By Laura Clise, Director, Sustainable Development and Continuous Improvement, AREVA
2012 marks the twentieth anniversary of the U.N. Conference on Environment and Development, otherwise known as the Earth Summit, which took place in 1992 in Rio de Janiero, Brazil. 2012 is also the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All in recognition of the fundamental role energy plays in supporting sustainable development. Throughout the first quarter, AREVA has engaged with our customers in a variety of collaborative forums focused on furthering progress toward our sustainable energy future in the U.S. and around the world. Tackling topics ranging from climate disclosure and investor relations, to access to energy, to supply chain sustainability, AREVA and our customers are working alongside government and non-governmental organizations (NGO) to support energy security and sustainability.
Following the NYC GreenBiz Forum in January, where I led a Green Guru session on stakeholder engagement, AREVA participated in the KPMG-hosted summit on Business Perspectives for Sustainable Growth; Preparing for Rio+20. Alongside electric utility customer executives, I heard from and spoke with business and sustainability leaders including Jim Rogers, Peter Bakken, Yvo de Boer, Bill Clinton, Michael Bloomberg, Rachel Kyte, Liz Maw, and Paul Polman regarding critical issue areas of focus for the June 2012 Rio+20 Conference.
A few choice quotes best sum up the summit takeaways:
“Companies that effectively manage environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues are better equipped to navigate the dynamic global market.” – Michael Baldinger, CEO, Sustainable Asset Management on the growing importance of ESG disclosure
“It is the responsibility of business to support a sustainable and equitable world.” – Paul Polman, CEO, Unilever on business leadership regarding sustainability
“We will learn a lot from the work being done to provide electricity to those without.” – Jim Rogers, CEO, Duke Energy on access to energy
Turning from the global picture to the domestic electric utility industry, the Electric Utility Industry Sustainable Supply Chain Alliance (the Alliance) convened government, NGO, and supplier to discuss progress to date and the strategic outlook for the Alliance in 2012 and beyond. In partnership with our customers and other stakeholders, AREVA is working to reduce the environmental impact of the electric utility supply chain through the sharing of operational, supply chain, and reporting best practices.
However, clean energy is just one of the key drivers in facilitating sustainable development. To examine a systems solution to sustainability challenges, VERGE DC brought together public sector, private sector, and NGO leaders to exchange on the intersection of energy, information, buildings, and transportation technologies. Constellation Energy (PDF link) Senior Vice-President, Peter Kelly-Detwer, Pacific Gas & Electric Chief Sustainability Officer, Steve Kline, and Exelon Chief Sustainability Officer, Chris Gould brought their insight and expertise to energy sustainability issues including demand-side management, the evolution of electric utility business models, and innovative smart-grid technologies.
Where else is AREVA collaborating with our customers in support of our clean energy future? Perhaps for later elaboration: the Center on Climate and Energy Solutions Business Environmental Leadership Council (BELC), the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, Business for Social Responsibility, and Net Impact.
Tweet TAGS: BELC, Constellation Energy, Duke Energy, Exelon, Jim Rogers, Michael Baldinger, Pacific Gas & Electric, Paul Polman, Peter Kelly-Detwer, PG&E, Rio+20, Steve Kline, Sustainable Asset Management, Unilever
Posted in: AREVA News, Environment, News, Sustainable Development | 1 Comment»
