The conference explored how companies can inspire themselves by and through nature, by developing and implementing 'natural business strategies' into their business models. This helps businesses become both sustainable and successful in an increasingly challenging and uncertain global climate. You can download Michael Bremans' slides here. Michael, who is chairman of Ecover International, was a keynote speaker on the day.

The conference explored how companies can inspire themselves by and through nature, by developing and implementing 'natural business strategies' into their business models. This helps businesses become both sustainable and successful in an increasingly challenging and uncertain global climate. Keynote addresses and contributions from: L. Hunter Lovins - founder and president of Natural CapitalismDianne Dillon-Ridgley - director of InterfaceMichael Bremans - chairman of Ecover InternationalAndy Wood - CEO of AdnamsJane Davidson - director of InspireGiles Hutchins - global director of sustainability of AtosDiane Gilpin - director of B9 ShippingJo Fox - director of 'bigger picture' BSkyBMelissa Sterry - futurologist and Earth 2.0Denise DeLuca - founder of BCIAndy Middleton - founder of TYFNigel Stansfield - senior and vice president of product and innovation at InferfaceFLORAnthony Hilton - financial editor of the London Evening Standard You can download the slide deck from the day...

The financial crises of the last decade have demonstrated serious shortcomings in the understanding of corporate business models, the alignment of incentives, and the management of risk. The current corporate reporting model has not highlighted where these shortcomings exist. This failing is exacerbated by the pace of change of business today, with a plethora of new challenges impacting long-term success, including a shift in the global balance of power, resource constraints and climate change.

This Briefing Document, by Tomorrow’s Company, summarises social business and its growing importance in the world. There is a growing interest in a new kind of business that is now being referred to as a "social business" or "social enterprise". The dual objectives of social and financial returns make social business unique and meaningful, bringing about innovations of social business models. The Tomorrow's Company Briefing Documents are intended to provide the reader with a comprehensive introduction to a particular topic. You can find the full list of Briefing Documents on forceforgood.com here.

This diagram was developed by Corporate Culture to explain how CR evolves within a business. Disparate – disparate stage a business is conducting a random mix of activities with no clear strategy or link to the business Silos – this is the phase of CR where the business is working in silos, for example the HR team may be looking at the diversity of the business, someone in facilities management maybe looking at recycling for the building, there may be someone with overall responsibility for CR activities (possible at Board level) but there is no overriding strategy Cross-cutting – this is the phase where the business starts to join up activities and cross cut their CR activity into an overriding strategy which different parts of the business talking to each other. There may be a CR steering Group, CR strategy and will probably be a person or team co-ordinating activities Fully-integrated – this is the phase where the CR activity is fully integrated into the business and decisions...