Sustainable Development Newsletter

NZ Herald Article - Urgent Couriers and Sustainable Development Reporting - "How to strike right balance"

NZ Herald, 18.07.2003 by Ellen Read

"You don't have to be left wing and woolly," says Urgent Couriers Managing Director Steve Bonnici, speaking of triple bottom line (TBL) reporting. "It actually makes good business sense."

Since adopting TBL in 2001, he said, he had learned more about his business and staff, attracted new clients and made more money.

Toyota's New Eco Car to be Sold Here

Toyota New Zealand (TNZ) has announced that its revolutionary hybrid-powered car, Prius, is to go on sale in New Zealand late this year.

Prius is powered by a petrol engine and an electric motor/generator.

TNZ product manager Spencer Morris said the new second-generation model was one of the cleanest and most fuel-efficient cars in the world.

"New Prius is improved in every way. It is larger, more powerful and even more environmentally-friendly than the model it replaces."

Emissions from the new model are nearly 30 per cent lower than those from the superseded model. Exhaust emissions from new Prius are nearly 90 per cent less than those from a similar vehicle powered by a conventional internal combustion engine.

Manukau Youth Employment Project (MYEP)

Thirty young job seekers have been given jobs for nine months at Manukau City Council in a new trial scheme to help the long-term unemployed. They are all under 25, with few or no qualifications and formal work skills. They were out of work for at least six months and many for three years or more.

All face huge barriers and lack of opportunities when trying to re-enter the workforce.

Manukau will benefit by improved training and employment participation rates, and the potential economic growth through an increasingly skilled local labour pool. It will also reduce the negative impact of unemployed and idle youth and create a sense of belonging and identity for our youth.

For more information visit NZBCSD Youth Employment website or contact Annette Smithard at Manukau City Council email asmithar@manukau.govt.nz

Job Advertisement - SBN Northern Region - Ambassador/Regional Director

The Northern Region of the Sustainable Business Network (SBN) is looking for an Ambassador/Regional Director.

The objective of the role is to provide a Northern regional focus to achieving the SBN vision - "To see sustainable business practices (taking into account a long term social and environmental perspective while making decisions that contribute positively to the financial bottom line) in NZ, thus adding to the wellbeing of the country".

The role is salaried part-time (2-3 days/week) and will be supported by SBN’s current Office Manager. The successful candidate will have:

significant business experience, an excellent reputation, profile and an extensive contact network - particularly in Auckland;

some understanding of applying a broad-based environmental/social perspective to business decision-making and operations;

excellent relationship building and communication skills;

a positive "can do" attitude and ability to see initiatives through to completion.

Click here for a detailed role description outlining the role in terms of members, profile and communications, events and operational maintenance. Performance measures are also provided.

Applicants should reply with a brief Expression of Interest (EOI) describing their capability to effectively perform the role. Please send your EOI in an envelope marked Confidential - Ambassador/Director position, by Friday 8th August to:

Sustainable Business Network
PO Box 147-263
Ponsonby, Auckland

Responsible Business Attracts the Best People, Study Says

Source: GreenBiz.com

The notion that socially responsible companies have an easier time attracting and keeping top workers might seem like a no-brainer to many, but practical-minded business types tend to prefer hard evidence upon which to base their case. Enter a recent U.K. study, which found that the strongest swimmers in the employee talent pool do in fact seek out "good" companies - and they're also more likely to stay put once hired.

EVENT: Sustainability in business - why a sustainable approach to business is the key to long-term profitability

Waikato Management School invites you to the second seminar in the highly informative 2003 Research Seminar series.

Wednesday 13th August at 7.30pm
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) lecture theatre, Waikato Management School, Gate 7, Hillcrest Road, Hamilton.
Refreshments will follow the seminar.
Parking is available at Gate 7.
No admission charge.

Is business simply about maximising profits? Or does business have a fundamental role and responsibility that requires it to go beyond just making profits? In this free public seminar Professor Mike Pratt, Dean of Waikato Management School, examines what 'sustainability' really means and how sustainable enterprises can contribute to the well-being and wealth of people, organisations and society. With examples from around New Zealand and the globe he will show that, rather than being fringe or flaky, sustainability is mainstream and cutting-edge.

As concerns increase about business accountability, from shareholders and stakeholders, Professor Mike Pratt will explain the need to go beyond Triple Bottom Line reporting to include greater transparency of governance. He will also outline the journey Waikato Management School has taken in recent years to place sustainability at the core of its teaching and research.

