In previous entries we have discussed that Green PR is a subset of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). In tough economic times some companies find themselves trying to justify budget for going Green or socially responsible programs. Just yesterday I was sharing PilmerPR philisophy that CSR should be woven into the very fabric of who we are as a company.  This article I read today in the Financial Times does a great job of exploring the issues around commitment to CSR in today’s economic environment.

The triple bottom line, CSR and social responsibility are all buzz words gracing headlines and the agendas of corporate meetings both large and small. But what do they all mean? And why is everyone talking about them?

Corporate social responsibility or CSR is a relatively new and increasingly large concern for corporations and small businesses alike. CSR is also known as corporate citizenship, corporate responsibility, sustainable responsible business (SRB) and corporate social performance. Simply put, corporate social responsibility is self-regulation built into a company’s business plan.

In a perfect world, a company’s CSR policies would self-monitor in accordance to their obedience to laws, ethical standards and governmental regulations. In other words, the company would force itself to comply with standards before the government gets involved. Read more at Utah Business Magazine

According to a United Nations report, global investments in renewable energy attracted $155 billion US in 2008, surpassing the investment in carbon-based fuels for the first time. According to the Global Trends in Sustainable Energy Investment 2009, the 2008 investment was four times higher than in 2004 with $36 billion invested in emerging economies, and $105 billion spent directly developing power generating capacity from wind, solar, small-hydro, biomass and geothermal sources. Wind power attracted the most investment with $51.8 billion, while solar accounted for $33.5 billion. The report was prepared for the UN Environment Program’s Sustainable Energy Finance Initiative. (Source: AFP, June 3, 2009)

Global Trends in Sustainable Energy Investment 2009, Executive Summary

One of the keys to ongoing effective public relations is to “stay on message.” Savvy organizations wisely invest in getting the message right and getting internal buy-in from stakeholders prior to putting it out over the megaphone of media. These same savvy organizations keep stating the same message over and over long after executives tire of the exercise.  This proven formula maximizes the chance that the message will get to “the end of the row” and will begin to influence target public perception and behavior.

For decades, environmentalists have consistently raised the war cry promoting renewable energy resources. True, some extremists have given the well intentioned movement a bad name by distasteful methods. However, raising the consistent cry for more sustainable solutions has resulted in better public understanding of the problems and the solutions needed. Investors, on the other hand, have lagged in adoption of renewable energy in part because the cost/benefit analysis didn’t work out. Clean energy just didn’t make sense on an income statement.

Fast forward to 2009. Investors are giving thumbs up to major clean energy projects because the numbers finally make sense. Not only can People and Planet be served, but also Profit.  The challenge is now that extreme environmentalists have flip-flopped on their message. Now, renewable energy isn’t enough. You have to implement it without ANY displacement of wildlife, without change in the view, without any loss of jobs from fossil fuel sectors, etc. Of course I’m looking at the extreme end. But, that’s what the extreme environtmentalist are doing, too.

Fact – There is NO perfect energy source currently known to man. There is no impact free transition to a zero carbon future. There is no perfectly efficient technology that will never be improved upon. So, as is usually the case, we have to to move forward with imperfect knowledge with the best technology know NOW, not at some future Utopian time. We have problems now that are severe and far more dangerous than some of the extreme demands environmentalists are now pushing for.

The result here is that extreme environmentalist are now fractured in messaging. They are offending reasonable people that don’t want a major highway project derailed because of a single falcon bird nest. They may lose confidence in those fighting solar projects because we have to drive over a lizard to remote desert locations to install the panels.  Most people will not buy in to extreme demands for a minimalist future without technology, with everyone powering their own home with bicycle generators.

Surely, extreme environmentalists are their own worst enemies when it comes to communicating a cohesive message that benefits People, Planet, and Profits – the triple bottom line of sustainability and green for the U.S. and the world.

What do you think?

