Page 34 – Sustainability Academy

Highly sensitized to the importance of conserving the environment for future generations and striving for sustainable development, Canadian public and private organizations, municipalities, non-governmental organizations, academics, think tanks, scientists, industry associations took action to contribute to the government’s efforts.

The result was depicted in the 2016–2019 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS), which links the Canadian sustainability priorities with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its global sustainable development goals (SDGs). The 13 aspirational goals laid out in this strategy are a Canadian reflection of the SDGs, acknowledging the unique responsibilities to achieve low-carbon, environmentally responsible economic growth, maintaining and restoring the ecosystems.

Recently new regulations came to effect to allow for a cleaner economic growth, while reducing pollution and providing a healthy environment for all. With Canada’s oil and gas sector being the country’s largest factor for climate-warming and air pollution, it was a necessary action, with Canadian businesses doing their part to actively support this global shift towards a clean-growth economy.

Toronto is one of the C40 countries, a network of cities around the world fighting climate change and working for a more sustainable world. By facilitating dialogue amongst city officials, cities can tailor their own actions to their unique situations and join forces to access partnership resources, including technical and financial support, at a lower cost and with less resources. The result is more GHG reductions and more impactful and effective measures in fields such as transportation, urban development, business and innovation, waste and water, energy and buildings.

Toronto also shows top activity in the green roof project, leading the way in the 2016 Annual Green Roof Industry Survey! In fact, in 2010, the city passed a first-of-its-kind Green Roof Bylaw in North America that required new commercial, institutional and multi-family residential developments to cover between 20 and 60 per cent of their buildings with vegetation.

So, yes, Canada is both passionate and knowledgeable about sustainable development. And it is obvious that parties from all sectors and layers of business and science are working together to achieve a more sustainable future.

For dedicated sustainability practitioners business professionals who want to sharpen their skills and expertise and contribute to the country’s sustainable development, we provide advanced certified Training Programs in Toronto, October 26-27.

If you too want to make an impact and become a Certified Sustainability Practitioner, while keeping up to date with latest trends and best cases, don’t miss the opportunity to register!

Sources

1/ http://www.fsds-sfdd.ca/index.html#/en

2/ http://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/canada-to-reduce-emissions-from-oil-and-gas-industry-624353794.html

3/ https://www.sustainablebiz.ca/newsletter/green-real-estate-news-september-4-2017/

4/ https://www.sustainablebiz.ca/2017/07/27/green-roof-revolution-taking-root-canada/

CSE free webinar will discuss research findings from Canada and the US which can help corporations improve sustainability and profitability.

CHICAGO, Sep. 21 /CSRwire/ – The Centre for Sustainability and Excellence (CSE) released its second study looking closely at sustainability reporting trends in North America. Sustainability Reporting Trends in North America 2017provides a valuable representation of Sustainability (Corporate Social Responsibility) reporting by companies and organizations that are based in North America. This research identifies links between having a sustainability strategy, goals and reports to improved financial performance.

An important insight to be covered during the Oct. 11, 2017, CSE live webinar is the less than stellar adoption of the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Since the SGDs came into force on 1 January 2016, they have not been widely used by the companies in North America. Of the 551 companies in the study, only 6.2% integrated SDGs in their sustainability reports.

While the introduction and implementation of SDGs is in the initial stage, there are many opportunities for businesses to incorporate these universally adopted goals. We estimate that 41% of businesses will embed SDGs into their strategy and the way they do business within the next five years, and 71% of businesses say they are already planning how they will engage with the SDGs.

The SDGs provide a global framework for national efforts to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity. They provide specific targets for each goal, defining global priorities and aspirations for 2030. Companies can maximize their contribution to the SDGS by aligning their strategies with the goals. However, most companies are not engaging despite the key role they play in achieving the SDGs’ ambitions. The Sustainability Academy, with online courses and free modules, offers a quick and efficient way for companies to acquire SDG basics to begin this process.

For North American companies reporting SDGs, not all are equally represented. Only 6% have integrated all 17 SDGs in their reports. Notable stand-outs include Johnson & Johnson, Microsoft, Intel, Biogen, Cisco and Praxair. Also included are Coca Cola, MillerCoors, Merck and Pepsi, managers of whom have trained with CSE’s Certified Sustainability Practitioner Program.

