Sustainable Development Education Panel
Review of Sustainable Development Education Initiatives in the Workplace
Networks
These schemes allow organisations and companies to learn about sustainable development issues from each other, to share best practise, and develop new ways of working to incorporate sustainable development into their own work environments. Some networks act as lobby groups that educate government and the wider community on a particular stance towards sustainable development.
Advisory Committee on Business and the Environment (ACBE)
Name of Organisation:
Advisory Committee on Business and the Environment (ACBE)
Contact Details:
Adrian Hallett DTI
Adrian.hallett@envd.dti.gov.uk
Emily Hay, DETR
020 7944 6559
Number of people involved:
ACBE progress reports are sent to the top 1000 FTSE companies, many industry
associations, government bodies, local government, academics, and their
own contact database.
Target audience:
Business and government
Brief Description:
ACBE was set up in 1991 to engage in a strategic dialogue with business
on environmental issues. It produces reports and makes recommendations
on a variety of sustainable development issues and aims to influence business
and government at the national and European level. The committee hopes
to promote partnership and new ways of working together. It works with
other government and industry bodies on particular initiatives.
Reasons for project:
To engage in a strategic dialogue with business on environmental issues.
Results:
ACBE has had considerable influence in raising awareness of environmental
issues particularly because of its own good reputation. Members of its
panel are frequently engaged to speak at conferences, and ACBE reports
have a wide readership. In particular, ACBE has played an important role
in the climate change debate.
The government has endorsed many of ACBE's recommendations, and is in the process of considering action on some, but to date, have taken up only a few. It often remains the responsibility of individual companies and organisations to act on ACBE's recommendations.
ACBE continually evaluate their working methods to improve their ability to produce good recommendations and influence business and government activity. Currently they are in the process of setting up a new committee to review their working methods.
Green Business Clubs
Name of Organisation:
Business in the Environment (BiE)
Contact Details:
Sarah Morris
(0171) 224 1600
Target audience:
Small and medium sized businesses
Brief Description:
Business in the Environment manage a wide-reaching series of local networks
called the Green Business Clubs. These networks are aimed at small and
medium sized businesses which BiE estimate produce up to 70% of environmental
pollution in the UK. They give practical guidance on environmental management
through a range of activities which include training, briefings, information
provision, advise and support. Best practice seminars are a key component.
Reasons for project:
BiE aims to inspire business to achieve corporate social responsibility
by making continuous progress towards environmentally sustainable development
an essential part of business excellence.
Results:
Green business clubs have proved popular throughout the UK.
Better Business Forum
Name of Organisation:
The Body Shop
Contact Details:
Janet Shepherd, Ethical Audit
01903 731500
Number of people involved:
26 suppliers (1996-1997)
Target audience:
Suppliers to the Body Shop
Brief Description:
The Better Business Forum (BBF) was launched in March 1997. The aim of
the Forum is to benefit suppliers' businesses by improving their performance
on environmental, social and animal protection issues. This is done through
working groups, seminars and a quarterly newsletter. Members also get
access to examples of best practice through networking with other members.
The Forum is self-funding and independent of The Body Shop, although the
company remains an active member with full voting rights.
Reasons for project:
The Forum is designed to provide support for suppliers and to disseminate
best practice through the Body Shop's supply chain. The idea for a self-improvement
club for suppliers was raised in the social audit consultation process
during 1995/96.
Results:
The results are hard to measure.
The Forum appears to be useful for those companies who are actively involved. However, it has only attracted a small number of the Body Shop's suppliers and not all members are active.
Additional Information:
The Forum is currently being re-launched under a new, more dynamic secretariat.
Environment Committee
Name of Organisation:
British Bankers Association
Contact Details:
Alison Ward
(0171) 216 8848
Number of people involved:
The British Bankers Association (BBA) Environment Advisory Issues Committee
has 12 member banks, both UK and foreign.
Target audience:
The banking community and government
Brief Description:
The environment committee informs it members of environmental issues it
believes are of importance to the banking community and canvasses their
responses to these issues in order to lobby government and other organisations.
Currently they are conducting research into the banking community's response
to climate change and sustainable development. They are also playing a
monitoring role on these issues within banking.
The association acts as a networking facilitator so that banks are able to engage in open discussion about how environmental issues affect the banking industry.
The environment committee has produced a leaflet for banks to give to their small and medium business customers. The leaflet outlines how business might be affected by environmental issues and how they can begin to manage this.
Environment Business Forum
Name of Organisation:
Confederation of British Industry
Contact Details:
Jenny Barker
0171 379 7400
Number of people involved:
200 members
Target audience:
Companies, local councils, educational institutions etc
Brief Description:
Founded in 1992 to encourage companies and organisations to report on
their environmental performance. Any organisation producing an environmental
report can join free of charge. The Forum produced a handbook and a Newsletter
and initially ran seminars on best practice The Forum reached 200 members
in its first year and membership has remained static since then.
