Climate Action 2010-2011

Technology and Business
Figure 3: Share of final energy use in Sweden 2009.
almost equal to the total energy consumed by all new
customers connected in 2009. The properties
connected in 2009 consume 236 GWh annually,
resulting in an 80,000-tonne reduction in these
customers’ CO 2
emissions.
Human Rights was the second business programme
jointly established by Respect and the ethical
globalisation initiative, Realizing Rights, founded by
former UN Commissioner of Human Rights, Mary
Robinson. Several well-known companies including, HP,
GE, MTV and Barclays Bank were founding members
of the group – known as the Business Leaders Initiative
on Human Rights (BLIHR) – under the chairmanship
of Mary Robinson. One of their initiatives, developed in
cooperation with the UN Global Compact, is a practical
tool called the Matrix, a guide for integrating human
rights into business management.
A study published in the Harvard Business Review
entitled On point – Make Green Profitable, emphasises the
significance of the ability to effect change through strategic
decision-making. The complexity of sustainability issues
can make it difficult for business leaders to take decisive,
strategic action. All too often, failure to effectuate strategic
decisions prompts a leader to change their organisation.
The findings from five years of working on the study show
that well-defined powers of decision-making and welloiled
communication within the organisation are essential
if one is to succeed in bringing about positive change. In
the complex world of sustainability issues, this proficiency
becomes even more important.
Sweden is unique in having a strong state-owned
sector with an annual turnover in excess of EUR€50
billion. In 2007, the Swedish government introduced new
guidelines requiring state-owned companies to provide
sustainability reports in accordance with the Global
Reporting Initiative (GRI). This decision, coming from
a national government as business owner, was one of
the earliest drives towards a regulatory framework for
reporting on carbon emissions sustainable development.
In September this year, the first report was published
looking at whether the government’s new sustainability
reporting requirements had changed the behaviour of
state-owned companies in relation to the environment. It
found that companies which lacked previous experience
© Swedish Bioenergy association (SVEBIO)
of sustainability reporting have gone through a more
extensive process of change than those that were already
submitting sustainability reports. The results also show
that the guidelines contributed mainly to improved
procedures for reporting on sustainability issues rather
than bringing about far-reaching changes in sustainability
activities in practice.
The GRI provides a practical tool for many companies
worldwide that need to shape their internal sustainability
work. More than 1,300 organisations from 64 countries
published a GRI-based sustainability report in 2009.
GRI recommends a step-by-step approach in integrating
with the day-to-day business activities.
Many of Sweden’s biggest organisations have found
the GRI useful. Gunnar Olofsson, CEO of Sveaskog,
one Sweden’s state-owned forestry companies is one.
He regards the GRI as a vital aid in developing the
company’s long term business strategy and brand.
A leader who has not yet formulated goals and
a strategy for their organisation within the area of
sustainability should, for their own sake, take up these
new challenges. If not, they risk damaging their own and
their organisation’s brand considerably.
It is an issue for you as a leader, irrespective of the type
of organisation you are working in or which position you
may have. The time is here to build a sustainable society.
Kaj Embrén is a Swedish business sustainability expert
and a co-founder of Respect together with Gordon and
Anita Roddick of The Body Shop in 2000. Embrén
has established a wide-ranging network of politicians,
companies and organisations worldwide eager to help
develop strategies and tools for sustainable development
in enterprise. Business benefits are always in focus; it is
profitable to do it right.
Respect was founded a decade ago by a group of
environmentally-minded entrepreneurs, including
the widely admired Roddicks. It works with business
leaders, championing the issues of environment and
sustainability in enterprise. Strong convictions and
experience with business ethics are at the heart of Respect
and the values-based organisation aims to demonstrate
to business the strong connections that exist between
profitability, responsible operations and sustainable
development.
Respect
Box 2333
103 18 Stockholm
Sweden
Tel: +46 8 454 06 12
Fax: +46 8 454 06 10
Email: info@respect.se
Website: www.respect.se
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