Photo credit: WBCSD
We provide leadership and technical expertise as a founding member of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), a CEO-led organization of approximately 200 companies supporting the business case for sustainability. Our most recent activities build on more than 25 years of support and collaboration with the WBCSD and its members.
- Leadership: ERM CEO Keryn James is a member of and Co-Vice Chair of WBCSD Executive Committee. In addition, Keryn is Co-Chair of the Climate & Energy Program Board and was also a member of WBCSD’s COVID-19 response steering committee.
- Vision 2050: ERM was one of 40 companies involved in the Vision 2050 project, which was recently launched with the theme of Time to Transform. ERM’s Global Sustainability Director, Linden Edgell, was seconded to Vision 2050 to lead the regional engagement program and ERM will be engaging peers, clients and the wider industry in the implementation phase over the coming year.
- Resilience: The SustainAbility Institute by ERM co-authored a paper with the WBCSD on long-term resilience as part of Vision 2050 and the response to COVID-19. The findings of this paper featured in an Op-Ed on resilience co-authored by ERM CEO Keryn James and Peter Bakker, President and CEO of WBCSD.
- CEO roundtables: ERM co-chaired C-suite roundtables on both finance and hydrogen. Susan Angyal, ERM CEO, North America, also spoke at the North America members’ roundtable.
Other activities and networks
ERM has worked with a range of sectors to develop their own SDG roadmaps and supported the Tire Industry Project on water-related projects. In addition, we are active members of WBCSD global network partners, including:
- Brazil: ERM is working with the local network partner on biodiversity initiatives and advocacy.
- France: We are on the board of the local network partner and an active member of Act4Nature.
- Australia: ERM CEO Keryn James joined other Australians in international leadership roles: Matthew Reddy, Senior Private Sector Specialist, Global Environment Facility (GEF), Felicity Glennie-Holmes, Executive Director, Communications & Marketing, WWF and John W.H. Denton, Secretary General, International Chamber of Commerce to present the 2020 Fiona Wain Oration. The topic of the Oration was "Can Australia’s Future Development be Sustainable?"
- India: We have delivered a range of projects with WBCSD India including a water tool, chemical sector studies and other collaborations.
- Malaysia: ERM is working with other members to help to establish a local chapter to drive sustainability performance in the business community.
Read the highlights below to learn more about some of ERM’s critical work with WBCSD during FY21.