Learning from Sweden’s success and experience in embracing CSR
December 2, 2011 by Eugene Tay
Filed under Features, Marketing and CSR
Sweden has the reputation of being a leader in actively promoting corporate social responsibility (CSR), and Swedish companies such as H&M, IKEA, Ericsson, ICA, Swedbank, and Scania are known to be leaders in sustainability and corporate responsibility.
The recent KPMG International Corporate Responsibility Reporting Survey 2011 found that 95% of the 250 largest global companies has undertaken Corporate Responsibility reporting. This widespread adoption by top companies is encouraging, however, the survey also shows the difference in the level of reporting among the 3,400 companies across 34 countries.
For example, Sweden is one of the leading countries, with 72% of its top 100 companies now reporting on their corporate responsibility initiatives. On the other hand, there are countries lagging behind, such as Singapore with only 43% of its top 100 companies with corporate responsibility reporting.
Another previous Responsible Competitiveness Index ranking published in 2007 by AccountAbility ranks 108 countries on how they are performing in their efforts to promote responsible business practices. Sweden emerged as the top country while Singapore is number 15.
What can Singapore learn from Sweden’s success and experience in embracing CSR? It seems that Sweden’s success in CSR is mainly due to the government leading and coordinating, and big companies taking responsibility. The cultural context in Sweden could also helped to play a part. Read more
How a shopping mall in Singapore goes green
November 8, 2011 by Eugene Tay
Filed under Design and Tech, Features, Operations and Culture, Strategy and Leaders
Singapore is well-known for its food and shopping experience, and this potent mix can be found at the ubiquitous shopping malls located at all major town centers in Singapore. In recent years, shopping malls are starting to look almost alike, with the major international and local brands infiltrating the malls and offering similar sales.
Are all shopping malls the same? To differentiate itself from other shopping malls, some malls are trying to target different groups of consumers, while others are starting to brand itself on a particular theme. One recent shopping mall, City Square Mall, developed and managed by City Developments Limited (CDL), decided to focus on the green theme and prides itself as the first eco-mall in Singapore. So how green is this shopping mall?
Green Business Times recently visited the mall for a site tour and to understand more about this unique shopping destination from the mall’s Environmental Officer. City Square Mall is located at the junction of Serangoon Road and Kitchener Road, and is opened since September 2009. Read more
Die Die Must Share – The Idea of Collaborative Consumption
October 7, 2011 by Eugene Tay
Filed under Design and Tech, Features, Strategy and Leaders
Eugene Tay, the Editor of Green Business Times and Founder of Green Future Solutions, is a person whom you would describe as a green maven – someone who reads and knows a lot about environmental trends and ideas, and who likes to share them with others.
Having come across many green ideas over the past few years, there is one recent idea Eugene would claim that he ‘die die must share’ – the idea of Collaborative Consumption.
Collaborative Consumption refers to the idea of sharing that is empowered by technology and social networks, and how it changes consumption and the way businesses operate.
Sharing also covers renting, swapping, lending, trading, exchanging, bartering, and gifting. The advantages of sharing are that fewer resources are used to make and ship products, and less waste are generated and disposed.
The term Collaborative Consumption was first described in 2010 in the book What’s Mine Is Yours: The Rise of Collaborative Consumption by Rachel Botsman and Roo Rogers.
Other resources with similar ideas on sharing include the book The Mesh: Why the Future of Business is Sharing by Lisa Gansky and the Shareable website. Read more
Using Social Media to Transform Capitalism
October 6, 2011 by Eugene Tay
Filed under Features, Marketing and CSR, Strategy and Leaders
In his book, We First: how brands and consumers use social media to build a better world, author Simon Mainwaring proposes the transition from Me First capitalism, the traditional free market and profit driven capitalism, to We First capitalism, where businesses and consumers use capitalism as a driver of prosperity for the greater good.