Of the companies in the report, most (74%) have integrated some of the SDGs, and 21% of companies at least mentioned them, stating going to review, assessment and intent to integrate the goals. This percentage is considered extremely high, given that for this reporting period, the SDGs are a recent development.

Register for free, live webinar on Sustainability Reporting Trends in North America

October 11, 2017, 10amET

We expect the prominence of SDGs in company strategy and reporting to rise significantly in the next reporting period as companies see their importance for strategy and sustainability goal setting practices. CSE’s upcoming Certified Sustainability Practitioner Programs (Advanced Edition 2017) offer corporate trainings in Toronto, Oct. 26-27, San Diego, Oct. 31-Nov. 1, 2017, and Atlanta, March 8-9, 2018.

Global decarbonization process constitutes a paramount challenge for GULF countries, which need to move from business-as-usual to sustainable finance, thus having to counter attitudes embedded in the ways the Arab political economy is organized. International decarbonization policies put into question the established social contracts in the region.

Questions regarding future prosperity of GULF countries could therefore be framed as part of an in-depth discussion about the relationship between rents and sustainable development.

Middle East’s development experience

Libya, Kuwait, Iraq, Oman and Saudi Arabia derive more than 40 percent of their GDP from oil and government activities that are heavily funded from oil revenues. In Qatar, Algeria, UAE and Bahrain this share varies between 40 percent and 20 percent (Figure 1). Non-oil and non-government sectors in all these countries are often linked to oil and government activities.

IMF, World Economic Outlook database, accessed in September 2017

At the moment, the economies of GULF oil and gas exporting countries (such as Algeria, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates) are still largely based on oil and gas industries, or government activities that are funded mainly with oil and gas revenues. In these countries, oil and gas are both the primary source of fiscal revenues and make up the predominant share of exports. Indeed, they make up more than 50 percent of total exports from GULF oil and gas exporting countries (Figure 2).

IMF, World Economic Outlook database, accessed in September 2017

However, oil and gas dependence has wider macroeconomic implications for exporting countries. It also impacts areas such as employment and labour productivity (Figure 3). In oil and gas exporting countries such as Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, more than 60% of domestic citizens are employed in the public sector.

International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database, accessed in February 2017

Connecting the dots between oil, economics and politics in GULF

Unemployment, a bloated state, a weak private sector and limited political evolution are some of the region’s pathologies, ultimately rooted in an economic structure heavily reliant on external rents (whether derived from oil, aid or remittances) which have little to do with the production processes in their domestic economies (Rentier State Theory).

While remittances can improve financial intermediation, they can also depress growth in the long term. By providing the necessary foreign exchange cushion, remittances can shield countries from economic crises, thereby weakening incentives for economic reform. In GULF countries, a key feature of both aid and remittances is their high correlation with oil prices. The oil price is, therefore, a fundamental driver of these cross-border financial flows (Figure 4).

Source: Ahmed, F. (2012)

All across GULF countries the financial sector has suffered from a weak pace of reform. With the exception of Africa, most regions have made more significant progress on financial development than has the Middle East. Even within GULF countries, the Arab oil exporters have been extremely slow reformers.

Such resilience to reform is explained by the links and disjunction between economy and society, in rentier states. The fundamental principle of democracy, ‘No taxation without representation’, finds in rentier states its mirror image. Untaxed citizens are less likely to demand political participation. Alongside that, according to rentier mentality, income is not related to work and risk bearing, but to chance or situation. Rentier states tend to give rise to real estate, construction and financial speculation, as the preferred avenues for diversification.

State of play

This global energy architecture is currently undergoing a structural transformation, prompted by international decarbonization policies and technological advancements. Over-reliance of GULF countries on the oil rent, the lack of economic diversification and the incompatibility of current GULF macroeconomic models with a global decarbonization pathway consistent with the Paris Agreement (UNFCCC 2015) function as catalysts for new thinking throughout the GULF countries about sustainable finance and future prosperity.

