POSITIONED TO LEAD - Sustainable Nation · 2017-12-15 · Stephen Nolan, CEO, Sustainable Nation...

POSITIONEDTO LEAD

POSITIONED TO LEAD

Contents

3 Message from CEO

4 Global Context

7 What We Do

8 Our Pillars

10 Green Finance

12 Resource Efficiency

14 Enterprise Development

16 Skills

18 2017 Year of Sustainable Business

20 Our International Partnerships

23 Meet the Team / Working Group Chairs

24 Media Coverage

2017 Year of Sustainable Business

1POSITIONED TO LEAD

…our goals arebold – but theyare achievable.

“

2 Sustainable Nation Ireland

Stephen Nolan, CEO,Sustainable Nation Ireland

Welcome to Sustainable Nation Ireland –

and welcome to the Year of Sustainable Business 2017.

On these pages you will find an overview of

our work and a summary of the challenges and

opportunities facing us in the coming years.

Established in late 2015 following a merge

between the Green IFSC and The Green Way, we

can now count over 200 firms directly involved in

our activities.

At this point, we have worked with partner

firms who have raised almost €2 billion in new

funding; we have brought Ireland as a full partner

into Europe’s Climate-KIC platform; developed

important international partnerships; secured

Enterprise Ireland, SEAI and Skillnets funding

support for a number of our key programmes

while continuing to successfully promote

Ireland abroad as a leading hub for sustainable

investment and innovation.

Supported by KPMG, we have also just finalised

a market survey, gaining key insights into sector

opportunities and challenges.

Under one brand, we provide an alignment

between enterprises developing exciting products,

to corporates that are buying solutions, to the

finance community that are funding projects,

supporting business activities at a local and

global level.

With actions, ideas, investment, skills and other

supports that connect companies and people, we

are putting Ireland in a position to lead.

Supported by the public and private sector, we

want to see €250 billion of sustainable funds

domiciled, managed or deployed into Irish

enterprises in this country by 2021, underpinned by

responsible investment principles.

While our goals are bold, they are achievable.

We are only getting started and have much more to

do between now and 2021.

Next year we underline that ambition with the Year

of Sustainable Business.

As well as amplifying the scale of the opportunity,

we will be acknowledging the achievements and

successes to date of our many partners and

collaborators.

I hope you can join us on this exciting journey.

3POSITIONED TO LEAD

Global Context

Governments, enterprises and investors are focused on investment

in sustainable infrastructure to meet climate change targets and ignite

economic growth.

The drive towards sustainability is being driven globally.

Last December, world leaders signed the Paris COP21

Accord which commits governments to mitigating and

adapting for climate change.

The accord aims to hold average global temperature

rises to no more than 2° with all countries, including

Ireland playing a part. This will involve major investment

in sustainable infrastructure & low-carbon technologies

across the energy, water, building, transport and

agriculture sectors.

Investing in sustainable infrastructure is key to meeting

the Paris Agreement.

Population growth, urbanisation and rising consumption

of scarce resources such as food, water and energy are

also increasing pressure on the planet’s diminishing natural

resources.

These trends are driving the need to foster and develop

responsible and sustainable business practices.

It is estimated that over €85 trillion will be required to

support global sustainability actions by 2030; €50 billion

in Ireland alone.

Governments can enable activity, researchers and

entrepreneurs can develop ideas and products but without

business participation, real change cannot happen.

In Ireland, sustainable businesses are embracing

this opportunity at a rapid rate.

These firms require support

to build capacity and to

nurture business ideas

that have a positive

climate impact.

New technology is

disrupting the status-

quo: it is creating new

opportunities, opening new

frontiers in research, enabling

efficiencies and offering transformational change.

This growing cluster of 280 enterprise firms is creating

scale, world-beating solutions and winning investment in

the billions.

Companies such as Glen Dimplex, Kingspan, OpenHydro

and Mainstream Renewable Power are recognised as

global industry leaders, underpinning Ireland’s emergence

as a leading low carbon enterprise hub.

