Several companies and sustainability organizations have joined forces this week in efforts to promote environmental management and economic development.
The World Resources Institute and Ceres have become the newest members of the Growing Blue network, an online resource designed to help businesses and communities gain a better understanding of water resource challenges and solutions. The website includes water management tools, interactive maps and case studies.
Both Ceres and WRI are now serving on Growing Blue’s executive committee.
Betsy Otto, director of WTI’s Aqueduct Project, cites the platform for measuring and mapping water risks worldwide and says WRI looks forward to working with Growing Blue to help businesses respond to increasing water risks.
Ceres water program director Brooke Barton says the nonprofit’s investor members want better information on how water risks are affecting the financial performance of corporations and water utilities.
Earlier this month, the Ceres-led Investor Network on Climate Risk proposed that companies listed on US and global stock exchanges be required to include a series of environmental, social and governance sustainability disclosures in their annual financial filings.
Also this week, Disney, Del Monte, SAP, Mattel, L’Oréal and BASF joined Sustainable Brands’ corporate member group.
The more than 30 companies that comprise the corporate member group collectively represent more than $750 billion in annual revenue, Sustainable Brands says. A member benchmark study indicated that 83 percent of them were consistently using sustainability as an innovation driver within one or more product level brands and more than 90 percent expect many or most of their product brands will explore opportunities to leverage sustainability as a value proposition in the near term.
To accomplish this, the group established a three-point collaboration agenda:
Image Credit: Disney