John Elkington is Founding Partner & Executive Chairman of Volans, and Co-founder of SustainAbility and Environmental Data Services. His latest book The Zeronauts: Breaking the Sustainability Barrier, was published in May 2012. The book explores ways in which corporations, citizens, cities and countries can tackle the civilizational challenges at the intersections between demography, consumerist lifestyles, natural resource availability and climate change.
A recent study found that the wages of the top footballers in the UK has risen 1,500% in the past 20 years. Over that same period, the average UK wage has increased by only 186%.
Players' salaries now account for up to 70% of a club's turnover, compared with 48% in 1997. Supporters are being asked to mop up costs with increasingly expensive tickets. In 1989, the cheapest ticket to watch Bill Shankly's Liverpool was £4. Today that ticket costs £45.
"What is the return on investment (ROI) of social media?" We get asked this a lot. Companies and charities - frustrated by the amount of time and effort things like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube take combined with an apparent lack of results - are wondering if social media is really worth it.
Simran Sethi's TEDx presentation “Why and how do we engage?” is a fascinating exploration of the role of psychology in social and environmental change.
Last week, Ashoka UK visited Scotland to establish ties with local organisations working with social and environmental entrepreneurs to find out about the top talent in the region.
It’s a tough time to be looking for your first job.
With one in three graduates taking non-graduate jobs, fewer jobs remain for the driven and educated school leaver. And if school leavers are driven into the lower end of the labour market, the most disadvantaged in society are yet again pushed further to the margins. And left there. On welfare. In poor housing. With little room to develop aspirations for something better, something more.
This is the result of our reliance on market forces; social exclusion and excess social expenditure and we’re left asking, ‘Is there a better way?’.
Something wonderful is growing at the Royal Edinburgh Community Gardens.
From what was a neglected stretch of land next to the Royal Edinburgh Hospital, the Edinburgh Cyrenian Trust and a group of tireless volunteers have dug, weeded and sown a flourishing community garden. It is one of Scotland’s many community gardens and highlights a growing trend in developing urban wasteland into space that communities can use to grow vegetables or simply enjoy spending time in.
But it isn’t the first time the site in Edinburgh has helped nurture people in the local community.
The Labour Party calls it ‘responsible capitalism.’ Activists are demanding a different world for the 99%. Economists are calling for a ‘new economy.' These are just some of the phrases being used to talk about what is needed to create a new world order - one that respects human and natural capital.
Scotland’s commitment to renewable energy received high praise from the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon this week at the Rio+20 Earth Summit - and Scotland’s local communities now have a huge role to play in helping to deliver the country's goals on renewable energy.
A critical part of Scotland’s leadership will be its ability to support community-owned renewable energy.
In just a few short years, social media has transformed the ways companies and charities communicate. And while these platforms can help your organisation create exciting dialogues with your target audiences – there are also a number of pitfalls to avoid. To make things a bit easier for you, we've pulled together some of the best social media advice.