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In answer to Marc Orlitzky's quetion ... Re: I attended Al Gore in Melbourne last week

  • 1.  In answer to Marc Orlitzky's quetion ... Re: I attended Al Gore in Melbourne last week

    Posted 09-24-2007 07:44
    In answer to Marc Orlitzky's quetion below ... My impression of what he
    said was that his thinking is similar to mine. That is, "well run
    businesses realise that sustainability is something that needs to be
    dealt with in the current context". So, smart people who want to
    capitalise on the latest trend are associating themselves and their
    products with sustainability. Al Gore - or Al Gore's enthusiasm for
    sustainability - is an artifact of that phenomenon.

    Having said that, I seem to think that he said something along the line
    that "by investing in his GENERATION fund you could expect to at least
    equal the returns of a similar non-sustainable fund". Does that answer
    your question Marc?

    Al Gore remains a good front man - I left the room liking him and his
    product.

    What was interesting/amusing was that his CEO (Al Gore is the chairman)
    started his talk by saying - Al Gore is the hardest act in the world to
    follow. Then he related an episode which implied that he was not a
    great wordsmith. While he was starting his presentation about 10% of
    the people in the room left (they were there to see Al Gore). He then
    said, I can see people in the first four rows - the rest of you can
    leave and I will not notice. I was in the fourth row. So, I could not
    leave, but I did dose off and awoke to see the speaker glaring at me.

    Lionel Boxer CD PhD MBA BTech(IndEng) - 0411267256
    Supervisor/Lecturer - lionel.boxer@rmit.edu.au
    Graduate School of Business
    What's up?: http://intergon.net/events.html
    Mother&Child Relief Foundation see events page
    http://www.myspace.com/thesustainableway
    >>> Marc Orlitzky <marcorli2007@YAHOO.COM> 24/09/07 12:43 PM >>>
    Lionel:

    In Gore's presentation, did you get a sense of his perception on the
    following issue?

    Does Al Gore believe that sustainability investments (naturally) have
    better returns than other, regular investment funds or does he believe
    that introducing nonfinancial criteria might be associated with lower
    econ. returns (at least in short run)? Is it a win-win in his opinion
    or a zero-sum game?

    Thanks,

    Marc

    Marc Orlitzky, Ph.D.
    (ph) (909) 708-7618
    e-mail: marcorli2007@yahoo.com



    ----- Original Message ----
    From: Lionel Boxer <lionel.boxer@RMIT.EDU.AU>
    To: ONE-L@AOMLISTS.pace.edu
    Sent: Sunday, September 23, 2007 4:57:43 PM
    Subject: [ONE-L] I attended Al Gore in Melbourne last week


    Al Gore was promoting his Generation "Sustainability investment fund"
    last night.

    He has a great presence.

    Despite the commercial nature of his presentation he said all the
    things you would expect him to say about saving the environment and
    society. He had a positive message about doing something to solve the
    problems and leading the rest of society towards better investment
    practices involving longer term decision making that truly integrates
    a
    full spectrum of financial and non-financial considerations.


    Lionel Boxer CD PhD MBA BTech(IndEng) - 0411267256
    Supervisor/Lecturer - lionel.boxer@rmit.edu.au
    Graduate School of Business
    What's up?: http://intergon.net/events.html
    Mother&Child Relief Foundation see events page
    http://www.myspace.com/thesustainableway



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