Four of the School's leading researchers in sustainable business will also provide summaries of their current research - Professor Stewart Lawrence, Associate Professor Juliet Roper, Professor Judy Motion, Associate Professor Frank Scrimgeour.

This is a unique opportunity to gain practical insights into an emerging worldwide trend that will impact on all endeavours and to discover the variety of world-leading research being undertaken at the Waikato Management School.

Professor Mike Pratt is an internationally-renowned scholar, educator and consultant. Since joining Waikato Management School as Dean in 1990 he has been at the forefront of research, teaching and thought leadership. As well as studying economics and accounting in England and South Africa, he has taught on several overseas MBA programmes and worked as an accountant, auditor and consultant.

He has a particular interest in accountability, organisational theory, leadership, managing change and the new economy. A prodigious author, Professor Pratt has published more than 150 journal articles and written eight books, including co-authoring the Harper Collins 'Business Book of 2000' entitled Peak Performance. The book studied 10 top worldwide sporting organisations to discover the factors that contributed to sustained success. More recently, Professor Pratt has led Waikato Management School in its commitment to sustainability and sustainable business.

Call For Entries to the Top 200 Business Ethics Awards - Deadline 29 August

The Business Ethics Awards recognise companies with a responsible approach to business ethics and the triple bottom line of economic, social and environmental wealth creation that underpins sustainable development.

The Business Ethics Award is part of the Deloitte Management Top 200 Awards, sponsored by brookfields Lawyers and assisted by Rodger Spiller and the New Zealand Centre for Business Ethics and Sustainable Development (NZCBESD). The NZCBESD was initiated by Auckland University of Technology (AUT), and is supported by AUT, The University of Auckland, Manukau Institute of Technology and the private sector including The Tindall Foundation.

Finalists are recognised at the annual Top 200 awards ceremony in November, profiled in Management Magazine and used as case studies for education and training.

Past winners and finalists include:

2002 Winner: Norske Skog Tasman (learning and development opportunities). Finalists: Untouched World (environmentally and socially responsible product), Transpower New Zealand (employee-led approach to philanthropy).

2001 Winner: Methanex (stakeholder dialogue). Finalists: Shell NZ (public education on renewable energy), Vodafone (innovative giving).

2000 Winner: NZ Post (employing and supporting people with disabilities). Finalists: Fletcher Challenge (business and school partnerships), Methanex (environmental policy).

1999 Winner: 3M New Zealand (environmental management).

Finalists: Auckland International Airport (working with suppliers, safety and quality), Datamail (community volunteering).

The Award salutes a company or organisation that has made, through a particular practice, an outstanding contribution to ethical and sustainable business practice. Award winners are showcased in

Management Magazine and have attracted strong media interest from media such as Telstra Business, the New Zealand Herald, and local newspapers across the country.

By entering the Awards, your business demonstrates a willingness to share your learning and assist other companies to contribute to sustainable development. The deadline for entries is 5pm Friday 29 August 2003. The Nomination Form, Judging Critiera, information about past finalists and other information is available from NZCBESD website and Managementwebsite.

If you would like assistance with the awards criteria and entry form, contact Chellie Lake at the New Zealand Centre for Business Ethics and Sustainable Development. Phone: (09) 520 0441 E-mail: enquiries@nzcbesd.org.nz

EFNZ Conference on Climate Change Projects: 19 August

8.00am - 5.00 pm, Lambton Room, InterContinental Hotel, Wellington

This conference will focus on the Government’s climate change Projects mechanism, how it will work, the technical issues and economic, legal and financial aspects to be considered in Project proposals. The conference will attract representatives from all sectors (including the energy, transport and agricultural sectors), and will provide opportunities to discuss the climate change Projects mechanism and its implications.

EVENT: Working Courageously with Stakeholders

9.30am-12.30pm, 13 August at Tall Poppies, St Johns House, 114 The Terrace, Wellington

A Master Class with Bruce Glavovic, Associate Professor, Resource & Environmental Planning Programme, Massey University

Have you ever set out enthusiastically to consult stakeholders on an important issue, but afterwards wondered if it was worth the effort?

Have you ever had the ‘irreverent’ thought that stakeholder consultation is a hindrance to effective decision-making?

Do you long for simple guidelines to make the task of working with stakeholders easier?

Explore these vexing issues with Bruce, drawing on his experience in designing and
managing participatory processes in South Africa.

