include creating enterprise-level sustainability visions, goals and strategies; re-engineering internal processes to reflect sustainable best practices; maximizing the sustainability of today's complex supply chains and assisting with communicating sustainability information in writing and in media.

Training services include webinars and in-person seminars for large to small groups on topics ranging from GHG accounting to Mastering Supply Chain Sustainability and Social Responsibility. We can custom design training to suit your needs.

Sustainability Tools include Turnkey Solutions sustainability data management software - a cloud-based data collection, management and reporting system designed with supply chain networks in mind.

In this fifth newsletter edition of 2014, our Feature Article discusses communicating your company's sustainability story using the Global Reporting Initiative's G4 reporting framework. Find out what's changed since the last version of this standard and key issues you'll face.

 

• A diverse group of stakeholders are increasingly paying attention to the social and environmental impacts that businesses have on them, their communities and the broader global audience. Using a widely-accepted, well-reasoned framework like the GRI adds consistency and clarity to the message. 
• More companies understand the value of reporting environmental and social performance, just as they see value in reporting financial performance. The GRI reporting framework is consistent with "integrated" reporting schemes under which companies will simultaneously report financial, environmental and social performance. 
• The GRI reporting framework has begun its transition from version 3.1 to version 4. 

More than just a numerical change, the new version of the reporting framework changes the paradigm in two significant ways: (i) asking companies to report only what's "material" instead of mandating certain disclosures and (ii) requiring that all reporters disclose material supply chain impacts. The shift in approach to materiality gives companies the opportunity to winnow down the vast scope of possible issues to report, so that scarce resources aren't diverted to collecting and reporting data on things people don't really care about. And the expanded focus on disclosure of supply chain impacts reflects maturation in our knowledge of where most impacts occur.

 

  

 

 

May 20 -21, Washington, DC - Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council 2014 Annual Meeting hosts workshops and plenaries for leaders from government, industry, academia, standards organizations and NGOs for two days of collaboration on the creation of a multi-sector guidance, benchmarking, and recognition program for institutional leadership in sustainable purchasing. Visit the official website at http://www.purchasingcouncil.org/meeting14/.

 

June 2-5, San Diego, CA - Sustainable Brands Conference 2014 convenes sustainability, brand and innovation professionals. The goals of the conference are to amplify current leadership and success surrounding innovation for sustainability, to educate business leaders throughout an organization about how they can contribute to a more sustainable brand, and to grow the market for business solutions that can help companies reduce environmental and social impacts and play a more positive role in the lives of their stakeholders. Visit http://www.sustainablebrands.com/events/sb14 for more information. 

 

June 13 - Redwood City, CA - 2014 Silicon Valley Energy and Sustainability Summit brings together more than 300 business, nonprofit, and public sector leaders to share best practices, lessons learned and practical solutions. Attendees will learn how to employ the latest technologies and practices to create value and build resiliency in their business and learn what they can do on a practical level to prepare for a changing landscape. Go to http://svlg.org/policy-areas/energy/2014-silicon-valley-energy-and-sustainability-summit to register and for further info.

 

October 27 - 30, San Francisco, CA - VERGE San Francisco is this year's installment of GreenBiz's world-renowned VERGE conference. The event brings together the world's largest companies, technology innovators, and cities to create a broad ecosystem of players to break down silos and create opportunities for business. Go to http://www.greenbiz.com/events/verge/2014/10/san-francisco for more info.

Thanks for reading! Please contact us today to discuss anything you've read here, suggest a topic for a future Newsletter edition or learn how we can help you build a more sustainable business.