Calls for businesses to be greener

These days, businesses are expected to demonstrate a responsible approach towards the environment and those that fail to do so can suffer. Typically, firms implement a range of measures in a bid to bolster their green credentials and, as part of this, some are taking advantage of electronic business holiday cards.

The issue of global warming was in the spotlight recently at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

A Davos-commissioned alliance led by the former Mexican President, Felipe Calderon, issued its most dramatic call so far to fight climate change on business grounds. The alliance suggested that only a sustained and dramatic shift to infrastructure and industrial practices using low-carbon technology can save the planet and the economy from devastating environmental harm.

The Green Growth Action Alliance suggested that the response must be all-encompassing, incorporating power generation, transport, buildings, industry, forestry, water and agriculture.

Extra spending on this would equate to around $700 billion (£446 billion) a year until 2030 and, as well as reducing the costs associated with global warming in future, it would provide an economic stimulus during these difficult times.

The report concluded that it is important to try to pre-empt events like Hurricane Sandy by addressing global warming.

Mr Calderon remarked: “It is clear that we are facing a climate crisis with potentially devastating impacts on the global economy. Greening global economic growth is the only way to satisfy the needs of today’s population and up to nine billion people by 2050, driving development and wellbeing while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing natural resource productivity.”

He added that economic growth and sustainability are inter-dependent “and greening investment is the pre-requisite to realising both goals”.

Given the importance of global warming, it is no surprise that firms are increasingly making use of corporate e cards, recycling and other green measures.