Sustainability News: Signed, Sealed… Delivered?

kristySustainability News

Update > March 2011

Signed, Sealed… Delivered?
With today’s global supply chains and growing array of consumption-related sustainability issues, it is no wonder that eco-labels abound. These independently verified, on-pack labels promote value chain sustainability; their goal is to improve production standards and create greater trust while influencing behaviour – especially consumer choice.

But is the stunning proliferation of eco-labels a good thing? Is social and environmental performance improving? Has trust between suppliers, companies and consumers increased? Are commercial returns adequate? And can this activity – literally the branding of sustainability – lead to undesirable consequences for both sustainability and brands?

Last week we launched a new research project, Signed, Sealed… Delivered?, designed to answer some of these questions. Read our initial white paper on the project and share your own thoughts via our website.

Download phase one white paper

Also check out additional context and insight for the project at Guardian Sustainable Business and on our blog.

Read more at The Guardian | Read more on SustainAbility.com
Global Economic Recovery and Sustainability
Confidence in the global economy is returning, according to PwC’s 14th annual Global CEO Survey. The study found that 48% of CEOs are very confident about their company’s prospects for revenue growth over the next 12 months. That mood raises the following question: what does a global economic recovery mean for the corporate sustainability agenda?

To explore the implications, SustainAbility and GlobeScan surveyed sustainability experts and practitioners from more than 60 countries worldwide, and solicited commentary from two experts and members of the SustainAbility Council – Ivo Knoepfel, Founder and Managing Director of onValues; and Bharat Wakhlu, Resident Director of Tata Services Ltd.

Watch our video briefing on the results

Want to join the conversation? Please take five minutes to complete our latest survey on sustainability leadership: which sectors of society, which companies, and which visionary individuals are most effectively advancing the sustainability agenda? The survey ends March 18th.

Complete the survey
Other Recent Thinking
Don’t miss other recent thinking on corporate accountability and strategy, energy and climate change, and more. Check out this selection of recent SustainAbility articles and blogs:
Why Your Company Should Produce A Sustainability Report – Public trust in companies is at record lows. Is improved disclosure – specifically, better sustainability reporting – a way to reverse the trend? | Read more
A Cautionary Tale for Sustainability-Seeking CEOs – Geoff Kendall argues important lessons can be learnt from Nokia’s fall from market dominance after its failure to respond to developments in technology (on Guardian Sustainable Business). | Read more
Lessons from the South: Agriculture Is Crucial and Profitable – Despite its importance, agriculture is financially underserved and currently not prioritized in many emerging economies. | Read more
Kentucky on My Mind – A recent trip to Kentucky reminds Mark Lee of the staggering externalities associated with coal production, and the hope that decision-makers are poised to act. | Read more

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