Tag Archives: Sustainability Forum

AmCham Sustainability Forum: The Role of Business in Building Collaborative Solutions

AmCham Sustainability Forum: The Role of Business in Building Collaborative Solutions

AmCham Sustainability Forum participants gathered digitally for the latest edition of the forum, with Gard Special Adviser Kim Jefferies and Høyre Political Advisor Daniel Skjevik-Aasberg joining to address building collaborative sustainability solutions with the public sector, international institutions, youth, and environmental organizations.

Presenters

Kim Jefferies

Special Adviser

Daniel Skjevik-Aasberg

Political Advisor

Make It a Part of the Job – and Consider it a Part of Everyone’s Job

Jefferies, an American transplant who has played a critical role in Gard’s work with the UN Global Compact Action Platform for Sustainable Ocean Business, opened up the session by highlighting Gard’s sustainability work – both at the international and local levels.

 

Jefferies offered participants insights based on years of experience, including serving on the editorial board of the UN’s Ocean Opportunities Report.

 

“If you’re company is looking to get more involved, do some research and find out what the infrastructure is out there. For us, it’s been great to connect to the (UN) Action Platform for Sustainable Ocean Business – and the great thing is that they have additional platforms for other business sectors.”

 

Critical to success, Jeffries noted, is that companies cultivate a genuine culture of enthusiasm around sustainability. By connecting passion with expertise, companies can better engage in transnational sustainability initiatives.

A part of Gard's extensive sustainability work with UN Global Action Platform for Sustainable Ocean Business has included serving as one of the maritme representatives for the UN COVID-19 Task Force.

“One lesson we at Gard have learned is that its important to have expertise within the company, and you also need to reach into your organization and find those employees who are passionate about sustainability…and give them space and support. Make it a part of the job and consider it a part of everyone’s job.”

 

To conclude, Jeffries shifted her focus to Gard’s local, youth-focused sustainability initiatives such as Gard Our Oceans. For her, the dialogues and sense of community engagement fostered by such initiatives represent a valuable opportunity to learn from youth – lessons that can then be taken back to the company.

 

“Many of the young people we work with know a lot more about environmental practices and the importance of climate change than we do as adults, and we can learn a lot of them through initiatives such as Gard Our Oceans. In fact, this really gives me hope for the future.”

Make It a Part of the Job – and Consider it a Part of Everyone’s Job

Daniel Skjevik-Aasberg, who served recently as Unge Høyre’s First Vice President in addition to his role as political advisor for the party’s parliamentary committee for labor and social issues, followed Jeffries, drawing upon his 10 years of youth political experience to discuss issues such as private-public sustainability collaboration, engaging youth, and collaborating with environmental organizations.

 

To begin, Skjevik-Aasberg noted the importance of financing green innovation and climate friendly business projects, touting organizations such as Enova, Innovation Norway, and Nysnø for playing crucial roles in providing the partnerships and capital necessary to build a sustainable future.

 

“One of the most important measures we can take is to ensure enough capital for green investments on a long-term basis. That will help accelerate green innovation, particularly in terms of public-private projects, such as the Longship and Northern Lights projects, as well as the Tampen Hywind project with Equinor.”

 

He also noted the importance of working not just at the national level to develop public-private sustainability initiatives, noting that there is an abundance of collaborative opportunities at the municipal (kommune) and country (fylke) level.

From there, Skjevik-Aasberg discussed how businesses can better engage youth and environmental organizations, noting the truly incredible impact these stakeholders can have in concert with business.

 

“We love meetings!” he proclaimed, noting that inviting youth politicians and other youth groups to companies via meetings, “sustainability days,” and sustainability forums can spark engaging dialogues, raise awareness about corporate sustainability efforts, and even lay the foundation for collaborative projects.

 

Collaborative projects featured prominently in Skjevik-Aasberg’s tips for better engaging environmental organizations, where the expertise of environmental organizations and the technical competence of companies can come together to build scalable solutions with a lasting impact.

