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Nature loss threatens businesses, the global economy and financial stability. Understanding and addressing these risks for business will require credible measurement approaches and data. This paper explores how natural capital accounting (NCA) can support business data and information needs related to nature, including disclosures aligned with the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures recommendations. As businesses seek to measure, manage and disclose their nature-related risks and opportunities, they will need well-organized, consistent and high-quality information regarding their dependencies and impacts on nature, which few businesses currently collect or track in-house. NCA may be useful for these purposes but has not been widely used or applied by businesses. National NCA guided by the U.N. System of Environmental-Economic Accounting may provide: (i) a useful framework for businesses in conceptualizing, organizing and managing nature-related data and statistics; and (ii) data and information that can directly support business disclosures, corporate NCA and other business applications. This paper explores these opportunities as well as synergies between national and corporate natural capital accounts. In addition, the paper discusses key barriers to advancing the wider use and benefits of NCA for business, including: awareness of NCA, data access, business capabilities related to NCA, spatial and temporal scales of data, audit and assurance considerations, potential risks, and costs and incentives. This article is part of the theme issue 'Bringing nature into decision-making'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many countries responded to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 by imposing a wide range of economic sanctions on Russia and by escalating their use over time. These sanctions, [...]

Human rights and business are crucial elements in the development of the Philippine economy. The constitution safeguards the rights of both juridical and natural persons, including business owners and employees who play vital roles in economic progress for the welfare of all citizens. Businesses aim to generate profits, create jobs, and enrich investors through the utilization of labor and resources. However, unregulated operations can lead to resource exploitation, harming other stakeholders like labor, government, environment, and customers. The Office of the Ombudsman serves as the protector of legal rights for these entities. This paper explores the interplay between human rights, business, and the Investment Ombudsman in the Philippines. It delves into discussions on UN Business and Human Rights concepts, addressing political challenges, governance practices, stakeholder recommendations, and the Investment Ombudsman's role. This research can guide those interested in studying governance, business, and human rights integration, promoting sustainable development for the benefit of society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The destruction of World War I (WWI) and World War II (WWII) changed the world forever. In this analysis, the economic costs of WWI and WWII are considered via a harm reduction approach to highlight the cost of war via the mortality of military personnel. The harm reduction philosophy and homeostasis of a biological cell are utilized as a pragmatic approach and analogy to give a greater context to the findings, despite the omission of civilian casualties and military disabilities. Methods: Tangible (e.g., loss of wages, productivity, and contributions) and intangible (e.g., quality of life) costs are estimated based on the value of each military personnel derived from secondary data and a mathematical model. This is the first study to estimate the cost of war based on soldier's mortality during the first and second World War. Results: Based on the tangible value, the WWI and WWII cost for the military personnel was US$43.204 billion ($13 billion ≤ α ≤ $97 billion) and US$540.112 billion ($44 billion ≤ α ≤ $1 trillion). When the intangible cost is considered, it is estimated that the WWI cost was beyond US$124 trillion ($43 trillion ≤ β ≤ $160 trillion), and the WWII cost was above US$328 trillion ($115 trillion ≤ β ≤ $424 trillion). The sensitivity analyses conducted for WWI and WWII demonstrate different ranges based on tangible and intangible values. Conclusions: In the current climate of increasing hostilities, inequalities, global warming, and an ever-changing world, economic prosperities are directly linked to peace, stability, and security. Therefore, any future decisions for military conflicts need to increasingly consider harm reduction approaches by considering the cost of life and potential disabilities for each nations' soldiers, sailors, and pilots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In 2020, Taiwan released its National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights (NAP) to implement the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, with the government committing to release a revised plan by the end of 2024. In parallel was the release of Taiwan's first National Human Rights Action Plan (NHRAP) in 2022, where refugee protection was expressed as a priority. In this, the government commits to codify legal mechanisms for asylum and clarify application procedures. These developments on business and human rights, on the one hand, and refugee protection, on the other, are significant for the Asia-Pacific because the region hosts the highest number of displaced persons and is the global manufacturing hub. This article examines the nexus between business, human rights and protection for displaced individuals. It provides recommendations on how Taiwan's next NAP can address refugee protection in line with its human rights protection commitment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores a theoretical and empirical discussion of the ability of business form a particular sector to transition towards sustainability. The paper contextualises the discussion within the theoretical framework of a 'Risk Society' as outlined by Ulrich Beck. In particular, the paper highlights the relationship between sustainable development, and what Beck describes as the emergence of an emancipatory catastrophism. This theoretical framework is then applied to a novel approach for exploring sustainability through the process of branding ultimately highlighting an industry's receptiveness to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Uniquely, this paper challenges and expands on the narrative of branding as a discursive process that moves beyond a narrow marketing framework. Using a mixed methods approach of in‐depth observation, interviews and surveys, the paper focuses on a case study of the largest lifestyle retailer in the surf skate and snow sector. The empirical research is applied both within the case study company itself and over 300 brands in the surf skate and snow sector. Results point to a receptiveness to embedding the sustainable development goals in business models whilst highlighting the challenges that exist from both a business operation and resourcing perspective through to external factors. Furthermore, results highlight the disparity between internal business processes and the process branding. A typology is presented that highlights the relationship between business, the sustainable development goals and theoretical debates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]