I’m gearing up for Earth hour tomorrow evening here in Toronto from 8-9pm. Toronto like dozens of other cities around the world will be undertaking an hour of voluntary “lights out”
Originally started in Sydney, Earth Hour seems to be growing exponentially. Last year over 2 million people and 2100 businesses took part.
For a quick overview of what Earth Hour is, check out this Toronto Star article: http://www.thestar.com/SpecialSections/EarthHour/article/35072
Some of the cities we will be joining tomorrow evening include:
Montreal, Vancouver, Bangkok, Tel Aviv, Copenhagen. The Toronto Star reports that over 150 cities in Canada alone will be participating this year – giving Canada one of the highest participation rates around the world.
What will you be doing for Earth Hour?
My own roots are intially in the environmental sector, and as such this initiative has captured my attention. Some of you may know that I hold a Masters degree in Environmental Studies, and a significant part of my work globally involved support to community based initiatives such involvement in establishing the Santa Elena Rainforest Reserve in Costa Rica, sea tutle research and environmental education in Guyana, and then support to the countries of the OECS (Eastern Carriben) on the GEF funded work around biodiversity and climate change initiatives, legislation and education. That's why when I do get to write about environmental issues and corporate social responsibility on the part of businesses - I get so excited!
I think that this is a great initiative and my hats off to WWF to finding an initiative and message that is really getting people inspired and fired up (especially little children). What steps will you take today to do your part?
With Earth Day also a few weeks away (April 22nd ) keep your eyes posted for more on what what you, your team and your business can do for the environment.
Have a great weekend!
Jennifer
Jennifer Britton, PCC, CHRP, CPT
Potentials Realized
Group Coaching Essentials
Toll Free: 1-866-217-1960
Email: jennifer(at) potentialsrealized(dot)com
Showing posts with label Corporate Social Responsibility. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Corporate Social Responsibility. Show all posts
Friday, March 28, 2008
Monday, April 30, 2007
5 Things Business can do for the Environment
5 Things Business Can Do For The Environment
Copyright 2007 - Jennifer Britton, All Rights Reserved
To keep the momentum alive on environmental issues, today’s post includes 5 things businesses can do for the environment:
1. Evaluate your recycling practices within the office: What does your office recycle? Ink Toner Cartridges? Paper? Bottles? Cans? What else can you do to enhance your recycling processes in your office?
2. Review your air travel usage. Are face to face meetings always necessary? Could technology be leveraged to reduce your staff travel schedule? Some ideas to consider are leverage teleconferencing, as well as webinars. Could face to face retreat work be replaced by virtual retreats?
3. Replace incandescent light bulbs with more energy efficient low wattage florescent bulbs. This week the Government of Canada has announced that within the next five years consumers will no longer be able to purchase the regular Thomas Edison style lightbulbs. Wherever possible turn off lights in rooms that are not being used -- for example, conference rooms.
4. Look to reduce product packaging: Despite the efforts by many companies to move to less bulky product packaging, many products still remain over packaged. How can your company reduce product packaging or make the packaging itself a non-disposible item?
5. Provide workers with incentives to car pool, bike or use public transit. Here in Toronto, the average commuter travels over 1.5 hours a day – imagine that time spent commuting multiplied over a business year. How can your business support your staff in taking healthier, and less stressful ways to work?
Which of these ideas could your business consider implementing? What other ideas do you have for business to do their part for the environment. I'd love to hear your thoughts - please feel free to comment below.
With best wishes,
Jennifer
Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized ~ Group Coaching Essentials
Email: jennifer[at]potentialsrealized[dot]com
Toll Free: 1-866-217-1960
Jennifer Britton is the founder of Potentials Realized, a Canadian based performance improvement company, offering coaching, training and consulting services. A former global manager with international organizations and the UN, Jennifer worked on environmental and capacity building programs. She has a Masters in Environmental Studies and has worked on biodiversity, climate change, and sea turtle research programs throughout the Caribbean.
Copyright 2007 - Jennifer Britton, All Rights Reserved
To keep the momentum alive on environmental issues, today’s post includes 5 things businesses can do for the environment:
1. Evaluate your recycling practices within the office: What does your office recycle? Ink Toner Cartridges? Paper? Bottles? Cans? What else can you do to enhance your recycling processes in your office?
2. Review your air travel usage. Are face to face meetings always necessary? Could technology be leveraged to reduce your staff travel schedule? Some ideas to consider are leverage teleconferencing, as well as webinars. Could face to face retreat work be replaced by virtual retreats?
3. Replace incandescent light bulbs with more energy efficient low wattage florescent bulbs. This week the Government of Canada has announced that within the next five years consumers will no longer be able to purchase the regular Thomas Edison style lightbulbs. Wherever possible turn off lights in rooms that are not being used -- for example, conference rooms.
4. Look to reduce product packaging: Despite the efforts by many companies to move to less bulky product packaging, many products still remain over packaged. How can your company reduce product packaging or make the packaging itself a non-disposible item?
5. Provide workers with incentives to car pool, bike or use public transit. Here in Toronto, the average commuter travels over 1.5 hours a day – imagine that time spent commuting multiplied over a business year. How can your business support your staff in taking healthier, and less stressful ways to work?
Which of these ideas could your business consider implementing? What other ideas do you have for business to do their part for the environment. I'd love to hear your thoughts - please feel free to comment below.
With best wishes,
Jennifer
Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized ~ Group Coaching Essentials
Email: jennifer[at]potentialsrealized[dot]com
Toll Free: 1-866-217-1960
Jennifer Britton is the founder of Potentials Realized, a Canadian based performance improvement company, offering coaching, training and consulting services. A former global manager with international organizations and the UN, Jennifer worked on environmental and capacity building programs. She has a Masters in Environmental Studies and has worked on biodiversity, climate change, and sea turtle research programs throughout the Caribbean.