€85 2030Trillion


Overseas, their expertise is helping to finance, develop and construct sustainable and low carbon projects at scale.

Added to this, some of the biggest names in world finance have chosen Ireland in which to domicile or manage their sustainable and responsible funds from – and the list is growing.

Opportunities for Ireland - founded on our financial expertise, innovative and entrepreneurial abilities – hold the promise of sustainable growth and economic prosperity as the world transitions to a low carbon model.

5POSITIONED TO LEAD

40/40 Sustainability Leaders Network session


What we do

Established in late 2015 as a not-for-profit body,

Sustainable Nation Ireland is committed to the

promotion of Ireland as a world-leading hub for

sustainable investment and innovation.

As part of Government’s International

Financial Services (IFS) 2020 strategy.

our purpose is to:

� stimulate greater investment into

smart innovations, new enterprises

and sustainable business practices

� provide a voice for the sector,

a platform for collaboration and

vehicle for the promotion of the Irish

sustainability and low carbon sector

� promote Ireland as a location of

choice to domicile and manage

assets underpinned by responsible

and sustainable investment

principles

� develop a skills programme for

the enhancement of world-class

knowledge and competence

� support the development of

innovative financial services and

products that support sustainable

economic development

� embed responsible and sustainable

business practices across Irish

enterprises

� share industry insight and

collaborate with sector stakeholders

7POSITIONED TO LEAD

Our Pillars

Sustainable Nation offers a platform for those working

right across the sustainability sector and capital markets

to come together, understand each other – and ultimately

do business together at a local and global level.

Under one brand, we provide an alignment between enterprises developing exciting

products, to corporates that are buying solutions and to the finance community that are

funding projects, supported by a comprehensive skills programme.

Environmental Finance

Sustainable Nation Ireland has

established the Sustainable &

Responsible Investment Forum Ireland

(SIF Ireland) and the Global Green

Asset Management Network as two

key platforms for market players with a

substantial interest in ESG and green

finance.

Resource Efficiency

We help smart businesses to become

more resource efficient. Responsible

business practices that improve

environmental sustainability can drive

profit, innovation and increase market

share for current stakeholders.

Enterprise Development

Sustainable Nation provides a gateway

to the global sustainability eco-system.

We work with existing businesses,

entrepreneurs and researchers to turn

ideas into commercial reality, build

capacity and connect to a global

network.

Skills Leadership

Our sustainability leadership skills

programmes and networks provide

opportunities for enhancing practice

and policy, while embedding first-class

sustainable business practices.


200

€1M

10

14

9

6 ParticipatingCompanies

EnterpriseProgrammeLaunched

Skills

Programmes

Events

Networks

InternationalPartnerships

Established

UK-Ireland

Climate-KIC

Hub

in capital

partnersraised

€2 billion

9POSITIONED TO LEAD

Green Finance

2016 has been a significant year for green finance.

In Ireland, Dublin and Cork are emerging as

hubs for green finance. Together they are

attracting a greater share of green assets, either

under management, domiciled or deployed

into Irish low-carbon enterprises, increasingly

underpinned by responsible investment

principles.

Supporting this upward growth curve, recent

survey findings highlight plans by Irish lending

institutions to increase capital deployed into

Irish low-carbon projects by as much as

200pc in 2017. In addition, 75pc of Irish funds surveyed indicated environmental, social

and governance (ESG) factors were increasingly

playing an important role in their investment

making decision processes.

Sustainable Nation Ireland has developed a

number of initiatives and strategic partnerships

in the area of green finance and responsible

investing to support this growth rate, in doing

so achieve our €250BN target by 2021.

Dedicated platforms include the

Sustainable & Responsible Investment Forum Ireland (SIF Ireland), which aims to

advance sustainable and responsible investing

across all asset classes.

The Global Green Asset Management Network supports the continued growth of

Ireland’s green asset management cluster.

