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Corporate Social Responsibility News - Wal-Mart Canada's CSR Report; Harvard Uni + Accion's Program on Microfinance

(3BLMedia/theCSRfeed) November 2, 2009 - New research points to a new business imperative to begin to implement Sustainability into everyday business strategy. The "new normal" is forcing entrepreneurs to rethink — and in some cases completely reinvent — their businesses, moving from a reactive stance into a more strategic, proactive one.  

Specializing in sustainable development solutions for corporations, the Centre for Sustainability and Excellence (CSE) is hosting its North American Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) certification workshop on February 9 – 10, 2010. This unique two-day intensive program supports Executives and Sustainability professionals acquire the skills and competencies required to grow and to become qualified CSR practitioners. Sustainability can increase efficiency and be cost-effective in a growing, developing, and highly competitive industry that is dramatically shifting standards and priorities in strategic development.

"Our workshop in North America represents the culmination of years of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability experience of CSE in the European and International markets,” says CSE President Nikos Avlonas, having worked with more than 4,000 professionals in 12 countries. Mr. Avlonas is one of the workshop trainers with extensive international experience in Strategic Sustainable Development Advisory Services .The February workshop will provide opportunities for companies to build authenticity into their CSR programs and have CSR practitioners certified by CSE and the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA), the well known international institute for environmental training. 

According to a recent study by the Natural Marketing Institute (NMI), almost 90 percent of the U.S. population believes it is important for companies to not just be profitable, but to be mindful of their impact on the environment and society. Just over 70 percent of consumers state that knowing a company is mindful of their impact on the environment and society makes them more likely to buy their products or services, and almost 50 percent indicates it makes them more likely to buy their stock.[1] 

The CSR Practitioner’s workshop is certified by the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA), and is designed for all professionals responsible for the management of CSR, Marketing, and Public Relation activities. General Managers, Public Relations Managers and Sustainability and Environmental Professionals will advance their CSR understanding, acquire the skill and knowledge that will bring added value and authenticity to their company, and also earn an official business qualification.

The ultimate goal of the CSE workshop in North America is to provide the tools and training that will instill the growing importance of corporate social responsibility into company strategy and also help them demonstrate ethical business practices. This will in turn build corporate and community recognition in sustainable business through the examination of current best practices. With specialized, detailed and highly focused training, the CSE workshop will cover: 

·      CSR & Sustainable Development Concepts

·      Global Warming & Climate Change Issues

·      Future trends & legislation in the U.S. & Worldwide on Corporate Responsibility

·      The Stakeholder Approach & CSR

·      CSR Communication & Reporting

·      Global Standards/Models/Guidelines & Tools for practical CSR integration (GRI, UN Global

       Compact, EFQM)

·      A CSR Action Plan for your organization (prerequisite for CSR practitioner Qualification)

CSE will be hosting a Sustainability Roundtable Discussion on February 9th at 5:30 p.m. at the Hotel Monaco. The event titled, “Emerging from the Economic Crisis, using Sustainability to Transform your Organization”, will help participants think about how Sustainability applies to their current business models, and discuss with other like-minded individuals the business barriers to adopting Sustainability. 

To improve your organizations’ and/or institutions’ Sustainability and bring positive impact and added value for all stakeholders, enroll in CSE’s North American Workshop at www.cse-northamerica.org, contact Nick Andrews at 773-714-5065 or via e-mail at nick@cse-northamerica.org.

About Centre of Sustainability and Excellence

CSE is a leading advising organization & Think Tank with offices in Chicago, Athens, Brussels and Cyprus specialized in providing sustainable development solutions to various corporations and institutions. It represents the outcome of the cooperation between experts and scientists, who deal with, apply and provide support in the most advanced practical methodologies towards sustainability, while adhering to social and environmental criteria. Through its network of international partners, CSE offers coaching in a vast array of advising services promoting Sustainability & Excellence to Organizations, Society and Governments. CSE is operating in more than 10 countries.  For more information please visit www.cse-northamerica.org.