 

To conclude, Skjevik-Aasberg reminded forum participants of the tremendous influence companies, youth, and environmental organizations can have when they work together.

 

“Companies and the climate movement, when they combine forces, can greatly influence government policy…I think it’s better for businesses to use the engagement of environmentalists in a more constructive and productive way, developing new projects and furthering innovations.”

About the Sustainability Forum

Many AmCham companies have been on the sustainability journey for some time, while others are trying to find their way to a sustainable future. Though our members are represented through the full spectrum, we know that several are at the forefront within their respective industries.

Hence, AmCham brings select, cross-industry member company representatives together on a quarterly basis to discuss opportunities, share best practices and find out how AmCham members can play a role in the Norwegian sustainability agenda going forward. Read more about our Sustainability forum here, and please contact us for interest in future forums at amcham@amcham.no.

June AmCham Sustainability Forum: COVID-19 Implications

June AmCham Sustainability Forum: COVID-19 Implications

The June edition of the AmCham Sustainability Forum brought together BI’s Per Espen Stoknes and Rud Pedersen Public Affairs’ Gørill Husby Moore for a highly engaging, timely session on the effects of COVID-19 for corporate sustainability efforts. Stoknes and Husby Moore took participants through the rapidly evolving sustainability ecosystem – from public policy to investment – highlighting challenges, opportunities, and the heightened importance of cross-industry collaboration.

You can see a full recording of the forum in the video player on the right side of the screen.

Presenters

PES

Per Espen Stoknes – Associate Professor

GHM

Gørill Husby Moore – Partner

Towards Genuine Green Growth

Stoknes, who also serves as MDG’s first alternate representative to the Storting, took participants through the green vs. grey growth dichotomy, noting how important it is for companies to maximize green growth – the increase of economic activities/growth with a lower environmental impact. He took participants through several industry-specific cases, noting how COVID-19 has not impacted the development of green growth end-user innovations or ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) investments. In fact, he argued, these are still “taking off” and were not “punctured by COVID.”

Stoknes noted the importance of achieving genuine green growth (GGG), defined as where the percent change in the ration of value creation to resource use exceeds five percent. He highlighted Denmark and Sweden as countries that have excelled in this area, while noting that both the US and Norway have room for improvement.

Key to achieving GGG, Stoknes added, are policies and financing that can facilitate the development and adoption of green innovations. A critical component of these efforts include the customer. When Stoknes was asked what companies should do when they embrace sustainability initiatives more readily their customers, he noted the importance of pulling, not just pushing, customers to embrace sustainable innovations.

In particular, Stoknes highlighted how AmCham member Tesla excelled in this area, noting that the company did not try to push customers to embrace the product – instead, their vehicles had pull.

“They’re cool. They’re a status object. Tesla’s product is not just more efficient or sustainable – it is better.”

Before heading off to the Storting for a debate, Stoknes reminded participants of the importance of making it simpler and more convenient to choose sustainable products, in addition to encouraging AmCham to “keep up the good work” in facilitating important sustainability dialogues between companies across industries.

Sustainability in Times of Crisis and Peril

Rud Pedersen’s Gørill Husby Moore then took over, guiding participants through the complexities of sustainable policy and communications, highlighting how they have evolved in response to COVID-19.

Drawing upon her background as a foreign correspondent in Africa and Mexico for publications such as Time Magazine, Husby Moore shared her insights with a global perspective. She noted that before the COVID-19 outbreak, companies were rapidly embracing the concept of the triple bottom line – people, planet, and profit – with some even embracing another “p” – purpose.

Like Stoknes before her, Husby Moore noted that COVID-19 did not diminish the importance of sustainability. In fact, it only enhanced the importance of acknowledging science, noting, “You cannot negotiate with the virus or climate change. And unlike the former, you cannot self-isolate from the latter.”

