growth Archives - SustainCase - Sustainability Magazine Insights on how you can protect the environment, maintain and increase the value of your company, through a structured CSR/Sustainability process with the use of the GRI Standards. Learn how Today's Best-Run Companies are achieving Economic, Social, and Environmental Success - and How You Can Too... Wed, 22 Feb 2023 11:11:37 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1 Case study: How Walmart is reducing energy intensity and emissions in its operations https://sustaincase.com/case-study-how-walmart-is-reducing-energy-intensity-and-emissions-in-its-operations/ Fri, 25 Nov 2016 11:42:40 +0000 https://ccprowebs.com/new-sustaincase.com/?p=1905 With 11,530 stores and hundreds of millions of customers across the planet, Walmart is committed to doing its part in the global efforts to combat climate change – caused, not least, by increased greenhouse gas emissions –, continually improving energy efficiency and reducing emissions in its operations. This case study is based on the 2016 Global Responsibility Report by Walmart published on the Global Reporting Initiative Sustainability Disclosure Database that can be found at this link. Through all case studies we aim to demonstrate that CSR/ sustainability reporting done responsibly is achieved by identifying a company’s most important impacts on the environment and […]

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]]> With 11,530 stores and hundreds of millions of customers across the planet, Walmart is committed to doing its part in the global efforts to combat climate change – caused, not least, by increased greenhouse gas emissions –, continually improving energy efficiency and reducing emissions in its operations.

This case study is based on the 2016 Global Responsibility Report by Walmart published on the Global Reporting Initiative Sustainability Disclosure Database that can be found at this link. Through all case studies we aim to demonstrate that CSR/ sustainability reporting done responsibly is achieved by identifying a company’s most important impacts on the environment and stakeholders and by measuring, managing and changing. 

Abstract

Committed to joining global efforts to stop global warming, Walmart is actively striving to increase energy efficiency and reduce emissions in its operations. In order to succeed in its efforts to reduce its energy intensity and emissions, Walmart took action to:

  • Invest in renewable energy sources
  • Reduce Walmart’s energy demand through energy efficiency
  • Improve refrigeration systems in Walmart’s stores
  • Increase the efficiency of Walmart’s U.S. fleet

What are the material issues the company has identified?

In its 2016 Global Responsibility Report Walmart identified a range of material issues, such as supporting local manufacturing, continuing responsible sourcing practices, ensuring food and product safety, eliminating waste in operations, supporting local community causes. Among these, in the face of global warming and amidst global efforts to combat climate change, reducing energy intensity and emissions in its operations stands out as a key material issue for Walmart.

Stakeholder engagement in accordance with the GRI Standards

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) defines the Principle of Stakeholder Inclusiveness when identifying material issues (or a company’s most important impacts) as follows:

“The organization should identify its stakeholders, and explain how it has responded to their reasonable expectations.”

Stakeholders must be consulted in the process of identifying a company’s most important impacts and their reasonable expectations and interests must be taken into account. This is an important cornerstone for CSR / sustainability reporting done responsibly.

Key stakeholder groups Walmart engages with:

Stakeholder Group
Customers
Associates
Suppliers
Advisory councils
Community leaders
Grantees
NGOs
Government leaders
Investors

How stakeholder engagement was made to identify material issues

Walmart engaged with its stakeholders, to explore their perspectives on its most important issues, through interviews, discussions, working sessions and surveys, which included a 1,750-respondent survey carried out by Sustainalytics.

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What actions were taken by Walmart to reduce energy intensity and emissions in its operations?

In its 2016 Global Responsibility Report Walmart reports that it took the following actions for reducing energy intensity and emissions in its operations:

  • Investing in renewable energy sources
  • 2015: Walmart had more than 2 billion kWh of renewable energy installed or contracted from over 470 projects globally.
  • Walmart covers 25% of its energy needs worldwide from renewable energy sources.
  • Reducing Walmart’s energy demand through energy efficiency
  • 2014: Walmart installed more than 10,000 high-efficiency rooftop heating and cooling units (RTUs), saving 89 million kWh per year.
  • 2015: Walmart operated with 10% less energy per square foot (compared to 2010), a 1% improvement in comparison with 2014.
  • Improving refrigeration systems in Walmart’s stores
  • Walmart is incorporating refrigeration and store designs that facilitate the transition from high Global Warming Potential refrigerants (GWP) to the use of new, environmentally friendly, refrigerant gases and less HFC-reliant systems (hydrofluorocarbons or HFCs are powerful greenhouse gases)
  • Increasing the efficiency of Walmart’s U.S. fleet
  • [tweetthis]2015: Walmart doubled the efficiency of its U.S. fleet[/tweetthis], avoiding emissions of almost 650,000 metric tons of CO2.

Which GRI indicators/Standards have been addressed?