We First is about corporations creating value and building a better world, and consumers accepting a higher level of responsibility for creating the world they want. The transition to We First is realistic and possible today with the rise in social media, which gives consumers more leverage to persuade businesses to accept greater social responsibility for their behaviours, and offers businesses more opportunities to have real-time dialogues with their customers.
Simon argues that while some companies are embracing elements of corporate social responsibility and triple bottom line accounting, the overall progress of integrating sustainability into the fundamental principles of free market capitalism has been irresponsibly slow and not deep enough. To put business on the We First path, he proposes seven values: Sustainability; Fairness of Reward; Fiscal Responsibility; Accountability; Purposefulness; Engagement; and Global Citizenry. Read more
Sustainability Insights and Advice from Interface
August 11, 2011 by Eugene Tay
Filed under Features, Operations and Culture, Strategy and Leaders
At Green Business Times, we have always admired the vision and work of Ray Anderson, a true sustainability leader and the founder of Interface, Inc. To give our readers an overview of Ray’s vision and how Interface embraces sustainability, we recently interviewed Jim McCallum, Senior Vice President, InterfaceFLOR. His insights in response to our questions are found below.
[We are sad to hear the passing of Ray Anderson on 8 Aug 2011. A great loss for the green business community but his vision will continue to inspire many others on Mount Sustainability.]
About InterfaceFLOR
InterfaceFLOR – part of Interface Inc – is a worldwide manufacturer of environmentally-friendly modular flooring. Founded in 1973, InterfaceFLOR has manufacturing facilities across four continents and offices in more than 100 countries.
Interface companies share the commitment of founder Ray Anderson’s vision of a business that gives back to the environment what it takes out. This vision is known as ‘Mission Zero’– achieving a zero carbon footprint by 2020. Sustainability governs every creative, manufacturing and building decision made; it is at the heart of the company’s culture, with staff rewarded on their commitment to sustainability as opposed to output levels. Read more
The Green Business Times Guide to Singapore Government Funding and Incentives for the Environment
June 14, 2011 by Eugene Tay
Filed under Features, Resources
Singapore is well-known as a clean and green city with the government striving for environmental sustainability while growing the economy. The government has also identified Environmental and Water Technologies (EWT) including Clean Energy as strategic areas where Singapore has a competitive edge and which could generate future economic growth.
To accelerate the growth of the environmental industry and to maintain Singapore’s image as a clean and green city, the government has initiated several funding and incentive schemes related to energy efficiency, clean energy, green buildings, water and environmental technologies, green transport, waste minimisation, environmental management system, environmental initiatives, clean development mechanism, and green IT.
The funding and incentive schemes are provided by government agencies such as:
Building and Construction Authority (BCA)- Economic Development Board (EDB)
- Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA)
- Land Transport Authority (LTA)
- Energy Market Authority (EMA)
- National Environment Agency (NEA)
- National Parks Board (NParks)
- PUB, the national water agency (PUB)
- SPRING Singapore (SPRING)
- Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA)
To help businesses understand what’s available, we have compiled a list of 33 government funding and incentives for the environment:
- Energy Efficiency Improvement Assistance Scheme (EASe)
- Grant for Energy Efficient Technologies (GREET)
- One-Year Accelerated Depreciation Allowance for Energy Efficient Equipment and Technology (One-Year ADAS)
- Design for Efficiency Scheme (DfE)
- SCEM Training Grant
- Clean Energy Research and Testbedding Programme (CERT)
- Energy Research Development Fund (ERDF)
- Solar Capability Scheme (SCS)
- Market Development Fund
- Green Mark Incentive Scheme for Existing Buildings (GMIS-EB)
- Green Mark Incentive Scheme for New Buildings (GMIS-NB)
- Green Mark Incentive Scheme – Design Prototype (GMIS-DP)
- Green Mark Gross Floor Area Incentive Scheme (GM-GFA)
- MND Research Fund for the Built Environment