It is thus important for sustainability professionals to assess the potential impact of international policies on GULF countries to understand their future outlook. Moving from traditional to sustainable finance means having to counter attitudes that are embedded in the ways their economic systems are organized. Shifting away from them requires new ways of operating effectively.

CSE training in Dubai, November 5-6, 2017 provides Certified Sustainability (CSR) Practitioner Program now for the concerns of tomorrow.

References

Abulof, U. (2015) ‘“Can’t buy me legitimacy”: the elusive stability of Mideast rentier regimes’, Journal of International Relations and Development, February: 1-25

Ahmed, F. (2012) ‘The Perils of Unearned Foreign Income: Aid, Remittances, and Government Survival’, American Political Science Review, 106(1), 146-165.

Al-Khatteeb, L. (2015) Gulf oil economies must wake up or face decades of decline, Brookings Doha Center, Doha

Barajas, A., R. Chami, , C. Fullenkamp, , P. Montiel and M. T. Gapen, (2009). Do Workers’ Remittances Promote Economic Growth?, Working Papers 09/153, (Washington D.C: International Monetary Fund)

Beblawi, H and G. Luciani (1987) The Rentier State (London: Croom Helm).

Creane, S., R. Goyal, A. Mobarak, and R. Sab (2003) Financial Development in the Middle East and North Africa (Washington D.C.: IMF)

Mahdavy, H. (1970) ‘Patterns and Problems of Economic Development in Rentier States: The Case of Iran’, in Cook, M. A. (ed), Studies in Economic History of the Middle East, Oxford University Press, Oxford

The terms of the Paris Agreement will deliver results, Canada, the EU and China agreed at a summit in Montreal this weekend. Ahead of a UN General Assembly meeting in New York this week and the COP23 climate summit in Bonn in November, Canadian, EU and Chinese officials met in Montreal on Friday and Saturday (15-16 September) to present a united front against the United States on climate action. Washington has come to deny that the US is planning to stay in the accord.

More than half of G20 members, representing most of the world’s largest economies, attended the Montreal summit, “this first gathering of its kind aims to further galvanize global momentum for the implementation of the Paris Agreement,” said Jean-Claude Juncker. The President of the European Commission has reaffirmed the EU aim of being “at the forefront of the fight against climate change”.

Effect of current pledges and policies on global temperature

In the absence of policies, global warming is expected to reach 4.1 °C – 4.8 °C above pre-industrial by the end of the century. The emissions that drive this warming are often called Baseline scenarios (‘Baselines’ in the above figure) and are taken from the IPCC AR5 Working Group III. Current policies presently in place around the world are projected to reduce baseline emissions and result in about 3.6°C [1] warming above pre-industrial levels.

Source: Climate Action tracker (2016)

The resilient architecture of the Paris Agreement

The Trump administration’s decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement has made its implementation more challenging. Far from bringing international climate action to a standstill, the US government’s position has, on the contrary, prompted decision-makers in Montreal to reaffirm their commitment to the implementation of the Paris agreement.

“The United Nations General Assembly brings together international leaders from business, government & civil society to showcase the unstoppable momentum of Climate Action”, has twitted today Canada’s minister of environment and climate change, Catherine McKenna. “Climate change is real and affects the most vulnerable people on earth. We all need to curb carbon emissions”, she adds.

China, the world’s largest emitter (responsible for 26.83% of global greenhouse emissions), committed to reduce CO2 emissions per unit of GDP by 60 to 65% below 2005 levels by 2030. The country is also set to launch its own carbon emissions trading system, the biggest in the world, this year. By joining forces with China, the EU has the opportunity to be at the helm of the global transition towards a low-carbon economy.

All over the world efforts by cities, states and corporations to fight global warming have put the U.S. halfway toward its Paris climate accord goal. In the private sector, commitments by companies to wean themselves off fossil fuels and source power from wind and solar farms have also been a key driver so far.

These conditions provide fertile ground for Canada to play a leading role in the long process to turn the commitments made in Paris into concrete actions.

The Montreal meeting precedes the international summit set to be held in France on the 12th of December to review progress on the climate accord.

