday scenarios that scientists have long feared.
A survey by Accenture indicates that the majority of businesses think that the benefits resulting from their sustainability initiatives have exceeded expectations. Although, the research also showed that a hard core minority of businesses does not see sustainability as a critical or strategic investment.
The survey of 247 board level decision makers including CEOs in the US, UK and China, were asked their views and opinions on sustainability in the business sector, why and how they are changing to become more sustainable and what they see the government’s role in sustainability is.
The survey revealed that 72% think the benefits of their sustainability initiatives exceeded expectations. Only 4% failed to meet expectations.
The survey indicated that 93 percent of respondents say their company currently has sustainability initiatives. The most common focus areas are reducing the amount of electricity used and green IT (both cited by 51 percent), followed by sustainability talent and skills initiatives (47 percent) and then, the development of sustainability based new products and services (44 percent).
“It’s clear that sustainability is no longer merely a matter of compliance, but a proactive way to energize commercial strategy,” said Bruno Berthon, managing director, Accenture Sustainability Services. “Measuring sustainability performance and results is the first practical step business leaders need to make, but requires new skills and proven methodologies. Get it right and sustainability champions can form a business case, galvanize internal support and actively secure shareholder support.”
The survey highlights a disparity between assumed and actual drivers of sustainability initiatives. Companies expect that business in general will be driven by three key external factors: investment pressure, regulations and customer expectations. In reality, however, the top motivations are a genuine concern for the environment and society (cited by 53 percent) and reducing energy and material costs (50 percent). Also important are customer expectations (47 percent) and an opportunity for higher margins and business growth (45 percent).
Cost is the most significant barrier to sustainability initiatives, with 43 percent of respondents identifying it. Other key barriers include the inability to measure sustainability initiatives (31 percent), the lack of government / local government incentives (30 percent) and the belief that one company can’t make a difference to global warming (29 percent).
When asked who should be more responsible for ensuring progress is made in a sustainable way, 41 percent say businesses should, versus 36 percent who think government should be more responsible and 23 percent who identify individuals. Almost half (47 percent) of respondents think that business is doing the most to promote sustainable progress, against only 28 percent who think governments are and 26 percent who identify individuals.
Accenture carried out the survey in advance of Sustainability 24, a global broadcast that brought together businesses and local government leaders from around the world to demonstrate best practice in sustainability. And similar themes were explored at the ULI Trends Conference in Amsterdam, which Greenpoint PR promoted to media, ULI members, private and public sector stakeholders.
A version of this article was first published in Human Resources magazine (July 2011).
The best companies to work for are responsible companies. Small, medium, large, private or public sector, the latest research by ‘Best Companies’ shows that giving back to the community, doing their bit for the environment but above all, investing in their people makes a significant difference.
Best Companies polled more than 275,000 private, public and charity sectors, including almost 1000 private companies who opened their doors to scrutiny about their workplace culture. The survey tracks eight factors, from leadership, wellbeing, feelings about their line manager and their team, to attitudes towards pay / benefits, personal growth, the company (including its green credentials) and putting something back into the local community or society at large.
Despite 2011 being no less tough than last (or 2009), employees seemed to be more motivated and committed than ever in their organisation, which is welcome news as the country struggles to come out of recession and drive towards growth. In particular, it found that organisations that have fared best are those whose managers are well equipped to deal with their teams in terms of capabilities and resources.
I’ve been hard on managers in the past (HR Magazine, September 2010), criticising a certain breed of middle manager for miring their organisation in a kind of treacle that gets in the way of progress or slows it down, particularly around issues associated with responsible business. So, although I won’t necessarily change my opinions fully, I very much welcome the contribution that managers are making to their organisations particularly in such straightened circumstances.
So what companies are cutting the mustard in the area of responsible business in 2011?
Among the best small companies, Lake District-based business consultancy Impact International was ranked highest for giving something back. Every employee has a minimum of three working days to volunteer. In 2010, the firm’s staff contributed 102 days to 25 community partner projects. Impact’s aims are to help other organisations to become ‘sustainable enterprises’ through bringing its skills to bear on projects that require long-term thinking and environmental protection. As Impact is headquartered at Windermere many of these projects are Cumbria-focused.
Ethical cosmetics brand Lush cleaned up among mid-size companies for doing a lot to protect the environment. ‘Making mothers proud’ might not be the most orthodox mission statement, but clearly this commitment informs its strategy. Not only does Lush help the communities which supply its ingredients, but also it will never test products on animals only humans, and preferably its directors!
Engineering and management firm Mott MacDonald tops the list for big companies making the world a better place by digging deeper to give back. The company spreads its net wide, making a contribution to some of the most challenged places where it has operations, such as Bangladesh, Uganda and Ghana. Employees are regularly updated about progress by managers and the firm’s staff magazine.
Unsurprisingly, the survey also points to higher levels of retention when employees are happy at work. Allied to this, those that believe that their job is good for their own personal growth and who feel that their manager helps them to fulfil their potential are the ones that are most positive about their long-term future in their firm. And therefore it seems likely that companies which give their staff the opportunity to use their skills to the full will be in stronger positions than their competitors. After all, well-motivated people respond better to challenges than those who are less engaged. The evidence is clear: organisations with a bright future, invest not only in their people but in the communities and environments in which they operate. It’s not responsible business, it’s plain and simple good business.
Tell us about Timestrip?
Reuben Isbitsky devised the world’s first electronic cartridge exchange indicator, the Brita Memo for Brita. This created a new multi-million revenue stream by solving a simple problem, namely when it’s the right time to change your water filter.
Inspired by its success, he launched Timestrip with UK R&D expertise to develop time-based monitoring solutions. The company now has a wide range of products providing information from elapsed time to breaches of temperature. They are used to aid efficacy and compliance in markets such as healthcare and pharmaceuticals by ensuring products stick within their ‘use by date’, ‘shelf life’ or storage conditions.
What are the applications?
Timestrips have been embedded into many different products. These range from filters, such as odour eliminators, aquariums and refrigerators, to the likes of floor mats for latrines and even, lipsticks and toothbrushes!
The technology is now being used in smart labels. These Timestrips are akin to plasters with peel off adhesive backs, enabling them to be stuck straight on to products to not only monitor their shelf life but also the temperatures at which they have been stored.
Which companies / brands are using Timestrips?
Timestrip has customers including major blue-chips such as 3M, Whirlpool, Hamilton Beach, Tetra and Siemens. Healthcare represents a major opportunity. Walton Hospital in Liverpool uses Timestrips for IV monitoring, so that staff comply with changing patients’ dressings within three days. A growing number of NHS pharmacies as well as John Bell & Croydon (pharmacists to HM the Queen) use Timestrip Plus to ensure its medicines are stored and transported within safe temperatures.
What makes Timestrip so appealing to you?
When there’s a temperature breach in the cold chain, you need to know quickly and you need to trust the information you receive. Timestrip’s cold chain products combine low cost with high performance, a combination not achieved anywhere else in the market. For those who have previously had difficulty justifying the cost of implementing cold chain monitoring, Timestrip can now provide precision, reliability and affordability. This is a massive market and just one that Timestrip is ideally poised to lead.
Charlie Morgan is a partner at Parkwalk Advisors