Therefore, businesses must act. In collaboration with a Brussels-based colleague, Husby Moore developed three key takeaways which she shared with forum participants:

“Commit to a zero-emission plan, anticipate new legislation and act proactively – and, lastly, do not let perfection get in the way of change. Many let the fear of greenwashing lead to green hushing. When it’s real action and real impact — not greenwashing — let’s end the green hushing!”

To conclude, Husby Moore encouraged participants to embrace transparency and build connections to people, letting them into the decision-making processes. Research has shown that trust in science, governments, and organization increases when there is transparency in these processes.

“Going forward, these same citizens – your customers and your employees – will expect the same transparency from the companies they buy from, partner with, and work for.”

The AmCham Sustainability Forum

Many AmCham companies have been on the sustainability journey for some time, while others are trying to find their way to a sustainable future. Though our members are represented through the full spectrum, we know that several are at the forefront within their respective industries.

Hence, AmCham brings select, cross-industry member company representatives together on a quarterly basis to discuss opportunities, share best practices and find out how AmCham members can play a role in the Norwegian sustainability agenda going forward. Read more about our Sustainability forum here, and please contact us for interest in future forums at amcham@amcham.no.

AmCham Sustainability Forum: Where Are You on the Corporate Sustainability Journey?

AmCham Sustainability Forum: Where Are You on the Corporate Sustainability Journey?

AmCham’s latest Sustainability Forum convened at Roche’s Oslo headquarters. Focusing on the corporate sustainability journey, the forum was kicked off by presentations from Roche Director of Public Affairs and Communications Hans Christian Hansson and ReputationInc Managing Partner Dennis Larsen, who discussed the diverse range of issues related to both communicating sustainability issues and better integrating sustainability practices across the entirety of a business.

Presenters

Hans Christian Hansson – Head of Public Affairs & Communications

Dennis 2

Dennis Larsen – Managing Partner

Sustainability at the Core

Drawing from his background as a foreign correspondent for NRK and an advisor for Prime Minister Erna Solberg, Hansson took forum participants through how Roche has put sustainability at the core of its business by making all of its employees ambassadors for sustainability and working hand-in-hand with both public and private sector stakeholders.

“From patients to governments, our stakeholders have extremely high expectations of us when it comes to sustainability. We can’t just talk the talk – we really need to walk the walk when it comes to these issues,” he remarked.

As the world’s largest biotech company, Hansson further noted that it was critical to have a deep local understanding when translating Roche’s global sustainability commitment across borders, a point he illustrated by discussing how different his native Northern Norway is from Basel, the Swiss city that plays home to Roche’s global headquarters.

“For us, it was very important to identify focus areas in Norway so that we could show our Norwegian stakeholders that we are a credible partner that shares key goals critical to the development of society,” he concluded.

Reputation Pitfalls and Rewards

Hansson was followed by ReputationInc Managing Partner Dennis Larsen, who discussed how companies can harness qualitative and quantitative analysis to build upon the “sustainability opportunity” by engaging stakeholders, building an influence-generating reputation, and leveraging that influence to drive transformational, systemic change.

“It’s critical to use strategic long-term thinking to engage the stakeholders that matter to us. If you want to reap the rewards of your reputation, you need to be bold and forward looking, actively engage with transparency, align your strategies across your business, and ensure you promote capable voices. Then you can truly drive change.”

Larsen then discussed how companies could avoid reputation pitfalls, noting the importance of finding the right communicative balance – neither under nor over communicating – and setting ambitious, yet realistic goals. This concept of balance carried over to his closing remarks – a stimulating exploration of how a lack of resources and competing priorities are the greatest barriers to change, and how leadership support is the greatest factor in transformational success.

The Sustainability Journey

At the conclusion of the presentations, forum participants then took part in dynamic roundtable discussion concerning the range of themes discussed by Hansson and Larsen.

