Good Business

Last month, our consultant Justine B. attended focus groups with teenage girls in Abidjan as part of our behaviour change programme SKY Girls, funded by the Gates Foundation and supported by TOTEM EXPERIENCE. Following a new grant, we're expanding our messaging from tobacco prevention to include sexual and reproductive health. This expansion builds on our existing work in other SKY Girls countries, such as Kenya and Nigeria, where sexual and reproductive health has already been integrated into our messaging. To ensure effectiveness, we're conducting qualitative research to better understand our target audience. This approach aligns with SKY's mission to create relatable content that empowers teenage girls to make informed choices about their health and well-being.

In this week's Friday 5... ?? We reflect on the EU #Omnibus proposals ?? UK creative industry’s content at risk of being given away to #AI firms ?? Is the UK’s #NetZero target economically “stupid”? ?? Zurich UK is the first UK insurer to publish its socioeconomic pay gap ??? Social enterprises using #hospitality to create fresh starts #newsletter #netzero #responsiblebusiness

B Corp’s highest scorer globally is dropping the certification. Dr. Bronner's, North America’s top-selling fair trade soap brand claims B Corp no longer upholds the rigorous standards needed to drive systemic change. What does that mean? By withdrawing, has Dr. Bronner lost its influence over one of the most recognised responsible business certifications? If their withdrawal had blindsided B Lab (the organisation behind B Corp), then yes, maybe. However, alongside other concerned B Corps, Dr Bronner issued an open letter in June 2022 and sent a private letter in January 2023, warning of withdrawal if the standards were not revised by 2024. After two and a half years of delay while B Lab has consulted (admittedly widely and comprehensively) on new and more robust standards, the public departure of B Corps’ star player – and the potential for others to follow – might be Dr Bronner’s best shot at pushing for reform. This is a clear example of how engagement with clear consequences of inaction can be used to drive change, be it with a supplier, certification body or investee company. This decision also begs the question of where to push for change. Sometimes external pressure can be more effective than working within a system. But the company has also expressed hope that "allies who remain B Corp Certified will continue to push to improve the standard from the inside”. I’ve always been of the view that we need advocates both inside and outside of certification systems to push for continuous improvement in corporate responsibility standards. What do you think?

In this week's Friday 5... ?? Why #BCorp’s top scorer is dropping the certification ?? McCain Foods' ￡30m #investment to support struggling farmers ?? Unilever is set to acquire sustainable brand Wild for ￡230 million ?? What’s next in IKEA’s sustainable growth journey? ?? An innovative peat-free #compost #newsletter #netzero #responsiblebusiness

Have you met dAIsy? She's very nice, but quite chatty. dAIsy is the O2 (Telefónica UK)’s new?AI ‘scambaiter’ bot. In other words she wastes scammers’ time, keeping them away from potential (human) victims. It's an effective way of trolling the trolls, and highly entertaining too. Wasting scammers’ time is only one part of the solution, as the scambaiter has additional benefits including gathering information on how scams work, which in turn can support O2’s development of educational efforts around scams and preventative technology. The constant battle between scammers and those trying to prevent them uses lots of time and energy (particularly with AI involved). These measures help tip the balance against the scammers, and can make cybercrime less lucrative.

?? Aspiring Sustainability Consultants listen up! We’ll be attending the London Student Sustainability Conference 2025 on 26th February to help raise awareness of a career in consulting among students with a specific interest in sustainability. ?? LSSC25 is a fantastic opportunity to network with other students, academics and professionals from the public and private sector, broaden your knowledge on sustainability issues, and gain inspiration and tools to enter a career tackling sustainability issues. For more info and to register for your free ticket: https://lnkd.in/eNBEUcAk #Sustainability #Conference #Students

In this week's Friday 5... ?? The?profound global impact of recent #USAID funding cuts? ?? Jeff Bezos announces plans to stop funding the SBTI ?? O2 (Telefónica UK)'s AI granny takes on #onlinescammers ?? Businesses' opportunity to promote #treeequity ? A new way for people to invest in #renewableenergy #newsletter #netzero #responsiblebusiness

It’s undoubtedly a difficult time for DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) as we know it. Headlines have been blaring out the details of US companies who are?backing down on their commitments, notably including behemoths like Amazon and Meta, with many citing legal and political risks. The fact that one of the many executive orders Trump signed on inauguration day mandated the end of “illegal discrimination and preferences” in diversity programs looms large in the backdrop, as of course does the Supreme Court ruling on?affirmative action?in college admissions back in 2023. But as a recent?article?in the LA Times eloquently sets out, reports around the death of DEI may be greatly exaggerated (see: https://lnkd.in/eqv7NSb3). For one thing, the vast majority of DEI programmes are still in place, 486 out of the Fortune 500 currently still have inclusion statements or commitments on their websites, even if they aren’t shouting about them. For another, even those that have publicly backed down are in many cases changing the language and shifting some contentious policies (e.g. quotas), while maintaining a commitment to the overall essence and goals of their practices. It’s a morphing, rather than an abandonment, which isn’t surprising given the many advantages operating an inclusive environment and ensuring you have access to the widest possible pool of talent delivers. I applaud companies like Apple and CostCo which are?publicly standing by their policies (see: https://lnkd.in/eGyU4VJp).?But we also understand the need to react to risks of backlash and legal retribution. It strikes to the heart of a dilemma which I believe businesses will increasingly face in these populist and polarising times: how to adapt and respond, without leaving behind values, principles and actions which hold firm. I hope and believe that this is what we’re seeing beginning to play out across the DEI landscape, and beyond. What do you think? ?

Streamlined sustainability, or compromised commitments? Discourse around the EU’s proposed Omnibus ESG legislation has been impossible to avoid in recent weeks. The legislation is expected to consolidate the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), and the EU Taxonomy Regulation, with the aim of streamlining disclosures and reducing regulatory burdens. We shared our thoughts on the proposed changes a few weeks ago (https://lnkd.in/eZ8kRPJg), considering some of the key concerns about the proposal: does “streamline” mean “dumb down”? What does it mean for those already preparing CSRD compliant reports? What do we sacrifice when we prioritise efficiency over rigour? Since then, and with the first Omnibus package expected to land on 26th?February, lobbying has continued heavily on all sides of the debate, by those in favour of reducing the scope of the legislation including leading business organisations, and by those concerned the changes will create regulatory uncertainty and threaten the integrity of the European Green Deal. What’s more, there are increasing concerns over who is being included or excluded from discussions shaping the future of the legislation. As we write, a behind-closed-doors meeting is taking place, reportedly shaping the future of the legislation with limited transparency. Who gets a say? What’s driving the conversation? It’s clear business wants consistency and transparency, not moving goalposts and backroom deals. If there are changes coming, they should be made with clarity and purpose, not in a way that leaves companies scrambling to adjust. My advice? Prep for CSRD, but brace for change. We’ll be keeping a close eye on developments and will share our take when the new proposal lands later this month. Need help navigating all this? Give me a shout.?

In this week's Friday 5... ?? Concerns rise over the EU’s Omnibus #ESG legislation ?? Are the reports about #DEI's death exaggerated? ?? We discuss the 4 big #taboos of 2024? ??How #techy dads tackle #climatechange #newsletter #netzero #responsiblebusiness