The New Nation - Internet Edition

The latest world survey by GlobeScan finds that the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) continues to lead among organizations expected to play a major role in advancing sustainable development and also to be a leading provider of information on sustainability issues.

In a 2006 survey, sustainability experts were asked to rate a number of organizations on how significant a role they expect each to play in advancing sustainability over the next five years. 54% of respondents think the WBCSD will play a "major role" in the next 5 years, up five points from a 2004 survey. The Council was second only to the European Union (EU), named by 69%.

Governments were the most inclined of the sectors to point to the EU, WTO, and OECD, and along with the business service sector, the most inclined to expect the WBCSD to play a prominent role.

The WBCSD website is not only viewed as the best, by far, for information on sustainable development, it is increasingly seen this way.

When asked to name - without reference to a list - the best websites for sustainable development, most experts mentioned the WBCSD. In total, six in ten experts (63%) were able to mention a website; among these experts, the WBCSD was mentioned by almost one-half (44%). The percentage of respondents citing the WBCSD has increased 16 points since 2003, when the question was first asked.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (16%) and the United Nations (15%) sites ranked second and third.

Experts in the corporate and service sectors are more likely than others to mention the WBCSD. Little variation exists regionally in terms of which websites are the best sources for sustainable development information; however, North Americans are slightly more likely than others to cite the WBCSD.

Experts think that business can make its greatest contribution to sustainable development by addressing energy and climate change issues, followed by corruption and transparency.

Experts were asked how much of a contribution to sustainable development business can make in six different areas. Nine in ten experts (88%, first time asked) thought that the business community can make a "great contribution" on energy and climate change (developing innovative ways to address global warming within a sustainable development framework).

Rated second were corruption and transparency, where three-quarters of experts (73%) thought that business can be effective in promoting the implementation and use of global corporate governance to fight corruption and increase transparency.

Six in ten experts judged that business can provide a great contribution in each of three areas: human rights (63%); water (60%); and development and poverty alleviation (58%). Experts are least optimistic about business's effectiveness in the sustainable management and use of ecosystems (48%).

As a business organization, the WBCSD is heavily involved in all of these areas. It brings together some 180 member companies in a shared commitment to sustainable development through economic growth, ecological balance and social progress. Through its three focus areas, Energy & Climate, Development and The Business Role, as well as various projects, including water, ecosystems, forest products, cement, electricity utilities, tires and health, its aims to provide business leadership as a catalyst for change toward sustainable development.

The Globescan Survey of Sustainability Experts is published twice yearly. Each report is based on the strategic insights and predictions provided by a selected panel of experts across mainly OECD countries. The Sustainability Experts panel represents all sectors: officials in multilateral organizations, government ministries, corporations, industry associations, sustainable development consultants, journalists and academics, as well as leaders of major policy institutes and non-governmental organizations.

Respondents are drawn from five sectors: corporate, government, voluntary (NGO), institutional (e.g., academics), and service (e.g., consultants). Regionally, Asia, Western Europe, North America, Africa, the Middle East, South America and Eastern Europe are represented. Of the 240 respondents, 66% have more than ten years of experience working on sustainable development issues, 25% have five to ten years, and 9% have three to four years. Those with less than three years of experience have been excluded from the research.

(Read the press release online http:// www.wbcsd.org /includes/getTarget.asp?type=DocDet&id=MTk2OTg)