“It is interesting how companies often look at developing country-specific sustainability and communication strategies, but then at the same time they reduce Europe to one big blob. By doing this, they lose the ability to leverage local insight to connect with a specific country,” noted one participant, who then argued for the importance of using quantitative and qualitative analysis to develop strategies tailormade for local stakeholders.

Another participant noted the crucial role of companies in driving change.

“We cannot survive without a sustainability focus, and it is interesting to be here and see how different companies and industries are looking at their global footprint and finding ways to contribute.”

The forum then ended, with participants noting their excitement for future meetings.

“Today truly delivered on my expectations – the presenters certainly provided a lot of food for thought,” concluded one participant.

The AmCham Sustainability Forum

Many AmCham companies have been on the sustainability journey for some time, while others are trying to find their way to a sustainable future. Though our members are represented through the full spectrum, we know that several are at the forefront within their respective industries.

Hence, AmCham brings select, cross-industry member company representatives together on a quarterly basis to discuss opportunities, share best practices and find out how AmCham members can play a role in the Norwegian sustainability agenda going forward. Read more about our Sustainability forum here, and please contact us for interest in future forums at amcham@amcham.no.

Forum Summary: AmCham Sustainability Forum – September 2019

Forum Summary: Q3 AmCham Sustainability Forum - September 2019

A Sustainable Role Model

AmCham Sustainability Forum participants gathered at Orkla’s Oslo headquarters for the Q3 edition of the forum, which included presentations from Orkla’s Ellen Behrens and Oslo Business Region’s Claire McAree. Attendees discussed how companies can develop innovative, future-oriented sustainability strategies, underlining the importance of leadership and talent recruitment in meeting sustainability challenges along the way.

Behrens, Orkla’s Vice President for Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility, opened the session with a presentation highlighting Orkla’s current sustainability strategy and how that strategy will continue to grow and evolve towards 2025. She drew attention to the fact that all Orkla units have individual sustainability managers capable of drawing upon their unique knowledge to develop sustainability strategies specifically tailored to their units.

Behrens then turned to the four pillars of Orkla’s sustainability platform: sustainable raw materials, sustainable packaging, health & wellness, and climate impact. She then discussed how Orkla will continue to ambitiously integrate these four pillars across the business over the next five years, a strategy that includes both making their existing portfolio more sustainable and launching exciting lines such as Klar, a series of sustainable household products.

Behrens was followed by Claire McAree, Senior Project Manager for the Oslo European Green Capital Business Program at Oslo Business Region, who discussed the importance of Oslo as a sustainable role model for urban economic ecosystems across the world. McAree, building off of Oslo Business Region’s 2019 Oslo State of City report (Link), highlighted how the city is quickly building a reputation for environmentally friendly business practices and noted the important role programs such as the European Green Capital Mentoring Program and their Industry Challenge program are playing in attracting green FDI to Oslo.

The Norwegian Sustainability Advantage

Inspired by Behrens’ and McAree’s presentations, participants then began the roundtable portion of the forum by discussing the “Norwegian sustainability advantage.” As a high-tech, knowledge-rich, and innovative country, forum participants agreed that Norway well-positioned to be a leader in tomorrow’s green economy. Attending leaders, however, argued that these good conditions alone are not enough to make a difference – corporate leaders, they noted, will need to act decisively. “You need to be bold and actually do something with sustainability,” said one participant, going on to conclude, “if you are not bold, you won’t solve sustainability challenges!”

Attendees concluded by shifting their focus from the boardroom to recruiting young talent, highlighting how a company’s “sustainability culture” can play a critical role in attracting and retaining promising young professionals. One participant added that, “Companies with strong sustainability profiles simply get a wider range of better qualified applicants, something I think connected to the fact that 60% of young professionals see contributing to society as the most desirable trait in a potential employer.”

About the AmCham Sustainability Forum

Many AmCham companies have been on the sustainability journey for some time, while others are trying to find their way to a sustainable future. Though our members are represented through the full spectrum, we know that several are at the forefront within their respective industries.

