Posts Tagged ‘corporate social responsibilty’

I know that many of you reading and appreciating Ruth Anianssons blog posts, and me too. Ruth is living in Copenhagen, Denmark, and except blogging for us Ruth also works as journalist, stage poet and conferencier.

This Saturday Ruth was engaged in the inauguration of the exhibition “Make a difference” (in Swedish) at the Museum of World Culture in Gothenburg, Sweden. Ruth did a stage poetry about being an observer. Thank you Ruth for your great performance and finally I also met you!

Main focus in this exhibition is the role of the observer, and the consequences and responsibility for taking no-actions, with examples from the history but also from today’s violence. And I will say also relevant in our decisions about taking actions or no-actions to contribute to sustainable environment, or?

Yesterday I took the bike to work, again, my bike was not in good shape, rusty after the winter…but yes I did it, I made a difference, I was not an observer, I was taking an action. Why? Because I was touched, thank you Ruth!

(By the way, Dadongwo is the Chinese expression of “I am touched” and also the name of our coming Facebook app, included in the Commute Greener concept, that soon will be released. The purpose with the app is to have fun, get touched and motivate you take actions to commute smarter in your daily life. )

Commute Greener!

/Karin

The edge is not the limit…   
…it is the start! 

Where did this expression come from, and when?

Was it 20 years ago on an Interrail through Europe? Was it on a t-shirt? Is it attributed to an Australian article on outdoor sports written at the turn of the millenium?  I wonder…  The fact is as I was just making a search on Bing and Google no hits were found. Let’s change that!  It is a great expression since it encourage: courage, curiosity, creativity and a possibility to expand on what is possible.

Of course, we need to do keep on the path to sustainable transport solutions (at least in the context of developing Commute Greener!). At the same time inspiration may come from several angels and levels, here are some:

Sustainability focus as a market maker, to be a leader rather than a follower. A blog post refering and giving examples from IT companies and a World Economic Forum business case. 

Dr. Seuss can inspire to go beyond the assumed…
Hmm…

The worlds first serial produced electromobilty enabled waste truck (talk in swedish but video shows several features) by Renova.

Innovation capability, a scientific way to increase new value and we are contributing to a certain start at Luleå University of Technology.

In short, relate to ‘your edge’ and:  Set your target. See the progress. Share experiences.

Commute Greener!
/m

The climate talks is in full swing. Guess you will have to live under a rock not to hear about it in the news. Still, not as much as I expected is broad casted. Are people getting fed up of talking and squabbling about climate and CO2? Or is the subject too difficult to comprehend, and therefore getting tiering after hearing about it for years on end?

The concept and scale of the climate problematics is staggering. We are talking about a global problem caused by the way we are living, with acute effects that will happen in 20-50 years. At the same time we are talking about a 2 decree increase in temperature. Not all that much. Is it really a surprise that many people don’t see the scale of the problem? Or why the climate debate has been at a standstill?

The economical and social aspects of our global environmental problems are just as staggering. Lots and lots of humans around the world are without clean drinking water and sanitary installments. Hundreds of millions of dollars are invested in various corporations, which most large countries are dependent on. It is not a difficult to see why the situation is as it is and why so many decide to wait the other participants out.

Yet we are seeing some progress, and the mood is much better then at the Copenhagen meeting a year ago. While we may miss out of a new Kyoto protocol there seems to be a will to compromise and to cooperate more in environmental matters. Unfortunately that means little if USA, China, EU and the rest of the big players get on the boat.

The big corporations, like Volvo Group, don’t get as much attention in these talks. At least not in media. It is not difficult to understand why; “industry and the business world are not interested in the environment, just money”. Which is wrong. If we are going to combat climate change and reduce the global carbon dioxide footprint the corporations have a social responsibility as well, and have huge possibilities. Don’t forget initiatives like the 10:10 campaign, or the Climate Savers (which Volvo Group is a part in by the way)…

Don’t forget the common person either. We who live in rich countries can do lots of things to reduce the water, energy and raw materials used and produced as well as lowering the CO2 footprint. Our way of living is not sustainable. Our habits are destroying the planet. Let’s do something about that.