The GRI indicators/Standards addressed in this case are:

1) G4-EN3: Energy consumption within the organization – the updated GRI Standard is: Disclosure 302-1 Energy consumption within the organization

2) G4-EN15: Direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (Scope 1) – the updated GRI Standard is: Disclosure 305-1 Direct (Scope 1) GHG emissions

3) G4-EN16: Energy indirect greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (Scope 2) – the updated GRI Standard is: Disclosure 305-2 Energy indirect (Scope 2) GHG emissions

4) G4-EN17: Other indirect greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (Scope 3) – the updated GRI Standard is: Disclosure 305-3 Other indirect (Scope 3) GHG emissions

5) G4-EN18: Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity – the updated GRI Standard is: Disclosure 305-4 GHG emissions intensity

6) G4-EN19: Reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions – the updated GRI Standard is: Disclosure 305-5 Reduction of GHG emissions

7) G4-EN30: Significant environmental impacts of transporting products and other goods and materials for the organization’s operations, and transporting members of the workforce

 

References:

1) This case study is based on published information by Walmart, located at the link below. For the sake of readability, we did not use brackets or ellipses. However, we made sure that the extra or missing words did not change the report’s meaning. If you would like to quote these written sources from the original, please revert to the original on the Global Reporting Initiative’s Sustainability Disclosure Database at the link:

http://database.globalreporting.org/

2) http://www.fbrh.co.uk/en/global-reporting-initiative-gri-g4-guidelines-download-page

3) https://g4.globalreporting.org/Pages/default.aspx

4) https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/gri-standards-download-center/

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]]> Oxford University: Corporate sustainability and profitability are interrelated https://sustaincase.com/oxford-university-corporate-sustainability-and-profitability-are-interrelated/ Fri, 11 Nov 2016 07:38:02 +0000 http://sustaincase.com/?p=1651 The Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment at the University of Oxford and Arabesque Asset Management explored, in a report, more than 200 academic studies and sources dealing with sustainability, with a focus on the connection between corporate social responsibility and profitability. According to the report, ‘responsibility and profitability are not incompatible, but in fact wholly complementary’. Three key findings regarding the relationship between sustainability and the cost of capital, operational performance, and stock price performance Overall, from the studies reviewed, three highly important findings emerged: ‘90% of the cost of capital studies show that sound Environmental, Social and […]

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The Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment at the University of Oxford and Arabesque Asset Management explored, in a report, more than 200 academic studies and sources dealing with sustainability, with a focus on the connection between corporate social responsibility and profitability. According to the report, ‘responsibility and profitability are not incompatible, but in fact wholly complementary’.


Three key findings regarding the relationship between sustainability and the cost of capital, operational performance, and stock price performance

Overall, from the studies reviewed, three highly important findings emerged:

  • ‘90% of the cost of capital studies show that sound Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) standards lower the cost of capital.’
  • ‘88% of the studies show that solid ESG practices result in better operational performance.’
  • ‘80% of the studies show that stock price performance is positively influenced by good sustainability practices.’

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The report’s conclusions

  • Managers will only gain from incorporating sustainability into their strategic decisions, as will institutional investors and trustees if they ‘require the inclusion of sustainability parameters into the overall investment process’.
  • ‘Investors should be active owners and exert their influence on the management of their invested companies to improve the management of sustainability parameters that are most relevant to operational and investment performance.’
  • Asset management companies will only gain from incorporating sustainability in investment procedures.
  • ‘The future of active ownership will most likely be one where multiple stakeholders (such as individual investors and consumers) are involved in setting the agenda for the active ownership strategy of institutional investors.’
  • Research is needed to ‘identify which sustainability parameters are the most relevant for operational
    performance and investment returns’.

 

 

78% of the world’s 250 largest companies report in accordance with the GRI Standards

SustainCase was primarily created to demonstrate, through case studies, the importance of dealing with a company’s most important impacts in a structured way, with use of the GRI Standards. To show how today’s best-run companies are achieving economic, social and environmental success – and how you can too.

Research by well-recognised institutions is clearly proving that responsible companies can look to the future with optimism.

 

7 GRI sustainability disclosures get you started

Any size business can start taking sustainability action

GRI, ISEP, CPD Certified Sustainability courses (2-5 days): Live Online or Classroom  (venue: London School of Economics)

  • Exclusive FBRH template to begin reporting from day one
  • Identify your most important impacts on the Environment, Economy and People
  • Formulate in group exercises your plan for action. Begin taking solid, focused, all-round sustainability action ASAP. 
  • Benchmarking methodology to set you on a path of continuous improvement

See upcoming training dates.

