Two weeks before world leaders convene
at the United Nations climate change conference (COP21) in Paris, to
negotiate an agreement on climate, MSLGROUP has spotlighted the voices
of global leaders, Millennial change-makers and sustainability experts
who are leading the momentum towards sustainable development and
sustainable business.
The report highlights key takeaways, through a series of expert-written opinion pieces.
Led by Millennials, people are demanding
businesses take meaningful actions to address climate change.
MSLGROUP’s global community of 250 Millennials* at BeTheChance.com, of
which 90 of them are Millennials from China and India, share that they
are frustrated, worried, and want immediate climate action. Similar to
their global peers, both Chinese and Indian Millennials want to hear
about greener products and expect businesses to collaborate with
governments to address climate change. Interestingly, Chinese and Indian
Millennials are different in one key way: Indian Millennials believe
that the change starts with them personally, while Chinese millennials
believe the change starts with the government.
With new global goals announced by the
United Nations, business is expected to play a bigger role in
sustainable development. Experts from the UN and Salterbaxter MSLGROUP
view the seventeen new Sustainable Development Goals as an opportunity
for business growth and global impact. Business will play an essential
role in implementing the goals, especially as it relates to
partnerships, innovation and investment.
Savvy businesses have already pivoted,
raising the bar for others to transform and embrace disruption,
innovation and new business models. MSLGROUP trend-watchers share
examples of businesses that are already maximizing resources, creating
positive handprints, collaborating across boundaries, changing people’s
behavior and switching to clean energy. There is a race to the top that
is widening the gap between businesses that already focus on
sustainability and those that do not.
Climate change and sustainability are
complex topics – businesses must make these easier to digest to
successfully engage consumers and employees. Sustainability leaders at
leading businesses and organizations share their approaches to
sustainability and citizenship, with examples of their latest
initiatives and their projections for the near future. Action on
sustainability is essential to attracting and retaining top talent.
Human rights are a growing priority and
responsibility for business, and a crucial part of the future of
sustainability. Human rights experts and advocates highlight the growing
pressure on businesses from the UN (and peers that are early adopters)
to strengthen human rights policies and increase disclosure and
assessments. Collaboration with human rights experts, and a proactive
stance on newer human rights issues will help businesses achieve real
impact.
According to Pascal Beucler, SVP and
Global Chief Strategy Officer, MSLGROUP, the shift to sustainable
business is unstoppable: “Sustainability has become one of top-most
priorities for businesses today. Businesses are now increasingly eager
to find more ways to add value to their triple bottom line. One could
say that there’s a collective desire to be socially and environmentally
responsible in how businesses are conducted. Material sourcing and
climate change realities are only pushing brands to introspect new ways
to operate, and the upcoming COP21 Climate Change Conference in Paris is
going to significantly accelerate the movement.”
“Considering the fact that Millennials
in both China and India have seen first hand the impact of human
activity on their local environments, it is no surprise that they feel
WORRIED, ANXIOUS and SAD about climate change. Millennials sense an
urgent need to address the global issue, where Chinese and Indian
businesses should seize the opportunity, engage concerned Millennials
and involve them as active agents of change to make the difference that
is desperately needed,” said Schubert Fernandes, Asia Practice Leader
for Corporate & Brand Citizenship at MSLGROUP.
The Tipping Point for Sustainable
Business and BeTheChance.com are part of MSLGROUP’s global initiatives
to give Millennials a voice on the issue of climate change. These
efforts culminate at an event of the same name, Chance for Change, which
takes place in Paris during COP21. The event will bring together
business leaders and inspiring Millennials and will explore how the
millennial generation can lead the response to climate change.
Helpchat, the chat-based personal assistant app that helps you get more things done has recorded an overwhelming response to its ‘Festive Season Help’ feature. The service was introduced to assist Helpchat users in
navigating through the many deals and discounts across online and
offline retail channels during Dussehra and Diwali time. Helpchat
processed more thanr 1 lac consumer queries during this time.
