World Business Council for Sustainable Development
Self-Description July 2008: World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)
The World Business Council for Sustainable Development is a CEO-led, global association of some 200 companies dealing exclusively with business and sustainable development.
The Council provides a platform for companies to explore sustainable development, share knowledge, experience and best practices, and to advocate business positions on these issues in a variety of forums, working with governments, non-governmental and inter-governmental organizations.
Members are drawn from more than 35 countries and 20 major industrial sectors. The Council also benefits from a global network of about 55 national and regional business councils and regional partners.
Mission Statement
Our mission is to provide business leadership as a catalyst for change toward sustainable development, and to support the business license to operate, innovate and grow in a world increasingly shaped by sustainable development issues.
The Council’s objectives are to:
Be a leading business advocate on sustainable development;
Participate in policy development to create the right framework conditions for business to make an effective contribution to sustainable human progress;
Develop and promote the business case for sustainable development;
Demonstrate the business contribution to sustainable development solutions and share leading edge practices among members;
Contribute to a sustainable future for developing nations and nations in transition.
The Council focuses on four key areas:
Energy and Climate, Development, The Business Role, Ecosystems
The Council has projects and initiatives covering the following: Projects/Initiatives Sector Projects, Energy Efficiency in Buildings, Water Capacity Building, Cement, Electricity Utilities, Forest Products, Mining & Minerals, Mobility, Tire Industry
NB: In the minds of some commentators is the view that the credibilty of the WBCSD was severely dented when it elected DuPont CEO Charles Holliday as its chairman 2000–2001.
Researchers at the Political Economy Research Institute of the University of Massachusetts Amherst ranked DuPont as the largest corporate producer of air pollution in the United States.
Dupont is a founder member of the WBCSD.