Big firms lack climate change plans

Here is a story about the lack of 'climate change planning' by many BIG Australian firms. Why do I find this a suprise? Well I don't really. I know smart firms are already doing major things to reduce their emissions and environmental damage because they realise the money that can be saved (e.g. from energy savings or reduced wastage) and the benefits from a positive 'green image' in the marketplace. I felt that many firms could lift their game, but was suprised that 78% of large firms had not taken ANY action on climate change.

Sounds like there is still plenty of low-lying fruit to be picked if they haven't done anything. Perhaps many still see climate change as a 'cost' rather than an opportunity to save money, get an advantage over their competitors (e.g. making 'greener' products than their competitors) or better plan for the future of their business by ensuring that they don't fall behind because of poor outdated methods, products or services. Increasingly people want to do the right thing (although this means very different things to many people such as buying the new 'greener' BMW or becoming a vegetarian or reducing consumption of unnessessary items or buying local products) and they want businees to also do the right thing. The world is changing faster than ever before and it is critical that businesses doesn't get left behind. The biggest mistake they could make would be to go into their shells and try and ignore the coming greening of business.

Anyway, here is the story . . .


January 30, 2008
AAP

LESS than 3 per cent of major Australian firms have implemented a climate change plan even though the Federal Government intends to bring in new carbon emission laws by 2010, a survey shows.

Less than one in five firms see climate change as a present risk.

The PricewaterhouseCoopers survey of CEOs and chief financial officers of 303 Australian companies with a turnover of more than $150 million, found that 67 per cent of firms were unsure about their compliance obligations on climate change.

Some 78 per cent of firms polled had not taken any action and 98 per cent had not implemented a strategic response to address climate change risks.

Only 8 per cent believed that climate change posed a present risk to their business.

"The main conclusion from the survey is that while Australian business leaders are aware of climate change as an issue and are keen to know more about how to how to respond, they are not ready for a carbon-constrained economy,'' the report compiled in November said.

"Some 15 per cent thought climate change would be a risk in 12 months while 29 per cent of respondents saw it as a risk in 2012".

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