Yesterday, master communicator Rick White drove straight from the airport to make a date with UVEF and giving back to entrepreneurs just like him. Well, not just like him. Fusion-io, co-founded by White, is rising faster than a meteor streaking across the sky. Just check out their online press room for the evidence of more than savvy public relations. The reason being is they are providing the fastest data storage technology on the planet and everyone from Michael Dell and Steve Wozniak are in on the game.

However, in his presentation Rick spoke about Fusion-io only in his Q&A. On this day he shared insight into how he thinks as an entrepreneur. He counseled marketers to distill their messages down to the “syrupy goodness” ala iPod – “1000 songs in my pocket.” Most of his time was spent counseling entrepreneurs to stop living their fears and to live their dreams instead. Rick spoke about how to change one’s reality by changing one’s perception.

Here’s a YouTube video of Rick summarizing his recipe for the “brocolli principle” and other cool insights for entrepreneurs.

ElectraTherm, Inc. (www.electratherm.com) today announced they have received an unprecedented amount of interest from states across the U.S. to house the company’s new manufacturing facility.  After successfully launching the ElectraTherm Green Machine in 2008, ElectraTherm has fielded requests from all over the world to purchase fuel-free, emissions-free systems that produce power from waste heat.  As a result, the company plans to expand its Carson City, Nevada operations and open an additional manufacturing facility.

more…

The buzz around green has risen to a fever pitch. New green companies pop up daily like a bowl of Orvil Redenbacher seeking to seize the moment. Companies large and small rewrite messaging to grab headlines and improve public perception. The difference between skilled public relations and what is real green and socially responsible is sometimes glaring and other times very subtle.

Here are some PR tips on my Utah Business Blog for companies trying the do the right thing regarding the planet:

Honeywell (NYSE: HON – News) announced today that its non-ozone-depleting refrigerant Genetron® R-245fa is being used to convert waste heat to power at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.The energy-efficient, non-flammable, low-toxicity refrigerant is used as the heat-transfer fluid in an organic rankine cycle (ORC) called the ElectraTherm Green Machine. The ORC uses waste heat as low as 200 degrees Fahrenheit to boil the R-245fa. The resulting vapor is used to drive a patented Twin Screw Expander that generates usable electricity.

Electricity generated by the ElectraTherm Green Machine costs less than a penny per kilowatt hour after its capital payback period of less than two years. By comparison, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, average commercial electricity costs surpassed 10 cents per kilowatt hour in 2008.

The machine, which can generate more than 50 kilowatt hours of electricity, was named one of the top technology innovations in 2008 by Popular Science magazine, which honored it with a Best of What’s New Award.

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There is an upside to everything. Although it may be hard to believe, there is actually a very visible upside to the current economy. This upside is innovation. During tough economic times the entrepreneurial spirit thrives, and innovation accelerates as the stock market decelerates. Just within the last year there have been impressive and ground breaking innovations ranging from outdoor equipment, solar power and super powered servers… Read more at Utah Business Blog

Just saw the following announcement:
Salt Lake City — PrintechPlus, a major commercial printer based in Salt Lake City, recently acquired the facilities and hired the employees of Rocky Mountain Printing, in Orem and St. George, Utah. The deal gives PrintechPlus three offices and two manufacturing facilities throughout Utah—Salt Lake City, Provo-Orem area, and St. George. The offices in Provo-Orem and St. George would operate under RMPlus, while Salt Lake’s main office would continue to operate under PrintechPlus.

Having done business with both Rocky Mountain Printing and PrintechPlus, I am familiar with their superior leadership and offering. This is a great convergence of what is right about the printing industry. I spoke recently at the Hewlett Packard Dscoop digital print conference in Orlando about environmental PR and the power of digital print (variable print, distributed, personalized marketing, etc). This new powerhouse firm is where the industry is going. Hang on and keep your hands and feet inside the ride at all times. We’re in for a great ride with PrintechPlus.