With both initiatives focused on the entire

capital chain – policy makers, capital providers,

intermediaries and investee companies, these

initiatives focus on the practical steps required

to corral the necessary capital to invest in

sustainable technologies; renewable energy;

sustainable transport; resource efficiency

(energy, land, water, materials);

sustainable food; as well as

sustainable infrastructure and

green building.

Supported by a dedicated skills

programme, both initiatives underpin the

development of innovative financial services

and products that support sustainable

economic development, raise awareness of

the agenda, while showcasing Ireland as an

emerging hub for responsible and sustainable

investment activities.

Billiontarget by

2021

€250


Bringing itall together

On December 12th 2017,

Sustainable Nation Ireland

in partnership with Responsible

Investor hosts the Global Sustainable

Capital Forum, a key event that will

convene policy makers, capital providers,

intermediaries and companies to discuss

low-carbon investing, underpinned by responsible

investment principles.

The Players

A snapshot of key players operating in Ireland in the area

of environmental finance includes AIB, Amarenco Solar,

Bank of Ireland, the Irish Strategic Investment Fund,

BlackRock Renewable Power, Greencoat Capital,

NTR Plc, Brookfield Renewable, Sarasin,

Generation, Sonen Capital, Temporis Capital,

KBI Global Investors, BVP Investments,

Irish Life Investment Managers

and Ulster Bank. All are part of

a significant and emerging

investment cluster with a

focus on ESG and green

finance activities.

Dedicated teams like Sustainable Nation as part of a Government strategy are surprisingly rare, every country needs a Sustainable Nation if we are to meet our global ambitions.Sean Kidney, CEO Climate Bonds Initiative

Manus O’Donnell, NTR Plc and Teresa O’Flynn, Blackrock Renewables, Sustainability Gathering 2015, Dublin Castle

“

11POSITIONED TO LEAD

Resource Efficiency

Sustainability actions are often referred to as resource efficiency

projects. These include saving energy, water and reducing

waste, improving building standards and biodiversity.

Globally, businesses are taking action.

They recognise that resource efficiency is an area where

they can quickly effect positive change. In doing so,

they drive innovation, improve profitability and remain

competitive.

In addition, they are meeting corporate compliance

requirements in this area, a growing focus for regulators

everywhere.

In Ireland, 74pc of corporates recently surveyed

recognised sustainability as important to business

strategy with 13pc identifying it as an increasing priority.

Investing in sustainability was motivated by a desire for

better operational efficiency, followed closely by supply

chain risk and corporate reputation.

Over 70pc of corporates reported externally on

sustainability performance.

In supporting ‘Ireland Inc’, resource efficiency is a major

focus of Sustainable Nation Ireland. It underpins our

sustainable investment message and has the potential

to demonstrate Irish-developed, innovative technology

at scale.

Sustainable Nation supports businesses that want to

be more sustainable via our Dublin Docklands 21

programme. Consisting of 40 firms, Docklands 21

is now Ireland’s largest Sustainable Business

Network across investment, professional

services and technology firms.

Representing 31,000 employees, Docklands 21

helps companies of all

sizes to solve operational

challenges through access

to its networks. Its training

programs upskill employees and

help them to better understand best

practice ideas and projects.

By monitoring energy, water and waste

data, it enables economies of scale and a

better return on investment.

Docklands 21 is delivered in partnership with the

Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), Smart

Dublin, Europe’s Climate-KIC and the ESB.


ClimathonAn event focused on

finding answers to major urban climate challenges, took place in 2016 across

59 cities, 36 different countries and six continents.

Held in partnership with the EU’s Climate-KIC platform, Dublin’s Climathon was

supported by Smart Dublin and Dublin Airport and focused on three key themes – mobility/

transport, solar energy and public lighting.

The challenges cut across real issues facing Dublin and its continued sustainable growth. The winning project

was CitySwifter – an idea for a social transportation network that integrates with existing transport

providers to provide demand-driven, public transport routes and stops. Securing a Climate-KIC grant of up to €20,000 to support further design and feasibility

of winning ideas, making a real impact on Dublin’s sustainability agenda.