Reasons for project:
To encourage environmental reporting
Results:
The initial initiative based on environmental reporting failed to fulfil
its potential for membership. The initiative is now moribund, but plans
are in place to relaunch it in a different format.
Additional Information:
The CBI is now working to change the focus of its environmental education
activity away from environmental reporting and towards environmental management
systems. It is working in partnership with BSI (British Standards Institute)
on a new initiative that will focus on encouraging companies to gain EMAS,
ISO 14001 or other independently monitored environmental management standards.
Again, any organisation that has gained one of these standards will be
eligible to join. The CBI hopes to attract a wider network of companies
with this initiative using its networking capabilities and management
infrastructure.
National Centre for Business and the Environment
Name of Organisation:
Co-op Bank in collaboration with the 4 universities in Manchester
Contact Details:
Jon Lee
Ecology Unit, The Co-operative Bank
0161 829 5461
Target audience:
UK businesses of all sizes, particularly small businesses
Brief Description:
Based at Salford University, NCBE combines the ecological and ethical
policies of the Co-op Bank with the technical skills of the staff of the
four Greater Manchester Universities. This enables it to offer practical
and focussed sustainable solutions to a range of businesses and organisations.
These services fall into 4 categories:
1. Strategic sustainable Policy
2. Social and sustainable auditing
3. Applied environmental solutions
4. Support for small businesses
None of these services are specifically concerned with environmental education. However, education of company managers is seen as a necessary part of enabling the centre's services to work. For example:
- The Centre mounts many single issue campaigns
- The Centre is co-ordinating a project (with 5 European partners) to develop environmental distance learning packages for micro-businesses
Reasons for project:
Set up in 1996 on the initiative of the Co-op Bank to provide advice on
a whole range of ecological and social issues to businesses, helping them
to address the sustainability agenda.
Results:
The Centre has developed a client list including:
- Dunlop Textiles
- Biffa Waste Services
- The Environment Agency
- Tesco
- Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council
Corporate Partners Programme
Name of Initiative:
Environment Council
Contact Details:
Suzannah Lansdell
(0171) 632 0114
Number of people involved:
7 members to date
Target audience:
'Cream of the crop' from the Business in the Environment programme
Brief Description:
Corporate partners provide core support for the Environment Council (subscription
= £6000.) In return they get membership of Conservers at Work and Business
in the Environment programme, plus access to corporate partners' workshops
(focusing on the cutting edge of the debate.)
Reasons for project:
To support companies at the cutting edge
Results:
7 members have joined up so far (programme set up in March 98). The Environment
council's aim is to recruit 20. It is still too early to tell how successful
this will be at helping companies integrate the environment into the business.
Ethical Trading Initiative
Name of Organisation:
Ethical Trading Initiative
Contact:
Phil Mumby, acting Chair
(0151) 678 8888
Number of people involved:
The ETI is made up of 11 companies, 14 non-governmental organisations
and 3 trades unions and is supported by the UK Department for International
Development.
Target audience:
Companies sourcing products from the developing world
Brief Description:
The ETI is a collaborative initiative between industry, non-governmental
organisations, Trades Unions and Government to develop practical tools
for developing best practice in the field of ethical trading. All the
stakeholders of the ETI have agreed a 'Base Code', based on core International
Labour Organisation conventions, agreed by the vast majority of international
governments. This code covers issues such as freedom of assocation, working
conditions, wage levels and child labour. ETI members are currently engaged
in a programme of pilot studies designed to test monitoring and verification
systems.
Reasons for project:
In response to growing concern among consumers, many companies are adopting
codes of conduct for their suppliers, to protect the labour rights of
workers. These codes of conduct need to be backed up by monitoring and
working with suppliers, to ensure that conditions actually improve. The
ETI addresses the need for effective back-up, by developing monitoring
and verification systems to ensure that company codes of conduct are implemented.
Results:
Three pilot studies are underway focusing on clothing in China, wine in
South Africa and horticultural products in Zimbabwe and Zambia. Further
pilot studies are planned for later in 1999 and 2000.
Additional Information:
The ETI is committed to producing an annual report which will include
summaries of all activities and learning. The first report is expected
at the end of 1999. All members are required to report on their progress
annually, to feed into this overall report. Membership of the ETI is on
an annual basis and will not be renewed for those members who have not
demonstrated commitment to the ETI process.
Institute of Directors
Name of Organisation:
Institute of Directors
Contact Details:
Garaint Day
01710 451 3286
Number of people involved:
IoD has approximately 50,000 members.
Target audience:
Government
Brief Description:
The IoD publishes papers on sustainable development issues as well as
canvass the opinions of managers on their practical reactions to environmental
and sustainable development issues. Issues covered include green taxes,
environmental reporting, climate change.
The IoD does not provide environmental training for its members.
Reasons for project:
To help government understand the implication of environmental policies
for business
NPI Global Asset Management Advisory Team
Name of Organisation:
NPI Global Asset Management
Contact Details:
Mark Campanale
Mark_Campanale@npi.co.uk
Target audience:
Financial investment community
Brief Description:
NPI has a research team that concentrates on social and environmental
issues to facilitate their ethical investment decisions, and who also
educate others within the financial community as well as businesses in
which they invest.
