Corporate Sustainability
This reporting framework covers Environmental, Social, and Governance metrics
What is ESG?
For-profit companies certified by B Lab for meeting high social and environmental standards are called this.
What are B Corps (Benefit Corporations)?
This landmark 2015 international treaty aims to limit global warming to well below 2°C, preferably 1.5°C.
What is the Paris Agreement?
This certification label ensures fair wages, safe working conditions, and community development for farmers in developing nations.
What is Fair Trade?
The University of Richmond sits along this major Virginia river.
What is the James River?
Introduced by John Elkington, this accounting framework measures social, environmental, and financial performance.
What is the Triple Bottom Line?
This business model reinvests profits entirely into solving a social or environmental mission rather than distributing dividends.
What is a social enterprise?
Cap-and-trade systems set a limit on emissions and use this financial tool to allow companies to buy and sell allowances
What is a carbon market (or carbon credit)?
This hidden risk involves forced labor, modern slavery, or severe ecological degradation deep within tier-2 and tier-3 supplier networks.
What is supply chain opacity (or lack of traceability)?
UR’s Office of Sustainability tracks campus resource use through this comprehensive annual greenhouse gas inventory and climate action plan
What is the Campus Carbon Footprint (or Climate Action Plan / Second Nature commitment)?
This global standard provides guidelines for organizations to report on their sustainability impacts.
What is the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)?
This type of investment generates positive social and environmental impact alongside a financial return.
What is impact investing?
This shorthand term describes the net-zero greenhouse gas emissions target year widely adopted for 2050 to prevent worst-case climate scenarios.
What is Net-Zero
Sparked by the 2013 Rana Plaza disaster, this global transparency movement asks the fashion industry: "Who made my clothes?"
What is Fashion Revolution?
This Richmond-based Fortune 500 energy company is one of the largest producers of renewable energy in the US.
What is Dominion Energy?
Scope 1 emissions cover direct operations; Scope 2 covers purchased energy; Scope 3 covers this upstream and downstream category.
What is the supply chain (or value chain)?
Unlike traditional corporations that maximize shareholder value, benefit corporations legally mandate consideration of these entities
What are stakeholders?
This term describes the hidden environmental costs of production—such as pollution—not reflected in the market price of goods
What are externalities (or negative externalities)?
This practice prioritizes purchasing goods and services from local, minority-owned, or certified sustainable vendors
What is sustainable procurement (or supplier diversity)?
This local Richmond non-profit organization focuses on urban tree canopy expansion, equity, and environmental justice in the city.
What is Groundwork RVA (or Enrichmond, though specify active ones like TreeLab/Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay)? Acceptable alternative: James River Association.
This circular economy model eliminates waste by mimicking natural ecosystems where materials are continuously reused.
What is Cradle-to-Cradle design?
This legal structure protects for-profit company directors from shareholder lawsuits if they prioritize social impact over profit maximization.
What is a Benefit Corporation legal status?
Introduced in the EU, this border adjustment mechanism places a carbon price on carbon-intensive imports to prevent carbon leakage
What is the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)?
This certification ensures that wood, paper, and other forest products are sourced from responsibly managed forests
What is FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)?
The university’s Jepson School focuses on leadership studies, while this spider mascot program manages student-run sustainability initiatives like the campus garden.
What is the Office of Sustainability Eco-Reps (or Green UR)?