Cityswifter team, winners of Climate-KIC Dublin Climathon 2016

74pc of corporates surveyed recognised sustainability as important to business


Launch of Sustainable Nation’s flagship 2°Catalyst programme, supported by Sustainability Skillnet. Participating companies include 2EVA, Acutrace, City Swifter, Elm, Emerging Markets Power, Greentech Biofuels, Greentherm, Hub Controller, Hybrid, Insulation4US, SmartTrace, Solar Cool and Urban Volt

Enterprise Development

Irish companies lead the way in creating innovative ideas

and products to solve global sustainability challenges.

Sustainable Nation’s 2°Platform supports

businesses in a structured manner, turning Ireland’s

smartest sustainability and low-carbon ideas and

products into commercial reality.

2°Platform brings together a network of investors,

corporates and public sector organisations that are

keen to support the next wave of clean technology.

Through the platform Sustainable Nation offers

development training, market insights and global

connectivity including to investors to businesses in

this sector.

Our recent survey shows there are more than

280 Irish companies developing clean and low-

carbon technologies and services. It is a young,

vibrant sector of 5,400 plus employees, with

projected employee growth of 37pc in 2017 and 43pc in 2018.

Over the next four years, Sustainable Nation will

invest over €1 million into 2°Platform supporting

businesses from early stage ideation through to

scaling, growth and beyond.

In becoming part of 2°Platform, firms can access

resources including:

� 2°Camp: A number of one-day workshops for

eco entrepreneurs at idea stage.

� Climatelaunchpad: The largest business

idea competition in Europe, where over 30

counties compete.

� Greenhouse: Incubation programme

for idea-stage companies.

� 2°Catalyst: A leadership

development programme for

companies that are scaling.

� 2°Lab: Broker opportunities to

test-bed new technology.

� Ideaspad: Innovation and intrapreneurship

programme for large companies to drive

sustainability within the organisation and their

value-chain, through opportunity identification

and commercialisation.

The programmes are underpinned

by Climate-KIC, Skillnets, KPMG

and Enterprise Ireland.

Irish companies

developing clean and

low-carbon technologies

and services

280


Climate KIC Ireland Hub –

building Ireland’s innovation capacity

Climate-KIC (Knowledge Innovation

Community) is the EU’s main climate

innovation initiative. Supporting the

development of a European-wide net-zero

carbon economy, Climate-KIC is expanding to

develop a Climate-KIC Ireland & UK Hub. Sustainable

Nation Ireland is managing the Irish office.

The platform supports innovation by means of network

development, market intelligence, access to funding

and demonstration projects.

In 2017 Climate-KIC and Sustainable Nation Ireland

together will offer opportunities for students

and businesses including:

Access to education and talent development

content (Journey, Executive Education)

Access to structured programmes to

support the development of new businesses

(Greenhouse, Climate Finance Accelerator)

Access to funding to invest in

feasibility and demonstration

projects (Pathfinder,

Demonstrator)

ClimateLaunchpad Finalists – pictured with Majella Kelleher, SEAI representing Ireland in the 2016 global cleantech competition in Tallinn, Estonia are Eire Smith (Small Farms), Marcin Kulik (SmartTrace) and Christine Boyle (Senergy)

Our success is dependent on many factors, such as access to networks and finance. Collaborating with Sustainable Nation through their 2°Platform, and accessing their global network has opened up opportunities which are invaluable.

Wayne Byrne, CEO of OxyMem

“


Skills

Irish businesses need to equip themselves with the skills

to better understand the shift to a low-carbon future.

In doing so they will improve environmental

sustainability, enhance profitability, fund

innovation and drive market share.

Sustainable Nation helps to stimulate the

growth of companies developing clean

technology ideas and products, and helps

the finance community to discover new

ways to fund such projects.