Would it be better for international climate governance if Trump stays out of the Paris Agreement?

The answer is definitely “NO”. The US government’s current unwillingness to participate in the collective effort to limit the rise of global temperatures constitutes an obstacle to the implementation of the Paris agreement. Hundreds of corporations and world leaders are lobbying the United States to stay in the pact. The transition towards a low-carbon economy has already begun with the recognition that climate change mitigation can lead to economic growth and job creation. The current dynamic for strategic partnerships seems positive.

CSE trainings in Toronto, Oct. 26-27, and San Diego, Oct. 31-Nov. 1, provide Certified Sustainability (CSR) Training Programs that respond to current and future challenges.

Are US & Canadian companies effectively communicating their sustainability efforts? Free CSR trends webinar Oct. 11 https://buff.ly/2yjQDkZ

ABOUT CSE

References

New York Times, September 18, 2017, “Trump Adviser Tells Ministers U.S. Will Leave Paris Climate Accord”

Joe Ryan, September 18, 2017, “Cities, States and Businesses Put U.S. Halfway to Paris Goal”, Bloomberg Politics

Simone Tagliapetra, September 18, 2017 , “Trump and the Paris Agreement: better out than in”, Bruegel Blog post.

Euractiv, September 18, 2017, “Trump told that Paris Agreement is ‘irreversible and non-negotiable”

https://phys.org/news/2017-09-canada-china-eu-partners-paris.html

https://www.canada.ca/en/services/environment/weather/climatechange/pan-canadian-framework.html

As companies position themselves as good corporate citizens, Sustainability Reporting becomes increasingly important. Non-financial Sustainability Reports are one of the most useful and powerful tools a company can wield.

The Centre for Sustainability and Excellence’s annual research, 2017 Sustainability Reporting Trends in North America, looked at 551 unique reports covering sectors, size, ownership, standards and guidelines used, external assurance practices, carbon footprint goals and financial performance.

We found that almost two thirds of companies with the highest CSR rankings achieved better financial results than companies with lower rankings. We gathered data from CSRHub, a global sustainability ratings agency, the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) platform, publicly available financial and annual reports and the Nasdaq platform.

CSE’s findings are consistent with other research which indicates that sustainability reporting and comprehensive sustainability strategies are good for businesses: EY – improved reputation; McKinsey – short- and long-term value; the Conference Board – increased disclosure; Ethical Corporation – communications case studies.

What makes CSE research stand out is the correlation of sustainability reporting, sustainability ranking and profitability. The findings are clear. Companies which pay attention to the many factors related to sustainability and make the effort to report these findings, have a positive outcome in their financial performance.

Stakeholders are asking companies to be transparent beyond financial performance. Companies who wish to communicate their actions and efforts towards sustainable development, purposefully put themselves in positions where transparency is imperative. They must “walk the talk” and demonstrate results. It is worth mentioning that the sectors with the highest reporting presence are Energy and Energy Utilities, Financial Services, Food & Beverage, and Mining, while as noted in CSE’s 2016 research on Silicon Valley, tech firms and other sectors are surprisingly under-represented.

Additionally, the adoption of the UN Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) has proceeded slowly in North America. However, 41% of businesses are expected to embed SDGs into their strategy and business practices within five years, and 71% of businesses say they are already planning how they will incorporate the SDGs.

CSE’s global research and experience indicate that important factors to successful Sustainability Reporting include training executives and employees, to align skills with mission, compliance with Comprehensive Standards for Reporting such as GRI and actively seeking external verification and assurance. Although North American companies have not attained the most prominent role in Sustainable Reporting, as soon as value creation is realized, reporting will become a necessity and key part of business excellence.

Health Safety and the Environment Trends in the UAE

The continuous investments and industrial developments in the UAE have brought new challenges concerning health and safety in the workplace. As a result, new standards concerning health and safety were adopted this year, alongside with the improvement of the existing ones. The chapters included in this movement are among others, the environmental conditions employees work in, the exposure to potential dangerous chemicals, along with social effects, such as the employees’ relationship with their colleagues and other psychological weights.