Cost: $300 plus GST, An invoice will be sent on confirmation of registration.

RSVP: To Steph or e-mail steph@tallpoppies.co.nz by Wednesday July 30th, 2003.

EVENT: NZ Landscape Conference 25-26 July 2003

The Environmental Defence Society (EDS) and the New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects (NZILA) have pleasure in inviting you to Reclaiming our Heritage: the New Zealand Landscape Conference. New Zealand has a huge diversity of outstanding landscapes, ranging from our long and magnificent coastline to the peaks of the High Country. These places help define us as New Zealanders and are central to our economic welfare and our distinctive national brand. They give us our sense of place.

But we are rapidly losing many of our special landscapes through changing land uses and increasing demand for development. The beaches of the Far North, Auckland's Waitakere Ranges, the Coromandel Peninsula, the Marlborough Sounds, the Wakatipu and Wanaka basins, as well as other parts of the South Island High Country, are all under threat.

The purpose of the conference is to debate the importance of landscape to New Zealanders, explore the loss of our outstanding landscapes, the reasons for that loss, to examine overseas models of landscape protection and to identify better ways to manage our special places.

EVENT: Anew NZ - Forum Series - "Creating a New New Zealand"

Lead or Be Led - New Zealand's Critical Challenge - Have Your Say!

4 August 2003, 6:30 - 9:00 PM
Auckland AUT Conference Centre, 55 Wellesley Street

Two views are competing for our attention. One is to align ourselves with US strategy and action to protect our economic interest. The other is to take a more self-determined path and forge our own future according to the principles and objectives of our own.

A distinguished panel will speak, opening it up for public discussion.

Dr. Paul Buchanan, Univ. of AK, Political Science Lecturer, previous Analyst with US Defense Department. Click here for his bio.

Dr. Wayne Mapp, National MP, Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Disarmament and Arms Control. Click here for his bio.

Ella Henry, Head of Maori Studies, UNITEC, Member UN Panel on Trade and Indigenous People. Click here for further information.

Matt Robson, Progressive Coalition MP, Deputy Leader, Foreign Affairs, Defense and Trade Select Committees. Click here for further information.

Improv Productions will provide "high theatre". Click here to visit their website.

An evening NOT TO BE FORGOTTEN, includes panel, Q's and A's, entertainment and small group discussions and refreshments.

$20 each - concessions for Anew NZ Associates, student and seniors - $15

Register by email to ensure a space or at the door anewnz@anewnz.org.nz - use following form.

EVENT: Environmental Expo 2-3 August 2003

The third Environmental Expo will be held in Russell on Saturday and Sunday, 2-3 August 2003.
The Expo will mark the launch of Conservation Week, this year along the theme of "Our Places - Our Stories".

EVENT: "Asia Pacific Cities Summit" Emerging Futures of the City: 20-22 October

To be held in Brisbane, the theme of the 2003 Summit is ‘Emerging Futures of the City’. Under the banner of this theme, civic administrators, decision-makers and local and international business leaders will discuss the issues that are driving the future vision of our cities.

Five major topics have been developed to facilitate discussion, debate and promote idea sharing between the Asia Pacific cities. The five topics cover immediate regional concerns as well as longer-term issues.

Transforming urban sprawl

‘Greening’ our cities

Creating healthy communities

Global-local Governance

Alternative futures

Speakers will include:

Tachi Kiuchi , Chair of The Future 500 group, who will take part in a keynote debate with Group Vice President of Health, Safety and Environment for BP United Kingdom, Greg Coleman

Professor Johan Galtung , one of the founders of modern peace studies, will present his ideas for peace in the current international political climate and participate in a forum on global local governance with Rod Sheard, Senior Principal of HOK Sport + Venue + Event

Australian social commentator Richard Neville who will take on the role of MC

Malaysian ecological architect Ken Yeang will speak about greening our cities, alongside Vandana Shiva , from the Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology in India.

U.N. Global Compact Reaches Milestone

The United Nations Global Compact has announced that more than 1,000 companies from around the world are participating in the initiative, working with international labor, civil society organizations and other stakeholders to advance nine principles in the areas of human rights, labor, and the environment.

Source: GreenBiz.com

Australia Introduces New Fuel-Consumption Label on Cars

The Australian government has introduced a new fuel consumption label for new car models that lists both fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.