This brings a considerable need to develop

the talent and opportunities to upskill that

will help to make Ireland a world leader in

managing sustainability challenges.

Sustainable Nation Ireland leads the

Sustainability Skillnet, a training network

funded under the Skillnets Training

Networks programme through the

Department of Education & Skills and the

National Training Fund.

An initiative with 95 corporate members,

it develops sustainability leadership and

sustainable finance skills across Irish

enterprise. A range of courses are available

offering a grounding in sustainability to more

targeted courses for executives, leaders

and specialist investment professionals.

In 2016, the Sustainability Skillnet delivered

a suite of products to build capacity, and

will continue to support talent development

in 2017. Highlights from 2016 include the

hosting of four successful leadership seminars, in the areas of Green Bonds;

Sustainable and Responsible Investment;

Cleantech and Sustainability Infrastructure;

and Investing in African Clean Energy.

The aim of these seminars was to inform

Irish policy makers, capital providers,

intermediaries and companies of

Ireland’s role in these areas.

Other training courses on offer

include, LEED Associate Training, UN PRI

Responsible Investing courses and an

Energy Awareness Module.

Corporate

Members

95


40/40Supported by the

Sustainability Skillnet, the ‘40 under 40’ Irish Sustainability

Leaders Network is aimed at harnessing the creativity, dynamism and

expertise of 40 young company executives who are driving Ireland’s innovation in the

sustainability sector.

This think tank considers corporate sustainability challenges, explores new solutions and shares

their expertise with one another. The ‘2017 Year of Sustainable Business’ concept was

developed by the group.

The network includes 40 Irish-based finance, enterprise and

policy leaders, with each member nominated by their company’s CEO.

This is more than just a network. We are building a community that shares a common vision; a community that is committed to action and innovation as its members integrate environmental and social sustainability objectives with financial goals.

Pat Cox, Sustainable Nation IrelandInternational Ambassador

“

40/40 Sustainability Leaders Network.


2017Year of Sustainable Business

We’re on a journey to a place where Irishbusinesses will soon place sustainabilityat the heart of everything they do.

Call it second nature.

The future is being shaped right now and Sustainable Nation Ireland is helping to drive that very exciting conversation.

With actions, ideas, investment, skills and other supports that connect companies and people, we are putting Ireland in a position to lead.

In 2017, we want even more businesses to join the already 280 plus Irish firms engaged in sustainable business and finance projects, as we mark the first-ever Year of Sustainable Business.

The Year of Sustainable Business will celebrate the enormous strides Irish business continues to make in this rapidly evolving, dynamic area.

The year’s activities will spotlight and underline the scale of the opportunity, while acknowledging the achievements and successes to date of our many partners and collaborators.

An output of the 40/40 Irish Sustainability Leaders Network, together we can make 2017 a year to be proud of.

Check www.sustainablenation.iefor details

Snapshot of 2017

Activities


Janu

ary 2

017

Sustain

abilit

y As

An O

ppor

tunit

y

A major

per

spec

tive

from

lead

ing

Irish

-bas

ed

com

panies

on

the

oppo

rtunity o

f ado

pting

sustaina

ble

busine

ss p

ract

ice

and

embe

dding

sustaina

bility into

their c

orpo

ratio

ns.

June

201

7

Sustain

able

Busine

ss

Best P

ractice

Inte

rnat

iona

l ins

ight

s fro

m

glob

al c

orpo

rate

lead

ers in

sustaina

bility into

the

key dr

iver

s

of c

hang

e includ

ing

polic

y,

repo

rting

and

inno

vatio

n.

Decem

ber 2

017

The S

ustaina

bility

Gathe

ring

11th

Dec

embe

r,

Dub

lin C

astle

.

March 2017

Ireland’s

Green Asset

Managem

ent

ClusterAccelerating the

growth of this cluster

through engagement

with governm

ent, state

bodies and other industry

groups both nationally

and internationally and

the important role that

regulation, education and

marketing w

ill play in this

growth.

