SustainabilityHQ.com Weekly Highlights

Water scarcity, resource depletion, climate change impacts... these were top-of-the-agenda items at the annual Ceres Conference convened last week in San Francisco. These of course are pressing challenges for the domestic and global business communities, for investors and various stakeholders. While there are many aspects to these issues to consider, the takeaway from the conference is that the focus on sustainability is good business (and good for business).

What is important for us today is the publication in the IBD of powerful commentary by Jean Rogers, PhD, Founder/CEO of the Sustainable Accounting Standards Board (SASB). Dr. Rogers responds to earlier published commentary in IBD that warned investors "against the dangers of infusing corporate accounting with environmental advocacy."

Ah, that morning coffee -- so delicious for many of us. The products of the "coffee belt," encircling the globe just north and south of the Equator, are made from a valuable commodity -- the coffee bean.

The Millennial Generation -- that's men and women born in the years 1982 to 2004 (according to researchers Neil Howe and William Strauss). This generation's members are ages 17 to 35, and now said to be outnumbering the previously dominant cohort of the Baby Boomers in the workplace (BBers were born 1946-1964, some 77 million in all).

The term “sustainability” can be complex and take on different meanings. The most common definition of sustainability comes from the 1987 UN Brundtland Commission...

Gaining momentum in the global corporate sector, among sovereign governments and institutional investors -- the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals ("SDGs"). After reaching agreement in September 2015, the countries of the world adopted goals to end poverty, protect our planet and ensure prosperity for a greater number of the world's population through a universal agenda for action (with 169 specific targets under the wonderfully-aspirational broad goals).

Forward Momentum! -- Two new approaches that spell out a-d-v-a-n-c-e-m-e-n-t for sustainable investment: World Bank and S&P Dow Jones Indices (separately) roll out new products and approaches with key partners' participation.

In 2017, the G&A Institute team is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the founding of our corporate sustainability consulting, counseling, advice and research firm. Many of us at G&A worked together in a prominent issues and crisis management consulting practice serving the Fortune 100 companies and many prominent multi-national businesses.

The media establishment in Washington, DC is closely watching the signals as well as specific action taken by the Trump Administration and the 115th Congress that could or does affect the future of key government agencies whose mission and work directly/indirectly affects the mission and work of corporate sustainability and sustainable investing professionals.