Christine Arena introduces Jason Saul, CEO, Mission Measurement

Colorada Rocky Mountain School Blog

 "The fight for health as a human right, a fight with real promise, has so far been plagued by failures. Failure because we are chronically short of resources. Failure because we are too often at the mercy of those with the power and money to decide the fates of hundreds of millions. Failure because ill health, as we have learned again and again, is more often than not a symptom of poverty and violence and inequality." In a recent "This I believe" archive Dr. Paul Farmer one of the founders of Partners in Health spoke to the notion that, health care should be a human right. Paul is a man that has the potential to make millions of dollars a year, and yet he has chosen, a modest life traveling the world ensuring that people receive health care. He does all of this not for money but, simply because he is passionate about it.

This  is what really drew me to Partners in Health, and through them, the FACE AIDS cause. Trying to make a positive contribution in the world seems overwhelming, yes the saying "one person can make a difference" is uplifting but how can we as students in Colorado help make that difference?  I was talking to teacher Amanda Leahy today expressing how I felt that CRMS represented a world of its own, there is diversity in ethnicity, race, culture, and economic status, each person here has different strengths and weaknesses that they bring everyday. Through our experiences with school trips, work crew, and active we have the opportunity to discover our own strenghths and weaknesses. We learn to trust one another, and most importantly help one another. Wouldn't it be great to take the lessons we learn through  helping and apply it to the world at large.

During the past week it has been  really amazing to hear all the stories that have evolved from our Cake Walk fundraiser. Operation Smile not only raised money to help those less fortunate but, has also created many memorable moments with family's and friends at CRMS. Teacerh Kayo Ogilby shared his daughter's excitement while making a princess cake, and the Head of School Leahy house was filled with fun and memories as they made a cake together for this charitable cause. Experiences like these are what  truly inspire us. I think  often times we gain more then we ever imagined by simply giving what we can.

Find what you are passionate about and dedicate yourself to the cause. CRMS offers a wide range of ways to help and give back: Work crews, Face Aids, Operation Smile, Peace Jam, Random Acts of Kindness club. Possibly  these organizations are not what inspire you. Sometimes what stirs your passion doesn't have a preexisting structure, sometimes you have to be the one to begin. When you find a cause that touches you  it becomes easy to dedicate yourself to it. Dr. Paul Farmer does not do what he does for recognition, he simply does it because it is the right thing to do. By joining something bigger then yourself it gives you a sense of purpose, a sense that you can make a difference.

With the coming holiday season and the holiday spirit in the air, with a seemingly endless supply of food and gifts it can become easy to forget just how fortunate we are. It can be a time when we take our good fortune for granite or.... we can use the holiday spirit to appreciate what we have,..... and share it with others.

A Haitian proverb says "Beyond mountains there are mountains." In other words as you solve one problem another one often presents itself, one of the great things about CRMS is they shine a light on a lot of the world's problems and give us the tools to problem solve. Before we leave tonight I encourage all of us to take a couple of moments to reflect on a problem  that you are passionate about, and think of ways that you can help that cause. -- Katie Grant, 11th grade, Colorado Rocky Mountain School presentation to the entire student body at an evening program

Adam Werbach, Global CEO, Saatchi & Saatchi S., talks about integrating sustainability into business practice

Sustainability Officer Training is perfect for businesses that are looking for ways to become environmentally healthy.  We offer a well rounded training program into two and a half, knowledge packed days, and show any business how to install an eco-friendly program that anyone can see importance in.  For a long time, the Green transition for businesses has been left to the best efforts of a group of people within an organization who had no formal training in environmental education.

The online Sustainability Officer Training will provide participants with a heavy introduction to the Greening process.  They will be shown how to implement a program that merits respect and will save money.  Green is also about efficiencies, and we know how to make Green pay in the short and long run.  The final project at the Sustainability Officer Training is to prepare a Green program for your business that fits the needs of your company and allows your team to control the application of the program.  You will leave with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to plan an Authentically Green Program in your company.

