|
carbon calculator
|
|
Newsletter
Sustainability-focused companies outperform industry rivals
Companies that embrace a commitment to sustainability as a genuine and fundamental part of their business strategy have stepped ahead during the economic downturn and are now outperforming their industry peers. A recent global study has proven that companies prospering today, reaping cost-savings and competitive advantage, are those who embarked on a comprehensive sustainability strategy ten years ago.
In a report by A. T. Kearney, called "Green Winners: The Performance of Sustainability-Focused Companies During the Financial Crisis", 'green' companies have out-performed their peers by 15% over a six month period, in 16 out of 18 studied industries. Companies which took sustainability on board up to ten years ago, before the green media movement, were able to increase production volume while reducing emissions, water consumption and packaging volume. These measures are helping to yield higher revenues.
Dr. Daniel Mahler, the author of the study, said, "We find common characteristics among the leading companies that show that sustainability goes far beyond the narrow definition of being environmentally friendly." The characteristics he refers to include a focus on long-term strategy, not just short-term gains, strong corporate governance and sound risk-management practices.
Incorporating sustainability practices into everyday business operations should not be a media-motivated move nor just a cost-saving initiative. The study highlighted examples of major brands increasing contract signings and doubling revenues as a direct result of taking sustainability to the core of the way they do business.
This report adds to the growing amount of evidence that a full commitment to sustainability, as part of any company’s business strategy, is not just a social talking point but will result in competitive advantage; more importantly still, failing to do so will more than likely result in being left behind the competition.
Graph: A.T. Kearney
Green Mondays: highlighting the Government's role in successful carbon management
Bringing together corporate climate change leaders and a variety of thought-provoking speakers and topics, the monthly networking event "Green Mondays" is proving a useful discussion ground within the corporate sustainability world. Using a combination of talks, round tables and one-to-one meetings, over 200 people assemble every month to combine perspectives and share knowledge on issues of sustainability.
Earlier this month, Green Mondays held a Pre-Election Special, asking each political party what role they see business playing in the move towards a low carbon future. The conference session offered some insights into how parties are approaching the agenda. Following this were a range of round table discussions which included topics ranging from the sustainable built environment and green communications, to CSR reporting best practices and stakeholder engagement.
One roundtable, hosted by ClimateCare, looked at the role of government in successful corporate carbon management strategies. Participants offered valuable insights into the discussion, agreeing that the government has to take a lead and has a broader role than simply legislating. There are two aspects of climate change which make it a unique challenge for any national government to face. The first is that its worst impacts are unlikely to be fully felt by the current adult generation (within the UK/EU) and the second is that it is a truly global issue. Government leadership cannot be undertaken in isolation of global politics and climate change movements, and the political negotiating stage remains full of uncertainty.
Participants agreed that putting a price on emissions is essential, but also that any price must be sufficiently high to encourage serious emission reductions. Here we see one key role for government, in setting an effective price through a framework of legislation. Current carbon pricing is not high enough to drive change.
Many were also of the opinion that carbon pricing in isolation would be insufficient to deliver the necessary cuts. It would take an integrated approach, understanding the drivers for change and engaging with the public and business. Ultimately, cost-saving is not the only driver of behavioural change within business and there are many areas where government has a significant role to play in the business community.
Learn more about Green Mondays, read roundtable reports or sign up to the event at www.greenmondays.com
Composting in India to reduce methane emissions
ClimateCare has just enlisted its first ever composting project into its portfolio. This innovative project is based in Delhi, North India, where rapid urbanisation has resulted in increased municipal solid waste production. Infrastructure development in Delhi has struggled to keep up with increased consumer and household waste, and as such current practice is still to dispose of waste in open, untreated and unprocessed landfill sites. This practice is resulting in significant emissions of methane (a potent greenhouse gas with a far greater impact than CO2).
Image: Landfill site
- By providing compost supply for urban agriculture, horticulture, floriculture, vegetable production in and around Delhi and crop farming in the neighbouring states;
- By reducing noxious air pollution from landfill, benefiting health and reducing odour;
- By creating new jobs for local people at the composting facility as well as indirectly through waste collection and transportation of compost.
The composting project will provide up to 20,000 Verified Emission Reductions (VER) for purchase by clients through ClimateCare.
