Website: GreenBiz.com

The fifth annual edition of our State of Green Business report continues our efforts to measure the environmental impacts of the emerging green economy. In addition to documenting what progress companies are making -- if any -- in improving their environmental performance, we track larger trends that will affect corporate America in 2012.

This free, downloadable report measures 20 aspects of environmental performance, from carbon emissions to paper use and recycling, and attempts to answer the question, "Are we bringing a green economy into being?"

Download the free report from GreenBiz.com.

For the first time, this year's report includes essays from industry experts, including Amory Lovins, Jigar Shah and many others, exploring the trends that shape the commitments and success of the business world.

There's good and bad news in this year's report; the good news is that companies continue to dedicate time, money and staff to setting and meeting ambitious environmental goals.

The bad news is that, despite this, our research shows a slowing of momentum -- or even backwards motion, in some cases -- on some of the indicators. Among the downgraded topics include investments in clean technology innovations, overall energy intensity, certifications of LEED buildings, and paper use and recycling.

Download the free report from GreenBiz.com.

Palo Alto, United States — Corporate Sustainability has grown and evolved over the past five years to be about environmental opportunity for companies, beyond just environmental compliance. This has created value for companies in the areas of employee engagement, recruitment, customer retention, and brand and reputational value. Past these benefits, what’s next for corporate sustainability? Pete May, CEO and Co-Founder of GreenBiz Group, will discuss the next wave of corporate sustainability which covers the intersection of IT, buildings, energy and transportation and is attracting the attention of everyone from corporate energy managers to city planners to the Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Pete also will describe his personal odyssey from tech media to sustainability at GreenBiz. About the Speaker: Pete May co-founded GreenBiz Group in 2007, creating the first media, events and information services platform around sustainable business. He brought to GreenBiz Group more than 20 years' experience in business-to-business and tech media and advertising. May has worked in media sectors ranging from power delivery to IT to electronics, at such companies as CMP, Miller-Freeman and M & T Publishing, working in both Europe and North America. Previously, he served as Senior Vice President at Primedia Business (now Penton), responsible for a staff of 70 people. May was recently honored with the 2010 Folio 40 Award - C Level Visionaries Award. This award recognizes magazine industry influencers and innovators. When: Wed. 10/19, 8:30 – 10 a.m. Where: Bay Café at Palo Alto Golf Course, 1875 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto BMA Members: $15/person (including breakfast) Non-Members: $30/person (including breakfast)

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For years, we've heard the promise of telecommunications technologies to help companies reduce costs and greenhouse gas emissions. And while telework and telepresence have made great technological strides, they remain highly underutilized tools for most companies. The reasons are many: technology limitations, costs, and change of habits, among others. Yet in a carbon-, energy-, and cost-constrained world, the promise of telecom technologies grows ever larger.

Join Paul Dickinson, executive chairman of the Carbon Disclosure Project, in conversation with GreenBiz.com Executive Editor Joel Makower to hear how broadband technologies are being leveraged today inside companies, based on new research and Paul’s 15 years’ experience in telecom — and what the potential is in the next few years.

In this free, hour-long webcast, you will learn:

• how broadband can cut costs across multiple line items in company budget.
• how to develop strategies and implementation plans for cost-effective deployment of broadband technologies to cut unnecessary expenses.
• internal organizational changes companies are making/can make that support increased use of broadband technologies.
• how companies can help accelerate the growth of broadband technologies overall.

Register today and you’ll receive a complimentary copy of the CDP research report.

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Free Webcast, United States — Electronics manufacturers are seeing a rapid expansion in the number and scope of regulations around product recycling, packaging and batteries, such as Europe’s Waste Electric and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) initiative. Large retailers such as Tesco and Wal-Mart are weighing in, too, asking manufacturers to report detailed information about their products and packaging. Failure to meet these requirements could lead to severe consequences, including costly fees, competitive disadvantage, or brand damage. Moreover, the cost, time, and complexity of meeting these many requirements can be a burden for many companies. 

The good news is that companies are overcoming these challenges through compliance strategies that help gain competitive advantage while reducing costs and risks.

Join John Davies, GreenBiz Group Vice-President and Senior Analyst, in a conversation with Thomas Knopp, Director, Environmental Affairs from Panasonic Europe, David Perchard, Founder and CEO of Perchards, Raphael Veit, VP Research of Perchards, and Karin Fent, Solution Director, Recycling & Reuse, SAP, to learn about the changing global regulations around product recycling and reuse and how companies are mitigating risks and driving business benefits by deploying an integrated recycling administration solution.

In this free, hour-long webcast, you will learn:

• the current global regulatory landscape for recycling and reuse, including packaging, electronic equipment and batteries, the risks manufacturers face when they fail to take a strategic approach to product compliance, and the benefits awaiting those that do.
• how Panasonic is working with SAP to ensure compliance with worldwide legislation on packaging, batteries and WEEE and comply with retailer mandates while reducing recycling fees and operational costs.
• how the SAP Recycling Administration solution is being used by more than 100 major corporations to manage these complex issues.

Register today and you’ll receive a complimentary 27 page white paper that details the key global trends and regulations around end-of-life.

Click here to register: http://event.on24.com/r.htm?e=315441&s=1&k=45F8B051B3D4C35286D5172F678A9B73 

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The Emergence of VERGE, a coming convergence of four technology platforms: Vehicles, Information, Buildings and Energy. VERGE will fundamentally transform cities, companies, communities, and households. Its impact will cover a wide spectrum from energy and resource use, to public safety and health, and ultimately to the design of our world — all while creating almost limitless opportunities for business such as yours.

To help define and accelerate the VERGE opportunity, we’ll be convening three high-level roundtables on three continents. On June 21 and 22, we’ll follow the sun, with consecutive events held in Shanghai (hosted by Rob Watson), London (hosted by Marc Gunther), and San Francisco (hosted by Joel Makower). The events will be live-cast in local times, starting with Shanghai and London on the 21st, culminating in a full-day virtual event on the 22nd, hosted in San Francisco.

Participants in the live roundtables will be senior executives from large companies representing functions such as sustainability, energy, innovation, facilities, fleets and IT, as well as thought leaders from academia, government and major think tanks and trade associations.

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