It is almost impossible to imagine that the problems of environmental duties could be so well organized in a two-day session that will produce such superior results, but it will.  With knowledgeable material, the Sustainability Officer Training will provide you with the most vital issues in the Green World. In fact, the last segment provides a Green program that will allow any business to Go Green despite the size or type.

Successful businesses have realized that "Going Green can save your company thousands of dollars in lost revenue!" Most businesses see the Greening process as another expenditure that is good for the earth, but not good for the bank account. That type of thinking is changing, and the savings realized by companies that use Greening processes is far more priceless than ever imagined.

You must realize that your cost of daily operation is sure to go up in the near future. The Cap and Trade legislation will add a hidden cost to everything we use.  The cost of energy alone is predicted to go up by 200-300%. Your carbon output may even be taxed.  In the past, businesses hired sustainability experts to speed up their procedures, reduce waste, and increase profits. Green officers are the modern version of sustainability experts. When it comes to a sustainable issue, there are areas of waste that will greatly affect your company's profits for the years to come.

Greenwashing is something that every business must keep away from because it will mostly likely come back as very bad press.  It is not credible enough to talk or promote your company as Green by good worth of some Green adjustments to your operation. To be Green Business Certified, your company will want to be validated by a true independent third party like the Green Business League, Inc. This is awarded when a company is able to acquire enough points for already having Green practices.

Sustainability Officer Training offers a significant edge for any business. Don’t waste time "trying to be Green, and then doing a poor job of it," when actually establishing a Green program will give your business a Green Business certification that is earned not bought.  Find out how Going Green will save your business an immense amount of money each year, and you will also profit from the impressive marketing value of an authentically Green certification.

Look three to five years down the road and ask yourself whether being a Green business will be necessary. Obama's must read books during his Martha's Vineyard vacation was "Hot, Flat, and Crowded" by Thomas Friedman. He has appointed a Green Czar with sweeping powers to push a Green agenda across our country. Climate change, population growth, and the need to heal our world will hurt any company that does not have Green practices or programs.  To sign up or learn more go to www.sustainabilityofficertraining.com.

In a few weeks, representatives from around the world will convene in Copenhagen, under the auspices of the United Nations, to focus on a new international agreement on climate change. This is a very important moment for the world. The world needs the US to set an example, something that could be achieved should the bill concerning the reduction of carbon emissions be passed. However, the bill, currently being discussed by the Senate, will probably not be passed in time for Copenhagen. Polls also indicate that ordinary Americans are becoming less engaged with climate change issues. In Europe and many other places in the world, like South America, the concerns are much higher together with the expectations for a good deal but it is also realistic to say that in Copenhagen ‘’we will not be able to conclude a treaty," Angela Merkel said during a meeting with EU leaders. Arguments claiming that the costs are too high are not necessarily true since a strong agreement in Copenhagen is essential for global economic recovery.

Intelligent companies and clever countries like the UK are working to better understand—and cut—those carbon emissions (which Copenhagen aims to reduce) ahead of new regulations and use ‘’Carbon Neutrality’’ or Carbon reduction schemes as a competitive advantage for their investors, customers and society’s environmental expectations. This is mainly achieved through the consistent and appropriate use of Sustainability strategy and reporting. Nowadays corporate management practice undergoes serious transformation due to a well-established trend towards a sustainable development approach, especially amidst the global financial and economic crisis.

The cognitive process towards reporting on Sustainability derives from the acknowledgement of the highly-assessed stakeholder theory discussed among academicians within the management discipline. According to acclaimed scientists from the field of management the stakeholder analysis empowers the understanding of company’s environment and enhances its capacity to cope with increasingly unpredictable changes and transformations. It should therefore come as no surprise that stakeholder engagement and dialogue are crucial for the profitability and continued existence of a company, as stakeholder opinions can be utilized to guide its vision and mission, and reflect on its performance. To simultaneously realize the potential of stakeholder groups, and to retain their valuable insights, a company must be willing to engage stakeholders in frequent dialogue, weigh their opinions, and allow them to participate in various decision-making processes. If this is not done, the company runs the risk of losing stakeholder capital – whether this is monetary, intellectual, or labor capital - which could prove potentially catastrophic to the life of the company in the long-term.

