48 Gas Utilities. 7 Topics

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1 This table shows a list of topics identified as relevant by different stakeholder groups. They can be considered as stakeholders suggestions or requests for topics to be monitored or disclosed by organizations. Additional information about the project can be found at Research/Pages/default.aspx 48 Gas Utilities 7 s Companies that distribute and transmit natural and manufactured gas. Excludes companies primarily involved in gas exploration or production and diversified midstream natural gas companies. Sustainability Environmental Energy efficiency Demand-side management Heating systems Changes in gas markets, combined with the effects of the Kyoto Protocol, are encouraging gas companies to enhance both supply-side and demand-side energy efficiency. Relative amount of renewable energy sources used in heating systems, including solar thermal technology, efficient heating boilers and bioliquids. Relates to system performance efficiency in relation to heat pumps and heating and cooling systems. Heat pump performance is measured via a heat meter that monitors the performance in regular intervals. 460 Financial 132, 390 Business Heating oil provides approximately 20% of the total energy used by households for heating purposes in the Sustainability s for Sectors: What do stakeholders want to know? Page 1 of 7

2 Natural gas utilities EU25 and EEA countries. The Eurofuel Association recommends that the use of more efficient and renewable sources of fuel can achieve significant reductions of GHG emissions in a cost-effective way. It promotes hybrid heating solutions that integrate conventional and alternative heating systems to provide a bridge to a progressive, eco-efficient market. Relative amount of energy, emissions and costs in relation to natural gas output. Relates to level of compliance with regulations and standards. 16 Business Supply-side management Social Land use rights Project development Increasing awareness of energy economy and associated environmental and economic concerns contributes to focus on potential for energy efficient to moderate consumer cost increases, reduce GHG emissions and enhance energy security. Investing in natural gas efficiency programs present an opportunity for natural gas distributors to achieve these objectives. Changes in gas markets, combined with the effects of the Kyoto Protocol, are encouraging gas companies to enhance both supply-side and demand-side energy efficiency. The right to access the land is not restricted by a narrow interpretation of property rights. The rights holders have human rights, which may not include land ownership rights, partly because some countries do not recognize individual property rights, and partly because some people may not have legal title to the land on which they live or work, but may have customarily done so for years, if not generations. That aspect has huge significance for 460 Financial 255 Mediating Institution Sustainability s for Sectors: What do stakeholders want to know? Page 2 of 7

3 the landless and other rights are also involved. It affects those with land rights, and those who work on the land, such as sharecroppers, and those who use land seasonally, such as pastoralists or informal businesses common in many parts of Africa. These groups often correlate with those that are already the most vulnerable groups in society (e.g. due to gender, caste or age discrimination). Their not owning property rights does not mean they do not have rights The impact on human rights is felt much before business operations begin even when a company expresses its intention to develop a project in a particular area, there are human rights implications, because of raised expectations within a community. The power asymmetry between State and communities, between private economic interests and individuals or groups, often becomes the determining factor in shaping the land ownership dilemma. Business, civil society, and governments have a common interest in developing a framework that prevents human rights abuses at all stages of business relationship with land before acquisition, during acquisition, and after operations have commenced and, if necessary, concerning appropriate relocation, rehabilitation and compensation. The extraction of natural resources oil, gas, and mining has commanded considerable attention in the area of business and human rights, but other businesses tourism, manufacturing, infrastructure projects, power Sustainability s for Sectors: What do stakeholders want to know? Page 3 of 7

4 plants, public highways, irrigation projects, and even urban office complexes and supermarkets require land. Other Corporate governance Gender participation on governance bodies GOVERNANCE / EUROPE: boardroom lady boom: is it possible without quotas? On 22 June, the CapitalCom agency published its 2011 survey into the boardroom gender mix of CAC 40 companies, with fairly encouraging results: the proportion of women on the board has doubled in recent years, from 10.5% in 2009 to 20.8% in Financial In January, the French parliament adopted legislation imposing quotas for the proportion of women on the board of major companies. Under the measures, the development of female board membership is mandatory and gradual: 20% for listed groups, public companies of an administrative, industrial and commercial nature by January 2014, rising to 40% by January The law also stipulates that companies with no women present on their board must appoint at least one within six months of it being on the statute books (voted on 13 January 2011). In France, some 2,000 companies are affected (the 650 largest listed firms and companies with more than 500 employees and those generating sales in excess of 50bn). In terms of sanctions for noncompliance, appointments that run counter to the parity principles are to be declared null and void and attendance fees are to be temporarily suspended. At the European level and at the instigation of the Vicepresident of the European Commission, Viviane Reding, Sustainability s for Sectors: What do stakeholders want to know? Page 4 of 7

5 the European parliament will decide in March 2012 on whether to adopt common legislation on this matter (a mandatory proportion of women in decision-making positions of 30% in 2015 and 40% in 2020). This will depend on the level of improvement seen based on the selfregulation of European companies, in accordance with the equality initiative adopted by the European Commission in December 2010 and the European parliament resolution of 17 January 2008 calling for the Commission and member states to promote a balance between women and men on company boards, particularly where member states are shareholders. Political accountability Europe as a whole illustrates the degree of hesitation between a soft-law approach and conventional legislation (quotas in this instance), but it is clear from the experience at national level that the second method tends to get much better results. There are various measures of political accountability that can be measured (contributions, disclosure, board oversight). Note that this topic is applicable to more than the three industries noted. Essentially the political accountability practices of any company that is owned by public stockholders. Political contributions, the amount of disclosure and board oversight are among the data items that would be helpful in a sustainability report. In making investment decisions (especially for investors 394, 616 Financial Sustainability s for Sectors: What do stakeholders want to know? Page 5 of 7

6 interested in socially responsible investing) is would be helpful to understand how a given company is exposed to political risk (i.e. are they backing the winning candidate, are they subject to potential retribution, why do they find it necessary to make political contributions, etc.). I have found the information I reference to be helpful in constructing investment portfolios that take into account this attribute of sustainability. Since it is not currently an established parameter in the socially responsible investment industry ( adoption by the Global Reporting Initiative would go a long way in moving the topic of political accountability forward. 1 All references can be found at Sustainability s for Sectors: What do stakeholders want to know? Page 6 of 7

7 References All references can be found at American Gas Association (AGA), Natural Gas Efficiency Programs Report Program Year, Washington D.C.: American Gas Association (AGA). Eurofuel, Eurofuel s initial comments on the Commission s Proposal for a Directive on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources, Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB), Preventing Conflicts over Land: Exploring the Role of Business and the Value of Human Rights Approaches, Draft Position Paper, London: Institute for Human Rights and Business. 389 Natixis, Strategy Note Equity Research - Strategy/SRI: Monthly review June 2011, Paris: Natixis. 390 Natural Gas Supply Association (NGSA), n.d. Natural Gas: Cleanest Burning Fossil Fuel - Understand the Numbers Behind the Claim, Washington D.C.: Natural Gas Supply Association (NGSA). 394 Nowak, T., Low Fee Socially Responsible Investing. 1st ed. Grayslake: Quantum Financial Planning LLC. 460 Robeco SAM, The Sustainability Yearbook 2012, Zurich: Robeco SAM. 616 Zicklin Center for Business Ethics at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, CPA-Zicklin Index of Corporate Political Accountability and Disclosure, Washington, D.C.: Center for Political Accountability. Resource available on request and/or for a fee. Sustainability s for Sectors: What do stakeholders want to know? Page 7 of 7