February 2018

Member companies of BCSDH are committed to the Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs)

The Sustainable Development Goals have become a focus of the annual general assembly of the Business Council for Sustainable Development Hungary (BCSDH), which this year was hosted at MAVIR’s headquarters. Based on BCSDH’s survey, 70% of the companies we consulted have already committed to one or more of the SDGs.

BCSDH’s member list comprises 80 CEOs whose companies produce 30% of Hungarian GDP and thus represent a value-creating community. At its annual general assembly held on 27 February 2018, the organisation revealed preliminary results from its SDG-related survey. It transpires that 70% of respondent companies claim that they are contributing to meeting the SDGs, and that another 15% are also preparing to take action.

Through use of the survey, BCSDH was interested in revealing whether companies are contributing to the fulfilment of the UN Sustainable Development Goals which were adopted in September 2015, and how many concrete objectives have been defined in relation to these goals. Evaluation of the survey is still in progress and final results will be published in May.

László Módos, Deputy CEO of MAVIR, welcomed the members of the BCSDH member companies.

“During the 2017 jubilee year, BCSDH became the voice of the business world in sustainability-related issues. The process of policy reconciliation has already begun, and will continue in 2018. The business sector and the BCSDH are also taking action to achieve the United Nations’ and Hungary’s Sustainable Development Goals “- said Attila Chikán Jr., president of the organization.

“One of the important milestones of the jubilee year was the establishment of the For a Sustainable Future Prize, which recognises outstanding corporate and individual achievements in sustainability and SDG-related topics” said Irén Márta, managing director of BCSDH.

CEOs that have already defined goals to support the achievement of the SDGs include Tibor Bodor (ING), Kornél Szepessy (HungaroControl), László Károlyi (Legrand), and László Módos (MAVIR). The company leaders took part in a roundtable discussion where they provided insight into their companies’ practical efforts to help meet the SDGs, assisting those who are still at the beginning of this process.

The SDG Compass (which was compiled by the GRI, the UN Global Compact and the WBCSD) was presented at this event. This instrument helps companies achieve their SDG-relevant goals, fulfil their strategic integration targets, and also contribute to the more accurate measurement of goals that are achieved.

The BCSDH also welcomed five new member companies (ABB, MET, Microsoft, PWC, and UTC Overseas) on the annual assembly attended by nearly 70 senior executives and delegates.

Click here to see pictures from the event.

27.02.2018

BASF joins the World Plastics Council

Member News

Ludwigshafen, Germany – February 15, 2018 – BASF joined the World Plastics Council (WPC), a global organization of key leaders in the plastics industry. The WPC promotes industry topics of global relevance like the responsible use of plastics, efficient waste management and solutions to marine littering.

“Doing business in a sustainable manner is an integral part of BASF’s strategy and has been a central inspiration already since its foundation. For example, using by-products of one plant as raw materials for another does limit waste generation and increase efficiency. This Verbund principle is part of BASF’s identity,” explained Raimar Jahn, President Performance Materials, BASF. “Additionally, we are involved in initiatives addressing global challenges and engaging entire value chains such as Operation Clean Sweep®. We implement this international program designed to retain plastic pellets from getting lost in the environment,” said Jahn. “Joining the WPC is a way to be further involved in creating a world that provides a viable future with enhanced quality of life for everyone.”

James Seward, Chairman of WPC and Vice President at LyondellBasell, welcomes BASF as new member to help in WPC’s global efforts to deliver sustainable outcomes for the plastics industry and for society. According to WPC, the industry has partnered in many efforts to investigate and prevent marine debris around the world under the ‘Declaration of the Global Plastics Associations for Solutions on Marine Litter’. This has been signed by 70 plastics associations in 35 countries. The most recent Progress Report lists 260 projects that have been completed or are in progress in various parts of the world.

BASF is as well a member of American Chemistry Council and PlasticsEurope that are associate members of the WPC and working towards a more sustainable, circular and resource-efficient economy. The WPC does not replace national or regional plastics associations. Instead, it focuses on issues that require global or at least multi-regional solutions. For a company such as BASF, present in all markets, these widespread actions can be implemented throughout all the regions to contribute to circular economy and a cleaner tomorrow.

Learn more about BASF’s efforts in the area of circular economy:
https://www.basf.com/en/company/sustainability/management-and-instruments/circular-economy.html

Learn more about BASF Plastics:
https://www.plasticsportal.net/wa/plastics~en_GB/portal

Learn more about marine litter solutions of the plastics industry:
https://www.marinelittersolutions.com http://www.opcleansweep.eu/

Learn more about World Plastics Council:
http://www.worldplasticscouncil.org

About BASF
At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. The approximately 114,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into five segments: Chemicals, Performance Products, Functional Materials & Solutions, Agricultural Solutions and Oil & Gas. BASF generated sales of about €58 billion in 2016. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (BAS). Further information at www.basf.com.

15.02.2018

Meet our new member: ABB Engineering, Trading and Service Ltd.

Member News

ABB, our new member, is a pioneering technology leader in electrification products, robotics and motion, industrial automation and power grids, serving customers in utilities, industry and transport & infrastructure globally. Continuing more than a 125-year history of innovation, ABB today is writing the future of industrial digitalization and driving the Energy and Fourth Industrial Revolution.