Despite the nature of the discussions and the huge political and economical stakes, I am sure there will be progress this times. While the outlook have been bleak at times, it seems like most ambassadors have decided to stop playing games and start cooperating. Hopefully there will be a new Kyoto protocol, or something like it. We need a coordinated effort, from governental to grassroot level to save the planet.

/

Fredrik

Last week I wrote a bit about trust issues towards industry. While many companies don’t care about environmental work  there are those not only interested and concerned but taking action as well. I mean, sometimes you just have to give the industry some credit for their efforts in saving our climate. The 10:10 campaign as well as several other green initiatives from non-governmental groups and corporations are to be applauded.

I must say that I am proud of Volvo Groups latest initiative, to hook up with WWF in their Climate Savers program. By entering a partnership with WWF, Volvo Group have promised to continue the companies already extensive environmental work and produce more and eco-friendlier trucks. Or, as our CEO, Leif Johansson phrased it:

“The partnership with WWF means that we are raising our already ambitious goals in relation to cutting the CO2-emissions of our products. Our shared vision is that future transport will be CO2-neutral. It won’t be easy, but if anyone can do it – Volvo can”

Statement made by Leif Johansson, CEO Volvo Group

A bold statement, isn’t it. Volvo has always had an environmental perspective. This partnership with WWF is mostly geared towards Trucks and the heavy industry side of the company, but several programs and initiatives are ongoing as well. For example; Commute Greener! is a part of Volvo IT’s environmental work. Two good examples of a company which is stretching its boundaries to do its part for the planet.

OK, I might have gotten a bit carried away here. Many companies do a lot of good for the environment. But I think this is a good example of how a world spanning corporation that is dealing with heavy machinery and transportation take its responsibility and work towards reducing its environmental impacts. We are part of the problem, so lets be part of the solution as well.

So why do people always say that industry equals polluting? If only more industrial companies would get positive response and credit for what they do, I’m sure more would be interested in “greening up” their production. So lets give credit to those that actually do what they can, and encourage others to join the “green revolution”

Fredrik

4-5 of October, the B4E summit took place. B4E stands for Business for the Environment and is one of the leading conferences about dialogue and business-driven action for the environment. Some of the partners are UNEP,the UN global Compact, and WWF, as well as many other NGOs and corporations. Volvo Group is one of them.

At the summit, several different topics are discussed, and the main focus was how to turn the negative climate trends into opportunities, and new possibilities with a new low carbon economy. Sounds like the old “big corporations just care about money” theme again, right?

Well, not entirely. Turning the climate problems will require cooperation and responsibility from the business world. And corporations like Volvo are always interested in different opportunities as well as they are interested in doing something good for the environment. If it was just cold hard cash, they wouldn’t sit down to discuss the problems.

Among the speakers at the summit were Al Gore, Georg Kell, Executive Director of the UN Global Compact, James Leape, Director General of WWF-International, Achim Steiner. Heavy hitters in the environmental arena. Some heavy industry people were there as well, from for example BT group, Coca Cola and HP. And of course Magnus Kuschel, managing director of Commute Greener!.  

Yes, that’s right, Commute Greener! was chosen to represent Volvo Group at this meeting, speaking right after former vice president and environmentalist Al Gore. Magnus (to the left in the picture) was also interviewed by CNN on day one.

Volvo Group, as well as Volvo cars, now owned by Chinese Geely, have a long history of environmental work. Most of it comes in the form of technological solutions, cleaner and more energy efficient transportation and so on, but also low carbon emitting factories and server halls. One example of Volvo technology used all over the world today is the three way catalytic converter… A huge step forward in reducing emissions of NOx. But we have seldom tried to influence other peoples habits in the way Commute Greener! does.

During the summit, Magnus said “We [Volvo Group] have a carbon-neutral plant, products for different alternative fuels and innovative BRT (Bus Rapid Transport) solutions. We are also the first in world to run the series production of hybrid buses. Furthermore, we are now encouraging a change of behaviour with Commute Greener! in order to help individuals, businesses and cities to reduce their carbon footprint.”

He also said; We recognize the possibility we have in changing behaviours, starting from our companies. We can walk the talk and enlist the hundreds and thousands of employees that work for our companies as solution providers”.