Monday, April 23, 2007
What's Your Ecological Footprint?
In celebration of Earth Day yesterday, and what I usually make a "green" week, I wanted to share with you an interesting link out of Australia which looks at an individual's Ecological Footprint. Imagine that each one of us, or our business, leaves it's own stamp on the planet through our use of electricity, water, and other natural resources. This is called your ecological footprint.
How big do you think your ecological footprint is? How big is your business ecological footprint?
Take this fun online assessment here to figure out how big is your ecological footprint:
www.powerhousemuseum.com/education/ecologic/bigfoot/mid/
What is one thing you can do this week, as a professional or a business to reduce your ecological footprint? It may be as simple as changing a lightbulb to the lower wattage florescent type, or taking the stairs instead of an elevator, or walking to the store instead of driving. It may also be as big as looking at your company's travel policy and seeing how in-person air trips can be replaced through virtual meetings.
As someone who completed their Masters in Envrionmental Studies, I have to say it is encouraging to see more of a focus in the media on the environment these days. Does it reflect your concerns and action? Your business' concerns and action?
I'd love to hear your thoughts -- feel free to comment below.
Have a green week,
Jennifer
Jennifer Britton, MES, CPT, CPCC, CHRP
Potentials Realized
Toll Free: 1-866-217-1960
Email: jennifer[at]potentialsrealized[dot]com
How big do you think your ecological footprint is? How big is your business ecological footprint?
Take this fun online assessment here to figure out how big is your ecological footprint:
www.powerhousemuseum.com/education/ecologic/bigfoot/mid/
What is one thing you can do this week, as a professional or a business to reduce your ecological footprint? It may be as simple as changing a lightbulb to the lower wattage florescent type, or taking the stairs instead of an elevator, or walking to the store instead of driving. It may also be as big as looking at your company's travel policy and seeing how in-person air trips can be replaced through virtual meetings.
As someone who completed their Masters in Envrionmental Studies, I have to say it is encouraging to see more of a focus in the media on the environment these days. Does it reflect your concerns and action? Your business' concerns and action?
I'd love to hear your thoughts -- feel free to comment below.
Have a green week,
Jennifer
Jennifer Britton, MES, CPT, CPCC, CHRP
Potentials Realized
Toll Free: 1-866-217-1960
Email: jennifer[at]potentialsrealized[dot]com
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility
Where does your business or profession stand in terms of ethics and corporate social responsibility? I teach a business course where we explore the imperative of ethical and socially responsible behavior for businesses and business professionals. Earlier this week I watched a very provocative movie, The Corporation (www.thecorporation.com), which explores these topics in a very candid, upfront manner.
Social responsibility is often seen as the integration of economic, social and environmental initiatives into a businesses operation and culture. Strategis Canada has established a website dedicated to the exploration of this critical topic for business today. As they state, "Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) resembles the business pursuit of sustainable development and the triple bottom line". Historically business' bottom line has equaled profit, with no or little regard to the business impact on communities, small scale economies, or the environment.
A couple of years ago I was privledged to hear Nobel Peace Prize Winner, and former President of Costa Rica, Oscar Arias speak on this topic to the 2002 ASTD International Conference in New Orleans. As someone who dedicated the early part of my career to sustainable development initiatives around the world, and a Masters in Environmental Studies, I was very intrigued by what he had to say. Sadly, more than one-third of attendees left before the end of his keynote in which he challenged American business to play a leadership role in the world on corporate social responsibility. Interestingly enough this was before the ImClone and Enron scandals hit the radar screen.
What is your role in supporting corporate social responsibility? What is your stance on ethics - do you have an ethical code in place?
For more information on corporate social responsibility you may want to check out the Government of Canada's Strategis website dedicated to this topic - it includes discussion on the definition of CSR, best practices, as well as tools which can be used by business and other organizations to review and enhance their performance with respect to CSR.
If you haven't seen the movie, The Corporation, check it out. It will certainly generate some interesting dialogue.
Jennifer
Jennifer Britton, MES, CPT, CHRP, CPCC
Potentials Realized
Social responsibility is often seen as the integration of economic, social and environmental initiatives into a businesses operation and culture. Strategis Canada has established a website dedicated to the exploration of this critical topic for business today. As they state, "Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) resembles the business pursuit of sustainable development and the triple bottom line". Historically business' bottom line has equaled profit, with no or little regard to the business impact on communities, small scale economies, or the environment.
A couple of years ago I was privledged to hear Nobel Peace Prize Winner, and former President of Costa Rica, Oscar Arias speak on this topic to the 2002 ASTD International Conference in New Orleans. As someone who dedicated the early part of my career to sustainable development initiatives around the world, and a Masters in Environmental Studies, I was very intrigued by what he had to say. Sadly, more than one-third of attendees left before the end of his keynote in which he challenged American business to play a leadership role in the world on corporate social responsibility. Interestingly enough this was before the ImClone and Enron scandals hit the radar screen.
What is your role in supporting corporate social responsibility? What is your stance on ethics - do you have an ethical code in place?
For more information on corporate social responsibility you may want to check out the Government of Canada's Strategis website dedicated to this topic - it includes discussion on the definition of CSR, best practices, as well as tools which can be used by business and other organizations to review and enhance their performance with respect to CSR.
If you haven't seen the movie, The Corporation, check it out. It will certainly generate some interesting dialogue.
Jennifer
Jennifer Britton, MES, CPT, CHRP, CPCC
Potentials Realized
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