 

 

 

 

 

 

References:

This article was compiled using a report by The Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment at the University of Oxford and Arabesque Asset Management. For the sake of readability, we did not use brackets or ellipses but made sure that the extra or missing words did not change the report’s meaning. If you would like to quote these written sources from the original please revert to the link below:

http://www.smithschool.ox.ac.uk/research/

 

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]]> Morgan Stanley: 84% of Millennial investors interested in sustainable investing https://sustaincase.com/morgan-stanley-84-of-millennial-investors-interested-in-sustainable-investing/ Mon, 07 Nov 2016 20:50:44 +0000 https://ccprowebs.com/new-sustaincase.com/?p=1842 In order to investigate investors’ attitudes towards sustainable investing (investing in companies or funds striving to achieve a positive social and/or environmental impact), identifying trends and expectations, the Morgan Stanley Institute for Sustainable Investing surveyed 800 individual investors, including 200 Millennials (18- to 32-year-olds). Key findings include: 71% of the individual investors surveyed were interested in sustainable investing and 65% thought sustainable investing would become more widespread in the next five years 84% of Millennial investors were interested in sustainable investing. More specifically, Millennial investors were: almost twice more likely, compared to the rest, to invest in companies or funds […]

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In order to investigate investors’ attitudes towards sustainable investing (investing in companies or funds striving to achieve a positive social and/or environmental impact), identifying trends and expectations, the Morgan Stanley Institute for Sustainable Investing surveyed 800 individual investors, including 200 Millennials (18- to 32-year-olds).

Key findings include:

  • 71% of the individual investors surveyed were interested in sustainable investing and 65% thought sustainable investing would become more widespread in the next five years
  • 84% of Millennial investors were interested in sustainable investing. More specifically, Millennial investors were:
    • almost twice more likely, compared to the rest, to invest in companies or funds striving to achieve specific social and/or environmental results
    • almost twice as likely to invest in companies or funds that used their environmental, social or governance practices to gain a competitive advantage
    • more than twice as likely to not invest in a company because of offensive business activities
  • As workers and consumers, Millennial investors were:
    • almost three times more likely (compared to the rest) to choose an employer because of the employer’s approach to social and/or environmental issues
    • almost twice as likely to purchase a product based on a company’s social and/or environmental impact and check a product’s packaging using sustainability criteria
  • Female investors were more interested in sustainable investing compared to male investors, were almost twice as likely to take into consideration both rate of return and a positive impact when making their investment decisions and were, also, more likely to think about sustainability in their decision making as consumers
  • 45% of individual investors saw companies that integrated sustainability into their business practices as more innovative, 30% thought they attracted better talent and 72% believed such companies were capable of becoming more profitable and were better long-term investment choices

 

References:

This article was compiled using a paper published by the Morgan Stanley Institute for Sustainable Investing. For the sake of readability, we did not use brackets or ellipses but made sure that the extra or missing words did not change the paper’s meaning. If you would like to quote these written sources from the original please revert to the link below:

https://www.morganstanley.com/sustainableinvesting/pdf/Sustainable_Signals.pdf

 

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]]> Harvard Business Review: Why Sustainability Is Good For Your Business https://sustaincase.com/harvard-business-review-why-sustainability-is-good-for-your-business/ Mon, 24 Oct 2016 16:00:45 +0000 https://ccprowebs.com/new-sustaincase.com/?p=1791 Contrary to what many executives still believe, research shows, according to a Harvard Business Review article, that incorporating sustainability into corporate strategy bears many advantages regarding a company’s performance. Key among these, are the following: Becoming more competitive through stakeholder engagement. Open, systematic dialogue with a company’s stakeholders (an inextricable part of any sustainability strategy) enables a company to foresee and be better prepared to deal with changes (economic, regulatory or other) as they occur and ensures smooth operation. According to a study of the gold mining industry (to take one example), stakeholder engagement significantly affects a company’s ability to […]

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Contrary to what many executives still believe, research shows, according to a Harvard Business Review article, that incorporating sustainability into corporate strategy bears many advantages regarding a company’s performance. Key among these, are the following:

  • Becoming more competitive through stakeholder engagement. Open, systematic dialogue with a company’s stakeholders (an inextricable part of any sustainability strategy) enables a company to foresee and be better prepared to deal with changes (economic, regulatory or other) as they occur and ensures smooth operation. According to a study of the gold mining industry (to take one example), stakeholder engagement significantly affects a company’s ability to turn gold into shareholder capital.
  • Managing risks more effectively. In a study on climate change and corporations, with 8,000 supplier companies reporting on climate risk, 72% of respondents said that climate change was a source of risks that significantly affected their operations, profits or costs. Water scarcity is a similar source of risk. To address such risks, Mars, Unilever, and Nespresso invested in Rainforest Alliance certification to ensure, through sustainable farming, their uninterrupted, long-term supply of agricultural products.
  • Promoting innovation. After finding out that U.S. households spend 3% of electricity budgets annually on heating water to wash clothes, Procter & Gamble launched, in 2005, a new line of cold-water detergents requiring 50% less energy compared to warm water washing.
  • Enhancing financial performance and attracting investors. After reviewing the academic literature on business performance and sustainability, Arabesque and University of Oxford found that:
    • good ESG (environmental, social and governance) standards decreased the cost of capital (according to 90% of 200 studies reviewed)
    • good ESG (environmental, social and governance) practices improved operational performance (according to 88% of the studies)
    • stock price performance was positively connected with good sustainability practices (according to 80% of the studies)
  • Moreover, in a survey of over 200 institutional investors by EY in 2015, 59.1% of respondents considered companies’ nonfinancial disclosures as important, in their investment decisions (an increase from 34.8% in 2014).
  • Creating customer loyalty. A number of studies show that today’s consumers, expecting companies to show that they care about their social and environmental impacts, increasingly turn to brands characterized by social and environmental responsibility. According to Unilever, its “brands with purpose” grow at double the rate as others in their portfolio.
  • Attracting and retaining employees. Corporate sustainability initiatives offer employees a sense of purpose, make them feel valued stakeholders and increase engagement. According to a study, employee loyalty was 38% better in companies with solid sustainability strategies and programmes in place, compared to companies with poor sustainability performance.