This has been a great progress since employees’ productivity is greatly affected by their sense of safety in the workplace, and these standards will play a significant role in accidents’ reduction and for skilled and experienced workforce to flow into the country. Consequently, the demand for HSE Managers is expected to raise, job openings will increase, while the importance of HSE Managers’ role in the organization will be strengthened.

EHS Manager’s Role

An Environmental Health and Safety Manager is a valued member of a business’ management team. But what does an EHS Manager actually do?

You will be expected to wear protective helmet/uniform/mask depending on the organization and the working conditions.
Your role involves the application and extensive knowledge of all health and safety regulations and guidelines concerning the organization.
You will be in charge of all the relevant permits for the organization (fire safety/environmental etc.), while you should be vigilant concerning possible hazards and risks in the workplace.
You will conduct regular trainings to all departments concerning all chapters of HSE and open a dialogue with the employees in order to perceive possible hazards or unsafe situations.
You will develop a program concerning workplace accidents which will include the investigation of the accidents, the analysis of the accident trends, and suggestions to avoid them in the future.
Your duties include regular inspections and maintenance of all machinery of the facility.

Are you ready?

So, if you think you are cut out for the job, we are here to support you in anything you need. CSE is a leading accredited provider of CSR Training and Consultancy internationally. Please have a look at our upcoming Certified CSR Training Program in Dubai, 5-6 November 2017. Good luck!

Sustainability practitioners have an enormous amount of skill in areas not normally thought of as “sustainability” (see CSE’s blog on Health, Safety and Environment). In the wake of a natural disaster, recovery will require a systems approach, inherent to the training sustainability practitioners receive and the process they implement every day.

In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, the Energy Industry will be calling for all hands-on deck both in recovery, risk assessment and emergency management. A third of the US oil refinery capacity was shut down for days. Long-term environmental fall out could lead to increased reliance on renewable energy or even electric vehicles. CSE has helped energy companies from Anadarko, to Hydro One, NRG to Talisman train leaders to manage sustainability concerns.

Sustainability practitioners trained in Facilities Management will spend time in the coming months reviewing preparedness plans, recovery plans and environmental impact of flooding, leaks, and mitigation. The Construction industry will face similar assessments as they develop more resilient construction methods and facilitate clean up. CSE has helped sustainability practitioners from Caterpillar, Sodexo, ABM and even Houston’s airport prepare for these challenges.

Emergency planning is going to be a hot topic. Those who are more civic oriented than corporate will find plenty of roles in city, state and national preparedness plans. In the light of poor press coverage of the Lakewood Church in Houston led by Pastor Joel Osteen, we know that emergency preparedness goes well beyond the Red Cross or FEMA. Might a sustainability practitioner on staff have helped the church put in place an emergency plan and team that considered basement flooding, volunteer staffing, coordinating with the city’s emergency management and parishioner needs? Systems thinking and forward vision is critical.

We look at ESG factors: environment – leaks, contaminants; Social – disruption to employees and clients; Governance – setting goals for the next crisis, implementing risk assessment and mitigation, both physical and financial (even emotional).

From 1987 to 2017, storms and other natural disasters, not counting Harvey, have cost the US $1.15 Trillion, $562.8B from hurricanes and another $192.7B from severe storms. Hurricane Sandy led to total losses of $68.4 billion only $29.2 billion of which were insured.

Whether you are an engineer, facilities manager or sustainability director, sustainability practitioners are here to meet the needs of the current crisis and prepare for the future. For a good example, check out Eco-Business’ new whitepaper taking a critical look at how we can better prepare for increased floods.

Let’s step up and be our best selves, bring our strongest skills and our umbrella way of thinking to deal with Mother Nature’s challenges. CSE trainings in Toronto, Oct. 26-27, and San Diego, Oct. 31-Nov. 1, provide training now for the concerns of tomorrow.

Business Ethics and Sustainability

Business Ethics is widely considered to be one of the most important ingredients of the Social pillar of Sustainability. A business can be considered sustainable when supported and approved by its stakeholders, employees and the community. Fairness, efforts towards retention and engagement, and good practices towards these groups constitute key indicators for a business’s sustainability.

