Rio +20 and Brand Responsibility

Though the UN Conference on Sustainable Development ended to mixed reviews in the media last week (see - Activists slam Rio+20 sustainable development summit as a 'hoax', Rio+20 Draft Agreement Agreed Upon, Labeled 'Weak', Rio+20: reasons to be cheerful) - Scientific American is reporting on one potentially positive initiative that a handful of brands have agreed to which involves incorporating methods for accounting for natural capital. This has the potential to reframe the way we consider profitability in light of ecological and social costs of doing business and is a small step in the right direction. We applaud Puma and others for their leadership in this arena.