 

References:

This article was compiled using the “The Comprehensive Business Case for Sustainability” Harvard Business Review article. For the sake of readability, we did not use brackets or ellipses but made sure that the extra or missing words did not change the article’s meaning. If you would like to quote these written sources from the original please revert to the links below:

https://hbr.org/2016/10/the-comprehensive-business-case-for-sustainability

Michel Porter and Mark Kramer https://hbr.org/2011/01/the-big-idea-creating-shared-value

https://www.scribd.com/document/290146926/The-Good-the-Bad-and-the-Successful-How-Corporate-Social-Responsibility-Leads-to-Competitive-Advantage-and-Organizational-Transformation

http://www.iisd.org/pdf/2007/csr_guide.pdf

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/smj.2180/abstract

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10551-011-1063-y

 

 

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]]> Case study: How E.ON is developing environmentally friendly products and services to become the partner of choice for energy solutions https://sustaincase.com/case-study-how-e-on-is-developing-environmentally-friendly-products-and-services-to-ensure-it-is-the-partner-of-choice-for-energy-solutions/ Fri, 14 Oct 2016 09:49:56 +0000 https://ccprowebs.com/new-sustaincase.com/?p=1705 E.ON, a European German-based Energy service provider is facing up to a changing landscape and embracing new significant challenges by applying greater focus on climate-friendly products and services. In the words of E.ON’s C.E.O., Dr. Johannes Teyssen “A new energy world is emerging, one that’s decentralized, green, and interconnected. E.ON’s entire business is now geared toward this emerging world”. This case study is based on the 2014 Sustainability Report by E.ON published on the Global Reporting Initiative Sustainability Disclosure Database that can be found at the following link. Through all case studies, we aim to demonstrate that CSR / sustainability […]

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]]> E.ON, a European German-based Energy service provider is facing up to a changing landscape and embracing new significant challenges by applying greater focus on climate-friendly products and services. In the words of E.ON’s C.E.O., Dr. Johannes Teyssen “A new energy world is emerging, one that’s decentralized, green, and interconnected. E.ON’s entire business is now geared toward this emerging world”.

This case study is based on the 2014 Sustainability Report by E.ON published on the Global Reporting Initiative Sustainability Disclosure Database that can be found at the following link. Through all case studies, we aim to demonstrate that CSR / sustainability reporting done responsibly is achieved by identifying a company’s most important impacts on the environment and stakeholders and by measuring, managing and changing.

Abstract

Developing environmentally friendly products and services is a key priority for E.ON  Tweet This! amidst the transformation of the energy industry and its efforts to combat climate change. As a result, E.ON has been able to offer green power products, promote climate-friendly mobility through the use of Electric vehicles (EVs) and Natural-gas-powered vehicles (NPVs) and provide consumers with smart meters and energy-saving solutions. Through various partnerships and research projects E.ON has also developed smart technology for homes and commercial buildings that offers significant energy savings.

What are the material issues the company has identified?

In its 2014 Sustainability Report E.ON identified a wide range of material issues, such as the environmental impacts caused by greenhouse-gas emissions, customer satisfaction including pricing and labelling, waste management, including radioactive waste, emergency preparedness and response plans, responsible handling of customer data. Among these, the need to develop environmentally friendly products and services stands out as a critical issue.

 

Stakeholder engagement in accordance with the GRI Standards

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) defines the Principle of Stakeholder Inclusiveness when identifying material issues (or a company’s most important impacts) as follows:

“The organisation should identify its stakeholders, and explain how it has responded to their reasonable expectations.”

Stakeholders must be consulted in the process of identifying a company’s most important impacts and their reasonable expectations and interests must be taken into account. This is an important cornerstone for CSR / sustainability reporting responsibly.

