Build Your Business the Ceres Way

Ceres is a network of environmental organizations, investors and businesses concerned with sustainability. Their objective is to help businesses address environmental issues such as climate change, and promote growth and development activities that are good for the health of society and the planet. I know a lot of people have a problem with the way large companies do business, and are fearful of the influence capital markets have over our collective wellbeing. Ceres hopes to change that by working with capital markets and businesses and encourage sustainable growth. Businesses are coming to realize that their very survival in the future might hinge on acceptance of this new way of thinking.

One of Ceres' successes is the launching of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) for corporate reporting on social, economic and environmental performance. More and more companies are including these factors as part of their annual reports. Some of the world's largest companies (Coca Cola, Nike, McDonald's) are part of programs initiated by Ceres. Ceres also gives awards to companies for the Best Sustainability Reporting and to individuals or organizations that demonstrate forward thinking and planning for sustainability challenges by Building Sustainability into Capital Markets moving them "from a system focused on short-term profits toward one that balances financial prosperity with social and environmental health".

There's no doubt in my mind that the trends initiated by Ceres will continue to grow, therefore it seems that for a biotech company to be successful, it really needs to have a viable plan for a sustainable future, which is why I would look for sustainability reporting if i were investing money in biotech, and would make it a priority in my own business plan, no matter how small a player I may be.