VERs issued by APX for hydro power generation in Tajikistan
Within the alpine region of East Tajikistan, the Gorno Badakshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO), ClimateCare funds a 14MW hydro power project. The GBAO is almost entirely mountainous and well suited for hydro power projects. But it is also one of the poorest regions in the world. In this part of ex-Soviet state Tajikistan, communities rely on diesel generators to provide their electricity.
Residents in GBAO’s capital city of Khorog rely on diesel powered electricity for the energy used in their homes, schools and hospital. The main supply of power has been unreliable and resulted in many local residents also using firewood from the local area as an additional source of fuel for heating and cooking. To date, 70% of the region’s trees have been cut down for fuel wood.
The project uses the area’s natural water resource to provide clean, reliable electricity through hydro power generation. Two 7 MW hydro turbines have been installed, powered by water from Lake Yashilkul, a feature naturally formed by a landslide several hundred years ago. The clean energy generated provides additional power generation to Tajikistan’s power grid and residents in the region now benefit from a reliable power supply, which is particularly important in the winter when temperatures can drop to -15ºC.
The verified emission reductions (VERs or tonnes) from this project between 2006 and May 2009 have now been issued by the APX VCS registry. This is the final stage in the project cycle before tonnes are retired; a crucial step that avoids any emission reductions being sold more than once.
Image: Lake Yashikul
EU figures predict that member states will reach 20.3% renewable
The European Commission has confirmed this week that the EU is on course to meet its 2020 target of 20% renewable energy production. The Commission has released figures pertaining to national energy strategies for each of the 27 member states.
According to EC forecasts, 12 member states are on target to meet their renewable energy requirements and 10 countries have declared they expect to exceed their national targets. At this point in the forecast however, 5 member states expect to fall short and may need to use the EU Directive’s cooperation mechanisms in order to reach their targets. These mechanisms allow a country to develop renewable energy in another member state or country outside the EU-27 to make their cuts.
In total, forecasts predict the EU-27 to achieve 20.3% renewable energy generation by 2020, narrowly exceeding their global commitment of 20%.
ClimateCare's solar power project in India, available for funding through last year’s mixed portfolio and designed to the Gold Standard, continues from strength to strength with new franchises opening across the country. Adeel Halim visited two franchises in 2009 and followed the installation teams, capturing their work in photographs. We are delighted to be able to show-case his work and provide a pictorial overview in the recipient regions and of the solar energy roll-out.
Bangalore and Mysore Franchises
1. Orb Energy branch at JP Nagar, Bangalore
Technicians at work
| At the warehouse in Bangalore, Chandrashekar works on electrical units .. |
 |
 |
|
| .. while Sanath, an assembly technician, expertly connects a unit. |
| With Sanath assembling in the background, K Manjunath, Assistant Manager for Technical and Quality Control, checks unit wiring and function |
 |
 |
|
| Further quality control is carried out by Sreenivas Moorthy, the QA Executive. |
Warehousing, Materials and Despatches
| Vijaykumar, a warehouse assistant, prepares and arranges stock for the team. Batteries and panels are stored at the warehouse in Bangalore .. |
 |
 |
|
| .. he then joins Chandrashekar and Santosh, his warehouse assistant colleagues, in material packing and despatches. |
Installation and Switching Off Grid
| Prakash, the installation technician, at an Orb Solar installation site. |
 |
 |
|
| The Orb Franchise changeover switch console, effecting the change from grid-powered electricity to solar. |
2. Orb Energy branch at KR Nagar, Mysore
The team at Orb Energy Mysore
(From left) Mallegowda (SE), Nagashetty (SE), Mahesh (SE), Shreyas (SE), Sheshadri (SE), Prakash (Technician), S.Nagashetty (SSM), SP Shetty (Franchisee), Ganesh Hedge (SE), and front row is Ramya (CE)
SE – Sales Engineers
CE – Commercial Executive
SSM – Sales Support Manager
Customer Service at Installations
Gyudmed Tantric University Society, Gurupura. Nagashetty the Sales Support Manager and Prakash the Technician visit the Tibetan colony where the company has installed a solar powered water boiler.
A 1000 litre water heater system has been installed at old age home at Vasavi Shantidhama, by the Mysore franchise team
Story main image: Solectric, Sunstream and Wind Energy Systems at the farm house of Mrs.Jyothi at Kanakapura Road, Bangalore
All images: Adeel Halim
important contribution to help to fund our valuable projects.
© ClimateCare 2010. All rights reserved.
Registered address: 125 London Wall, London, EC2Y 5AJ
|
|