Synopses & Reviews
“Climate change is the challenge of our generation. Wilhelm offers hope, and his new
Return on Sustainability is a groundbreaking process that demonstrates to business the qualitative and quantitative benefits of taking action today.”
--Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
“Wilhelm provides a comprehensive full-systems perspective that enables executives, managers, and employees to understand how their jobs are tied to climate change--both from a risk and an opportunity perspective.”
--Gifford Pinchot, Cofounder, Bainbridge Graduate Institute
“The only hope for dealing with this biggest of problems is if we all--and I mean all--pull together. Here’s an important reminder that the all includes our businesses and industries.”
--Bill McKibben, Cofounder and Director, 350.org
“A perfect balance between inspiration and instruction, this is a practical, how-to guide for any business leader looking to green their business.”
--Laurie David, StopGlobalWarming.org
Return on Sustainability is a practical, comprehensive guide that demonstrates to businesspeople the benefits of taking actions to green their businesses--both from a financial and environmental perspective. It begins by highlighting the risk of inaction for businesses when it comes to climate change. It then goes on to explain best practices for businesses to capitalize on the numerous business opportunities that climate change presents, such as increased profitability, enhanced brand value, and improved shareholder and customer relations. The first section contains practical actions and real-world case studies of companies, such as Intel, General Mills, Sun Microsystems, and Lockheed Martin, that have saved money by improving their climate performance. The second and third sections of this book focus on the risks and opportunities both from regulations and market factors that are forcing businesses to take action, whether they want to or not.
Synopsis
This book highlights the risk of inaction for businesses when it comes to climate change, but also contains best practices to allow them to capitalize on the numerous business opportunities that climate change presents, including increased profitability, enhanced brand value, and improved shareholder relations. The first section contains practical actions and real-world case studies of companies, such as Yakima, Sun Microsystems, and Lockheed Martin, that have successfully improved their climate performances, enhanced brand value, and increased profitability at the same time. The second and third sections of this book focus on the various risks that companies face from potential carbon regulation and the market factors forcing businesses to take action, whether they want to or not.
This book provides the steps and strategies necessary to take leadership actions to help business "future-proof" society.
About the Author
Kevin Wilhelm is the preeminent business consultant in the field of sustainability and climate change. He is the CEO of Sustainable Business Consulting, a Seattle-based consulting firm focused on demonstrating the bottom-line business benefits of sustainability and then leading companies through successful implementation. Kevin brings nearly two decades of experience working with businesses ranging from Fortune 500 multinationals to renewable energy start-ups. Some of his clients include Nordstrom, REI, The North Face, Coinstar/Redbox, Puget Sound Energy, American Seafoods, Drugstore.com, Brooks Sports, and more than 50 others.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments v
Foreword vii
Introduction xi
Section 1: Addressing Climate Change: The Business Benefit 1
Chapter 1: The Climate Imperative 3
Chapter 2: Carbon Footprinting 11
Chapter 3: Business Benefit 25
Chapter 4: Return on Sustainability (ROS) 41
Section 2: Policy, Regulation, & Carbon 59
Chapter 5: Public Policy 61
Chapter 6: Carbon Taxes & Cap and Trade 75
Section 3: The Market: Demanding Action 91
Chapter 7: Energy 93
Chapter 8: Finance 105
Chapter 9: Insurance 125
Chapter 10: Supply Chain Management 133
Chapter 11: Marketing to Green Consumers 147
Chapter 12: Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting 157
Final Thoughts 167
About My Firm: Sustainable Business Consulting 169
Glossary 177
Appendix A: Equator Principles Financial Institutions 183
Appendix B: United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment 187
Appendix C: Comparison of Businesses Across Various Sustainability Rankings 2007 191
Appendix D: CSR Standards & Certifications 197
Appendix E: Interview & Text Box References 203
Endnotes 207