Author: stephenhinton

Webinar: make sustainable food security the heart of CSR strategy

csrintroSuitable for those curious about CSR or those looking for sound arguments to introduce CSR strategies into the firm, this webinar overviews the CSR approach to fulfilling the human right to water and food  in a sustainable way and explains how this can drive business development.

Fast Facts:

  • CSR level: basic
  • Main Theme: leaving philanthropy
  • Main audience: representatives from corporations and other organisations interested in implementing CSR together with sustainable development
  • Main benefits: holistic approach gives you the basics fast in a down to earth manner
  • Length: 20 mins
  • Register: follow this link
  • Available: NOW! as replay 

Continue reading “Webinar: make sustainable food security the heart of CSR strategy”

How to be part of the transition

CSR

I am in no doubt that things for most people will get worse: its the times we live in – with climate change, increasing wealth gaps, hitting resource limits and more challenging fundamentally our way of life, what we call “business” and how we see ourselves in relation to nature. Continue reading “How to be part of the transition”

The stages of development of a CSR as food security company

The table below shows the stages of awareness and activity I have seen corporations go through when it comes to food and water security; from “not for us” to “core part of our mission”.

 MISSION Promoting Water and Food Security is at the core of our mission
 PRODUCTS Several of our products are designed to promote water and Food Security
SUPPLY CHAIN INVOLVEMENT  We developed ways to promote local water and food security in ways that made sense for our business
SUPPLY CHAIN COMPLIANCE  In our compliance work we especially ensure that water and food security  stakeholders along our supply chains
LOCAL INVOLVEMENT  We developed ways to promote local water and food security in ways that made sense for our business
 LOCAL COMPLIANCE  In our compliance work we especially ensure that water and food security for our nearest stakeholders is not compromised
 PHILANTHROPY We give philanthropically to Food and Water Security initiatives
 NOT FOR USE Our company sees no relevance in CSR activities targeted toward food and water security

For more information about Water and Food security as CSR focus, see http://csrseminars.avbp.net

CSR means contributing to a world where everyone is fed

To make a real difference in the world, corporations could start supporting food and water security. If everyone contributed to create a food secure world, entrepreneurship, prosperity and then ultimately peace would flourish.

Volunteers for organisations working with food security, like the Water and Food Award, are often told that; “our business isn’t in water and food” so we are not interested in supporting your cause. Continue reading “CSR means contributing to a world where everyone is fed”

It’s money that is killing the local economy

moneydestA recent report on local currency and local economy from Sweden, complied by Transition member Steve Hinton, sheds light on some of the pitfalls and opportunities for local community action. The report comes in the wake of a resilience project to create a “back-up” currency, envisioned as a preparedness tool should Sweden’s ubiquitous digital money system fail due to loss of electrical power over a longer period. Most money today in Sweden is digital, only a few percent is notes and coins. With its harsh winters and long distances, Sweden is particularly vulnerable. Continue reading “It’s money that is killing the local economy”

Pushing the risk envelope

This month, the subject of risk and how we see risk has become even more apparent as the IPCC, the UN’s panel on Climate Change, releases its latest reports.  Our very way of life is threatened according to how you read the risk estimates. Standing back and taking a cold look at the situation, many would ask themselves; “why are we taking such a risk?” The same question has been asked of Easter Islanders way back; ” how come they chopped down the last tree?”. (According to popular stories, the population collapsed and they cannibalized each other.) Continue reading “Pushing the risk envelope”

Put a price on phosphorus to save our food production and the Baltic

A recent report issued by the Swedish Sustainable Economy Foundation proposes putting a fee on phosphorus and nitrogen imports in order to stimulate the economy to run clean and protect the Baltic Sea. The Foundation calls it the Flexible Pollutant Fee Mechanism (flex fees). Although a fee will make some food more expensive, paradoxically the Foundation claims that the economy will be stimulated. More jobs, green ones at that, will be created as the Foundation proposes that the fees collected are returned to the economy stimulating the demand for green technology and new jobs. Compared to Cap and Trade, the Foundation sees flex fees as being a more effective way to price pollution.

Continue reading “Put a price on phosphorus to save our food production and the Baltic”