Executives' notions that having corporate responsibility policies in place is profitable are backed up by research released earlier this year from the international investment bank Goldman Sachs. In a broad study across six sectors, Goldman Sachs found that companies that have environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies in place have outperformed the general stock market by 25 percent since August 2005.
Having environmental policies in place is more than just good public relations, a majority of executives responded in a survey conducted for global accounting firm Grant Thornton . Three-quarters of respondents likewise agreed that corporate responsibility could increase profits.
The belief that corporate responsibility can increase a company's bottom-line will lead to a swell in spending for corporate responsibility issues in the immediate future, the executives predicted. This increase in spending is especially noteworthy, as it is occurring during an all time low in business confidence Grant Thornton reported,
"Corporate responsibility has begun to move from a defensive to an offensive position," said Jack Katz, managing partner of Grant Thornton's Financial Services industry practice. "It is not simply about complying with government regulations. It's about reducing costs, marketing products and services, raising capital, and winning talent."
Posted by webmaster on Monday, September 24, 2007 @ 15:10:38 EDT (357 reads)
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Topic: Energy News
Challenges Facing the Kingdom of Coal
September 24, 2007
The towering chamber where coal is combusted in an electricity generation plant is a dark, unsettling, sulfurous place. Elemental coal, wrested from the earth, is here ignited to generate heat, create steam and spin a turbine. Without it, modern life would freeze.
The kingdom of coal provides more than half the electricity we now rely on, and is expected to play an even more dominant role in our energy future. That kingdom faces unprecedented challenges. Global warming has become a huge and growing concern and the carbon dioxide emissions of coal plants are blamed as a leading contributor to the problem.
Posted by webmaster on Monday, September 24, 2007 @ 11:36:19 EDT (362 reads)
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Topic: Energy News
Delawareans Willing to Pay a Premium for Wind Energy
Continued survey analysis shows support among residents for energy source
Delaware residents not only are supportive of offshore wind power, according to new analysis of a survey conducted by University of Delaware researchers, but they're willing to pay to have it instead of coal or natural gas power.
"After analyzing the survey data and completing statistical analyses, we concluded that residents statewide would be willing to pay between $500 million and $550 million to have offshore wind as a source of power over coal or natural gas," said Jeremy Firestone, one of the survey's authors.
Posted by webmaster on Thursday, September 20, 2007 @ 10:08:26 EDT (388 reads)
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Topic: Alternative Energy
Linking Conservation with Technology
September 19, 2007
Rising energy bills and environmental sensitivities are combining to deliver new solutions to some vexing issues. It is all web-centric and focused on conservation.
With volatile power prices and consumers demanding relief, utilities now have a fresh opportunity to provide services that analyze energy usage and then suggest ways to curb consumption. It's a win-win idea that allows customers to pay lower bills and utilities to provide better customer relations. Meanwhile, their power plants don't have to work as hard and they will therefore be able to reduce subsequent emissions.
Posted by webmaster on Wednesday, September 19, 2007 @ 09:14:25 EDT (585 reads)
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Topic: Energy News
Uni-Solar Gets Big GM Contract
Posted on 9/14/2007 11:46:40 AM
Auburn Hills-based United Solar Ovonic said Friday that it had been selected for one of the largest-ever solar power installations in corporate use.
Solar panels from the Energy Conversion Devices Inc. subsidiary will be installed on the roof of a GM plant in Fontana, Calif.
When completed in December, the installation will produce 1.3 million kilowatt hours of electricity a year, roughly the amount needed to power 500 homes for one year.
Posted by webmaster on Tuesday, September 18, 2007 @ 17:02:49 EDT (344 reads)
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Topic: Alternative Energy