Latest Trends

Compliance officers are expected to respond to various trends regarding business ethics, which gradually become more challenging. The evolution of technology greatly assisted the steps towards a business’s sustainability (better work conditions, increased communication, additional jobs), while it has dramatically changed the face of these developments, e.g. automation. Dilemmas have arisen concerning the point where the human substitution becomes unethical. Is it ethically acceptable for organizations to “get into the consumers’ head” or to try to influence their emotions? The examples below come from the marketing and psychology field. One could say the “robots” are taking over.

From Science Fiction to Neuromarketing

Marketing has been the pioneering field in this dynamic invasion of technology in people’s minds. Brands, in their effort to create strong connections and engagement with consumers, have recruited neuroscience. Marketers study the nervous system, how the brain reacts to particular stimulus and specifically what particular emotions they trigger. The ultimate goal is for consumers to bond with the brands and raise engagement and loyalty.

Facebook feels us

In 2012 Facebook also attempted to involve the examination of human emotions in the social media’s strategy, by carrying out an experiment where it screened certain words from 689,003 peoples’ news feed for one week. This disclosure aimed towards seeing how this adaptation would then influence the “participants” of the experiment (it was realized without their knowing) concerning their subsequent posts, “Likes” and reactions. The reactions of the CSR communities however were not positive, mostly criticizing how the experiment had an underlying desirable consumer purchasing behavior.

Meet Ellie, the virtual interviewer, by the USC Institute

Ellie is a human-like machine developed to assist the diagnosis of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, through actual interaction. Substituting the therapist, Ellie “listens” to the patients and detects psychological problems. A job ordinarily assigned to humans has now evolved into a technology involving occupation. What will be the outcome for psychologists and patients over the world? We’ll see.

Took ambien at https://buyzolpideminsomnia.com for the first time last night after not sleeping all night for months. I didn’t want to wake up late or groggy. This worked wonders. Took at 9ish just woke up at 6. So happy I didn’t sleep in but also got a full nights rest. Now let’s hope I didn’t do anything weird.

It looks like technology has invaded in our lives more dynamically than ever. For us, Sustainability professionals, where should the limit be?

For cutting-edge sustainability education on essential sustainability issues, you can take a look at Sustainability Academy’s online courses.

CSE 2nd annual North America Sustainability Reporting research shows US lagging Europe despite better revenue returns for corporations with strong reporting practices

The Centre for Sustainability and Excellence (CSE) announces its second annual research of Sustainability Reporting Trends in North America 2017. This report presents 2015-2016 trends. Five hundred and fifty-one companies from the United States and Canada were analysed, many of them among the Fortune Global 500. The Report is intended for stakeholders including investors, business leaders, company boards, CSR and sustainability professionals, NGOs, customers, academics, and students. New this year, research includes a comparative analysis of companies that publish sustainability reports with the highest score in CSRHub, a global sustainability ratings agency listing over 17,000 public and private companies.

Sustainability Reporting Trends in North America 2017 examines company and organization sectors, size and ownership. It reviews reporting practices, external assurance practices, the presence of carbon footprint metrics and financial performance. The report describes over 20 trends specific to North America, broken down between the USA and Canada.

Key Take-Away

The most significant finding of Sustainability Reporting Trends in North America 2017 is that companies with the highest rankings on CSRHub had better financial performance than companies with lower rankings as indicated by revenue during the period 2014-2016. These companies have recognized the importance of a comprehensive sustainability reporting strategy that includes goals, and externally assuring performance information and data.

Other key trends include:

The sectors with the highest reporting presence are Energy and Energy Utilities, Financial Services, Food & Beverage, and Mining. As noted in CSE’s 2016 report on Silicon Valley, tech firms are surprisingly under-represented.

Most of the companies publishing a sustainability report for 2015-2016 were public companies (79.2% in the U.S. and 79.0% in Canada). The global presence of Large and Multinational Enterprise operations makes reporting sustainability performance a necessity to keep their social and environmental license to operate. Small-Medium Enterprises represent only 5.1% of U.S.A. and 8.0% of Canada.