 

Key stakeholder groups E.ON engages with:

Stakeholder Group
Customers
Shareholders and investors
Employees
Suppliers and business partners
Communities and regions
Policymakers, society, and the general public
NGOs and sustainability experts

 

How stakeholder engagement was made to identify material issues

E.ON interacts with its stakeholders in a variety of ways and forums, depending on the stakeholder group and the issue. These range from simply providing information to involving stakeholders closely in its decision-making processes. In 2014 E.ON held stakeholder surveys and discussions on the development of its corporate strategy. The basis of these were the eight megatrends identified the year before by its Strategy department in close collaboration with renowned external experts from the scientific and political community, customers, business partners and the company’s own senior executives. This was followed up during the year by numerous internal workshops and events with employees. In them, E.ON discussed strategy elements, options and corporate values. The rounds of discussions were a key component of the overall strategy process. This ensured that E.ON’s new strategic focus had a broad base and met key stakeholders’ expectations.

In 2014 E.ON Sverige conducted a regional materiality analysis with customers, journalists, environmental and sustainability experts, politicians and other stakeholders. 250 people were invited to complete an online survey. Of those, 134 (over half) provided feedback.

As part of the E.ON in Dialog communications campaign launched in Germany in 2006, E.ON deploys its employees as E.ON ambassadors. This enables them to field stakeholders’ questions, concerns and complaints. In 2014 around 165 employees were involved in the campaign, spending 78 days spread throughout the year working as ambassadors. They proactively engaged in dialogue with visitors at 36 events to explain E.ON’s position on current energy policy issues. Almost 30,000 visitors – of whom 2,600 were from a political background – visited one of E.ON’s dialogue booths. For the first time in 2014 E.ON also organised micro-conferences in Germany as part of E.ON in Dialog, holding 34 events of this type in Hamburg at the leading international trade fair WindEnergy.

E.ON also participates in a number of international forums and initiatives, such as Bettercoal, an initiative established by leading European power companies that aims to improve sustainability in the coal supply chain and the World Energy Council (WEC), campaigning globally for an affordable, reliable and eco-friendly energy supply.

 

What actions were taken by E.ON to develop environmentally friendly products and services?

E.ON set the following targets regarding the development of environmentally friendly products and services, based on the Group’s approach to materiality – on taking action on what matters, where it matters:

  • Offering green power products

E.ON offers residential and business customers a variety of green power products in response to the public’s heightened environmental awareness. E.ON sold 10 TWh of green power in 2014, which represented 4.5 percent of its total retail sales volume in its eleven markets. In the summer of 2014 E.ON introduced a TÜV-certified green power product for wholesale customers in response to their demand to support renewable energy producers directly. At least 60 percent of the guarantees of origin came from E.ON assets, half from hydroelectric stations in Germany, half from wind farms in Italy.

  • Promoting climate-friendly mobility

E.ON promotes low-carbon mobility with vehicles powered by electricity and natural gas. With manufacturers offering better electric vehicles, E.ON expects this market segment to grow significantly and undertook projects to raise awareness and encourage people to embrace e-mobility. Natural-gas-powered vehicles (NPVs) emit approximately 25 per cent less carbon dioxide than comparable gasoline-powered vehicles. E.ON currently operates more than 120 NPV fuelling stations in Germany and 63 in Sweden, of which 42 are open to the public and 21 are for public transport vehicles.

  • Providing consumers with smart meters and energy-saving solutions

An EU directive enacted in 2009 requires member states to provide end-customers with smart power and gas meters that enable them to continually monitor their energy usage. Its purpose is to give consumers a more pro-active role in the energy market and to create incentives for greater energy efficiency. E.ON has completed the rollout of smart meters in Sweden and Spain and began the rollout in the United Kingdom in 2012, expecting to equip all of its 8 million plus customers there with a smart meter by 2021. A smart meter is an essential component for many energy-saving solutions, including “100Koll”, a toolkit E.ON designed for residential customers in Sweden. They can use it to monitor their electricity consumption in real time. It also gives customers the capability to remotely turn on and off appliances and other electronic devices. In 2014 E.ON provided the 100Koll toolkit to more than 120,000 customers, making it the company’s biggest-ever product launch. Another solution – the Customer Engagement Toolkit, which E.ON introduced in October 2013 – enables E.ON’s residential customers in the United Kingdom to monitor their energy usage and compare it with that of similar households. Participants can use social media like Facebook and Twitter to share their energy-saving successes with others.

  • Providing business customers with energy-efficiency solutions

In 2014 E.ON Connecting Energies (ECT) significantly expanded its service offerings to industrial, commercial and public-sector customers. ECT designs, finances, installs and operates on-site generation equipment and systems that deliver average savings of 50 percent and in some cases up to 80 percent. The decisive incentive is that customers bear little cost in becoming more energy efficient because ECT pays the up-front costs and guarantees savings. The wider portfolio of services includes ECT Potsdam which provides companies with the ability to monitor and control equipment powered by all types of fuel 24/7. E.ON’s small and medium-sized enterprise customers in the United Kingdom have access to the Saving Energy Toolkit, which provides a variety of tips, including advice on energy-saving machinery and equipment. More than 40,000 of the company’s SME customers used the toolkit in 2014.

