As part of the 8th Europe Asia Young Leaders Forum, I was asked to present my thoughts on two questions:

• How do cities organize communal life and maintain social harmony?
• What can business contribute to these processes?

.. and I was given 15 minutes to do so.

The questions for me were ones that I regularly think about (particularly the first) as I walk through cities that I live in and travel through, but it was the first time that I had been challenged to put my thoughts into a single package.

At the heart of it, there are 5 major things that I thought cities needed to do well before they would find a "harmonious balance":

1. Good urban Planning
2. Provide Economic opportunities
3. Offer a suitable quality of life
4. Safety and Security
5. Environmental stability

How business fit into this wider picture is, and was, a bit more intangible to the presentation as I focused a lot on the role of the city, but in short, it is my belief that companies are being asked to play a stronger role in the development of community.  That, beyond providing jobs and paying taxes, it is the firms who work hard to develop internal and external communities are far more likely to find themselve in balance as well.

One of the issues that brands entering China are coming to more fully apprecaite is the fact that as they transition from a export led model to one meant to capture the local Chinese market, the costs and risks of their supply chain are going to increase.  That unlike before, where a firm could compartmentalize and seperate the secrets of their supply chain, skeletons are being exposed at a far higher rate, and the costs of exposure are far higher.

It is the core message of my recent article for Supply Chain Asia, and I encourage you to download the full 5 page article when you have the time.

Hello everyone.

As some of you know, for the last 9 months I have had the privilege of teaching a project based course to 193 MBA students on sustainability at the China Europe International Business School. Split into 35 teams, they have been focused their research projects across 25 separate issues, and for the last 2 months have been working on developing strategic plans with corporations, NGOs, and social enterprises in China to turn the theoretical into the tangible.

But, I want to take this further. .. I want you to hire them as your interns, bring them in-house for 2 months, and let them to help you understand the opportunities you have to improve on your current products, processes, or partnerships.

CEIBS Responsible Leadership Program (RLP) Summer Internship Program

The question of whether companies should embrace sustainable business practices that will continue the business to be profitable while at the same time, address community needs and stakeholders’ interests isn’t just a question of moral obligations anymore. It has become one where it makes good business sense to do so. In addition, the gradual change in people’s values is a key compelling reason for companies to re-evaluate the way they operate.

In light of both the internal and external pressures that companies face in evolving their business practices that address the sustainability issues, the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) recognizes that future business leaders should be equipped with the knowledge, skill sets and drive to help meet these needs.  The School has since launched a full-year class, “Sustainability and Responsibility Leadership” for its current cohort of students.

Over the last year, 190 MBA students at CEIBS have enrolled in this course. They have researched and managed projects on more than 25 of China’s most pressing issues. They include:

• Market landscape and entry strategies for green building technologies, smart grid, water filtration, e-waste management, and cold chain logistics
• Business plans for improving small scale CDM project funding, food labeling, organic food and clothing, and natural cosmetics
• Capacity development for community enterprises focused on elderly care, migrant education, urban poverty alleviation programs and assisting persons with disabilities

Why Hire a Summer CEIBS RLP Student?
CEIBS RLP students are trained to think strategically to understand market and regulatory landscape. They have also been taught to conduct stakeholder mapping and partnership development. Bringing their previous experience in human resources, operations, finance and marketing, they have brought the projects to fruition.

CEIBS is providing an opportunity for both these students and companies to be engaged for two months in building and improving a current product, process or partnership that aim to address the changing business environment.

How Can Hiring a RLP Intern Help Your Company?
The most tangible means for CEIBS RLP students to work with your company is to evaluate the risks that are brought about from changes in regulations, stakeholders and the public. They can help research current opportunities to develop a new product, service and/or embark in a new partnership that will have direct positive impact for your company, customers, partners and community.

Sample projects could include (but are not limited to):

• Analyzing cleantech market applications and investment opportunities
• Identification and research of new sustainable products and services in China
• Market entry strategies for foreign products and services within the sustainability sector
• Consumer and branding studies for consumer focused green products
• Industry level regulatory, stakeholder, and risk analysis
• Community partnership development as part of a CSR outreach program
• Lifecycle analysis and strategy construction related to waste management and reduction

What are the requirements of hosting an RLP Intern?
As graduate students at China’s top MBA program, CEIBS’ students look for internships where they can truly provide the expertise and value add that your firm currently lacks. They look forward to internships that are strategic in nature, and at the same time be hands-on in the project(s) that they are assigned to. CEIBS also expect the same as well.

The duration of the internship is two months, starting from early July and ending late August 2010.

Note: Some students might be more flexible in their availability depending on their time and location of their internship.

Internships should be paid positions, with work related expenses reimbursed.