Hence, AmCham brings select, cross-industry member company representatives together on a quarterly basis to discuss opportunities, share best practices and find out how AmCham members can play a role in the Norwegian sustainability agenda going forward. Read more about our Sustainability forum here, and please contact us for interest in future forums.

Forum Summary: AmCham Sustainability Forum – May 2019

The Journey to a Sustainable Future

Participants gathered at AmCham’s offices for the Q2 edition of our Sustainability Forum. Featuring presentations from Philip Morris Norway’s Pia Prestmo and RCL Cruises’ Geir Kronbæck, the forum addressed the processes behind implementing sustainable business practices, highlighting the fact that sustainability is not a fixed goal, but rather a journey of continuous improvement, innovation, and strategic evolution.

Sustainability at PMI

Philip Morris Norway’s Manager of External Affairs Pia Prestmo kicked off the event with an engaging presentation covering PMI’s global sustainability transformation. Prestmo began by highlighting the cross-industry diversity in the room, noting how different industries have the ability to contribute to a diverse range of sustainability goals, noting specifically the UN’s 2017 Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs), a primary focus throughout PMI’s sustainability strategy.

For PMI, SDG #3, good health and well-being, and SDG #8, decent work and economic growth, were identified as core areas for PMI’s sustainability efforts.

Regarding SDG #8, Prestmo noted the efforts PMI has made in working to secure safe working conditions and equal pay for farmers and suppliers across the world through implementation of its Agricultural Labor Practices (ALP) program in 2011.

Prestmo noted SDG #3 as a critical area of focus for PMI, commenting on the significant role that PMI can play in moving nicotine users along the risk continuum from combustible tobacco products to less harmful, smoke-free products.

She then turned to public-private cooperation, highlighting how important it is for government officials, politicians, and regulatory bodies to include the business community in crafting solutions and drafting policy. “More often than not, the solutions for a wide range of sustainability issues lie with the business community, and it is important that public officials understand the innovation power our companies possess.”

​“More often than not, the solutions for a wide range of sustainability issues lie with the business community, and it is important that public officials understand the innovation power our companies possess.”

Pia Prestmo

Philip Morris Norway

"Seastainability": RCL’s Corporate Sustainability Journey Since 1992

RCL Cruises’ General Manager for the Nordics Geir Kronbæck followed Prestmo, leading participants through the company’s sustainability efforts, the bottom-line boosting effects of sustainable business practices, and RCL’s experience working with public officials and local communities on sustainability issues, noting the importance of a long-term approach to sustainability.

“As Norwegians, we often like to highlight the things which we do best – take cross-country skiing, for example. Sustainability isn’t like that, though. Even though people, cities, and countries are ‘competing’ to be the best or most sustainable, sustainability is about continuing to improve – there is no finish line,” he noted.

After taking member company participants through RCL’s approach to sustainability – one extending from ship design to HR strategy – Kronbæck, like Prestmo before him, emphasized the importance of public officials working in concert with businesses on sustainability issues.

Such dialogues, he noted, would help the government in creating regulatory platforms in line with available technology and adhering to feasible timeframes. He concluded by emphasizing the importance of predictable sustainability frameworks for the cruise industry, “Building a cruise ship is a considerable undertaking, and we cannot build them as fast as some politicians would like to change regulations.”

“As Norwegians, we often like to highlight the things which we do best – take cross-country skiing, for example. Sustainability isn’t like that, though. Even though people, cities, and countries are ‘competing’ to be the best or most sustainable, sustainability is about continuing to improve – there is no finish line.”

Geir Kronbæck

RCL Cruises

The Path Forward

After the conclusion of Kronbæck’s presentation, participants engaged in a roundtable discussion that complemented the themes brought up in both presentations. One participant highlighted the importance of understanding the connection between different types of emissions and understanding the linkages between them. Another noted the importance of increasing industry understanding amongst the public and making sure the business community works together to create sustainable frameworks that foster growth instead of hindering it.

