We are excited to share our first progress report on Eco-Efficiency, our call to action to corporations to increase their resource productivity and cut resource use–namely energy, emissions, water, and waste.
We wanted to challenge and inspire companies to re-imagine products, re-conceptualize strategy, and redesign processes. We began this multi-year initiative with companies in 2015, supported by an investor coalition of $1 trillion in assets under management. We detail in the report our active, sustained dialogue with companies, industries, and investors—as we work to identify and refine the questions and key areas where companies can improve. We aim to create a narrative around Eco-Efficiency within companies that helps embed the concept of Eco-Efficiency at a management and corporate governance level, so that doing more with less is a consideration for every business decision.
Our Call to Action for Companies
- Companies should improve the efficiency of their energy and water use and eliminate emissions and waste. By reimagining products, re-conceptualizing strategy, and redesigning processes companies will increase their resource productivity.
- Identify the Barriers. Set a baseline and identify corporate barriers to wide-spread adoption of Eco-Efficiency measures. Investors should ask companies about Eco-Efficiency in corporate strategy and practices, and how they are removing barriers and producing products that help their customers be more efficient.
- Regarding energy use, we encourage companies to join the EP100 leadership campaign and adopt energy productivity goals. For companies with U.S. operations, we suggest they trial the U.S. Department of Energy’s 50001 Ready energy management system.