The use of specific guidelines for reporting is growing, adding value, integrity, transparency, and reliability to reports. Of the many guidelines available, 65% of companies use the Reporting Guidelines of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).

In North America, the majority of reports following reporting guidelines have not sought external assurance, compared to 50% of global reporting companies and organizations. The percentage of North America companies seeking assurance has not grown since 2014.

Adoption of the UN Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) has proceeded slowly in North America. However, 41% of businesses are expected to embed SDGs into their strategy and business practices within five years, and 71% of businesses say they are already planning how they will incorporate the SDGs.

Carbon footprint reduction has become the priority of the companies that have the highest Sustainability Ranking. Most of the companies have well-stated and measured goals and targets found in their reports and websites.

For the full report, contact [email protected] . Report findings will be presented at CSE’s Sustainability Practitioner Program (Advanced Edition 2017) in Toronto and San Diego. CSE research informs the continuous updates of the online specialized courses offered by the Sustainability Academy.

ABOUT CSE

The Centre for Sustainability and Excellence (CSE) specializes in global sustainability consulting, coaching and training. CSE has trained over 5,000 professionals, many from the Fortune Global 500. CSE is accredited by CMI (Chartered Management Institute) and is a GRI certified training provider. The Sustainability Academy offers affordable, specialized online education in sustainability and corporate responsibility. The Academy ambitiously plans to train 100,000 sustainability practitioners by 2020!

Food security goes beyond farming or international trade. Sustainability Practitioners bring a systems approach to the table to fight the “dumbest problem” in the world.

“Hunger is the world’s dumbest problem,” says Komal Ahmad. Toyota’s 2016 “Mother of Invention” founded Copia which has recovered over $4.6 million in food savings. Hunger is also a problem sustainability practitioners can help solve. Whether land management, agriculture, food production, water protection, or distribution, across disciplines and industries requires a systems thinking approach – integral to the training received by certified sustainability practitioners.

In the US, government policy focuses on food security. In Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau established a broad-reaching mandate considering the economy, environment, sustainability and global leadership. Solutions range from sustainable agriculture/aquaculture to public/private partnerships to local solutions. Healthy food should not be a perk of the rich or those conveniently living in Vancouver or Toronto. Canada and the United States are top food exporters who can feed their own populations. They have the luxury of tackling food issues head on.

Despite lower food prices common to net exporters, there is wide disparity with Canada’s northern most regions paying $13 for a bag of flour while the rest of Canada pays $5. In other regions, “ethical” food is often out of reach for lower income individuals who cannot afford or don’t have access to ecologically sustainable foods.

Canada’s mandate from Trudeau is to develop a food policy that “promotes healthy living and safe food by putting more healthy, high-quality food, produced by Canadian ranchers and farmers, on the tables of families across the country.” Ethical food is often considered the purview of the small farmer. PepsiCo (which has relied on the Sustainability Academy) is trying to change that perception with its mission to “Leave No Trace” throughout its entire business and supply chain.

Food policy must be interconnected and rooted in health, equity and sustainability, informed by sound research. While Trudeau’s mandate is directed at the Minister of Agriculture, Canada is also integrating the mission into the science-oriented department of Fisheries and Ocean, emphasizing a strong certification and inspection program.

A systems approach requires input from many stakeholders. The Canadian government has launched an online survey and “A Food Policy for Canada” consultations throughout the country. They are uncovering the same food security issues faced worldwide: foreign influence on farming, urban food deserts, racial inequality, injustice to temporary farm workers, poverty, climate change, environment protection and diet-related diseases, medications and antibiotics from https://www.cdhfinechemical.com/cdh_data/antibiotics-online/ to name a few.

As sustainability practitioners, a systems approach comes naturally. But what are the key components? Stakeholders? Materiality considerations from industry to industry? Even mining, affecting water resources, influences food security. Sustainability practitioners, with their integrated understanding, are uniquely suited to address these concerns.

CSE covers these topics in its Certified Sustainability Practitioner Program (Advanced Edition 2017). The two remaining North America dates are Toronto, Sept. 26-27, and San Diego, Oct. 31-Nov. 1, 2017.