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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Environment

Sustainable business 2013: our top 10 stories

Food, technology, water, climate change - all offer great challenges and opportunities and all were key themes in this year's top ten stories. A mixture of concern and optimism, 2013's most read articles explored consumer pressure on the global food industry to up its game on sustainability, innovations in water management and climate change design, and the social impact of technology.

As we struggle to keep up with problems of resource scarcity and extreme weather events and continue to explore the potential of technology - these themes look set to continue to dominate in 2014 and beyond.

mcdonalds supply chain

1. Coffee and the consumer: can McDonald's mainstream sustainability?

McDonald's is marketing certified espresso and fish for the first time in the US. Why? Because consumers are finally starting to show they care

Thich Nhat Hanh

2. Google seeks out wisdom of zen master Thich Nhat Hanh

Global tech companies are connecting to the power of mindfulness and meditation to drive sustainability and happiness

Nestle

3. Nestlé baby milk scandal has grown up but not gone away

Obesity shows that better standards in the food industry must be enforced, wrote the author of the 1974 baby milk scandal report

Patagonia mountains

4. How technology has stopped evolution and is destroying the world

Doug Tompkins, founder of The North Face, discusses battles with Steve Jobs and why we need to dismantle our techno-industrial society

social progress index

5. Michael Porter unveils new health and happiness index

The professor who created the concept of shared value hopes to bring social and environmental considerations to policy decisions

Line People Group Waiting Bank Teller Banking.

6. What makes a good bank?

By becoming more people focused and placing the environment and society at the heart of what they do, banks could be central to creating a sustainable economy

Woman with laptop on the pier

7. Twitter list: the 30 most influential sustainability voices in America

Who is driving and shaping the sustainability conversation in the Twittersphere?

Desalination Plant

8. The new water technologies that could save the planet

A summary of new and emerging technologies that will help business overcome the scarcity of clean, fresh water

cyclist in Copenhagen

9. Tackling climate change: Copenhagen's sustainable city design

Global warming poses a real threat to cities but planners in the Danish capital are taking visionary steps to ensure its resilience

On the Road

10. Communicating sustainability: lessons from public health

Experts in public health have struggled with enabling behaviour change. The sustainability sector should learn from their experiences

Get involved!

Let us know your favourite GSB content from 2013 - was there a piece that you feel has a strong message or gave you a fresh perspective? Did you find one article particularly useful professionally? We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below or tweet us @GuardianSustBiz.

This content is brought to you by Guardian Professional. Become a GSB member to get more stories like this direct to your inbox

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