Corporate environmental responsibility. There are many ways to measure CO2 emissions. Commute Greener! is one of them. Why should any company choose NOT to do this. We all have a responsibility after all, and an employer have numerous opportunities to influence their employees habits. How many of us choose the bus or bike because we want to, and not because we have to? How many drive out of habit? How many employers have any kind of knowledge of their employees travel habits? Not many have that knowledge or even care today, but what about tomorrow?

/

Fredrik

Hi!

Remember the post, way back, about the 100% man? He was part of an initiative in Gothenburg City, Biskopsgården. For three months they were commuting greener, gathering a staggering 9900 zero emission kilometers, that’s 235 marathons, saving about one and a half ton of carbon dioxide.

Volvo group released an article about these astounding results earlier today. If anyone doubted the possibility to change ones commuting habits, this is a great pointer at the opposite. For those of you who don’t feel like reading a long but exciting article, here is the short version; The city of Gothenburg, Biskopsgården, tried Commute Greener! for 10 weeks. The 750 employees were divided in some 50 groups, with 5 to 50 persons each. Then they started to record their commute. 10% was the average reduction goal, but most groups got results above this. One group even got 67% reductions, which is an amazing result. Marja, the environmental coordinator at Biskopsgården deserve a special mention here for all her work at keeping people motivated, as does all the people who decided to give this new IT solution a try. To quote Marja;

“Great fun!” says Marja Högberg, environmental co-ordinator at Biskopsgården. “Every kilogram of carbon dioxide was counted and I think it gave many people a new understanding and insight. The opportunity to set your own targets and then follow the difference every single one of us makes, is really stimulating. We would like to continue using Commute Greener.” (quote lifted from the Volvo Press Information)

What does this mean on a bigger scale? Well Biskopsgården (and a couple of other city departments) prove that changing habits works. It show us that Commute Greener! is a good tool for both private persons AND organizations. Hopefully we got some people to really think about the commute. But this commuting project got us thinking in other directions as well. Health is as important as environment in many peoples thinking, and economy is definitely high on the list. There are many ways to get people engaged, it is just a matter of finding them. This has been a big step towards that.

To all who participated; Thank you! It was wonderful to see your progress, and the result speaks for it-selves. You also helped to improve the application. I hope your effort will serve as an example of how easy it can be to work for a better environment for many other organizations. I also hope you will continue to commute greener for health, wealth and a better tomorrow!

/

Fredrik

You know, I usually stay far away from politics. Especially the American kind as I don’t know the system, the political trends and so on. Because of that I feel I can’t really comment on the political disputes. But the Assembly Bill 32 and Proposition 23 issue surely need some attention.

For those of you who have found this site, but haven’t heard of this political battle, Assembly bill 32 is a huge Californian regulation program toward harder environmental rules, while Proposition 23 is a counter move by fossil fuel lobby groups, and other interested party’s.  The bill consist of one of the hardest environmental regulations in the world, and may stand as a role model for other new legislations around the world. Newer harder rules may also give huge amounts of jobs within the “green” sector, such as green energy and transportation.

Prop. 23 on the other hand is often portrayed as a desperate countermeasure aimed at setting the clock back. And money certainly act as a huge motivator here, as oil and coal are huge players. But I also believe that at least some of the involved parties are worried about going this far with regulation. USA have always prided itself in being the land of the free, so it is no wonder Ass.32 may sting.

Coming from a Swedes perspective, this whole thing seems like a nightmare to me. Our system is completely different, and more built on facts and rapports then on who have the most money and screen time (even if we get more and more americanized). Lobby groups exist, but is more toned down, and politicians listen, at least most of the time. Lawsuits, corporations as a player in politics… it is unsettling. Just as unsettling as how difficult it is to get an unbiased breakdown on the whole issue.

And much is hanging on this bill. It is important, even outside of America. If this kind of thing can be successful in THAT country, more will follow. It may even be used as a building stone for other countries environmental regulations… Yet few even know about this important political game on the other side of the world.

