On August 1-2, GEMI held its annual Senior
Advisory Council (SAC) meeting in Palo Alto, CA at the offices
of the Institute for the Future (IFTF). The meeting's focus
was “Sustainability Going Forward – Foresight,
Insight and Leadership Action” and the meeting was
hosted and led by GEMI SAC Chair, Steve Schwalb,
Perdue Family of Companies. Bob Johansen, IFTF
facilitated the SAC meeting. The meeting opened with comments
on “Global Drivers of Change” from guest speaker,
Tracey Grose, IFTF. Ms. Grose discussed how changes in the
global economy are impacting Main Street USA, including
concepts for understanding the “green” economy,:
emergence of new industries and transformation of old industries,
and case examples that link to skills from Leaders Make
the Future.
Pictured: Tracey Grose, IFTF speaks
at the SAC Dinner
In preparation for the meeting, attendees received a copy
of the GEMI-IFTF:
2007-2017 Map of Future Forces Affecting Sustainability,
with a DVD video walk-through of the Map, and a copy of
Bob Johansen’s book Leaders
Make the Future. Participants discussed signals of change
in the world of sustainability. (A signal can be something
they were involved in personally, a new technology, something
they read about, or something they envision in the future.)
Mr. Johansen facilitated the interactive meeting with a
focus on identifying new future forces that will affect
GEMI the most in the next decade and engaged participants
in a collective brainstorm to draw relevant actionable insights
for their own organizations and companies. He also introducing
his book, Leaders Make the Future and the 10 future
leadership skills that can allow leaders to make better
decisions for their organizations to thrive in the next
decade.
Pictured:Bob Johansen and Anthony Weeks,
IFTF
Throughout the meeting, Anthony Weeks, IFTF’s graphical
interpreter, captured the conversation and conceptual ideas
in a graphical illustration.
The meeting concluded with a roundtable discussion in which
participants discussed current and emerging environmental
sustainability issues and potential opportunities for consideration
of the GEMI Board of Directors.
Pictured:GEMI SAC Chair, Steve Schwalb,
Perdue Family of Companies
Background: In 2006, GEMI had Mr. Johansen speak
at and facilitate the annual SAC meeting. As a result of
that meeting, GEMI and IFTF worked together to develop the
GEMI Map. Mr. Johansen facilitated the 2011 SAC meeting
that led to a strategic discussion of ways in which GEMI
members have used the Map to provoke insight and action,
and actions by GEMI to improve the use of foresight to provoke
insight and action. The meeting focused on the strategic
value that GEMI provides by bringing in an external futures
point of view, looking 10 years ahead.
The meeting summary and the graphical illustration
may be found the SAC
page of the GEMI members only website.
RECENT GEMI ACTIVITIES
Be sure to visit the GEMI Members Only website to view
the following items:
- Communications
& Marketing: webinar on “Engaging Employees
in Office and Non-traditional Work Environments”
- SD:
Webinar w/Taproot & Merck; Sustainable Buildings &
Energy Management webinar on JCI’s Energy Efficiency
Indicator 2012 Global Survey results
- SAC:
SAC meeting summary, presentations and graphical interpretations
- Quick
Surveys: GEMI Quick Survey 3M's Inquiry on Incident
Investigations for Medium-Large Spills; Webinar w/Taproot
Foundation and Merck Foundation FEEDBACK survey; Sustainable
Buildings & Energy Management webinar FEEDBACK Survey
• November 14-15:
GEMI Member Meeting #3 in Houston, TX – hosted by
Halliburton – NOTE: Registration information will
be sent via email later this month
CSX Intermodal Terminals, Inc. (CSX) and
EMH&T have won the American Council of Engineering Companies
(ACEC) of Ohio “2012 Engineering Excellence Outstanding
Achievement Award” for the design of CSX Intermodal
Terminal’s Northwest Ohio intermodal terminal. CSX
worked closely with EMH&T to design the Northwest Ohio
facility, which uses cutting-edge technologies and green
design, including ultra-efficient electric cranes that lower
emissions, optical scanners that reduce truck idling times
and automated car tracking technologies and remote switches
that increase operational efficiency. More
Information.
DuPont
has joined the Global Climate and Energy Project (GCEP)
at Stanford University, an industry partnership that supports
innovative research on sustainable energy technologies with
low greenhouse gas emissions. DuPont joins other GCEP sponsors
ExxonMobil, GE, Schlumberger and Toyota. Together, the companies
have invested a total of $113 million in 93 research programs
since the project was launched in 2002. More
Information.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced it expects
to save more than $264 million and reduce fossil fuel use
by 72 percent at its Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
through energy and operational efficiency measures over
the 25-year performance period. Through an energy savings
performance contract with Johnson Controls
the project is expected to deliver these results through
the installation of a new biomass steam plant and seven
additional conservation measures. More
Information.
