System value recognises that the historical narrowing of roles has meant that many companies are optimising only piece parts of their operations and are ill-equipped to deal with today’s complex business challenges. Opportunities therefore exist to unlock new profits, reduce risks and create competitive advantage through system optimisation. A number of leading organisations have begun to demonstrate the magnitude of

The answer to why one should be sustainable in the infrastructure field is simple: to create new value. How to do this is more complex. This article by Lavery Pennell, published in the 5 March 2012 edition of Infrastructure Journal, describes the types of value created through a more sustainable approach. It goes on to discuss how to overcome the

This paper describes how to succeed in profitably transforming the sustainability of organisations. Or you could look at this as how to sustainably increase profitability. Included in the document are: A sustainability transformation roadmap describing the building blocks of a successful program of action The three major challenges along the sustainability journey and how to overcome them Guiding principles which

Nick Pennell has recently presented to an international audience his proven three step process to profitably improve supply chain sustainability. You can view the presentation here.

We have made 4 predictions for 2012: Sustainability as a profit driver; Focus on the ‘how’ of sustainability; Innovation, and; LED lighting. Before we dive into these, it is perhaps worth reflecting on 2011’s predictions to see how they fared (for the original predictions click here): 1. Energy efficiency is now being taken seriously and is widely recognized as the

This paper explores how to unlock value from today’s business challenges. Much of this value remains largely untapped, creating rich returns for organisations looking to improve their bottom lines in tough market conditions. These new value opportunities are different from traditional sources of value and require an unusual combination of capabilities and a multi-pronged approach. Click here to read the paper.

The carbon-constrained world is creating structural changes in the global economy. As a result, busi­nesses must respond and adapt to the new low-carbon reality if they wish to remain competitive and prosper in coming years. Although the exact path to the low-carbon future remains unclear, companies can embrace five imperatives to guide them forward. These are: understanding the effects of

A common misconception in process industries is that greenhouse gas emission reduction programs are inherently unprofitable. Recent experience in the oil and gas industry, however, proves otherwise. One company, for example, iden­tified a 43 percent reduction in emissions with a net present value of several billion U.S. dollars using a five-step process that makes finding reductions in emissions both practical

Faced with today’s business and environmental challenges, companies need a structured and rigorous approach to identifying new high-value growth opportunities. The Growth Lens approach is a proven methodology to access untapped revenue and profit potential. This approach was written up in Booz & Company paper co-authored by Greg Lavery called ‘Billion Dollar Ideas’ following a successful application of the approach for a

Working with the Booz & Company Low Carbon & Sustainability team, Nick Pennell co-authored an article published in Strategy + Business looking at how the world’s cities develop their infrastructure over the next 30 years will determine the future path of global warming. Click here to read the article.

The cash circulating through society is supported by an elaborate and costly infrastructure, involving money processing and distribution operations as well as an intricate cash delivery network. The total European cost of providing this cash system is estimated to be €84 billion per year. This paper, co-written by Greg Lavery while at Booz & Company, demonstrates how cash costs can be reduced.

Cities today are the source of close to 80 per cent of carbon dioxide emissions and, depending on how we spend the US$350 trillion required to develop and manage our urban infrastructures during the next three decades, they could become either a force for environmental destruction or a primary source of ecological rejuvenation. Booz & Company’s Low Carbon & Sustainability team assisted the WWF with

In 2011, Booz & Company’s Low Carbon & Sustainability team supported the World Economic Forum in a study to look at the technologies, fuels, policies, partnerships and investment to meet the world’s transport needs in coming decades. Click here to read the paper.

Two thirds of the world’s population is forecast to live in cities in 2040 and cities are proving an effective scale to respond to many of the challenges of resource constraints and a changing world. Cities are therefore becoming a focus for companies interested in understanding future growth opportunities and for governments developing responses to the challenges. Some of the emergent thinking