Several environmental programs have started in the wake of Ass. 32, such as new rail projects, bike projects and information projects. These cost money, but may give the economy a push in the right direction. The same kind of push as Roosevelt’s politics during the 30′s gave. That turned the economy around. Isn’t that something to strive for? And even if the whole global warming doesn’t exist (opposite of what the science point at), isn’t this attempt at breaking the oil addiction a good thought? After all, not only CO2 will be saved, but cleaner cars and harder regulations on industry will reduce the emissions of a lot of nasty stuff. And as the whole of California is ideal for inversion and smog formation, it should be a welcome gift.

All in all, this political battle is something that should get more attention in other countries as well. Cop 16 is coming up. It will probably consist of loads of political maneuvering and non-commitment. Political programs like this may be an important stepping stone in the discussions. So why is the media so quiet?

That’s some food for thought, right? Feel free to give me your view on the issue, I don’t really have the full picture after all. And by the way, remember to visit us at facebook and twitter, and Commute Greener!

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Fredrik

Hi!

You know, the big environmental conferences have other focuses then just the climate. Sure, CO2, climate change (I still refuse to use the term Global Warming) oil, fossil fuels etc are at the top of the agenda. But biodiversity is getting its share of spotlight too. And this is kind of important, even if many people don’t make the connection. Climate change is a threat to the biodiversity of our world, but so is our land use and exploiting of nature.

Corporations often get a lot of flack for not caring about the environment. But many do. They would be stupid otherwise. And they’re not stupid; if they were they wouldn’t be in business. There are many companies that don’t care though. It is sad, but expected.

What surprised me is that many companies also care about biodiversity, ie the diversity of species. It might be because there are many new products to be developed because of said diversity. And because having a green profile give new business opportunities. But the number of companies that care is what is most surprising. A (not so) new McKinsey Global Survey shows that more than 55 % of the respondents say that biodiversity should be in the top ten important items on the corporate agenda. And more then half of the respondents is doing something for biodiversity. Over all it  is still a down prioritised issue, well under climate change and human rights.

I find this interesting. It is easy to get sceptical about corporate environmental responsibility, and you should always be. Greenwashing is a problem after all, and it seems like the oil-industry still don’t want to join in the effort of reducing CO2. At least in USA. And the sceptism is a good thing as it keeps the guys in suits on their toes.

In many countries there are rules that require environmental protection and responsibility from companies, so it is good that an eco friendly attitude pays of. I mean otherwise they would only have the whip, but no carrot. Now they can munch on new opportunities while striking a blow for the environment.

And as for biodiversity, it is an important issue. Look at what modern farming has made with our crops. Pesticides are used because the crops have no other means to defend themselves, and if a parasite survives it can ruin whole crops. And if one key species get wiped out, the whole ecosystem will be affected.

Corporations should show their environmental actions more openly. That would be good PR, if nothing else, as well as giving the employees something to be proud of. Look at Volvo, with all its environmental projects. Putting the environment on the agenda is one thing, but as long as people feel that they stand against an industry that doesn’t care or actively work against action, and governments that only talk, why should they feel the need to change. And it is a hint to the politicians, something that is always welcome. Of course, this is my opinions. But I do think that communication is very important in these issues, and both the industry and the scientific community need to get better at that!

Well, that’s it for today. Take a look at our other media pages, like facebook and twitter. And don’t forget youtube.

I’m off

Fredrik

Hi guys! We’re back and ready to roll again.

You know, I have written a lot about attitudes. And today that will be the subject, but on a different level. Corporations are often getting flack for not caring about the environment. BP-oil is an obvious example but several others are accused all to often. Granted, sometimes it is correct. And a lot of greenwashing is going on. But many corporations are actually very aware that they are part of the problem, and are trying to be part of the solution as well. The world market now includes thousands of companies that have an ISO 14001 or EMAS certification (EU only). The Asian market is getting there as well.  ISO 14001 and EMAS  are standards for environmental managements, and the certification mean that the companies environmental management systems follow the international standard of ISO and EU. The certificate is granted by accredited audit firms to ensure that the certification process is unbiased. Thousands of companies get a certification every year, and the awareness and understanding of environmental problems are spreading.

