This past Sunday, 21 July, 2024, was the hottest day ever recorded. It is doubtful it will hold the record long. Last month was the hottest June on record globally and the 13th month in a row that broke records for high temperatures. For those of you who believe this is just Mother Earth doing her thing, the last time Earth was this hot was approximately 120,000 years ago (the Eemian period).  But the real marker we are targeting is the PETM period, which was about 55 million years ago.  That was when temperatures were about 10 degrees C (15 degrees F) higher than today, there was no ..read more

Dear friends,   I spent the majority of my career as a corpoate turnaround / scale up CEO.  It provided a rich and diverse experience; and I am truly thankful for all I learned. As part of my Pay It Forward, I am a member of Leading Peers and chair a peer advisory board of CEOs. The board meets virtually and we have US-based, and non-US-based CEOs, that are part of the group. This is a flyer on the benefits of the group. If you ever felt you might benefit from having a peer group of CEOs to confidentially share with and grow with, give this some thought. If you would like more inform ..read more

Per this article, CEOs are using sustainability to frame how they compete. 54% say their business is impacted by changing weather patterns and this is causing them to change how they operate. “Smart CEOs realize big sustainability challenges create new areas of business opportunity,” states Kristen Moyer of Gartner, in the article. Are you prepared for the fact that the environment of the future is not going to be as forgiving as the environment of the past? Are you changing your business operation to adjust for the impact of climate change? Are you listening to consumer demand that you verify ..read more

On 20 June 2024, the UK Supreme Court Ruled that ALL Fossil Fuel Projects Must Be Assessed for Future Impact. This ruling reflects a broader trend of courts across the world.  That trend being that the courts are not just looking at the environmental impact of developing the project, but also the long-term environmental impact that the project, once completed, will create. In other words – If built, will the project do more long-term harm than good?  And, is there a better way to achieve the goal? What does this mean for you? It will be harder for UK fossil fuel projects to be built ..read more

This article in the New York Post reports on this study and is consistent with other studies we have reported.  Key points Almost two-thirds of respondents stated they were more likely to apply to a job for a company that committed to sustainable practices. Three out of five respondents said they avoid employers they perceive as having a negative impact on the environment. 54% of respondents said that sustainability played a role in their motivation to work remotely. Simple math – If you are looking to hire and 60% of the possible candidates will avoid you if they perceive your company ..read more

Consumer demand that companies show they are environmentally friendly has grown dramatically over the past few years causing greenwashing (making false claims about environmental actions) to grow even faster. Per this article, according to a recent study by Zippia, 72% of North American and 58% of global companies admit to embellishing their environmental claims for economic gain.  (When they are asked confidentially, the number is even higher). Canada is looking to slow corporate greenwashing via its new Bill C-59 by requiring claims to be supported with a valid/respected certification a ..read more

In March 2024, KLM was found guilty of Greenwashing in a Dutch court, on 15 of its environmental statements. This was the first airline greenwashing case to reach conclusion. In short, KLM was running ads that included saying that it was moving towards a more sustainable future.  The Court found KLM’s statements to be ‘overly rosy’ in that its current actions did not suggest attainment of the future it was promoting. Most greenwashing cases to-date have been about companies exaggerating past actions or making specific claims about themselves (ie, “We are environmentally friendly”).  ..read more

Per this article, SMEs are being encouraged to start the process of sustainability reporting. The reason – Although mandatory reporting is coming soon, your customers will drive your decision even sooner.  This is an opportunity to get ahead of what is coming and take market share.   The two things you want: To become certified sustainable via a globally-respected program with 3rd party verification To become certified carbon neutral via a globally-respected program with 3rd party verification   If you are ready to start the process, read this on what you want in a sustainabil ..read more

Consistent with our prior discussions on this point, this Forbes article explains that society has changed dramatically in the past 20 years “…the new reality in which corporations must operate (includes) a laundry list of sustainability-related vulnerabilities they have to account for.” Specific to hiring, it is expected there will soon be 85 million unfilled jobs due to the lack of skilled people. Your ability to hire and retain talent at a price you can afford will directly influence your ability to remain in business. Consider this: Your future work force is Millennials and Gen Z – The ..read more

As Lindsay Hooper explains in this Reuters article, “In an era of disruptions, polarization, complexity and increasingly intricate environmental debates, the core business case for sustainability remains: business cannot thrive on a dead planet.” As Lindsay further states, “The challenge is not one of lack of awareness. Most business leaders are aware of the need to act; their staff demand action, boards face new liabilities and regulations demand new disclosures. The challenge is one of speed….” So, let’s ask this question – What are you spending time on today in your business, that can beat ..read more