Monthly News
World Business Council
for Sustainable Development
 
December 2017

To fulfil the ambitions of the Paris Agreement we need a much wider view of the economy, one which incorporates environmental, social and governance-related factors and rewards companies that do so. To help CEOs to achieve this, we have published the CEO Guide to climate-related financial disclosures. The new guide, endorsed by the CEOs of 25 WBCSD member companies, sets out clear actions that business leaders must take to align their organizations with the recommendations of the Taskforce for Climate-related Financial Disclosure (TCFD). This will better inform financial decision-making over the long-term, while making business more accountable for the environmental and social impact of their operations.

 

Secure your spot for our Member Meeting in North America

 
 

Join us on 5 February 2018 in Phoenix, Arizona - ahead of the GreenBiz 2018 conference - to explore how sustainability is redefining business success. We will look at innovative ways through which pre-competitive collaboration is transforming industries, focusing on themes including the future of jobs, circular economy and the future of finance. Check out the agenda and book your place today (Password: WBCSD@Greenbiz). For more information, contact our team.

 
 

Sign up to Factor10!

 
 

Over 20 companies have so far joined Factor10, WBCSD’s new circular economy program, as founding members. These include ArcelorMittal, BASF, BCG, BMW, CRH, Dow, DSM, Enel, Exxon, Honda, IFF, Michelin, Navigant, Novartis, PwC, Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance, Rabobank, Saint-Gobain, Skanska, Solvay, Stora Enso, Veolia, Yara, Yokogawa. This is your last chance to sign up for Factor10 and include your company as a founding member in our Davos program launch announcement on Friday 22 December. Sign up today!

 
 

Join us in Davos: 23-26 January 2018

 
 

WBCSD will be hosting a series of events at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos to share examples of our pioneering work as business steps up to lead the transition towards a sustainable world. Check out our engaging events to capture the opportunities offered by this transformational journey which is changing the way we do business.

 
 

Sustainable finance on Panorama

 
 

Alongside our CEO Guide to climate-related financial disclosures, WBCSD’s Panorama channel published some key material this month to help your business connect with sustainable finance. Tony Calandro, President of Purposeful Strategies, wrote about why business must not forget company values when planning its investments, while the Panorama podcast gives you a birds-eye view of non-financial reporting – what is it, and why is it so important? Check out these and other resources on our Panorama webpage.

 
 

World Forum on Natural Capital

 
 

Earlier this month we attended the World Forum on Natural Capital, where over 700 participants from over 60 countries, including 15 WBCSD member companies, came to hear and share insights on natural capital. Read our Insider Perspective on the event here. We also launched a short film series about natural capital during the event, designed to illustrate how important it is for companies to value their relationship with nature.

 
 

EU sourcing of renewables

 
 

Ahead of this week’s EU Energy Council Meeting, over 50 WBCSD member companies, alongside SolarPower Europe, Wind Europe and RE100, came together to ask EU Member States to remove barriers to corporate renewable Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and set a clear target of at least 35% renewable energy by 2030. Read our letter here or check out our website for more details.

 
 

Supporting corporate impact venturing for the SDGs

 
 

Driving Impact Venture Action (DIVA) was launched in 2015 by Novozymes, DSM and WBCSD to co-develop and co-invest with corporations to scale up profitable business solutions that contribute to achieving the SDGs. DIVA’s experiences to date – summarized in a new WBCSD case study - suggest there is great potential, but one gap remains to be overcome. Read more here.

 
 

The future of capitalism

 
 

We are looking forward to taking part in the Future of Capitalism 2018 event, hosted by Aviva, which will be held in London on 8 February. Join WBCSD CEO Peter Bakker, Unilever CEO Paul Polman CEO of Unilever and other business leaders to discuss the path to a more inclusive capitalism and how businesses could unlock trillions of dollars of value by getting behind the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Register for the event here.