Sustainability is the key to a healthy, beautiful world. Sustainability and the methodologies used to perpetuate its sustenance and substance can have various perspectives on those it affects. To define it loosely, sustainability refers to “The ability to maintain or support a process continuously over a period of time.” (Investopedia) There are three main ways that sustainability can manifest itself: Environmental, Economic, and Social. To get a handle on some leading sustainability best practices, it is essential to examine various approaches by various organizations.
The International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives
ICLEI is an international NGO that supports local, municipal and regional initiatives worldwide. In their own words, their approach,
engages at the local to global levels, shaping policy and sparking action to transform urban environments worldwide. We build connections across levels of government, sectors and stakeholder groups, sparking city-to-city, city-to-region, local-to-global and local-to-national connections. By linking subnational, national and global actors, policies, commitments and initiatives, ICLEI strengthens action at all levels in support of sustainable urban development.
This is in stark contrast to how some erudites view the ICLEI. Other research suggests that ICLEI is part of a globalist agenda called Agenda 21, spearheaded by the UN to control all aspects of people’s lives in a way that does not require their consent, done covertly and with that nation’s taxpayer money, ultimately dismantling a nation’s sovereignty and ushering in a one world Government by controlling virtually every aspect of citizen’s lives. (Herscu, Shoshi)
According to the World Meteorological Organization and the Global Carbon Project, within the past year, two significant issues concerning sustainability were greenhouse gas emissions and the notion that 2023 was one of the hottest years ever recorded. These fall under the umbrella of climate change, and several companies are working to mitigate the issue. Here are the top 4 most sustainable companies of 2024 according to Corporate Knights, a sustainable-economy media organization and research B corporation.(Mccarthy, 2024)
Their expertise focuses on which companies are investing the most and producing the best green solutions regarding energy efficiency, circular economy and renewable energy.
Sims Ltd
Headquartered in Australia, this metal recycling. The waste management company is currently ranked number one by Corporate Knights for the top 100 most sustainable companies, a record that is updated annually (circa 2005). Sims Ltd. has great carbon productivity and a 36:1 CEO-to-average worker salary. (Mccarthy, 2024)
While this ratio may seem high if one considers the implications of socioeconomic status between the average worker and the CEO (Imagine a trip to the grocery store as either of them), this is considered reasonable compared to other companies where the ratio can be much higher. (Mccarthy, 2024)
Brambles LTD
Coming in at number 2 is another Australian company leading in sustainability. This Furniture and General Manufacturing company scored 36% for its gender-diverse board, meaning at least 36% of its board of directors has members representing non-majority genders and ethnic backgrounds. In addition, similar to the company above, 100% of its revenue and investment are sustainable according to Corporate Knights’ Taxonomy. What is not found within the taxonomy (Which spans up to 25 metrics from fatalities to employee ratio to political influence.) is how to determine meritocracy, which might arguably be a key metric for sustainability in any area. (Mccarthy, 2024)
Vestas Wind Systems
Located in Denmark, this company deals with all things wind turbine, which includes operating as a manufacturer for servicing wind plants. It has a respectable carbon footprint and, from a safety standpoint, no fatalities! Working on Wind Turbines can be very dangerous as there is high risk involved when working from heights, and if something explodes, there is no place to escape. (Mccarthy, 2024)
Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp.
The only company from Asia in the top 10, this fully electric, 350 km rail system Taiwan-based company boasts the lowest CEO-to-average salary in the entire list at 11:1! With the CEO not taking as much of a pay boost as other companies, this allows more money to be spread in beneficial ways throughout the company. Perhaps not coincidentally, Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp. also scored high on pension fund quality. (Mccarthy, 2024)
Post-Sustainability vs ICLEI
According to the ICLEI website’s vision for sustainability, “five pathways – low emission development, nature-based development, circular development, resilient development and equitable and people-centred development” (ICLEI, no date) make up the foundation of sustainable city development. Gino Van Begin states that this is a necessary move from the old ways, which did not “respect the limits of the planet.” and consisted of a “Fossil Fuel Based Extraction intensive capital oriented model. There is this notion that the world is rapidly transforming, and regions, towns, and cities must catch up to prevent climate change.
From another standpoint, the late US Government Land surveyor and California State Department of Transportation Rosa Koire argues through factual evidence that the sustainability movement is nothing more than a mask of a hidden agenda to move people out of rural areas and have them living in concentrated cities centers where they will be easier to manage, control and surveil. In 1992, 179 countries agreed to Agenda 21, which essentially allows unelected board members from NGOs, corporations and governments worldwide to influence and change regional population city centers worldwide on a massive and intricate scale in a way that circumvents complaining to your local government representatives.
Beyond this, she states that this is conducive to a global totalitarian regime, allowing power and influence to operate from a centralized unit and ultimately dampening and destroying personal freedom. One thing is clear (like the sky should be when it’s not cloudy): solutions and problems lie with human beings with regard to sustainability. Whether people want to wait until 2030 to see whether a system comprised of worldwide unelected officials will determine how and where they live is up to them.
References:
About Us (2024) ICLEI. Available at: https://iclei.org/about_iclei_2/ (Accessed: 11 February 2024).
ICLEI Global. Introducing the Malmo Commitment and Strategic Vision 2021-2027 (2022) YouTube. Available at: https://youtu.be/E2EhLbP3Wqs?si=GXm_i1cuLp5UarB- (Accessed: 11 February 2024).
John Nord. Rosa Koire. UN Agenda 2030 exposed (2019) YouTube. Available at: https://youtu.be/3PrY7nFbwAY?si=fS8kletyy2OsqJ-p (Accessed: 11 February 2024).
McCarthy, S. (2024). The 100 most sustainable companies of 2024. [online] Corporate Knights. Available at: https://www.corporateknights.com/rankings/global-100-rankings/2024-global-100-rankings/the-20th-annual-global-100/?utm_source=CK+Weekly+Roundup&utm_campaign=d06ce19a41-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2023_04_25_08_45_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-d1cdc778b8-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D [Accessed 8 Feb. 2024].
Mollenkamp, D.T. (2023) What is sustainability? how sustainabilities work, benefits, and example, Investopedia. Available at: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/sustainability.asp (Accessed: 11 February 2024).
Shoshi Herscu (2018). Mass Awakening. Balboa Press.
Taiwan High Speed Rail (2024) Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiwan_High_Speed_Rail (Accessed: 11 February 2024).
This is Vestas (no date) Global Leader in Sustainable Energy. Available at: https://www.vestas.com/en/about/this-is-vestas (Accessed: 11 February 2024).
