Posted in Green Credentials

Beautiful and abundant: balancing profitability and purpose to build a green business

By Mr Bryan Welch, Founder and Publisher, Ogden Publications

Being green, generates green.  Yet, a lot of human energy is being squandered in conflict over short-term environmental obstacles.  People debate symptoms and solutions, but persistently fail to offer positive incentives for change.

We don’t need disaster to motivate change. A great, contagious idea or two can create all the motivation we need.  It’s time to engage human imagination and our entrepreneurial spirit to move forward not just against the phenomena damaging our environment, but also toward a sustainable and prosperous future.

Bryan Welch, author and founder of the highly successful Ogden Publications (publishers of Mother Earth News, Natural Home and Utne Reader), aims to close political divides and provide a positive, empowering counterpoint to the gloom-and-doom tone that pervades today’s discussions about sustainability, our environment and green business.

In this presentation based on his Nautilus Award-winning book Beautiful and Abundant, Welch demonstrates that it is possible to do well in business without destroying natural or human resources. He outlines four queries for building a collective vision of a sustainable future and reaching a sustainable business model:  Is it aesthetically beautiful, economically abundant, ethically fair and irresistibly contagious?

Through the lives and accomplishments of inventors and entrepreneurs, Welch explores a path toward a sustainable business culture we can proudly pass on to future generations. He shares achievable strategies for how businesses can use conservation and innovation to achieve a balance between profitability and conscientious business practices, including:

* What companies can do to make their business more conscientious?
* How executives can foster a business culture of conservation and innovation.
* Examples of companies that do a good job of balancing profitability and conscientious business practices.
* How companies and executives can reach a sustainable business model using the four queries for creating a
beautiful and abundant future.

Mr Bryan Welch
Taking Care of Business: Sustainable Transformation Conference
Radisson Resort, Gold Coast – May 21 & 22,

Sustainability Drives Competitive Advantage in Food Industry Supply Chain · Environmental Management & Energy News · Environmental Leader

Parents – mainly mothers – determine most household food purchases. Questions race through their minds as they navigate the labyrinth of products, packaging and prices.

  • Is this healthy for my family?
  • Will my family like this?
  • How much time will it take to prepare?
  • Can I afford it?
  • How will it impact the future of my children, my family, my planet?

The food industry supply chain wrestles with a similarly lengthy list of concerns when gauging the value shoppers place on the answers to those questions… more

Sustainability Drives Competitive Advantage in Food Industry Supply Chain · Environmental Management & Energy News · Environmental Leader.

The Business of Sustainability – The Conference 2012

The Association for Business Sustainability conference ‘Taking Care of Business: Sustainable Transformation” will be held on the 21st and 22nd May 2012 at the Radisson Resort, Gold Coast.

The conference will include case studies, keynote presentations, concurrent sessions and workshops.   You will Learn about governments’ sustainability plans and the relevant grants available, and find business opportunities and trends in the sector.

Topics include;

• Sustainable Natural Resource/Water Management
• Sustainable and Renewable Energy
• Sustainable Waste Management
• Sustainable Cities and Building Design
• Sustainable Food Production/Security
• Sustainable Investment and Finance
• Sustainable Leadership – Government and Business
• Sustainable Transport
• Carbon Price Management
• Business Case Studies
• Government Case Studies
• Education and Training
• Accreditation
• Green Procurement
• Personal Sustainability
• CSR

The conference will update delegates on a range of effective sustainable business practises from energy saving to carbon pricing and provide great opportunities to network and learn from other organisations.

There will be a B2B exhibition for organisations to promote their ideas, products and solutions to assist businesses and government departments achieve profitable sustainability. It will provide an avenue for emerging technologies and services that enable sustainability within business to be reviewed, discussed and promoted. It will be a Sustainable Education Forum to benefit businesses, individuals and government and provide viable sustainable business options to business.

Designing Food Sustainability and Resilience Systems for Cities

The impending food crisis and the current need for Food Security Policies have highlighted shortcomings in Urban Planning and land allocation for Food. There are both short term and long term solutions which will be canvased, with impacts ranging from allocation of land, urban planning, food education, food precincts and fresh food hubs.

The proposal for and design of the Worlds First “Creative Commons” will illustrate how these sustainability issues can and are being addressed in an urban environment in Western Sydney, Australia with discussion of London and the USA. Information will cover Researching, designing and applying realistic and practical solutions to issues impacting Sydney (population 4m), especially food security and efficient food production, dysfunctional social relationships caused by space issues and integration of disadvantaged citizens.

Dr John Troughton, M Ag Sc, Ph D, D Sc, FRSNZ, NZ National Research Fellow 1966-69, Carnegie Fellow 1973, Eisenhower Fellow 1984, Member of Australian National University Council 1968-69, Director, Guntonia Investments

The Conference: “Taking Care of Business: Sustainable Transformation” – 2012 Radisson Resort, Gold Coast, Australia