Assessing the ROI of Sustainable Business in Philadelphia

On October 30^th William Theisen, CEO for EcoAct North America, presented at Sustainable Brands New Metrics event in Philadelphia.

Sustainable Brands, established in 2006,  is a global learning, collaboration and commerce community comprized of forward-thinking business and brand strategy, marketing, innovation and sustainability professionals. The organization recognizes that brands today have a unique role to play in leading the way to a better future.

Their event in Philadelphia this year was attended by over 300 delegates from brands, NGOs, strategists and practitioners across sectors all gathered to share the newest credible tools and solutions for assessing the ROI of Sustainable Business.

William was there to present the findings of our recent Sustainability Reporting Performance report of the DOW 30 and the sustainability trends occurring in some of the worlds largest companies. These findings provided insight into key initiatives such as science-based targets and renewable energy. Both are gaining traction in order for companies to maintain competitiveness globally in the transition to a low-carbon economy.

It was interesting that the findings of the research were reflected in the themes of many other event speakers. For example, PepsiCo and Danone spoke about how they are using the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework to demonstrate their own respective contributions. Our research this year clearly showed the increased focus on the SDGs. 77% of the DOW 30 have already integrating these global goals into their strategies and reporting.  This key framework as well as other sustainability measures are clearly an important tool for businesses to demonstrate commercial value.

“It was evident at the Sustainable Brands conference that companies are moving sustainability forward. It may have not been a priority for some, but you can see that many companies are trying to catch up to competitors and respond to investors’ interest in how companies are anticipating the impacts of climate change.” William mentioned. “EcoAct has proudly sponsored Sustainable Brands New Metrics for two years in a row. There is quality in the conversation to gain a deeper understanding in how sustainability is not only what is needed, but is also a key business lever.”

If you haven’t downloaded our report yet and are interested in the sustainability trends of some of the largest companies in the US, access it here.