Michael Derek Townsend
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  • United Kingdom
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Michael Derek Townsend posted a blog post

What Could a Sustainable Banking Model Look Like?

I am delighted to share some insights from our latest in-depth case study on our Global Research Project 'In Search of Sustainable Business'... Triodos Bank: More Green, Less Greed.Triodos Bank is one of the world’s leading sustainable banks. Although not as large as some of the mainstream banks yet, Triodos now has a balance sheet worth €4.3 Billion, and is one of the largest investors in renewable energy in Europe. Sustainability is at the heart of the Bank’s mission, to make money work for…See More
Aug 28, 2012
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Michael Derek Townsend posted a blog post

Green Skills for a Green Economy? Time for Some Joined-Up Thinking!

In the fifth and final part of our 'Sustainable Business: As If people Matter' series, Michael Townsend looks at the skills challenge - and how we might close the gap as we move towards a sustainable and low-carbon economy."How each nation addresses the challenges of a resource constrained world will increasingly determine its future economic competitiveness." Aldersgate GroupGiven what we already know about climate change, diminishing sources of fossil fuels and increasing resource scarcity,…See More
Jul 9, 2012
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Michael Derek Townsend updated their profile
Jun 13, 2012
Michael Derek Townsend posted a blog post

Pity the Poor Investor?

In the fourth part of our 'As If People Matter' series, we take the investor's perspective, as they too try and make sense of a changing world. --"Integrating issues such as climate change into investment analysis is simply common sense." Al Gore, Chairman of Generation Investment Management, & Former Vice President of the United States. It has taken four long, arduous years for the US stock market to recover its value after the financial crash of 2008. In the UK the FTSE has yet to fully…See More
Jun 13, 2012
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Michael Derek Townsend left a comment for Ismail Berkan
"Thanks for reaching out, Ismail, Good luck with everything! Best wishes, Michael."
May 15, 2012
Michael Derek Townsend and Ismail Berkan are now friends
May 15, 2012
Michael Derek Townsend shared their blog post on Twitter

Rising to the Challenge: On Leadership for 21st Century Business

Apr 17, 2012
Michael Derek Townsend posted a blog post

Rising to the Challenge: On Leadership for 21st Century Business

In the third piece in our five-part series 'As If People Matter', Michael Townsend discusses the qualities that business leaders must show, if they are to shine in a changing world."A new generation of CEOs will emerge." Ray Anderson Founder & Former Chairman, Interface Inc.Who would want to be a business leader in these volatile times? The debate about boardroom pay and excess rages, the global economy is so volatile it is hard to plan anything with conviction, issues of ethics and trust…See More
Apr 17, 2012
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Michael Derek Townsend shared their blog post on Twitter

People Power! On the Importance of Engaging People in Sustainable Business Change

Mar 19, 2012
Michael Derek Townsend posted a blog post

People Power! On the Importance of Engaging People in Sustainable Business Change

In the second of a five-part series ‘As If People Matter’, I explain how engaging people is vital in making a successful and lasting transition towards sustainable business and in delivering tangible business benefits.“The biggest challenge in sustainability is engaging people and delivering the necessary behavioural change. This is all about how to turn a moment into a movement.”Cristina AmorimVice President of Global Citizenship,Life Technologies.--2011 was an incredible year for change. From…See More
Mar 19, 2012
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Kenneth McGrath and Michael Derek Townsend are now friends
Jan 12, 2012
Michael Derek Townsend posted a blog post

For The People!

“If you have too many useful machines, you get too many useless people.”E.F. Schumacher In this, the first of a five-part series, ‘As If People Matter’, covering all perspectives of a people-centred approach to sustainability in business, Michael Townsend explains how the strategy links to superior business – and economic – performance. The bottom line for sustainability is all about people; why else are we doing all this stuff? In the end, taking a Gaian perspective, the planet will carry on…See More
Dec 29, 2011
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Michael Derek Townsend commented on Michael Derek Townsend's blog post Twelve Principles for Sustainable Business
"Thanks for your kind comment, Kenneth; much appreciated. Your thought on the potential for questions within the different components of the business model is spot on. We have been doing some useful work in this space ourselves, as we help our…"
Dec 16, 2011
Michael Derek Townsend posted a blog post

Creative Destruction: How Sustainable Business Can Survive and Thrive

We’re near the end of 2011, over three years since the onset of the global financial crisis. On a bad day the stock markets are in complete turmoil. On a good day, they are simply volatile. Investor confidence is low, unsurprisingly. This is not the best environment within which capitalism, business, or the transition to a green economy can easily flourish. Just look at the spate of solar companies going to the wall in the US in recent months. There are fundamental shifts occurring at the macro…See More
Dec 16, 2011
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Kenneth McGrath commented on Michael Derek Townsend's blog post Twelve Principles for Sustainable Business
"Awesome.  Ever since reading "The Ecology of Commerce" I've been interested in how sustainable businesses can actually be more profitable while helping to save the planet. For my ventures, like many others, I now have a…"
Dec 12, 2011
Michael Derek Townsend posted a blog post