  • Developing smart technology for homes and commercial buildings that delivers tangible energy savings

A series of pilot projects called “E-Energy: Smart Energy made in Germany” demonstrated that smart technology can help households reduce consumption by up to 10 percent and businesses by up to 20 percent. E.ON is helping to realise this potential through a variety of research and pilot projects. In early 2014 E.ON expanded its partnership with U.S.-based GreenWave Reality to improve its ability to offer customers secure, individually tailored solutions combining energy management and smart home infrastructure. In the same year E.ON also became an investor and partner in Leeo, a U.S.-based company that develops and provides smart home solutions consisting of simple and intelligent plug-and-play devices and related data services.

 

Which GRI indicators/Standards have been addressed?

The GRI indicators/Standards addressed in this case are:

1) G4-EN4: Energy consumption outside of the organization – the updated GRI Standard is: Disclosure 302-2 Energy consumption outside of the organization

2) G4-EN7: Reductions in energy requirements of products and services – the updated GRI Standard is: Disclosure 302-5 Reductions in energy requirements of products and services

3) G4-EN27: Extent of impact mitigation of environmental impacts of products and services

 

E.ON Facts and Figures:

E.ON is an international privately-owned energy supplier which is focused on renewables, energy networks and customer solutions, which are the building blocks of the new energy world. The conventional generation and energy trading businesses were combined into a distinct company, Uniper, as per 1st January, 2016. E.ON did spin off the majority of Uniper to E.ON’s shareholders and Uniper has been independently listed since September 12, 2016.

E.ON Group highlights

EUR in millions 2015 2014 +/- %
Electricity sales (billion kWh) 780.9 780.2 –
Gas sales (billion kWh) 1,721.8 1,171.0 +47
Sales 116,218 113,095 +3
EBITDA 7,557 8,376 -10
EBIT 4,369 4,695 -7
Underlying net income 1,648 1,646 –
Investments 4,174 4,637 -10
Employees (at year-end) 56,490 58,811 -4

 

References:

1) This case study is based on published information by E.ON, located at the links below. For the sake of readability, we did not use brackets or ellipses. However, we made sure that the extra or missing words did not change the report’s meaning. If you would like to quote these written sources from the original, please revert to the following links:

http://database.globalreporting.org/

http://www.eon.com/en/about-us/profile.html (Retrieved Oct 2016)

http://www.eon.com/en/about-us/profile/facts-and-figures.html (Retrieved Oct 2016)

2) http://www.fbrh.co.uk/en/global-reporting-initiative-gri-g4-guidelines-download-page

3) https://g4.globalreporting.org/Pages/default.aspx

4) https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/gri-standards-download-center/

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]]> Sustainability issues matter more to seafood consumers around the globe than price or brand https://sustaincase.com/sustainability-issues-matter-more-to-seafood-consumers-around-the-globe-than-price-or-brand/ Thu, 13 Oct 2016 10:34:47 +0000 https://ccprowebs.com/new-sustaincase.com/?p=1693 According to a survey of consumers’ perceptions toward sustainability and seafood consumption, sustainability is considered, by seafood consumers, far more important than price or brand when making a purchase decision. The survey was conducted by the GlobeScan company on behalf of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), with more than 16,000 seafood consumers from 21 countries participating. Key findings: 72% of respondents stated that in order to protect the oceans, consumers should purchase seafood coming from sustainable sources. 54% of those surveyed said they would pay more for certified sustainable seafood products. Older consumers seemed to care more about seafood sustainability, […]

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According to a survey of consumers’ perceptions toward sustainability and seafood consumption, sustainability is considered, by seafood consumers, far more important than price or brand when making a purchase decision. The survey was conducted by the GlobeScan company on behalf of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), with more than 16,000 seafood consumers from 21 countries participating.

Key findings:msc-consumer-survey-2016-infographic

  • 72% of respondents stated that in order to protect the oceans, consumers should purchase seafood coming from sustainable sources.
  • 54% of those surveyed said they would pay more for certified sustainable seafood products.
  • Older consumers seemed to care more about seafood sustainability, as 75 % of those aged 55 and over – compared to 67% of 18- to 34-year-olds – agreed that only seafood coming from sustainable sources should be consumed.
  • 62% of respondents said that ecolabels on various seafood products increased their trust in the brand.

According to MSC CEO Rupert Howes, these findings “demonstrate that seafood consumers are attuned to the need for sustainability and that they are prepared to change shopping habits to protect the oceans”.

The survey’s conclusions confirm the 2015 Nielsen Global Corporate Sustainability Report’s findings, according to which in 2014 there was a more than 4% global increase in sales of consumer products from brands that showed a commitment to sustainability, compared to less than 1% for the rest.