Source: GreenBiz.com

Sustainability Leaders in Food Sector Produce Healthy Returns

Innovest finds that global food products companies with higher sustainability ratings perform better financially than companies with weaker environmental performance.

Source: GreenBiz.com

Healing Welfare - Some thoughts on Philanthropy and Social Enterprise

Click here to read Vivian Hutinson's paper based on his keynote speech to the inaugural Tindall Foundation Funding Manager Workshop in Manukau City on the 30th June 2003. Vivian Hutchinson is an adviser to the Tindall Foundation, and a trustee of The Employment Catalyst Fund. He is also the editor of The Jobs Letter, a trustee of The Jobs Research Trust and Community Adviser to the Mayors Taskforce for Jobs.

Eco-Drive Navigation System Analyzes Driving Performance Instantly

Source: Japan for Sustainability

Miyama, Inc. of Japan, started distributing the Eco-Drive Navigation System MHS-01 for commercial vehicles on May 19, 2003. This is the world's first navigation system that automatically analyzes driving performance in real time and advises drivers how to drive in an eco-friendly way and minimize fuel consumption.

Kinko’s Adds First FSC-Certified Paper

Source: GreenBiz.com

DALLAS, Texas, and ROSWELL, Ga., July 18, 2003 - Kinko’s, Inc. has upgraded seven of its paper stocks from 30% to 100% post-consumer recycled content and added the first Forestry Stewardship Council-certified paper to its product line-up.

Size of "Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability" (LOHAS) Market Grows

The New York Times, 20 July 2003 - There's a name floating around for consumers who worry about the environment, want products to be produced in a sustainable way and spend money to advance what they see as their personal development and potential. It's Lohas, which may sound like a disease but is an acronym for "lifestyles of health and sustainability." The name was coined a few years ago by marketers trying to define what they regarded as a growing opportunity for products and services that appeal to a certain type of consumer.

In its second annual study of the Lohas market, conducted earlier this year, the Natural Marketing Institute, a research and consulting firm in Harleysville, Pa., estimated that 68 million Americans, about a third of the adult population, qualified as Lohas consumers, the kind of people who take environmental and social issues into account when they make purchases. That was up from 30 percent a year earlier. (World Business Council for Sustainable Development website).

Australian Financial Review study raises grave doubts about the corporate sector's environmental management

Australian Financial Review, 21 July 2003 - One of Australia's largest super funds has investigated the green credentials of Australia's top 200 companies, as part of a new approach to investing their members retirement funds.

The results raise grave doubts about the corporate sector's management of this new risk area.

Their findings, and the newly announced formation of a global alliance of environmentalists, lawyers and academics, promise to make business sweat over global warming.

Research to be released today by the combined Public Sector and Commonwealth Superannuation Schemes (PSS/CSS) and Catholic Superannuation Fund (CSF), shows that 90 per cent of companies in the S&P/ASX 200 Index do not provide information on their management of energy use, including greenhouse gas emissions, in corporate disclosures.

Inadequate corporate management and disclosure of financial risks posed by climate change in US

Most of America's biggest corporate contributers to greenhouse gas emissions, including ChevronTexaco, ExxonMobil and General Electric, are not adequately disclosing the financial risks posed by climate change and are failing to deal with the issues, according to a new study of 20 of the largest companies. The report provides a 14-point 'Climate Change Governance Checklist', covering areas such as board oversight, management accountability, executive compensation, emissions reporting and material risk disclosure. It was commissioned by CERES, a coalition of investor, environmental and public interest groups, and written by the Investor Responsibility Research Center (IRRC). Oil companies show the widest disparity. BP and Royal Dutch/Shell have pursued all 14 items listed on the Climate Change Governance Checklist, positioning the companies to deal with emerging issues related to climate change, while ChevronTexaco, ConocoPhillips and ExxonMobil have pursued only four or five actions.

British retailers and NGOs join forces to to thrash out the Genetic Modification issues

Britain's debate on gene-spliced crops stepped up a gear on Friday after two of the country's largest retailers joined forces with the Consumers' Association and Greenpeace to launch their own public forum to thrash out the issues. The government's separate eight-week national dialogue on genetically modified organisms drew to a close on Friday amid widespread criticism of the way it was organised.

Anglo-Dutch food group Unilever ULVR.L , food retailer Co-operative Group, Greenpeace, and the Consumers' Association said they have set up an "independent GM citizens' jury" in a bid to aid government thinking as it decides whether to allow GM crops to be grown commercially in Britain.

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