- With financial advisors
NPI spends time educating independent financial advisors who sell pensions and investments to the general public on the financial consequences of environmental problems such as climate change, renewable energy. Their aim is to show advisors that there is a business opportunity within environmental and social issues. Education also covers the responsibility of shareholders, through their funds to put pressure on companies to improve their environmental and social records. This is backed up by daily and weekly email services to advisors. - With companies in which they invest
NPI engage in active dialogue with senior board directors as well as line managers with responsibilities for the environment, community affairs, and employment practises about their records. - With advisors to companies in which they invest
NPI works with bodies such as ACCA, the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants, Sustainability on extending the debate on social and environmental accounting. - With financial institutions
NPI plays an agenda setting and leadership role for the finance industry wide groups such as UK Social Investment forum, WBSCD, ACBE, UNEP Insurers Initiative.
Household Hazardous Waste Forum
Name of Organisation:
Save Waste and Prosper
Contact Details:
Chas Ball/Angela Todd
0113 2438777
Number of people involved:
180 members
Target audience:
Organisations with responsibility for or interest in hazardous household
waste.
Brief Description:
Founded in 1996, the National Hazardous Household Waste Forum has 180
members from industry, local authorities, specialist waste management
companies, DIY companies and rubbish bin manufacturers. The forum has
4 meetings per year and a 4-monthly Bulletin. Conferences have been held
on Decorative Paint and the Environment, Batteries in the Waste Stream
and Oil Recovery and Recycling.
The Forum produces a Good Practice Guide providing information on all aspects of household hazardous waste. It gives detailed information on how various types of hazardous household waste arise, their impact and the best options for dealing with them.
The Forum engages in constructive dialogue with government, industry associations and non-governmental bodies particularly on the future impact of waste regulation and on the national waste strategy
UK Round Table on Sustainable Development
Name of Organisation:
UK Round Table on Sustainable Development
Contact Details:
Philip Dale, Secretary to the Round Table
020 7944 4965
Number of people involved:
24 member panel and reports are sent to over 1,600 interested people.
Target audience:
Government
Brief Description:
The Round Table is a forum for different views on sustainable development.
It is made up of business people, NGOs, local government people, journalists
and others. It aims to reconcile the triple bottom line of green, social
and economic needs. Its reports go to the Deputy Prime Minister and other
concerned ministers plus a database of 1600 interested people.
Centre for Sustainable Development
Organisation:
University of Sunderland
Contact Details:
Neil Rotheroe
Director, Centre for Sustainable Development
0191 515 2666
Number of people involved:
The steering group currently has 34 organisations as members.
Target audience:
Businesses in the North-East of England
Brief Description:
The Centre for Sustainable Development was established in 1997 at the
University of Sunderland to encourage businesses in the north-east to
"go green". The Centre is charged with helping the local business world
understand the meaning of sustainable development. This is achieved in
a number of ways:
- Stimulating cross-sectoral working between different organisations and sectors of the economy
- Providing information on specific environmental issues and facilitating the use of outside environmental frameworks
- Training for companies in the principles of sustainable development
- Facilitating the transfer of environmental expertise between sectors
Reasons for project:
To advise companies in the north of England about sustainable development
and how it can bring them new business opportunities.
Results:
- The Centre has gained 40 members to date
- A number of seminars and speaker meetings have been held
- The Centre is monitoring the North East demonstration project of the National Going for Green Programme
WWF 95+
Name of Organisation:
WWF 95+
Contact Details:
Rachel Hembery, Group Manager of WWF 95+
WWF UK
Panda House, Weyside Park
Godalming, Surrey GU7 1XR
Number of people involved:
89 members
Target audience:
Companies
Brief Description:
A partnership between WWF and timber purchasing companies designed to
encourage companies to source timber from well-managed forests. Member
companies make a commitment to buying all their timber from well-managed
forests and an increasing proportion from independently certified sources.
WWF 95+ also advises member companies on where sustainable sources are.
There is a meeting of all member companies once a year and other smaller
meetings on specific issues. Members are therefore able to learn from
each other's experience as well as from the group's secretariat.
Reasons for project:
To provide a mechanism to encourage more companies to source timber from
well-managed forest.
Results:
Certification criteria include independent monitoring and chain of custody.
Members companies come from a number of sectors including retailers, furniture
makers, kitchen companies, construction firms etc. They join for a number
of reasons:
- Attack from pressure groups
- Pressure from customers (especially for companies supplying retailers)
- Desire to demonstrate a commitment to good environmental policy and practice There has been an increase in the number of companies using independently certified timber, and timber from well-managed forests. Companies using independently certified timber can use a logo on products.
WWF95+ group has 89 members, and receives a high level of positive feedback from these member companies.
Page published 12 May
2000;
Page last modified
29 August, 2003