DNV’s Chief Operating Officer Bjørn K. Haugland underlines growing interest in sustainability as business case.
Addressing delegates at the Sustainability Now conference in Bergen, Norway, Haugland said there is a strong consensus among senior executives that sustainability will have a material impact on how companies think and act in the future. "Sustainability is a real opportunity for the serious companies. Indeed, market sources are predicting that sustainability investments and related business is expected to grow significantly in the years ahead.”
According to Haugland research shows that sustainability issues have stayed a priority in spite of the global economic downturn. “More and more companies are embracing sustainability as a cornerstone in their strategy to build competitive advantage. There is clearly strategic thinking going on at the highest level in business and government.”
At the same time, Haugland warns that “there is still a large number of companies that are not acting decisively on sustainability issues due to the lack of knowledge and organizational capabilities…and ultimately this will lead to winners and losers. Put simply, sustainability matters to business and those who take it seriously and use it as a source for innovation will prosper in the years ahead.”
Under the theme "Sustainability Now", the one day conference attracted delegates from the government and business community.