Follow-up of and feedback from stakeholders provides a cycle of opportunity for the growth and improvement of a company. Diverse stakeholder groups, when engaged in frequent dialogue, can steer a company in a profitable and productive direction through the provision of perspectives on a variety of issues. For efficient and effective stakeholder dialogue to be established, constant, clarifying communication between parties is essential, such as the identification of common goals among stakeholder groups and the company, as is the engagement and participation of stakeholders in relevant fora. Building relationships that transcend traditional business boundaries is a proven way to involve stakeholders in the mission of the company on a personal and emotional level, and evokes a genuine desire to learn from partnerships.

Awareness of Sustainability practices is relatively new in the US compared to Europe, where there is comprehensive legislation and many advanced initiatives. US companies, which wish to distinguish themselves and become global leaders (in terms of revenues, social and environmental results) in their sector, should implement Sustainability practices more strategically and actions should be taken towards that direction. The creation of annual Sustainability Reports should neither be perceived nor become an end in itself or just another promotion tool for organizations, which are really Sustainable. The creation of such a report should be perceived as a means of communication with stakeholders (shareholders, customers, employees, partners, society), which leads to a competitive advantage rather than as a means of promotion. Wherever the latter occurs it becomes evident by the fact that there usually are no indicators or performance measurements to show that the company has integrated the Sustainability concept, whereas projects little connected to social responsibility are unduly emphasized.

Skilled CSR specialists should replace the PR or Communication managers so as to instill the concept throughout the whole organization and avoid Green Washing. Sustainability is a unique concept for increasing company competitiveness and supporting financial performance only if it is used in the right way and US companies could and should lead the way.

Tomorrow there will be two kinds of companies - those that will survive following best practices in Sustainability and the skeptical ones that will be struggling in this new business environment

The Eco Institution, a San Diego-based environmental education and training firm, today announced the release of a new and enhanced “Green Consultant” certification and training course. The new online course is intended to make it easier than ever before for home-service professionals and other interested individuals to become Certified Green Consultants, and thereafter to deliver “Green Consulting” services to homeowners, businesses, and organizations in their neighborhoods and communities.

The new course builds on and replaces the Eco Institution’s initial Eco Consultant Certification course, which has been offered since early summer. The new course presents more detailed and advanced training content than was included in the original course, and focuses exclusively on strategies for reducing energy use, water use, and utility costs in homes and workplaces. The release of the enhanced course could not be timed more appropriately, as it responds directly to a recent call by the White House “Recovery Through Retrofit” Middle Class Task Force for greatly accelerated training of environmental professionals. The October 2009 report noted that “there are currently not enough skilled workers and green entrepreneurs to expand weatherization and efficiency retrofit programs on a national scale.”

“In recent months, our nation’s mission has become clear,” Kevin R. Hopkins, the course’s co-author, declared upon announcing the new training program. “Energy- and water-conservation efforts will succeed only if they are implemented and driven at the local level. But to achieve that goal, we literally need an ‘army of Green Consultants’ to visit the millions of homes and workplaces in America, and to help their occupants to save energy and water in the most effective and lasting ways possible.

“As a nation, we certainly have the ideas and initiative that this vital objective demands,” emphasized Mr. Hopkins, a Business Week contributing editor who also served as an economic, energy, and environmental advisor in the Reagan White House. “But now we need one thing more: we need the talent. We need people in every neighborhood and in every community in America who possess the knowledge and skills to bring this goal about. And that is exactly what the Eco Institution’s new Certified Green Consultant Course will provide.”