The
Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies
announced the launch of www.SafetyandCareCommitment.com
an initiative to help consumers better understand all the
measures J&J take to make its beauty and baby care products
as safe as can be. This site includes information about
how ingredients are selected and evaluated, and provides
details on J&J's gold standard safety assurance process.
More
Information.
Legrand
is officially charged up by the electric vehicle market,
with a new electric vehicle charging station installed at
its North American headquarters. The new charging station
represents a joint effort between Legrand/Pass & Seymour
and Legrand/Wiremold, with P&S providing the charger
unit, and Wiremold the mounting stand. The Company will
offer reserved parking for Legrand customers and employees
driving electric vehicles. More
Information.
The
Women in Engineering (WiE) Program at The Ohio State University
hosted “WiE GROW,” a summer camp to inspire
eighth-grade girls to pursue careers in engineering, this
month. Sponsored by The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company,
WiE GROW brings together students from across Ohio to participate
in science-related activities aimed at promoting girls’
early engagement in engineering. More
Information.
Smithfield
Foods, Inc. announced that it is issuing its first-ever
Integrated Report that provides shareholders, customers,
consumers and other stakeholders with a complete review
of both the company's financial and sustainability results
for fiscal year 2012 in one publication. More
Information.
Southern
Company announced that 11 projects to protect Southeastern
waterways have been awarded grants through the Five Star
Restoration program. Southern Company is the Southern regional
lead corporate sponsor for Five Star Restoration, a national
program to support water-related conservation, in partnership
with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the National Association
of Counties and the Wildlife Habitat Council. More
Information.
Southern Company subsidiary Georgia Power
launched a new solar energy education initiative and website
that will provide comprehensive information and personalized
assistance for customers interested in learning more about
solar energy. More
Information.
Union
Pacific Railroad is investing $20 million to test
new technology designed to reduce diesel emissions from
freight locomotives in California. A series of 25 experimental
locomotives will be based in two Union Pacific rail yards
in California as part of a rigorous test of emissions-reducing
technologies. More
Information.
If you have news and notes you would like to
share with the GEMI members, please email them to Amy
Goldman.
CLIMATE
Source: NY Times
The percentage of the earth’s land surface covered
by extreme heat in the summer has soared in recent decades,
from less than 1 percent in the years before 1980 to as
much as 13 percent in recent years, according to a new scientific
paper.
Source: Pacific Institute
New research shows that addressing social vulnerability
– the susceptibility of a given community to harm
from a hazard – in climate change policies and response
strategies is critical to California’s future.
SUPPLY
CHAIN
Source: GreenBiz
Procter & Gamble and the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency announced they’ve begun a collaborative research
and development study that could lead to new tools for measuring
sustainability objectives. The effort will focus on metrics
within corporations’ manufacturing facilities and their
supply chains.
Source: GreenBiz
Companies must focus on transparency and values to get their
supply chain management back on track, argues Jeremy Prepscius.
Source: Environmental Leader
Bangladesh, the Philippines, Myanmar, India and Vietnam are
among 10 countries where supply chains are at greatest risk
from natural hazards such as flooding, earthquakes and tropical
cyclones, according to risk analysis company Maplecroft.
Source: Guardian
Addressing these issues collectively rather than pitting
them against one another is key for creating a better future.
Source: Huffington Post
A wide range of sustainability issues have entered our political
agenda and are being acted on by local governments.
Source: Guardian
A new survey suggests sustainability is an attractive sector
to work in but CR roles will not receive the same recognition
as other corporate functions until clear performance metrics
are set.
WATER
Source: GreenBiz
Water bills make up a tiny fraction of operating costs even
for companies that use vast amounts of the stuff, and ample
supplies have traditionally been taken for granted. But
in many areas of the United States and around the world,
fresh water is becoming increasingly scarce, polluted and
contested.
Source: WRI
This month’s blackouts in India were created as
much by pipes and pumps as they were by power plants and
transmission lines. In many ways, the country’s
power problems are symptoms of a growing water crisis.
64%
of US Now in Drought, Yet Most States Don't Consider Climate
Change's Effect on Water
Source: Treehugger
The US Department of Agriculture has declared half of
all US counties disaster areas due to the expanding drought,
adding 200 counties across 12 states to those experiencing
drought conditions. Thirty five states now have drought
conditions, with 64% of the nation in moderate or severe
drought.
