No industry is as visible and active in the climate change debate as the energy industry. Almost every day, managers are addressing the short-term and long-term implications of their policies for dealing with this issue. The authors of this article studied 50 firms in the oil and gas industry and found that companies that address the short-term and long-term threats and opportunities of climate change can gain a significant competitive advantage.
In June 2008, the chief executive officer of Talisman Energy Inc. (Talisman) and his senior executive team met with the company's board of directors. The purpose of this meeting was to debate Talisman's proposed entry into the oil-rich Kurdistan region of Iraq. This move was potentially very lucrative for Talisman but was fraught with risks. These risks were exacerbated by Talisman's previous foray into Sudan; during that expansion Talisman had been accused of complicity in human-rights abuses, stemming from industry-accepted royalties and fees it had paid to the government. This payment of fees was held as an example by public interest groups to allege that Talisman was indirectly funding the Sudanese civil war. Talisman's reputation had suffered to the point where the ire of investors and U.S. and Canadian governments was sufficient for Talisman to exit Sudan in 2003. There were many questions about the proposed move to Iraq, including the political situation, the views of the U.S. and Canadian government, and especially the US$220 million fee payable to the Kurdistan Regional Government. Should Talisman enter Iraq, and if so, could they avoid experiencing the same outcome as Sudan?
From the ephemeral to the measurable describes one way Corporate Social Responsibility has evolved. This article describes metrics and criteria that can help companies adopt best practices.
The president of the East Coast Trail Association (ECTA), a non-profit organization located in St. John's, Newfoundland & Labrador, faces numerous challenges as he attempts to pursue the organization's 10-year dream of completing a 540 km coastal and wilderness trail on Newfoundland's Avalon peninsula. One of the largest obstacles standing between him and this goal is gaining access to the land on which the remaining sections of the trail will be built. So far, 220 km of trail has been built with the financial assistance of the federal government and corporate sponsorships. A large pool of dedicated volunteers has also contributed countless hours to building the trail, a cause which stands to benefit not only hikers, but the provincial economy in the form of tourism dollars and economic development. However, both the ECTA's financial and volunteer resources are in decline as the association tries to extend the trail. Meanwhile, the existing 220 km of completed trail are in need of resources and maintenance. Time is also running out as developers buy up coastal lands where the association plans to extend the trail. Without access to land, the dream of a 540 km trail will end.