About the AmCham Sustainability Forum

Many AmCham companies have been on the sustainability journey for some time, while others are trying to find their way to a sustainable future. Though our members are represented through the full spectrum, we know that several are at the forefront within their respective industries.

Hence, AmCham brings select, cross-industry member company representatives together on a quarterly basis to discuss opportunities, share best practices and find out how AmCham members can play a role in the Norwegian sustainability agenda going forward. Read more about our Sustainability forum here, and please contact us for interest in future forums.

Forum Summary: AmCham Sustainability Forum – February 2019

On February 26th, AmCham member representatives convened at McDonald’s downtown Oslo training center for this year’s first AmCham Sustainability Forum.

Combining a wide range of industries and backgrounds, forum participants engaged in a rapidly evolving discussion around the challenges and opportunities of sustainable operations in Norway, focusing particularly on regulatory complexities, innovation, and communications strategies.

More than just burgers and fries

When one thinks of
McDonald’s, thoughts naturally wander to the American classics that made the restaurant
a global household name. McDonald’s Hilde
Øverby
, however, made the case for adding another ingredient to the mix –
sustainability.

Noting the imminent release of McDonald’s Norway’s latest sustainability report, Øverby, Head of QA and CSR, started the forum off by discussing how McDonald’s has taken the environmental concerns of their customers and stakeholders to heart. The company has eagerly integrated sustainable practices across their substantial Norwegian and worldwide operations.

Øverby reminded participants, however, that sustainability is more than a buzzword and a growing array of quantifiable metrics. At its core, sustainability is about people.

As a reflection of their commitment to people, McDonald’s, the largest employer of youths in Norway, instituted their Grønn Utdanning Program in 2010. A partnership between McDonald’s, Felleskjøpet and Norges Bygdeungdomslag, the program encourages young Norwegians to seek careers in agriculture.

The systematic, long-term management and coordination of environmental, social, and economic principles to ensure responsible, ethical, and lasting business success.

Corporate sustainability as defined by AmCham Norway’s cross-industry Sustainability Forum.

Regulatory Cohesion and Predictability in Norway

After the
presentation from McDonald’s, forum participants launched into a discussion on
the challenges associated with leveraging sustainable practices into
sustainable brands – brands that resonate with the environmental concerns of
consumers and politicians.

The importance of
transparency in creating authentic public engagement was a primary focus in the
discussion on member company best practices, particularly the use of social
media in generating awareness around technological advancements and company
initiatives.

The conversation
then turned to common challenges in Norway. “Norway is sleeping, they want a lot
but they do not have the infrastructure to implement it,” said one participant,
referencing public official knowledge of industry-specific sustainable
technology. This sentiment quickly became a common thread throughout the
remainder of the discussion – participants agreed that the lack of regulatory
cohesion and predictability throughout municipalities in Norway had created
confusion among both consumers and politicians, in addition to making it
difficult to develop scalable, long-term sustainable strategies.

As a solution to this information asymmetry, participants concurred that more opportunities for interdisciplinary and cross-industry discussions between stakeholders – ideally creating a dialogue that can be utilized in the development of new regulatory regimes – are needed.

This forum included participants from BI Norwegian Business School, Circle K, Coca-Cola, Interimleder, McDonald’s, Mondelez, Orkla, Philip Morris International, Roche, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Scandic, and Starbucks.

About

Many AmCham companies have been on the sustainability journey for some time, while others are trying to find their way to a sustainable future. Though our members are represented through the full specter, we know that several are at the forefront within their respective industries.

Hence, AmCham brings select, cross-industry member company
representatives together on a quarterly basis to discuss opportunities, share
best practices and find out how AmCham members can play a role in the Norwegian
sustainability agenda going forward. Please contact
us
for interest in future forums.