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 polar ice and oceans were about 230 feet (70 meters) higher.  Due to our impact on the environment over the past hundred years, we are heading there millions of years early.

“We are now in truly uncharted territory and as the climate keeps warming, we are bound to see new records being broken in future months and years,” Carlo Buontempo, the director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service, said in a statement.

“We’re going to have to have massive readjustments in the way in which we live our lives” as heat intensifies, said Bharat Venkat, the director of the UCLA Heat Lab, which studies the effects of rising temperatures.

So…..now that you have been put on notice, what will you and your business do about it?  Will you boldly say something like, “We should all do more!” then forget all about it and get back to your (very warm) day?  

Are you Nero?   

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 information you can contact me directly or contact Diane Pallini at [email protected].  

You will make professional friends and your business will benefit from the group’s guidance.

Sincerely,

David Goodman, CEO, Edenark Group 

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 your sustainability commitment?

Are you prepared for government compliance regarding your sustainability efforts and claims?

In effect, is sustainability part of your strategy to survive and compete?

If you are ready to prepare your company to compete in the world of today and tomorrow, read this on what you want in a sustainability program, watch this master class, and contact us.

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
• It will move UK focus and financing to alternative energy projects
• It will impact UK sources and uses of energy
• It will influence global energy financiers beyond the UK market
• It will influence global governments and courts outside the UK market

As consumers look at your business, what side of this debate do they see you – are you part of the fossil fuel old guard or are you part of the eco-conscious future? 

If you wish to be viewed as part of the eco-conscious future, how are you validating that claim?

If you want cnsumers to see you as part of their future, and you wish to satisfy compliance, read this on what you want in a sustainability program, watch this master class, and contact us.

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 is a negative impact on the environment, your hiring effort will be negatively impacted.

Sure, you can mask it.  But once they learn the truth, and they quit, the cost to you will be greater than had they not taken the position in the first place.

The Under 40 worker wants to work for a company that can prove it cares about the environment.  The Under 26 worker has an even higher expectation of same.

Those are the workers that are the future of your company.

If you want to improve your ability to hire and retain talent, read this on what you want in a sustainability program, watch this master class, and contact us.

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 and 3^rd party verification.   

The C-59 fines are steep – up to $15 million, or three times the value of the ill-gained profit or 3% of the company’s profit…per offense.

Needless to say, this will impact more than Canadian companies.  It will impact any company selling product into Canada. 

The EU already has similar laws.  Expect the rest of the world to follow suit.

If you want to get ahead of this and use it to your advantage, read this on what you want in a sustainability program, watch this master class, and contact us.

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 3^rd party verification
• To become certified carbon neutral via a globally-respected program with 3^rd party verification

If you are ready to start the process, read this on what you want in a sustainability program, watch this master class, and contact us.

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 people in this picture.  They have different needs and expectations than prior generations
• More than 40% of Millennials and Gen Z plan to change jobs due to climate concerns – Net, if you are not able to prove you are sustainable and have a legitimate and actionable sustainability / climate program, expect to struggle with hiring and retention
• +76% of Millennials consider environmental / sustainability / ESG commitments when deciding where to work – Net, if you are not able to prove you are sustainable and have a legitimate environmental program, your ability to attract and retain quality talent will be solely driven by your willingness to over-pay. And, even then, expect them to leave when they find a certified sustainable company

If you want to beat your peers at hiring and retaining top talent, read this on what you want in a sustainability program, watch this master class, and contact us.

The environment is the #1 issue on the minds of consumers.  It is more important than war, economy, politics, health, et cetera to consumers.

Per this article, the vast majority of consumers want to hear about your company’s sustainability effort.  They do not believe you are doing your part and want to be shown you have a legitimate sustainability program.

That puts you in a tough spot.  If you are not environmentally certified sustainable via a recognized program with 3rd party verification, you can either…

–          Greenwash – Exaggerate your environmental achievements and hope you are not exposed

–          Greenhush – Hide under your pillow and not say anything

Given those two options, greenhushing is the smarter play. 

But consumer demand is not going away. 

What happens when a competitor becomes certified and uses that to differentiate from you?

What happens when clients stop using you?

Why not do the right thing for the planet and be the one your competitors are chasing?

If this sounds appealing, read this on what you want in a sustainability program, watch this master class, and contact us.