Last week, The Conference Board released a major piece of sustainability research: “The Seven Pillars of Sustainability Leadership.” This report is worth a careful read – not so much for its headline list of “top seven,” but more for the rich detail that supports the research.
Uncategorized
CSOs in a Pickle
Today, Greenbiz published “CSOs in a pickle,” an article I wrote about the immense challenge chief sustainability officers face to do their jobs.
Here’s The Rub: 100 CSOs Explain the Core Issue
Most chief sustainability officers (CSOs) or equivalent report two levels down from the CEO – as learned from our recent poll of about 90 CSOs at a joint meeting of the three Conference Board executive councils that I run.
Board of Directors Sustainability Commitment: A Best-in-Class Example
Sims Metal Management is one of the world’s largest publicly traded metal recyclers. With more than 200 facilities and operations in 20 countries and 5,000 employees globally, Sims has annual revenue of about $6 billion.
Sustainability 101: A Quick Guide
Mark Twain is quoted as saying, “Sorry I wrote you a four page letter; I didn’t have time to write a one-page one.” That is one of my favorite quotes.
How a CSO Can Manage the Board: A Case Example
Here is the story of the sustainability director of a major North American electric utility company who single-handedly demonstrated the benefits of “taking initiative” involving the CEO and the board…
CSOs Should Stop Reading Sustainability Journals
For the past ten years, I have made a habit of not reading any environmental or sustainability journals. Any chief sustainability officer (or equivalent) who is struggling to make the business case for sustainability time and time again should do the same. So-called green journals are “the choir preaching to the choir.” C-suite executives are understandably unimpressed by statements quoted from these sources.
BlackRock Wants to Know your Sustainability Story
For over 20 years, I have been waiting for this moment: the time when the largest mainstream investors actually say that “sustainability matters.” It happened at a recent Conference Board meeting I ran of about 90 chief sustainability officers (or equivalent) of leading Fortune 500 companies.
Introducing The Corporate Sustainability Scorecard
In my experience, having participated in over fifty Fortune 500 board of directors meetings, there is always one question the independent directors ask: “How do we stack up?”
I developed the Sustainability Scorecard™ for CEOs and board members to answer that question – and to provide C-suite executives with a “framework” for taking action. This simple tool measures progress on your company’s sustainability journey and helps you plan strategically.