 

References:
This article was compiled using the 2016 MSC consumer survey. For the sake of readability, we did not use brackets or ellipses but made sure that the extra or missing words did not change the report’s meaning. If you would like to quote these written sources from the original please revert to the links below:

https://www.msc.org/newsroom/news/seafood-consumers-put-sustainability-before-price-and-brand

https://www.msc.org/documents/msc-brochures/msc-consumer-survey-2016-infographic-seafood-consumers-put-sustainability-before-price-and-brand

The post Sustainability issues matter more to seafood consumers around the globe than price or brand appeared first on SustainCase - Sustainability Magazine.

]]> Case study: The European Investment Bank’s (EIB) strategies and initiatives to support sustainable employment and growth in Europe https://sustaincase.com/case-study-eibs-strategies-and-initiatives-to-support-sustainable-employment-and-growth-in-europe-2/ Wed, 10 Aug 2016 14:23:00 +0000 http://sustaincase.com/?p=1419 As the bank of the European Union, the EIB steps up its response to the changing economic conditions that occurred as a consequence of the 2008 global financial crisis. It does so through a range of policies and initiatives aimed at boosting jobs and growth in Europe in the face of a debt and investment crisis. This case study is based on the 2014 Sustainability Report by the EIB published on the Global Reporting Initiative Sustainability Disclosure Database that can be found at this link. Through all case studies we aim to demonstrate that CSR/ sustainability reporting done responsibly is achieved by identifying […]

The post Case study: The European Investment Bank’s (EIB) strategies and initiatives to support sustainable employment and growth in Europe appeared first on SustainCase - Sustainability Magazine.

]]> As the bank of the European Union, the EIB steps up its response to the changing economic conditions that occurred as a consequence of the 2008 global financial crisis. It does so through a range of policies and initiatives aimed at boosting jobs and growth in Europe in the face of a debt and investment crisis.

This case study is based on the 2014 Sustainability Report by the EIB published on the Global Reporting Initiative Sustainability Disclosure Database that can be found at this link. Through all case studies we aim to demonstrate that CSR/ sustainability reporting done responsibly is achieved by identifying a company’s most important impacts on the environment and stakeholders and by measuring, managing and changing.

Layout 1Abstract

In the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, supporting sustainable employment and growth in Europe is a matter of crucial importance for the EIB as the EU bank, as it lies at the heart of Europe’s economic revival. In order to support sustainable employment and growth in Europe the EIB took action to:

  • finance strategic new projects
  • offer technical assistance and advisory services via a European Investment Advisory Hub (EIAH)
  • support innovation and skills through initiatives such as InnovFin (between 2014 and 2020 it is expected that the InnovFin products will make available more than EUR 24bn of financing for research and innovation) and
  • provide access to finance for smaller businesses – in 2014 the EIB Group financed SMEs and midcaps in Europe to the tune of EUR 25.5bn

What are the material issues the company has identified?

In its 2014 Sustainability Report the EIB identified a range of material issues, such as social, environmental and governance due diligence, combating fraud and corruption within projects, the transparency of the EIB’s decision-making and governance processes and impacts, ensuring human rights are respected and protecting the rights of vulnerable individuals and groups, promoting the right to access information. Among these, in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis and in the face of a major debt and investment crisis in Europe, supporting sustainable employment and growth in the EU stands out as key.

Stakeholder engagement in accordance with the GRI Standards

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) defines the Principle of Stakeholder Inclusiveness when identifying material issues (or a company’s most important impacts) as follows:

“The organization should identify its stakeholders, and explain how it has responded to their reasonable expectations.”

Stakeholders must be consulted in the process of identifying a company’s most important impacts and their reasonable expectations and interests must be taken into account. This is an important cornerstone for CSR / sustainability reporting done responsibly.

Key stakeholder groups the EIB engages with:

Stakeholder Group
Other EU institutions
Individual EU member states
Companies in the financial and business sectors
Organisations in civil society
Employees
Project promoters
Dealers

How stakeholder engagement was made to identify material issues

  • The EIB consulted with a wide range of stakeholders at the end of 2013 and throughout 2014, using a third party to conduct the materiality survey, to ensure impartiality when speaking with all stakeholders and give the EIB a clear and balanced picture of its material aspects.
  • The EIB conducted an internal consultation with employees, selecting representatives from all relevant EIB Group operational entities. Interviews (both face-to-face and telephone interviews) were conducted, eliciting views from EIB staff members on what they considered to be the most material and relevant environmental, social and governance aspects for the Group.
  • At the end of 2013 the EIB distributed an online survey to civil society organisations. Responses were received from non-governmental organisations, business associations and federations and think-tanks.
  • The survey was adapted for project promoters and dealers and sent to everyone on the EIB’s Project Promoters and Dealers contact list in October 2014. Responses to the survey were received from 119 external stakeholders from a cross section of the 28 EU Member States. To ensure parity and comparability, the survey questions were designed to mimic the questions asked during the internal materiality interviews.

