The Business of Sustainability

Helping businesses to improve their environmental performance.

Few businesses can afford to ignore the need to become more sustainable and more socially responsible and the Living With Environmental Change-accredited Centre for Business Relationships, Accountability, Sustainability and Society is helping them achieve that change.

Based at Cardiff University, the centre has enabled scores of organisations to transform their operations since opening its doors ten years ago.

“We look at every aspect of sustainability and social responsibility, including the way businesses interact with their customers, suppliers and other stakeholders,” says Professor Ken Peattie, Centre Director. “In particular, we focus on some less obvious issues such as the environmental impacts of nanotechnologies, ecological footprinting of sporting events like the FA Cup Final and sustainability strategies for arts businesses. At the moment, we’re helping to develop environmental strategies for the BBC’s new multi-million-pound drama village at Roath Lock on Cardiff Bay.”

Flagship successes also include influential contributions in the area of sustainable food systems. For instance, the report ‘UK Food Supply in the 21st Century’ (produced in conjunction with Chatham House) focused on future food security – and specifically on the global trends that will impact on wheat and dairy supply chains and the potential implications in terms of rising prices and scarcity of supplies.

Similarly, the Centre has driven thinking on improving the car industry’s green credentials.

“A decade ago, we proposed the idea that local, microfactory-based retailing might represent a new way to manufacture and sell greener vehicles profitably,” says Professor Peattie. “Some people said it was a crazy concept. But now, with new businesses establishing themselves using this model, it’s becoming a reality.”