The Pew Center published a report today on business strategies for dealing with climate change [PDF]. The report was authored principally by University of Michigan Professor (and recent Grist contributor) Andrew Hoffman.
I’ve only had a chance to glance at the report, but it looks like good stuff (here’s an article about it).
Here’s the summary of the report’s purpose and approach:
This report compiles the experience and best practices of large corporations that have developed and implemented strategies to address climate change. Based on a 31-company survey, six in-depth case studies, a review of the literature, and experience gained by the Pew Center in working with companies in its Business Environmental Leadership Council (BELC), the report describes the development and implementation of climate-related strategies. It is primarily a “how to” manual for other companies interested in developing similar strategies. But the report will also be of value to investors and analysts in evaluating the effectiveness of company strategies for managing climate risk and capturing climate-related competitive advantage. Finally, it will offer policymakers insight into corporate views on greenhouse gas (GHG) regulation, government assistance for technology advancement, and other policy issues. Although the report focuses primarily on U.S.-based multinationals, it considers the global context of climate change and related market transformation.
The executive summary then lists four themes that emerged from the research.
The first is the importance of strategic timing … A second theme is the importance of establishing an appropriate level of commitment … A third theme for many companies is the need to influence policy development … A fourth and final theme is the importance of creating business opportunities …