What actions were taken by the EIB to support sustainable employment and growth in Europe?

In its 2014 Sustainability Report the EIB reports that it took the following actions to boost jobs and growth in Europe:

  • Financing strategic new projects
  • 26 November2014: the EIB Group and European Commission announced the Investment Plan for Europe. The financial arm of the plan involves the creation of a new European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI), managed by the EIB Group, which will mobilise no less than EUR 315bn of additional investment in strategic projects for Europe during the next three years.
  • Additional targeted support for projects is pursued through a number of initiatives such as “Jobs and Skills – Investing for Youth” and the roll-out of trade finance facilities and programmes for midcaps (companies with up to 3,000 employees).
  • Offering technical assistance and advisory services
  • The European Commission and the EIB have agreed to provide an integrated advisory offer to the public and private sectors through a European Investment Advisory Hub (EIAH) in order to strengthen and accelerate investment. EIAH will aim to:
    • provide a single point of entry for project preparation and implementation, use of financial instruments as well as capacity-building
    • bring together existing advisory programmes and activities and develop new or extended services to cover unaddressed or increased needs
    • establish a unique cooperation platform to make available and share the existing expertise within the EC, the EIB, National Promotional Institutions (NPIs) and Managing Authorities
  • Supporting innovation and skills
  • 2014: the EIB Group provided EUR 14.7bn in finance for this area in the form of loans, equity and guarantees.
  • Projects that support the EIB’s drive to develop innovation and skills in the EU concentrate on promoting education and skills, accelerating innovation and supporting the digital economy, by:
    • backing vocational and other training schemes
    • financing investments in research, technology development and innovation across the board
    • investing in telecoms infrastructure throughout Europe
  • The EIB’s financing products in this area include both traditional medium and long-term loans and indirect support through credit lines to local banks or other intermediaries.
  • InnovFin: launched in June 2014, InnovFin is a joint initiative of the EIB Group and the European Commission and consists of a new generation of financial instruments and advisory services aimed at helping innovative firms.
    • Between 2014 and 2020, it is expected that InnovFin products will make available more than EUR 24bn of financing for research and innovation by small, medium-sized and large companies and the promoters of research infrastructure.
    • InnovFin products also include advisory support. InnovFin Advisory takes two forms:
      • guiding clients on how to structure their research and innovation projects so as to improve their access to finance. The EIB advises clients on how to make the most of their strong points and adjust elements such as their business model, governance and funding sources.
      • improving conditions for access to finance, such as developing a business case for new financing mechanisms and preparing studies on improving the effectiveness of financial instruments
  • Providing access to finance for smaller businesses
  • [tweetthis]2014: the EIB Group financed SMEs and midcaps in Europe to the tune of EUR 25.5bn[/tweetthis], with a further EUR 2.6bn benefiting SMEs around the globe.
  • The EIB Group has two main priorities in this area:
    • provide constant and affordable access to finance because smaller businesses can face difficulties accessing finance. In 2014, the EIB Group supported 285, 000 SMEs and midcaps in Europe sustaining 6 million jobs.
    • mobilise additional financing for the real economy by diversifying its product range. To maximise the impact of its support for micro-enterprises, SMEs and midcaps, the EIB joins forces with the European Commission, Member States, public promotional banks and others in order to boost access to finance and improve financing conditions for SMEs across Europe.
  • The European Investment Fund (EIF): it supports Europe’s micro, small and medium-sized businesses (MSMEs) by improving access to finance by means of a wide range of selected financial intermediaries across Europe.
    • The EIF supported 175,000 SMEs and midcaps in 2014, improving the availability of risk capital to build and grow their businesses.
    • The EIF’s equity activity includes all of the main stages of SME development.

Which GRI indicators/Standards have been addressed?

The GRI indicators/Standards addressed in this case are:

1) G4-EC1: Direct economic value generated and distributed – the updated GRI Standard is: Disclosure 201-1 Direct economic value generated and distributed

2) G4-EC8: Significant indirect economic impacts, including the extent of impacts – the updated GRI Standard is: Disclosure 203-2 Significant indirect economic impacts

 

References:

1) This case study was compiled using published information by the European Investment Bank (EIB) which is located at the link below. For the sake of readability, we did not use brackets or ellipses but made sure that the extra or missing words did not change the report’s meaning. If you would like to quote these written sources from the original please revert to the following link:

http://www.eib.org/attachments/general/reports/sustainability_report_2014_en.pdf (2014 Sustainability Report by EIB)

2) http://www.fbrh.co.uk/en/global-reporting-initiative-gri-g4-guidelines-download-page

3) https://g4.globalreporting.org/Pages/default.aspx

4) https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/gri-standards-download-center/

Note to EIB: With each case study we send out an email to your listed address in request for a comment on this case study. If you have not received such an email please contact us.

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