How To Get Started
To learn more about this opportunity, please see the list of issues and projects that the students are currently undertaking. Following which, please download the form where we will need you to provide a brief description of the position and contact information where we can reach you. Please email the completed form at rlpinternships @ collectiveresponsibility.org.

For more information of this program, please contact:
Rich Brubaker, Visiting Professor of Responsibile LEadership, CEIBS and Founder of Collective Responsibility

naked Retreats partners with the professional trainers from ‘Greennovate’ and ‘Collective Responsibility’to launch a brand new Corporate Social Responsibility workshop and sustainability program.

Our corporate guests have the unique chance to green up their team while being surrounded in a pristine bamboo forest and breathing fresh air. Staying at naked Retreats and bringing the nature back in your life encourages your entire team to discuss the sustainability of your organization.Prepare your team to take on one of the greatest business challenges and opportunities of our time. Get ahead of the game by giving your employees a working understanding of what sustainability means for your enterprise,and how you can apply it to improve your company’s bottom line.

naked Retreats joins with Greennovate and launches a sustainability program in order to create green awareness and promote a green mindset within companies that stay at naked retreats.Greennovate will offer creative workshops designed to empower your company to pursue sustainability throughout.

In addition, naked Retreats partners with Collective Responsibility in offering a Corporate Social Responsibility workshop. Partner with Richard Brubaker's Collective Responsibility will assist managers in establishing a platform for a long term CSR program and spreading sustainable awareness throughout their enterprises.

To learn more about Naked Retreat's full programs, download their brochure, or to learn more about the Collective Responsibility training program at Naked Retreat, download this brochure

Next month, I will be speaking at the Martin Link conference Best Practices for Sustainable Corporate Social Responsibility 2009.  With a number of long term Shanghai based CSR "experts", the 2 days are guaranteed to be filled with friendly discussions on CSR, and how companies are dealing with a number of new dynamic  - recessions and social media in particular.

Speakers include:

• Mr. Yingchu Qian - General Manager - Environmental Marketing Solutions, Inc., Shanghai

I selected a random sample of 10 companies in China to look at the green initiatives described in their CSR reports. I would like to thank General Electric and HSBC China for taking the time to outline their companies' environmental efforts in more detail!

General Electric

GE believes that China needs to address four environmental issues: 1) Climate change caused by GHG emissions, 2) energy efficiency, 3) water and 4) pollution control.

GE is is addressing each one of these by: 1) Creating wind and solar energy technologies as well as clean coal (IGCC) technologies to reduce emissions; 2) produces products that have higher efficiency such as the smart grid, combined cooling-heating-power solutions, etc.; 3) desalination technology to provides more clean water and other water recycling technologies; and 4) pollutant control and sensing technologies.

GE has an internal "treasure hunting" program to reduce the company's energy and water usage and external programs that work with the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) to drive economically sound technologies in China. Most of GE's green technologies are driven by their ecoimagination strategy to become a green leader.

HSBC

HSBC has been working with the Shanghai Green Committee to foster a green park in downtown Shanghai and to care for 10,000 square meters of wetland in Shanghai's Paotaiwan Wetland Forest Park.

They are also involved in a five-year $100 million dollar program to respond to climate change. In China, HSBC has launched a training center in Gutianshan National Nature Reserve in Zhejiang that will host staff from China and 17 other Asia-Pacific countries for two-week sessions where they will learn about climate change from Earthwatch and CAS scientists studying the effect forests have on climate change. Upon their return to the office, staff will have to propose and initiate climate change projects.

Finally, HSBC has launched an Eco-Schools Climate Initiative to deliver environmental education to more than 700 Green Schools in China over the next three years.

FedEx

FedEx adopted forest-based product guidance for its packaging and paper use and have replaced ninety Boeing 727s with 767s as a part of their Fuel Sense Program. Globally, FedEx has been working on routing efficiencies and introduced hybrid trucks to their delivery fleet. It has yet to be seen if these last two initiatives have made it to China yet.

Nike

Last week I got to sit down with Shanghai Green Oasis and talk to them about their work and issues facing Shanghai's enviornment. One thing that struck me the most is how the group is addressing an environmental problem that isn't often thought about: wetland conservation. Wetlands have a vital role to play when addressing issues such as water pollution, biodiversity protection and Shanghai's overall ecological health.

Last month I got to talk with Pacific Environment's China Program Associate, Xiu Min Li, about the organization's work in China and the general situation for Chinese environmental NGOs (ENGOs). Pacific Environment's China program provides small grants, capacity building support and networking opportunities to environmental grassroots across China.

I just thought I'd share some cool projects frog design is currently pursuing. I received an e-mail from the Shanghai office a while back with an attachment featuring the new designs. Note that these products are part of frog design's concept work and have not been released to the market yet.

Positive Energy Park