Twelve Principles for Sustainable Business

There is much talk of business needing to become more sustainable, in the face of an increasing number of challenges, including climate change, peak oil, new legislation, reputational risk, and increasing costs. That companies need to change is no longer the debate, but there is a need to understand (in easy terms) what businesses could be doing and how this action will deliver sustainable business success, as well as helping to save the planet. The Global Research Project In Search of…See More
Dec 9, 2011
2 Comments

Profile Information

Why are you passionate about business models and business model innovation?
We need a structured approach to developing profitable business models within a sustainable, low carbon world.
How would you best describe your level of expertise when it comes to business models?
some knowledge
What's your URL?
http://www.earthshinesolutions.com
Who do you work for? What do you do?
CEO for Earthshine Solutions: sustainable business integrators.
What industry do you mainly work in (e.g. financial services, telco, utilities, public sector, academia, pharma...)?
All sectors.
What is the size of the organization you work for?
1-10

Profile

Michael Townsend is the Founder and CEO of Earthshine Solutions, is passionate about promoting the benefits of sustainable business, and author of The Rough Guide to Sustainable Business (forthcoming).

Michael is an engineering graduate and MBA. A business transformation leader with over twenty-five years experience in a range of sectors. Michael has developed “best in class” performance for a range of organisations, including Norwich Union (Aviva) Insurance, Barclays Bank, BAA, British Airways, Mace, The Home Office and Gazeley.

Michael established Earthshine in 2006, to help organisations deliver sustainable business success, through integrating business & sustainability performance to impact on the top/bottom-line, and make the transition to a sustainable, low carbon world.

Earthshine has been working with organisations large and small across UK, Europe and North America, including Aviva, DWP, Life Technologies, LoyaltyOne, Myrtha Pools, Rough Guides, Triodos Bank, Wilson James, and others.

Earthshine established a major not-for-profit global research project in 2009 to help businesses accelerate the transition to a sustainable, low carbon world by improving awareness of best practices and the positive business case for change. Essentially this project aims to make sustainability easy for business to do, and show that it delivers financial results - a ‘no brainer’. More information on the project can be found at The Sustainable Business Lab.

Michael is a regular writer for Sustainable Business magazine and Huffington Post in UK, along with a variety of blog sites and Twitter. Today, he is focused on making The Rough Guide to Sustainable Business one of the most influential books in its field.

Outside the business environment Michael enjoys family life, country living, reading, listening to music and pursuing his lifetime hobby of playing drums, most recently with rock band "The Wishing"!

Michael Derek Townsend's Blog

Capitalism 2.0: Is there a better way?

Posted on February 21, 2013 at 11:12am 0 Comments

Back in September 2012, I kicked off a series of articles examining capitalism, in an attempt to understand the limitations inherent within the current economic framework, and to explore what might be needed to promote a genuinely sustainable economy, including the risks and opportunities for business, and how business leaders may contribute. This is an important topic - as it provides the context for what we can really achieve with our business models and how sustainable they will…

Continue

What Could a Sustainable Banking Model Look Like?

Posted on August 28, 2012 at 11:25am 0 Comments

I am delighted to share some insights from our latest in-depth case study on our Global Research Project 'In Search of Sustainable Business'...

 

Triodos Bank: More Green, Less Greed.

Triodos Bank is one of the world’s leading sustainable banks. Although not as large as some of the mainstream banks yet, Triodos now has a balance sheet worth €4.3 Billion, and is one of the largest investors in renewable…

Continue

Green Skills for a Green Economy? Time for Some Joined-Up Thinking!

Posted on July 9, 2012 at 11:47am 0 Comments

In the fifth and final part of our 'Sustainable Business: As If people Matter' series, Michael Townsend looks at the skills challenge - and how we might close the gap as we move towards a sustainable and low-carbon economy.

"How each nation addresses the challenges of a resource constrained world will increasingly determine its future economic competitiveness." Aldersgate Group



Given what we already know about climate change, diminishing…

Continue

Pity the Poor Investor?

Posted on June 13, 2012 at 8:00am 0 Comments

In the fourth part of our 'As If People Matter' series, we take the investor's perspective, as they too try and make sense of a changing world.

--

"Integrating issues such as climate change into investment analysis is simply common sense."

Al Gore,

Chairman of Generation Investment Management, &

Former Vice President of the United States.

 

It has taken four long, arduous years for the US stock market to recover its value after…

Continue

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