Responding to the White House Mandate

The new Certified Green Consultant Course has been designed and written to fully comply with the training parameters set forth in the White House’s “Recovery Through Retrofit” overview document. The Presidential report noted that “making American homes and buildings more energy-efficient presents an unprecedented opportunity for communities throughout the country… Home retrofits can potentially help people earn money, as home retrofit workers, while also helping them save money, by lowering their utility bills. By encouraging nationwide weatherization of homes, workers of all skill levels will be trained, engaged, and will participate in ramping up a national home retrofit market.”

The report went on to describe in detail the dimensions of the challenge—and the corresponding opportunity—that is facing the nation. “There are almost 130 million homes in this country,” the report observed. “Combined, they generate more than 20% of our nation's carbon dioxide emissions, making them a significant contributor to global climate change. Existing techniques and technologies in energy efficiency retrofitting can reduce home energy use by up to 40% per home and lower associated greenhouse gas emissions by up to 160 million metric tons annually by the year 2020. Furthermore, home energy-efficiency retrofits have the potential to reduce home energy bills by $21 billion annually, paying for themselves over time.”

The “Recovery Through Retrofit” initiative, which the White House will make more specific in coming months, also will include new national energy-efficiency standards for existing homes along with a program to expand the availability of so-called “green mortgages.” But the training-standards component remains a key centerpiece. “By implementing Recovery Through Retrofit’s recommendations,” the report concluded, “the Federal Government will lay the groundwork for a self-sustaining home energy-efficiency retrofit industry. This report provides a roadmap of how the Federal Government can use existing authorities and funds to unlock private capital and mobilize our communities.”

Saving Green by Living Green

Mr. Hopkins applauded the government’s efforts, noting that it was the key “missing piece” in the nation’s commitment to environmental protection and wiser energy use. “Homeowners and businesses in the United States and elsewhere have long been supportive of environmental initiatives, but have been frustrated by a lack of both knowledge and opportunities for living and operating in a more environmentally responsible fashion,” he said. “But thanks to the emerging Green Consultant profession, local residents and business owners can begin to really make a difference—right in their own neighborhoods and communities.”

That difference they can make means more than just doing a “good deed” for the planet. It also can translate into saving money. Indeed, the Eco Institution emphasizes that, in the difficult economy that has battered the United States and others developed countries in recent years, consumers and small businesses are more interested than ever before in saving money wherever they can—and that planetary consciousness needs to follow suit.

“It’s easy for someone who is passionate about protecting the environment to say that cost doesn’t matter,” says Mr. Hopkins. “And in the larger sense, maybe it doesn’t. But environmental protection and planetary preservation depend on people’s actually taking action. And like it or not, most people today—no matter how committed to the environment they might be—simply don’t have the thousands of extra dollars required to purchase a new hybrid car or to line their rooftops with pricey solar panels.”

With that fact in mind, the Eco Institution focuses its training efforts on helping future Green Consultants to demonstrate to their clients how “living green” and “saving green” go together. By undertaking simple, relatively inexpensive steps—from wiser usage of lighting, heating, cooling, and water to improved insulation and replacement of old appliances—some families can save up to $2,000 or more each year through the adoption of green-living practices, and many businesses can save much more. In addition, U.S. Federal tax credits for energy-efficient structural additions can save taxpayers up to an additional $1,500 in the coming tax year.

A Powerful New Approach to Energy- and Water-Efficiency

The Eco Institution’s Certified Green Consultant Training Course is aimed at both existing home-service professionals—ranging from real estate agents and home inspectors to interior designers, electricians, and plumbers—seeking to add a new line of business to their current professional practices, as well as other individuals (including career-changes, underemployed professionals, and local entrepreneurs) looking to generate extra income and to establish a foothold in a solid and promising next-generation career.