In addition to pursuing its operations in a responsible and ethical way, ABB pays a special attention to respecting the fundamental human values. ABB observes these fundamental values through the rules set forth in its Code of Conduct which lays down the core behavioural norms and legislation. ABB is also committed to promoting sustainable growth and energy efficient operation. This mindset plays a pivotal role both in the services rendered by the company and in the operation of its central office. Mainly driven by energy efficiency considerations, the company, back in 2012, moved into Green House, which is the greenest office building in Central Europe. It is ABB that delivered the systems ensuring the energy supply and energy distribution for the Green House office building.

“The parent company of ABB Kft is also a member of WBCSD. The values and priorities represented by our company are in line with the objectives set by BCSDH. We wish to be an active member of the organisation and seize the opportunities offered by BCSDH, including especially participation in projects, exchange of professional expertise and networking,” said Taira-Julia Lammi, the Managing Director of ABB Hungary.

06.02.2018

WBCSD report from Davos

News

The World Economic Forum (WEF) was held in snowy Davos on 23-26 January 2018, bringing together a unique mix of political, civil-society, academic, media and business leaders to discuss the state of the world. This year’s theme- ‘Creating a shared future in a fractured world’- drew a clear picture of increased prominence for collaboration, openness and system-wide action. Seven of the top 10 (impact and likelihood) risks in the WEF’s annual Global Risks Report are now related to sustainability challenges.

Emerging trends – system transformation, the future of jobs and circular economy

The words ‘system transformation’ were widely used in events and conversation at Davos to describe the way forward for business and society at large. The Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have by now become a key part of ‘Davospeak’ and there is widespread agreement that these frameworks require a fundamental transformation of the world’s major economic systems.

A second buzzword which was close to every conversation on sustainability was ‘the future of jobs’, linking the fourth-digital revolution to the impacts on employment and work. This is just as much a sustainability issue as climate change, particularly in a society where a growing group of people feel under-served by the system.

A third topic that continues to attract more interest is the circularity of our resource usage in the economy. At a CEO breakfast at the beginning of the forum, WBCSD launched our Factor10 project and a new report in partnership with Boston Consulting Group (BCG). While almost all business leaders believe that circular economy is important to a company’s future success, only half are engaged in circular economy activities. Factor10 aims to offer business the solutions and collaboration required to take advantage of circular economy opportunities.

Continued challenges – gender equality, lack of trust and economic disparity

Gender equality has become a focus across the globe. The time for action on issues such as equal representation of women in the workplace and equality of pay is now. The World Economic Forum set an example during this year’s event, hosting its first all-female panel of co-chairs.

On the topic of economic disparity, Oxfam highlighted further areas for system change by stating in their report that 82% of the wealth generated in 2017 was distributed to the richest 1%. Meanwhile, the poorer half of global citizens -3.7 billion people- saw no increase in their wealth at all. The consequences of this trend are demonstrably damaging and unsustainable in the long-term, and will only be accelerated by the challenges related to ‘future of jobs’ mentioned earlier.

We don’t have to wait for the next election or referendum to know how this inequality is being received by global communities- it is detailed in the annual Edelman Trust Barometer, which was – like every year – launched in Davos. In many countries, trust in government, media and business has continued to fall, with trust in the USA now placed in the lowest quarter of the global index. At the other end of the spectrum, technology remains the most trusted industry sector at 75%, followed by education, professional services and transportation. Credibility in CEOs rose seven points to 44%, with more than two thirds of respondents saying that they wanted to see leadership from CEOs on issues such as policy change.

Insights for 2018 – continued economic growth, a short window for action and a fractured political world

The 2018 World Economic Outlook, launched by the IMF at the forum, offered an optimistic picture. 2017 saw the strongest global economic growth in seven years, with the world economy predicted to grow by 3.9% in 2018 – higher than the 3.7% forecast back in October. India is predicted to be the world’s fastest growing economy in 2018 at 7.4%.

The Indian Prime Minister, Nerendra Modi, did not focus solely on economics during his opening keynote address, describing climate change as ‘the greatest threat to civilization’. Prime Minister Modi also named terrorism and the backlash against globalization as challenges facing our global civilizations. Risalat Khan, a young climate campaigner, gave a stark warning when he said that ‘global leaders have just three years to take action to achieve peak global emissions before they will have failed future generations’.

Among 340 political leaders, this year saw a record number of Heads of State make the journey to Davos. Almost every Head of State who spoke at the forum, including Prime Minister Theresa May, Chancellor Angela Merkel, President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, made an appeal for collaboration and openness. President Donald Trump, in his closing address added that ‘America first does not always mean America alone’.

WBCSD in Davos

I was proud to see WBCSD lead six events throughout the week in Davos, on issues ranging from food to finance and from zero-emission mobility to integrating environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations into corporate risk management systems. We have published a separate newsletter called Insider Perspective on our website, providing you with further details from these sessions.

For now, I wanted to share with you this high-level summary and some of the reports and projects launched in Davos. I look forward to working with each of you and your companies to ensure that business has a leading role to play in the system transformations that lie ahead.

Warm regards,

Peter Bakker
President & CEO, WBCSD

01.02.2018