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  Rolling stone

  Fran 11:11 am on December 8, 2011 | 0 Permalink | Comment
  Tags: one_stone, sustainability (12), sustainability communications

  Ta da! We are delighted to introduce you to One Stone’s new website. It’s up, running and ready for interaction.

  Why not click through to see how we’ve grown up? Our new site has better navigation, rolling updates and accessible information about our offer and inspirations.

  The way we were:
  

  The new us, an evolution of our stones and circles theme, this time with movement and hidden interest:
  

  We had fun contributing our own stony pictures to the stie. After all, we take our inspiration from our name. ‘One Stone’ embodies sustainability – a natural resource and humankind’s first tool. With stones you can build, create, connect, communicate. Stones are enduring. They symbolize the planet: the Earth is our stone and we only have one.

  Many thanks to Christine Nelsen, project manager, and the entire One Stone team for developing text and tirelessly contributing comments and ideas. Also designers Rupert Bassett and Alex Bray for bringing life to our new shop window.

   

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  In Search of a Positive Side to Japan's Nuclear Disaster

  ChristineNT 6:42 am on March 26, 2011 | 0 Permalink | Comment
  Tags: communication (8), corporate responsibility (9), Edelman, Japan, sustainability communications, sustainability reporting (8), Tepco, trust (3)

  Glued to the daily news as we all are, the question still unanswered following the Fukushima Daiichi disaster is, what is really going on there? How much radiation is leaking and what are the true dangers for the people living and employed in the region, especially those left working at the plant? No one seems able to answer this question. Prime Minister Naoto Kan learned about the first explosion in Reactor 1 a full hour after the fact and since then seemed in some denial about the events.

  While Japan’s preparation and handling of the earthquake and tsunami may be commendable, there is much to be learned from the information management associated with the power plant crisis. Transparency, or lack thereof, comes first to mind. Historically this is not an area where the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) has excelled. Given their somewhat imperfect past, (read more about historical cover ups here) it is easy to be suspicious of TEPCO, and man-on-the-street reports indicate Japanese consumers aren’t exactly trusting. Latest Edelman Trust Barometer 2011 figures from the Annual Global Opinion Leaders Study find that just over 50% of Japanese surveyed believe they can trust government to “do what is right,” up from 42% last year. Slightly more consumers, 53%, trust companies to “do what is right,” but interestingly, this figure is down from last year’s 57%. After the events of the last weeks, what will next year’s numbers show?

  Edelman’s study found that what matters most for a corporation’s reputation are “quality, transparency, trust, employee welfare.”  Currently, TEPCO is failing in all of these areas. But TEPCO’s dashed reputation may be positive in more than one way.

  Japan’s disaster has sent many of the other nuclear-powered countries around the world scrambling to review and validate their own safety measures. That can only be positive.

  Nuclear may still have a role to play in the global power mix, but clean energy can’t help but shine brighter in comparison. Perhaps the legacy of Fukushima will be clean power alternatives getting the attention and funding they deserve.

   
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  Will the Middle East become more responsible?

  ChristineNT 8:05 am on February 3, 2011 | 0 Permalink | Comment
  Tags: Climate change (15), corporate citizenship (2), corporate responsibility (9), CR (2), CSR (4), human health (2), Middle East, Revolution, social responsibility (3), sustainability (12), sustainability communications, sustainability reporting (8)

  Is the Middle East ripe for sustainability? Corporate Knights, “the magazine for clean capitalism” just published The global 100, its take on the world’s most sustainable corporations. Not one of them is based in the Middle East, nor has there been an entry from this region since the list began in 2005.

  Unfortunately, Transparency International‘s Global Corruption Report 2009 paints a dire picture for the MENA region: “Corruption is prevalent and widespread in the MENA countries… it is deeply rooted in the political infrastructure of the state (mainly military dictatorships, totalitarian regimes or monarchies); the institutional infrastructure of the public … and develops as a result of the relatively limited opportunities for public participation. Several other factors that contribute to providing opportunities for corruption and encourage limited transparency in the region include regional and/or national insecurities, the prevalence of conflict and heavy dependence on oil revenues.” Yet we’d like to believe there is a chance that this will soon change.

  Monumental are the demonstrations in Northern Africa where people are expressing their discontent with the way things are. They are demanding a change of leadership—one that will respect human rights, freedom of speech and improve living conditions for all, not just a few. Beginning in Tunisia, the so-called Tunisia effect has inspired similar demonstrations in Algeria, Morocco, Jordan, Lebanon, Yemen and now Egypt where there is real potential for dramatic change.

  For the moment, sustainability, let alone corporate responsibility, is not top of mind as fed-up citizens fill Cairo’s Tahir Square in support of a more sustainable social system based on freedom and an end to corruption. Might a more transparent and responsible government allow for more transparent and responsible business too? At a minimum, more attention to this matter? Northern Africa’s hot and dry climate make it particularly vulnerable to climate change.

  There is hope. A new survey of the region’s corporations by the Sustainability Advisory Group, suggests that although sustainability reporting has a long way to go (too many of the business leaders they surveyed did not see climate change, water conservation and waste as important to their business) strides are being made. More companies are recognizing the benefits of corporate responsibility. To assist them there are organizations like Carboun an advocacy initiative promoting sustainability and environmental protection in the Middle East and SBA, an international NGO active in the promotion of sustainable and environmental action in the Arab and West African countries. This and the promise of new leadership make this area ripe indeed.

   
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  Gaining and Sustaining Relationships

  ChristineNT 6:04 am on August 29, 2010 | 0 Permalink | Comment
  Tags: communication (8), corporate responsibility (9), sustainability communications, sustainability reporting (8)

  This week, the European One Stone members will embark on a road show that will take us from our posts at the outer reaches of Europe in the south and the north, to travel through Scandinavia.

  

  Stockholm, Sweden

  The tour will begin where the COP15 meetings took place, in Copenhagen, Denmark. From there it will meander up to Oslo and then over to Stockholm. We hope for good weather and no ash clouds.

  The goal? To visit as many of the leading Scandinavian organizations as we can to gather vital information from those who have demonstrated they understand sustainability. It is an exciting opportunity to garner the latest intelligence as to where we can best add value and hear about what is happening behind the scenes.

  Such personal contact is particularly exciting for me, the newest member of One Stone. I am thrilled to be part of a group that possesses such knowledge and experience. These women have a broad and profound understanding of the issues and a keen sense of the trends as well as superb writing skills. This makes for a dynamic work environment.

  I bring to the group a wholly international experience. In addition to my life-long passion for the environment I have an MA in International Policy Studies and Spanish. I have worked internationally in business development, sales and marketing for the technology and health sectors and I can get along in about in 7 languages (talk politics in 3). I’ve spent hours in front of potential and existing customers, at conferences and seminars, meeting and greeting.

  

  One Stone prides itself on being low carbon, utilizing the many virtual tools available—blogs, web, Skype, email and so on. Our business model is built on it. But one needs the physical experience too–the sharing, not only of ideas, but also of facial expressions, gestures and enthusiasm. This is especially so with new relationships. It means we must get onto planes, take trains and taxis. Because, even Skype cannot substitute for a coffee-fueled 60 minutes across a table, pen and paper at the ready, business cards handed personally to their recipient.

  Have we missed you?  Contact us now to get into our schedule!