Links to Key Information Sources
We want to share our thoughts and ideas. Part of that is giving you a "heads up" on information sources we like. Here are a few to get you started. Watch this space for regular updates
aveda.com
The first privately-held corporation to sign the CERES (Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies) Principles, and a leader in the development of plant-based hair, body and life style products.
business-ethics.com
Marjorie Kelly’s bimonthly take on business ethics is a "must read" at ABBOTT STRATEGIES.
business.humber.ca
If you want to change the world, check out the one-year post-graduate certificate in International Development offered by the business school at Toronto’s Humber College.
camc.com
Winning in the global economy demands a business perspective with a world view. Give yourself the best possible advantage – a higher level of management consulting. Get a CMC on your side.
earthisland.org
David Brower’s brainchild. Enough said.
eLance.com
The web has reduced or removed the costs associated with searching out talent. The corporation as we know it will therefore never be the same. This site is a good example of how our thinking about commerce has changed.
fastcompany.com
For wild, "out-of-the-box" thinking, Fast Company can’t be beat. At least 1 great idea in every issue.
greenbiz.com
A storehouse of interesting ideas to help society shift to a more sustainable trajectory – especially good recent data on eco-efficiency and performance metrics.
greenfrigatebooks.com
I need to declare my own self interest here (I’m co-editor), but hey, it’s a cool site. Green Frigate Books is a small publishing house focusing on the natural and built environments, and the relations of humans with them. My buddy, Robert France, is the real juice behind this venture and his book, Profitably Soaked, our inaugural release, is a good read.
hbr.org
Harvard Business Review online. Still our favorite general business magazine.
leadingtherevolution.com
Gary Hamel lights the way ahead for business in the 21st century. His book is the one Rob Abbott wishes he wrote.
motherjones.com
The legacy of Mary Harris “Mother” Jones (1837-1930). Read the mainstream business press, but then read this to get the point – counterpoint.
piquenewsmagazine.com
The Resort Municipality of Whistler’s weekly newsmagzine gets a mention here because of G.D. Maxwell’s backpage commentaries. A dazzling writer, Maxwell’s frequent thoughts on sustainability are always insightful.
planning.org
Home of the American Planning Association, an organization dedicated to providing leadership in the development of vital communities. The association’s policy guide on planning for sustainability (available at planning.org/policyguides/sustainability) is especially useful.
small-potatoes.com
David Van Seters, a friend, colleague and inspiration, has built Canada’s largest home delivery organic grocery company as a model of sustainability. Watch this energetic company and learn what it means to be sustainable…and successful.
smsweb.org
Home of the Strategic Management Society, this site is the closest the web offers to a portal into the world of strategy. A wonderful, and appropriate, mix of academic, business and consulting thought, all the major thinkers can be found here. Includes a kick-ass list of "must have" references in strategy.
sustreport.org
In the face of the most recent corporate meltdowns, calls for greater transparency and accountability in the reporting of corporate performance can only grow louder. This site provides a window on what the future will look like.
wri.org
Home of Robert Repetto, architect of some of the most cogent economic studies on sustainability available anywhere. His recent work, with Duncan Austin, on disclosure of environmental risks (or lack thereof) in the U.S. pulp and paper industry is especially good reading.
Less is More in Sustainability Reporting
The emergence and (tentative) mainstreaming of sustainability has helped unlock new sources of innovation and opportunity for business – to say nothing of helping to reduce humanity’s footprint on the Earth. That ‘s the good news. The bad news is that in the rush to demonstrate their sustainability credibility, many companies are spending too much time and money on sustainability reports groaning under the weight of too many “metrics” and “indicators”. By way of example, the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines – an influential set of sustainability reporting tools – suggest up to 81 indicators! Even the Balanced Scorecard, the most influential strategy measurement template of the past decade, recommends 20-25 measures. These one-size fits all efforts don’t really speak to or “fit” anyone. Worse, tracking too many measures may cause managers to lose sight of the few that really drive the achievement of strategic objectives. Hence, less is actually more when it comes to measuring and communicating sustainability performance.
