I am working in London this week. In BT Center right now. My view out the window is the dome of St Paul’s Cathedral.

My initial impressions  are of significant environmental activity….

This morning’s papers (I was reading the Times) covered the results of the  UN’s inquiry report on the IPCC. The Times editorial talks about the importance of accurate science but stresses that the thrust of the report is right and that governments need to take real action.

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I have noticed a number of interesting CR initiatives from Procter &Gamble hit the press recently.  I like to watch what BT’s big customers are doing in this space, and P&G is one of our big customers!  In 2008 we signed a $650 million outsourcing deal with them.

I have a vision that in time, companies will include sustainability criteria in selecting target customers, similar to how we include them in selecting our vendors.  After all, if you believe companies that implement good sustainability practices are more likely to be around for the long haul, you would be crazy not to include that as a selection criteria.   Especially for large, long term deals.  So I like to watch out for what our strategic customers are doing.

This article in ConsumerGoods.com calls out P&G for ‘Best Practices in Sustainability’. I particularly like that P&G have integrated sustainability with selected products and services and featured information on what they call “Future Friendly” products in their magazine (it goes to 50M households) using the ability of their brand to ‘Inform and Influence’ from my Four Dimensions of Sustainability.

I am skeptical that consumers will have the time and energy to understand detailed sustainability information on product packaging.  My hope for the future is in brands that build a reputation for sustainability and deliver that authentically and consistently in the products they deliver.  Kirk Perry’s (VP, North America P&G) quote in the article ‘be authentic in everything you say and do’ certainly seems to make that commitment.

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