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Greening Of The Gaming Industry: The NGO Perspective, Part 2

To see the first part of my blog about the Greening of the Gaming Industry click here

Defining the broad issue of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Cody Sisco, manager of Advisory Services of Business for Social Responsibility (BSR), focused on sustainability in terms of how the video game industry can learn from collaborative endeavors in other industries, such as software, consumer electronics, computers, sporting goods, retail and transportation.

At the G3 Summit, publishers, distribution companies, packaging companies, in store merchandisers, media, management consultants, academia and a retailer received an insight from an NGO as they search for the steps that need to be undertaken to develop sustainability as a core competency.

In the last decade I have noticed the transformation of Non-Government Organizations from waging a war on the profit of motive to one where profit is the driver of broad social objectives. And in case of the emerging business strategy of sustainability, NGOs are playing a very constructive role, such as BSR, Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), Environmental Defense, National Audubon Society, Sierra Club, The Conservation Fund, to name a few from the hundreds of such pioneering organizations. In addition to be a resource for knowledge and case studies, an NGO has become a catalytic agent for certain global initiatives.

Devendra Mishra and Cody Sisco

BSR, a leader in corporate responsibility since 1992,works with its global network of more than 250 members to develop sustainable business strategies and solutions through consulting research and cross-sector collaboration. With six offices in Asia, Europe, and North America, BSR leverages its expertise in environment, human rights, economic development, and transparency and accountability to guide global companies toward creating a just and sustainable world.

Sisco minced no words in pointing out that Sustainability is a critical element of the overall Corporate Strategy Responsibility (CSR) of an enterprise. “Environmental management is becoming a business priority”, he stressed, in a world where there is a compelling “need to balance social expectations”. He stressed that anticipating shifting attitudes related to media / content issues (privacy and free expression, protection of minors, diversity, negative / positive impacts of use) are essential. Building a case for sustainability, Sisco impressed on the gathering that “an enterprise has to respond to new regulation, customer requirements and cost pressures”. He further emphasized, “Benefits of employee engagement will promote attracting, retaining and motivating a talented workforce”. The ultimate benefit becomes “brand protection: ensuring responsible marketing practices”, he said.

Presenting a business case for pursuing sustainability in the gaming industry, Sisco analyzed the CR Trends in the Technology Industry, which have enormous implications and are receiving favorable response. Sisco believes, “Convergence in consumer products has increased the need for greater industry and supply chain collaboration and opportunities exist to advance economic development and expansion to new markets.

Intersection between ICT and energy is enabling industry collaboration to understand and reduce climate change impacts and shift from environmental risk to performance and innovation. The growing phenomenon of excess packaging and e-waste is challenging product stewardship, design for environment and raising questions around producer responsibility. Product use & media impacts have been realized to be broad when you consider 1. Risks and opportunities of media issue advocacy, 2. Censorship and/or voluntary content standards, and 3. Safety standards around issues such as driving while texting.”

Sisco suggested that human rights in the supply chain require that we address internal worker issues such as safety & hours/wages, collective bargaining, and child labor, apply lessons learned from other sectors (e.g. retail) and engage with local communities.

He described supply chain collaboration initiatives in several industries in terms of tools, sample participants, impact, electronic tools for Accountable Supply Chains, standardized codes. Highlights of such initiatives are the following:

EICC, Electronic Tool for Accountable Supply Chains has achieved a standardized code and implementation for labor and environment in the electronics supply chain.   EICC companies also participate in Project De-Carbonizing, approaching the supply chain using the Carbon Footprint Tool that has established standardized carbon footprint data for electronics suppliers. Members of this EICC consortium are CISCO, Dell, Flextronics, IBM and Intel.

Clean Cargo, Marketing Group of Nike, Maersk, UPS and Hapag Lloyd has conducted an Environmental Performance Survey and established Standardized environmental performance data for ocean carriers.

Beyond Monitoring, a collaborative group of Nordstrom, Dell, HP, Gap and Wal-Mart, is using the tool of Continuous Improvement Diagnostic to standardize approach to assessing supplier management systems for working conditions and environment.

Project Her, consisting of Nordstrom, Timberland, Columbus and HP is focused on a Training Curriculum and is pursuing establishing a Flexible Project to improve women factory workers’ general and reproductive health with demonstrated ROI.

Here are the questions Sisco challenged us all to answer:

1. What are the most important sustainability issues for your company? Why?

2. What are your plans to become more energy efficient / “low carbon”?

3. What are your plans to reduce packaging or use renewable materials?

4. Have you thought about the sustainability risks and opportunities that arise from changing business models? and

5. Have you thought about your company’s responsibilities to respect human rights?

So are you Reactive, Engaged or a Leader in the journey for Sustainability?  Let the Q&A begin!

Devendra Mishra
Chief Strategist, MESA

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