But, you ask, is this not purely done for marketing and PR? Well, partly. It is always good to be seen as caring and responsible to the public. And communication of environmental work is actually a requirement in both standards. But it is also a way to become more effective, and can save money. For some companies, this is enough. Others do it mostly to do their part. But the point is that due to the unbiased audits, whatever reason you have for implementing a standard for environmental management, the environmental work will have a high lowest ambition. And that so many companies and corporations are getting certified shows a trend toward higher awareness.

Let’s make an example; Volvo Group has done many things for the environment. The three-way catalytic converter, several technical innovations, environmentally friendly server halls and environmental management systems are just some of it. And lets not forget Commute Greener! The latest achievement is a new facility in Shippensburg, North America. This is a good example of well thought out goals and plans for sustainability from an early point in the project. The factory is large, and built for sustainable production with good conditions for the employees. Recycling and Volvo Groups own emaballage system were implemented, as well as several other smaller environmentally friendly practises, and education for all the employees. To quote Chris Stone, director of industrial support and project in Shippensburg, in the press release; “For Volvo CE the most important aspect of environmental care is the promotion of eco-friendly practices – both at work and at home,”

During the build phase they even went so far as to plan for the Carpools, bike-racks and preferred parking for low emission vehicles that were implemented.

This is something more companies should take after. Planing for a more eco-friendly commute, and providing the means to take the bike or bus to work have the benefit of healthier employees and less environmental impact from the company. The small things count, and they add up. Recycling in the cafeteria, turning the light and computer off when leaving, taking the bus instead of the car one day/week are small changes, but when many people do it, the environmental impact can be reduced a lot.  And as long as the cost is low and the work efficiency doesn’t suffer, many directors and managers don’t mind doing some environmental work. Small changes go a long way. Like starting to Commute Greener!

That is it for today! Feel free to drop a line here or at facebook, and be sure to follow us on twitter.

I’m out

/Fredrik

Hi!

Yesterday’s entry had a serious tone and a very serious subject, so let’s lighten up the mood with a user story. A story about changing habits. While not all of this users success can be attributed to Commute Greener!, it helped along the way.

Jan Arvidsson at Gothenburg City Biskopsgården is called the 100 % man by his colleges. Biskopsgarden, a part of Gothenburg, have been using Commute Greener! for two months now. As a whole, the 750 employees have reduced their emissions from commuting by about 10 %. The different branches of the administration, ranging from schools and daycare to the social office and clinics have competed in saved CO2. It is always fun to look at the statistics from the different departments. They are doing really well.

Jan used to be a habitual driver, ie. he drove out of habit. Nothing special or unusual with that. When they started using Commute Greener!  and a bicycle initiative at work he made a commitment. Switch from driving to bike commute.

Jan Arvidsson a windy day at Orust

Jan have stood by his word to a 100%. He seldom use the car nowadays, and only for long distance meetings. If he have to drive he leaves the car at home on his way back, opting for the bike the rest of the way. He states that changing habits aren’t hard, but one must make a commitment and show some dedication. It takes some preparation and afterthought and planning after all. Rainproof clothes and a change of clothes  are good to have at the office on hot or rainy days. Commuting by bicycle does require a bit more time to. The fact that Gothenburg is a good city for cycling with lots of bicycle lanes, scenery and few real hills certainly helps.

As a result of the change of habits, Jan states that he feel healthier, have gained some stamina and that he get to enjoy the scenery more then when he drove. He even use the bike on weekends for errands most of the time.  Now that is commitment!

The question is if this change had come to if the whole organisation hadn’t started to use Commute Greener!, as a starting point if nothing else.  There have of course been discussions, some groaning and complaints. But as a whole the organisation have adopted a positive attitude. Jan’s colleges have been supportive, and try to change their habits as well. They now call him the 100% man, and while we spoke Jan took the opportunity to point out that I am not exactly a good example for Commute Greener! since I don’t commute by bike regularly. I suppose he is right as I only live 5,5 km from work. I don’t have an excuse not to cycle other then loving the half an hour of reading on the way home.

As you all can see, even a habitual driver can change habits. Anyone can. The only thing you need is some commitment, a stubborn attitude and plan the day a bit. I guess I will have to get my bike out to. It’s time to walk the talk.

That’s all for today. Have a nice one

I’m off

Fredrik