London Calling: The Sustainability Consortium is Represented at Prince Charles’ Accounting for Sustainability Forum

The Sustainability Consortium (TSC) was represented by Dr. Christy Slay (Biodiversity and Land-Use Project Leader) at the Prince of Wales’ Accounting for Sustainability Forum in London on December 15, 2011. Dr. Slay participated in a roundtable discussion with consumer goods companies, retailers, energy companies, academics and government focusing on how to incorporate natural capital into accounting systems and decision making. The discussion illustrated the challenges companies face in accounting for both internal and external impacts to nature.

The discussion was followed by a forum, attended by around 200 representatives primarily from the accounting and financial sector. Prince Charles urged the audience to not be afraid to “stick your head up” and take a chance at trying something new and bold, such as to begin accounting for natural capital. Jochen Zeitz, former chairmen and CEO of PUMA spoke about the need to bring change to accounting systems in business and discussed the first environmental P&L accounting he conducted at PUMA. On January 9, 2012 three members of Prince Charles’ Sustainability Unit met with staff at TSC offices at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. Staff shared TSC’s work and learned about additional initiatives by Prince Charles to focus attention on marine fisheries and sustainable agriculture (to prevent deforestation). The meeting adjourned with an agreement to share important outcomes from research and projects as there are many synergies in the respective endeavors.

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