Blog Entries for Paul MacLean

Sustainability does not equal sainthood

Paul

Business leaders need to be clear that there should be dual motivation for going Green : profit and sustainability. There is no need for pretense to sainthood or being the planet's saviour; in fact, that position is ill advised, as it can have unintended consequences. Profit and sustainability are necessary and worthy goals when pursued together. Ultimately, companies should be thinking about competitive advantages enabled by taking a leading position on sustainability i [...]

Environmental Disclosure in Company Financial Statements: One Step Closer to Reality

Paul

If anyone still doubted that the valuation of environmental risk, including risk related to climate change, should be considered material to a company’s financial performance, the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) recently set the record straight with its Staff Notice 51-716 on Environmental Reporting.
The notice states that company disclosure on environmental liabilities, asset retirement obligations, financial and operational effects of environmental protection requirements, env [...]

Ethical Leaders: Leaders who made a difference in 2007

Paul

This week Ethical Corporation lauded “15 individuals from business, politics and civil society who have done most to push forward the case for responsible business in 2007” www.ethicalcorp.com/content.asp?ContentID=5561&newsletter=24 .

At what position on this list would we find the CEO of RioTinto Alcan, after his comment in late October on the consequences of governments who may favour absolute standards for greenhouse gas emission reductions over intensity-based [...]