Sustainability and climate change: Time for action

What a difference a year makes. 2007 will likely be remembered as the year that the world changed. After years of denial by partisan special interest groups, a consensus finally formed that the science of climate change is incontrovertible. As the emphasis shifts from debate to action, governments and businesses are grappling with the enormous and complex challenge of sustainable development. The market is now focusing on this question with growing urgency.

Social and environmental impacts which have historically had little impact on the bottom line, will increasingly have to be quantified and managed like any other business risk, with the same strategic insight, the same commercial logic and the same technical and professional expertise.

But there won't just be new costs to consider. For many sectors and companies, significant new opportunities are emerging, particularly as markets are created for lower-carbon, more sustainable goods and services. The most agile companies will anticipate these changes, create new products and services, and turn their ethical, social and environmental expertise and credentials into competitive advantage.

To meet the challenges of sustainability and climate change, you have to put these issues at the heart of your business. Shouldn't you be working with a consultancy who has already done this? With a 15-year track record in sustainability and climate change, and deep sector-specific expertise, no-one is better placed to help you understand which issues will have the greatest impact in your business, form a coherent strategy to address them, and then support you through the often complex organisational changes needed to put your strategy in place.