- A*STAR-MND Joint Grant Call
- Pilot Incentive Scheme for Green Roofs
- Gross Floor Area Incentives for Outdoor Refreshment Area on Rooftops
- Water Efficiency Fund (WEF)
- Fast-Track Environmental and Water Technologies Incubator Scheme (Fast-Tech)
- Technology Pioneer (TechPioneer) Scheme
- Incentive for Research and Innovation Scheme (IRIS)
- Environmental Technology Capability Development Programme (EnviroTech CDP)
- Innovation Voucher Scheme
- Innovation for Environmental Sustainability (IES) Fund
- Land Transport Innovation Fund (LTIF)
- Green Vehicle Rebate (GVR)
- Transport Technology Innovation and Development Scheme (TIDES+)
- 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) Fund
- Environment Technology Research Programme (ETRP)
- Local Enterprise Technical Assistance Scheme (LETAS)
- 3P Partnership Fund
- Clean Development Mechanism Documentation Grant
- Infocomm Leadership and Development Programme (iLEAD)
If we missed out any funding or incentive scheme, do let us know. Thanks! Read more
How IKEA Embraces Sustainability Globally and in Singapore
May 24, 2011 by Eugene Tay
Filed under Features, Marketing and CSR, Operations and Culture, Strategy and Leaders
Over 7 million people visited the two IKEA stores in Singapore last year. Singaporeans love IKEA for its affordable and well-designed home furnishing products, but not many realise that IKEA is also committed to sustainability.
At Green Business Times, we have always admired how IKEA conduct business while keeping in mind their environmental and social responsibilities. To give you an overview of how IKEA embraces sustainability, we will share with you the efforts of the IKEA Group and IKEA Singapore. Read more
Introducing ISO 26000 – Guidance on Social Responsibility
March 16, 2011 by Eugene Tay
Filed under Features, Marketing and CSR
The latest International Standard ISO 26000:2010 – Guidance on Social Responsibility, was launched yesterday by SPRING Singapore at a seminar to introduce the new standard to the business community.
What is ISO 26000
ISO 26000 provides social responsibility guidance for all types of organisations, such as MNCs and big corporations, SMEs, non-governmental organisations and government agencies.
As the world moves towards an age of radical transparency, organisations and stakeholders become increasingly aware of the need for socially and environmentally responsible behaviour. ISO 26000 is thus a timely and relevant guide to help organisations understand what social responsibility is and what they need to do to operate in a socially responsible way. Read more
Are You Ready for the Green Business Revolution in Singapore?
March 10, 2011 by Eugene Tay
Filed under Features, Strategy and Leaders
The global green business revolution is gaining momentum and changing how businesses operate. A new generation of business leaders and companies around the world, including Singapore, will face new challenges and opportunities along this sustainability journey.
What lies ahead for businesses is perhaps summed up best by Daniel Esty and David Lubin in their May 2010 Harvard Business Review article, The Sustainability Imperative, where they declared sustainability as an emerging megatrend similar to previous megatrends like quality, IT and globalisation.
Companies need to manage sustainability as a business megatrend and those with the right vision and execution to navigate the megatrend will come out ahead, while those that don’t will be swept aside.
Their thoughts on why sustainability is becoming a megatrend: Read more
Singapore Green Landscape 2011
January 10, 2011 by Eugene Tay
Filed under Features, Resources
The Singapore Green Landscape 2010 published last year by Green Future Solutions was well-received and was downloaded 970 times over the past year.
This year, the Singapore Green Landscape 2011 provides a review of 80 key environmental news in Singapore last year, and gives an overview of 160 non-governmental organisations (NGOs), green groups, business associations and groups, green websites, government agencies, and institutes and centres in Singapore, which are related to the environment (50 more than last year).
Green Future Solutions hopes that this publication is useful for everyone who wishes to know more about the state of the environment in Singapore, find and connect with the environmental organisations in Singapore, or explore personal and business opportunities.
This publication is free for download. Feel free to share this. To download the publication, just fill in your contacts in this link.
