CSR Press Release

DECEMBER 31, 2008 - On first blush, the two latest blog posts on CSRwire's Video, Commentary, and Research (VCR) section seem contradictory; but on closer examination, they are absolutely consistent. Peter Salmon of the New Zealand-based design firm Moxie argues that we are entering a new era: Sustainability 2.0, he calls it. The primary limiting factor of Sustainability 1.0 is its negative framing, according to Salmon: "an environmental problem, something business needs to account for, a risk to be managed or a tax to be paid … compliance, CSR, reduction, limits." Sustainability 2.0 re-frames through a positive lens: "It's a process that builds prosperous businesses creating innovative products and services; businesses founded on good financial results, responsible use of resources, and community well-being."

Enter Ceres President Mindy Lubber considering the climate change governance of Whole Foods. She applauds the natural foods retailer for buying wind-based renewable energy certificates (RECs) to power all its stores - a textbook example of Sustainability 2.0. However, she chides the company for failing to measure its overall greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions or set targets to reduce those emissions. Is she stuck in the land of Sustainability 1.0 - compliance, reduction, limits?

Nope. In Salmon's words, Lubber is arguing for "and/and" - Sustainability 1.0 and 2.0. In other words, Whole Foods needs to take a holistic approach with RECs and GHG reductions targets. She cites several examples of best practice identified by the recent Ceres report rating 63 consumer and technology companies on climate governance.

"Top-scorer IBM, for example, has already met a suite of emission and energy reduction goals and is now embarking on a new set of ambitious targets through 2012," Lubber states. "IBM is also keenly focused on new product solutions, ranging from from high-performing data centers and microprocessors to traffic congestion pricing systems and solar cell technology."

In other words, in order for Sustainability 2.0 to be holistic, it needs to build on the foundation of Sustainability 1.0, complying and reducing as necessary preconditions for moving toward positive, proactive solutions.

Disclosure: CSRwire contributing writer Bill Baue has written for Ceres.