Investing in sustainability is far from business headlines

       

Further reading

• Investing in sustainability: An interview with Al Gore and David Blood (83)
• ASE: World-Class Energy Assessments (103)

In an interview with Al Gore and David Blood, formerly with Goldman Sachs, the gentlemen gives very interesting insight in sustainability oriented investments; a world that is far beyond the short-termism that normally dominates business headlines. Actually, that short horizon is one of their prime targets, and they show how a different view on the assets could be combined with good and sustainable profit.

They also discuss how the concept of investment selection has developed from negative screening (avoid companies whose products or behaviour you do not like) to positive screening, taking many more factors and aspects into account.

The main thrust of their view is that the long-term perspective should be an integrated part of the company strategy even to the level where the company may be prepared to enter entirely different solutions. An interesting example from Denmark is cited.

It is similar to when energy utilities enter into energy efficiency service, or, for that matter, how the Alliance to Save Energy has proposed that energy efficiency improvements should be part and parcel of the business strategy (World Class Energy Assessments) and not only a project-activity that might have to yield for other priorities from one day to the other.