The Certified Green Consultant Course, which was co-authored by veteran energy executive Michelle L. Hopkins, is designed to be a no-nonsense “nuts and bolts” training guide for cost-efficiently saving energy and water at home and work. At the same time, the course (and the Eco Institution’s approach to “Green Consulting” in general) goes far beyond the more formulaic “energy audits” traditionally offered by utility companies and earlier-generation environmental training programs. “The Eco Institution’s new course will help Certified Green Consultants to become ‘trusted counselors’ to their residential and commercial clients, and to help guide them through the maze of technical and legal complexities that surround the practice of energy-efficiency and retrofitting,” Ms. Hopkins explained.

Ms. Hopkins previously served for 17 years in various senior executive capacities with Pacific Enterprises/Southern California Gas Company (now Sempra Energy), one of the nation’s largest energy utilities. Working closely with the company’s award-winning energy-auditing program, she witnessed first-hand how much more effective “trusted energy counselors” were in the field than were the more traditional checklist-driven energy auditors. “Whenever clients needed help in dealing with energy-efficiency or retrofitting issues, our people were always the ‘first call.’ We hope to create the same, powerful dynamic with this new generation of Eco Institution-trained Green Consultants.”

A Rich Course Curriculum

The Eco Institution’s Certified Green Consultant Training Course covers the full range of topics necessary for future Green Consultants to become locally recognized experts in residential and commercial energy- and water-efficiency. Among the topics covered by the 17-unit online course are:

•    Green Consulting as a profession
•    The residential ecosystem
•    Residential heating and cooling systems
•    Insulation and thermostats
•    Windows and doors
•    Household appliances and electronics
•    Water use and water heating
•    Energy-efficient lighting solutions
•    Alternative-energy options, including solar and wind
•    Green home design principles
•    Energy and water use in the workplace
•    Workplace-based recycling practices
•    Conducting Green Home and Green Workplace surveys
•    Marketing and selling Green Consulting services
•    Publishing and promoting Green Consulting services
•    Promoting Green Consulting services online

The Eco Institution’s Green Consultant certification process has been designed for maximum flexibility and adaptability to the needs of individual Green Consultant trainees. Taking advantage of the latest in web-based training technologies, the Certified Green Consultant Training Course is available online, and can be studied at the student’s own pace and on his or her own schedule. Each of the introductory course’s 17 units includes a detailed, easy-to-read text-based lesson, and is accompanied by email-based access to a professional Green Consulting Coach who will guide students through both the substantive and practical aspects of setting up and building their Green Consulting practice.

The Certified Green Consultant Training Course also includes a professionally designed business “Start Up Kit” intended to help Green Consultants to rapidly build their professional practices. Among the Kit’s more than two dozen components are a suite of home consulting, workplace consulting, and marketing and promotion tools that will enable Green Consultants to focus more time on the vital matters of client service and follow-up and less on the rote mechanics of running a business. The centerpiece of the Start Up Kit are comprehensive Green Home Survey and Green Workplace Surveys and Reports, that will enable Green Consultants to review homes and workplaces and to deliver their findings in a cost-efficient and consistent manner.

The Eco Institution operates its Green Consultant credentialing program as an educational and training network and not as a franchise. Specifically, the Eco Institution sets no fee structures that its trained and certified Green Consultants are required to charge and makes no guarantees of any specific income stream (although many Green Consultants and Eco Consultants currently earn from $100 to $400 per home or business survey, and several hundred dollars or more from follow-on work with the same client). Additionally, Green Consultants choose their company’s own name and location, set their own hours, and determine which specific services they will offer and how much they will charge. There are also no sales territories or sales quotas.  Eco Institution-trained Green Consultants keep 100% of whatever they earn from clients, and do not have to pay a “sales commission” or licensing fee to the Eco Institution for ongoing use of Eco Institution materials.

Signing Up for the Eco Consultant Certification Course

Signing up for the Eco Institution’s Certified Green Consultant Training Course is a simple and straightforward matter. Interested individuals should visit the Eco Institution’s Green Consultant web site at www.greenconsultant.com. Alternatively, students may telephone the Eco Institution directly at (877) 235-3170