The NBI Environment and Society team aim to revive the emphasis on environment as a strategic priority for business. Working through business strategy, risk management and governance frameworks we identify and explore the link between the environment, society and economics. Our members recognise that a joint business response to environmental risk is critical to the health of our people and our economy. Our ultimate goal is multiple-stakeholders working together on strategic projects that support an economic transition and social transformation. We provide research, capacity building, networking and facilitation support to our members in the areas of climate change, energy, water and the green economy as well as, to a lesser extent, waste and bio-diversity.
Within the South African strategic context the NBI Environment and Society team aim to:
- Revive the emphasis on the environment as a strategic priority for business;
- Build the capacity of our members to engage with environmental issues and to respond through effective management practices;
- Support a collective governance approach to addressing sustainability challenges that require multiple role-players to interact;
- Facilitate the implementation of collaborative projects and practical solutions in areas related to water, climate change, energy, waste, biodiversity and the green economy. The waste and biodiversity work areas are embryonic and currently predominantly implemented by providing support to other organisations working in the same area.
We meet these strategic objectives through a suite of projects intended to creating awareness and to introduce the skills necessary for business to take meaningful, transformative action when managing natural resources and natural capital. Action should take place both within the financial and operational boundaries of our member companies (including integrating natural resource management into their business models and management systems or even altering their business models) and within their sphere of influence (particularly in their value chains and in their engagement with Government on policy implementation). Ultimately we believe that meaningful change cannot be achieved without business working collaboratively to share learning and generate new solutions. The global context and environmental pressures we face mean that change must be transformative (and not incremental as it is today) and at a significantly greater pace. Fundamental to our success is the involvement of our member companies.
We invite member companies to join our senior advisory committee, the Advisory Council on Environment and Society (ACES), and to attend our various events and training sessions. We also have specific mailing lists for Climate Change, Water, Energy, Green Economy, Biodiversity and Waste so please let us know, via an email to Jo-Anne Stanford, if you would like to receive event notifications, publications and quick briefs on any or all of these topics.
