Marked by the effects of a global economic crisis and popular demonstrations on the streets of Brazil, 2013 was a year in which key sustainability issues gained even more weight on the agenda of CEBDS (Brazilian Business Council for Sustainable Development), whether in studies, publications, events or strategic partnerships. These included measuring sustainability and incorporating externalities into products and processes, adapting to climate change and defending the diversification of the national electricity matrix, microfinance programs as strategies to combat social exclusion, building the Sustainable Development Goals, training more engaged business leaders and structuring an agenda of actions for the Brazilian business sector for 2020.
“These are issues that should become increasingly relevant in companies that realize the benefits provided by the sustainable business model and that traditional financial profit, in isolation, no longer represents prosperity,” says Marina Grossi, president of CEBDS.
This year, the Brazilian Business Council began planning and structuring an agenda for the business world for 2020, based on society's demands and supported by science. These are actions, to be led by companies, to respond to society's urgent needs in priority areas of sustainable development, seeking scale and speed in the implementation of solutions. Action 2020 will operate in Brazil as a platform and will have a framework which will be released at the end of 2014.
Measuring sustainability
To overcome the challenges of measuring sustainability and incorporating externalities into products and processes, CEBDS developed – in partnership with WRI (World Resources Institute) and GVCes (Center for Sustainability Studies at Fundação Getúlio Vargas) – a training program for using the Ecosystem Services Review, a tool that assesses the impact and dependence of productive activity on natural resources (fresh water, wood, climate, food, medicines and others). The program had the participation of seven companies: Anglo American, Danone, Grupo André Maggi, Natura, PepsiCo, Votorantim and Walmart.
CEBDS is also participating in the discussion to create guidelines that can serve as a basis for future standards for integrated corporate reports. This year, in partnership with BM&F Bovespa, the Business Council held a seminar to discuss a model for preparing an integrated report, which should describe and disclose how an organization's business model uses financial and non-financial capital to generate value.
Climate change
On another front, the Business Council prepared and presented, in November, at COP-19, in Warsaw, Poland, two studies: 'Adaptation and Vulnerability to Climate Change: the case of the Brazilian electricity sector' It is 'Recommendations for Brazil's electricity policy'. The study on adaptation highlights the vulnerability of the Brazilian energy matrix to global climate change. The publication with public policy recommendations presents solutions that contribute to the diversification of the Brazilian electricity matrix in a sustainable manner. Among them, the importance of regulating auctions by source and regional auctions, cogeneration and microgeneration, environmental licensing, greater efficiency in transmission and distribution and in final consumption.
Still in the context of climate change, CEBDS held the second edition of the Carbon Management in the Value Chain Program in 2013. This year, the project provided training to 101 suppliers from Banco do Brasil, Braskem, Cemig, Coca-Cola, Ipiranga, Itaú Unibanco, Petrobras, Schneider, Vale and Votorantim to prepare greenhouse gas emission inventories. Compared to the first edition, the number of participating suppliers tripled. There was also an increase of 70% in the number of companies that completed their emissions inventories. Most of the participating suppliers were large and from the manufacturing sector – companies that manufacture packaging, equipment for the electrical sector and parts.
Microfinance
Another important topic addressed at CEBDS in 2013 was microfinance, a market that is still on the rise and has enormous growth potential in Brazil. CEBDS and the country's largest financial institutions joined forces to further stimulate access to microfinance in Brazil, since these services have the potential to be one of the main contributors to so-called financial sustainability. In other words, providing access to credit and insurance systems for classes C, D and E, minimizing inequality in income distribution. In this context, CEBDS launched the study in October in São Paulo: 'Microfinance: Microcredit and Microinsurance in Brazil', developed in partnership with the Dom Cabral Foundation.
SDGs and World Water Council
This year, CEBDS joined the network led by economist Jeffrey Sachs, which provides advice to the UN high-level panel responsible for developing the Sustainable Development Goals. Starting in 2015, the SDGs will influence public policy guidelines and corporate investments worldwide in a similar way to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) since the 2000s. In addition, during the International Year of Water, the Brazilian Business Council secured a seat on the World Water Council.
Leadership for sustainability
This year, CEBDS and the University of Cambridge brought the course to Latin America for the first time Business & Sustainability Program (BSP), from the University of Cambridge Program for Sustainability Leadership. Created in 1994 and aimed at business leaders, the course aims to engage leaders and make them understand the strategic implications of sustainability risks and opportunities for business and corporate value. Lectures and discussions were led by members of the University of Cambridge faculty and guest speakers, including executives and business leaders.
