Chicago, USA September 25-26 2007

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Companies to be recognized for outstanding climate change actions

Portland-based Metafore is getting ready to reward companies for their efforts in reducing or offsetting climate change in two weeks time. The non-profit is hosting its second annual Metafore Innovation Awards at Corporate Climate Response in Chicago on September 25. The awards recognize products and services that demonstrate environmental performance innovations in the marketplace. Past finalists include Columbia Forest Products, Time Inc. and Starbucks.

David Ford, CEO, Metafore

How do you choose winners for the Metafore Innovation Awards?

A credible, independent, international panel with a variety of expertise and background in business and environment serve as judges. Metafore convenes this independent panel of judges, and provides a predetermined set of criteria to select the winners in the two categories: products and services. This year we drew upon professionals from GreenBlue, the Louisiana Forest Products Development Center, CO2OL-USA and SGS Switzerland.

What are some of the highlights of this year’s entries?

This year’s theme is ‘how to reduce or offset climate change.’ Judges and the Metafore team were pleased to see a majority of submissions from businesses that recognize their roles and responsibilities concerning environmental issues. Moreover, they are addressing these issues not from a narrow perspective, but from an integrated holistic approach. Entries typically addressed how material choices, production processes, distribution and offsets contributed to mitigating the bottom line impact on climate change and other environmental issues.

What do you think we are going to see next in terms of innovation for environmental services and products?

The trend is that more and more companies are asking: ‘How should we, as an organization, measure our carbon footprint?’ Companies are moving beyond their energy consumption footprint and examining the carbon impacts of their supply chain; from the materials used to how they’re processed to how they’re shipped. This trend is going to continue, along with strategies on how best to reduce or offset their carbon footprint. Carbon concerns are now reaching the mainstream, so the development of carbon neutral products will continue, ranging from foods to computers, furniture and more.