December 2017

Global Sustainable

Capital Forum

Decem

ber 12, Dublin C

astle:

An invitation only gathering of

key-influencers convening the

entire capital chain – policy makers,

capital providers, intermediaries

and companies, focused on the

practical steps required to corral

the necessary capital to invest in

sustainable tech; renewable energy;

sustainable transport; resource

efficiency; sustainable infrastructure

and green building, while driving the

evolution of long-term, responsible

and sustainable capital markets.


Our International Partnerships

The United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) Initiative is an international network of investors working together to put the six Principles for Responsible Investment into practice. Its goal is to understand the implications of sustainability for investors and support signatories to incorporate these issues into their investment decision-making and ownership practices.

Climate Bonds Initiative is the only organisation in the world working to mobilize the largest capital market of all, the $100 trillion bond market, for climate change solutions. Climate Bonds Initiative promotes investment in projects and assets necessary for a rapid transition to a low-carbon and climate resilient economy. The strategy is to develop a large and liquid Green and Climate Bonds Market that will help drive down the cost of capital for climate projects in developed and emerging markets; to grow aggregation mechanisms for fragmented sectors; and to support governments seeking to tap debt capital markets.

Focusing on business-critical news and data, Responsible Investor is the only dedicated news and events service covering responsible investment, ESG and sustainable finance for institutional investors globally. Sustainable Nation Ireland has partnered with Responsible Investor to co-host the inaugural Sustainable Capital Forum in Dublin Castle, 12th December 2017.


Climate-KIC is Europe’s largest public-private innovation partnership, working together to address the challenge of climate change. Climate-KIC drives innovation in climate change through creative partnerships large and small, local and global, between the private, public and academic sectors. Sustainable Nation Ireland is leading the Climate-KIC Ireland Hub, as part of a joint UK-Ireland Climate KIC strategy.

The Global Cleantech Cluster Association (GCCA) brings together a global network of 50 clusters and 10,000 companies to drive sustainable and open regional economic development. It is working to allow Cleantech clusters and companies to engage with institutional investors. Five Irish companies have won GCCA Awards, including Cylon, Open Hydro, Imperative Energy, Hanley Energy and Fenestra Pro.

CDP works to transform the way the world does business to prevent climate change and protect our natural resources. By leveraging market forces including shareholders, customers and governments, CDP has incentivised thousands of companies and cities across the world’s largest economies to measure and disclose their environmental information. Sustainable Nation Ireland is a Steering Group member of CDP Ireland.

Sean Kidney, CEO CO Climate Bonds InInitttit ative espeaking at Sustainabna ility Gatheringng 2222012


Meet the Team / Working Group Chairs

Terence O’RourkeSustainable and Responsible

Investment Forum

Stephen Nolan CEO

[email protected]

Ron Immink Entrepreneur-in-Residence

[email protected]

John MullinsChairman

Aideen O’Hora Director

Sustainable Innovation

[email protected]

Alex O’CinneideGlobal Green Asset

Management Network

Ché McGannProgramme Manager

[email protected] HayesOptimum Business Environment

Pat CoxInternational Ambassador

John McKiernanSustainability Skillnet

Ray O’Neill40/40 Network

Fintan Whelan2°Platform

Paul HarrisInternational Partnerships


Media Coverage

Sustainable Nation was in the headlines in 2016, with

a series of news, opinion pieces and media interviews

in which our aims and ambitions were outlined.

Social media also played an important

part in sharing our stories and

continuing the conversation

with our partners and

stakeholders.


www.sustainablenation.ie

DDDA Building,

Custom House Quay,

Dublin 1, Ireland

� +353 (1) 525 0290

� [email protected]

POSITIONED TO LEAD - Sustainable Nation · 2017-12-15 · Stephen Nolan, CEO, Sustainable Nation...

Documents

Transcript of POSITIONED TO LEAD - Sustainable Nation · 2017-12-15 · Stephen Nolan, CEO, Sustainable Nation...