Overview of Business and Environment Initiatives

8/12/2019 Overview of Business and Environment Initiatives

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THE UN GLOBAL COMPACT

MODULE 5

REFERENCE SECTION

Overview of Business and Environment I nitiatives


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Overview of Business and Environment Initiatives

Key I ni tiativesUnderstanding the relationship

Global Principles/Codes of Practice

Management System Specifications

Guidelines on reporting & stakeholder engagement

Sectoral specific initiatives


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Global Principles / Codes of Practice

The UN Global Compact

The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises


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Management System Specif ications

ISO 14001 Environmental Management System

EMAS

SIGMA


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Guidel ines on Reporting and Engagement

GRI Sustainability Reporting Guidelines

AccountAbility AA1000S


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Sectoral Specif ic I ni tiatives (examples)

Forest Stewardship Council Marine Stewardship Council

London Principles Equator Principles

UNEP Industry Sector Initiatives WBCSD Sector Initiatives


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GLOBAL PRINCIPLES AND CODES

UN Global Compact

Covered in detail throughout this Manual

OECD Guidelines for M ul tinational Enterprises

First published in 1976, revised in 2000

Non-legally binding recommendations by governments to

multinational enterprises operating in or from adhering countries

Designed to ensure that multi-national organisations conduct theirbusiness in accordance with the policies of the countries within

which they operate

I CC Business Charter on Sustainable Development

Launched in 199116 principles for environmental management


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MANAGEMENT SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS

An I ntroduction

Environmental Management System specifications:

Help companies to identify and prioritise their key

environmental and/or social impacts in a structured and

systematic manner

Provide a framework for setting clear objectives and targets

for managing these impacts

Ensure that structured processes and procedures are in place

for measuring and monitoring performance

There are, however some criticisms.


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Criticisms

Focus on incremental improvements: doing what you do, right

rather than doing the right thing

May be rigid and bureaucratic

Procedurally complex - focus on document control

Frequently insufficient provision for stakeholder input

Efficacy depends on nature of accrediting body


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Examples

I SO 14001

Released in 1996 - the most widely used global EMS standard More than 49 400 certificates in 118 countries (2002)

EMAS

Non-regulatory, voluntary standard for EMS and auditing in the EU

Differs from ISO 14001 in that it requires the publication of an

externally verified statement of environmental performance

SIGMA

Formed in 1992 as a partnership between government and think-tanks

Aims to create a strategic management framework for sustainability



Environmental Standard: The ISO 14000 Series


Envir onmental Standards: The ISO 14000 series

Environmental management systems and communication: ISO

14001, ISO 14004 and ISO 14063

Environmental auditing: ISO 14010 series and ISO 19011

Environmental performance: ISO 14030 series

Environmental labels and declarations: ISO 14020 series

Life cycle assessment: ISO 14040 series

Environmental aspects: ISO Guide 64 and ISO/TR 14062


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MANAGEMENT SYSTEM SPECIF ICATIONS

Key implications for a certi f ied EMS (I SO 14001)

To achieve certification in terms of ISO 14001, a company needs to:

Assess the environmental impacts of its activities

Develop an environmental policy

Set objectives and targets

Establish and maintain an environmental management programme

Implement procedures for training

Monitor, measure and communicate its performance

Undertake environmental audits and management reviews


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SECTORAL SPECIF IC INI TIATIVES

Forest Stewardship Council

NGO founded in 1993, which promotes responsible management of the

worlds forests through forest certification and product labelling

Marine Stewardship Council

Non-profit organisation set up in 1997 to promote sustainable fisheries and

responsible fishing practices

Responsible Care

First developed in Canada in 1995 to address public concerns about the

manufacture, distribution and use of chemicals





The FTSE4Good

An investment tool for investors interested in socially responsible investment

The London Pr inciplesVoluntary code that proposes conditions under which financial marketmechanisms can best promote the financing of sustainable development

The Equator Principles

Voluntary set of guidelines for managing the social and environmental issuesrelated to the financing of development projects, first adopted in June 2003

The Greenhouse Gas Protocol I ni tiative

Established in 1998 as a partnership between the WBCSD and the WRI todevelop internationally-accepted accounting and reporting standards for

greenhouse gas emissions from companies





Joint UNEP / Industry Sector Initiatives

- Financial Institutions Initiative

- Insurance Industry Initiative

- Tour Operators Initiative for Sustainable Development

- Global e-Sustainability Initiative

- Mobility Forum

- Automotive Industry Initiative- Advertising and Communication Initiative

- Gold Industry Voluntary Code Initiative

- Building and Construction Forum





UNIDO/UNEP National Cleaner Production Centres

The basic services:

- Raise awareness of the benefits and advantages of Cleaner Production

- Demonstrate that Cleaner Production works through in-plant Cleaner

Production assessments and demonstration projects

- Train local experts and build local capacity for Cleaner Production

- Help to obtain financing for Cleaner Production investments

- Disseminate technical information

- Provide policy advice to national and local governments

NCPCs currently located in: Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala,

Hungary, India, Kenya, Korea, Lebanon, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Slovak Republic,

South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Vietnam and Zimbabwe.


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ACADEM IC / RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS

Forum for the Future

Works in partnership with business, government leaders, higher

education, the media and the voluntary sector (mostly in the UK)

Finds economic, social, technological and environmental solutions tobuild a more sustainable society

Publishes reports and position papers on sustainable development

Publishes bi-monthly Green Futures

The Natural Step

Non profit international organisation dedicated to building an

ecologically and economically sustainable society

Offers a scientifically based framework to help organisations redesign

their activities to become more sustainable

Holds seminars, training courses, briefings and annual conferences


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ACADEM IC / RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS

World Resources I nsti tute

Environmental research and policy organisation

Establishment of partnerships that implement innovative,incentive-based solutions

Wuppertal I nstitute

An interdisciplinary and practice-orientated institute

Mediates between politics, economy, and the sciences incommunicating the concept of sustainable development

Develops and promotes concepts such as Factor Four and eco-

efficiency


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Overview of Business and Environment Initiatives