2degrees Network
Encyclopedia
2degrees Network is the world's largest online community specializing in sustainable business
, offering networking, content and intelligence to businesses globally.
The company was founded by Martin Chilcott
and James Tarin in 2008 with its first offices opening in Oxford, England, and to date is the world's largest online community of sustainability professionals. It is currently the only specialized web 2.0 community focusing exclusively on Sustainable Business and has worked with a number of companies, including B&Q
, BSI
, Centrica
, CA technologies, Carbon Trust, Cisco Systems
, Ecosecurities
, EDF, HARA
, IBM
, MITIE, Serco Group
, WSP
and Tesco
.
In January 2011, 2degrees announced it would be launching a New York office. Located on Wall Street
, the office is the company’s first permanent presence in North America.
that they had founded in 2003. Here they recognized not only that organizations needed specific processes to achieve sustainability goals but also that many businesses were attempting to solve similar problems independent of each other. Chilcott and Tarin realized that there was an opportunity for an online community to connect them to collectively solve problems.
2degrees was created in 2008, with its first office in Oxford, England. Chilcott gave the company its name because he intended to create "a community where there were only 2 degrees of separation between you and the information you needed". It has since developed into a community of over 12,000 members from 100 different countries and has become the world’s largest community for sustainability, growing at approximately 800 new members per month.
With the uncertainty created after the GFC
, 2degrees found itself, as a unknown fledgling business, on an unsure footing. However, the global business community has increasingly turned to sustainable policies to lower costs during the difficult economic environment. As a result, 2degrees continues to show steady growth over three years.
In 2011, 2degrees announced that it would be opening an office in Manhattan, New York as part of an expansion into the US market.
, 2degrees is a managed community. In order to maintain quality and ensure constructive dialogue, it is only open to qualified sustainability practitioners and organized into structured and specific working groups. Here, Working Group Managers work with their Advisory Boards and with members to ensure that 2degrees provides a sufficient service for clients.
2degrees is an exclusive service, as emphasized by access to 2degrees resources being conditional on a paid subscription. However, it is free in the United States.
to publish a White Paper on the 4th Economic Revolution.
In June 2011, Tesco
announced that it was working with 2degrees to create an online hub as part of its target to reduce its supply chain carbon footprint
by 30% by 2020.
Sustainable business
Sustainable business, or green business, is enterprise that has no negative impact on the global or local environment, community, society, or economy—a business that strives to meet the triple bottom line. Often, sustainable businesses have progressive environmental and human rights policies...
, offering networking, content and intelligence to businesses globally.
The company was founded by Martin Chilcott
Martin Chilcott
Martin Chilcott is a British entrepreneur specializing in environment and education, best known as the founder and CEO of 2degrees, the world’s largest community for sustainable business....
and James Tarin in 2008 with its first offices opening in Oxford, England, and to date is the world's largest online community of sustainability professionals. It is currently the only specialized web 2.0 community focusing exclusively on Sustainable Business and has worked with a number of companies, including B&Q
B&Q
B&Q plc is a multinational DIY and home improvement retailer headquartered in Eastleigh, United Kingdom. It was founded in 1969 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kingfisher plc, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange....
, BSI
BSI
BSI is a three letter acronym that can stand for:* Backside illumination, a type of digital image sensor* The Baker Street Irregulars, a fictional group featured in Sherlock Holmes stories* Banca della Svizzera Italiana* Bentley Systems Inc....
, Centrica
Centrica
Centrica plc is a multinational utility company, based in the United Kingdom but also with interests in North America. Centrica is the largest supplier of gas to domestic customers in the UK, and one of the largest suppliers of electricity, operating under the trading names "Scottish Gas" in...
, CA technologies, Carbon Trust, Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems, Inc. is an American multinational corporation headquartered in San Jose, California, United States, that designs and sells consumer electronics, networking, voice, and communications technology and services. Cisco has more than 70,000 employees and annual revenue of US$...
, Ecosecurities
Ecosecurities
EcoSecurities is a business that sources and develops carbon credits and carbon offsets from greenhouse gas emission reduction projects throughout the world....
, EDF, HARA
Hara
The word Hara can refer to:* Hara , a Romanian pop-band* Hara , a Biblical name* Hara , a Japanese sake company* Hara , a forthcoming Indian 3D computer animated historical drama film...
, IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
, MITIE, Serco Group
Serco Group
Serco Group plc is a government services company based in Hook, North Hampshire in the United Kingdom. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.-History:...
, WSP
WSP Group
WSP Group plc is a British-based business providing management and consultancy services to the built and natural environment. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a former constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.-History:...
and Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
.
In January 2011, 2degrees announced it would be launching a New York office. Located on Wall Street
Wall Street
Wall Street refers to the financial district of New York City, named after and centered on the eight-block-long street running from Broadway to South Street on the East River in Lower Manhattan. Over time, the term has become a metonym for the financial markets of the United States as a whole, or...
, the office is the company’s first permanent presence in North America.
History
Martin Chilcott and James Tarin first had the idea for 2degrees in 2006 after their experiences at Meltwater Ventures, green business incubatorBusiness incubator
Business incubators are programs designed to accelerate the successful development of entrepreneurial companies through an array of business support resources and services, developed and orchestrated by incubator management and offered both in the incubator and through its network of contacts...
that they had founded in 2003. Here they recognized not only that organizations needed specific processes to achieve sustainability goals but also that many businesses were attempting to solve similar problems independent of each other. Chilcott and Tarin realized that there was an opportunity for an online community to connect them to collectively solve problems.
2degrees was created in 2008, with its first office in Oxford, England. Chilcott gave the company its name because he intended to create "a community where there were only 2 degrees of separation between you and the information you needed". It has since developed into a community of over 12,000 members from 100 different countries and has become the world’s largest community for sustainability, growing at approximately 800 new members per month.
With the uncertainty created after the GFC
Late-2000s financial crisis
The late-2000s financial crisis is considered by many economists to be the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s...
, 2degrees found itself, as a unknown fledgling business, on an unsure footing. However, the global business community has increasingly turned to sustainable policies to lower costs during the difficult economic environment. As a result, 2degrees continues to show steady growth over three years.
In 2011, 2degrees announced that it would be opening an office in Manhattan, New York as part of an expansion into the US market.
Structure
Unlike networking platforms like LinkedInLinkedIn
LinkedIn is a business-related social networking site. Founded in December 2002 and launched in May 2003, it is mainly used for professional networking. , LinkedIn reports more than 120 million registered users in more than 200 countries and territories. The site is available in English, French,...
, 2degrees is a managed community. In order to maintain quality and ensure constructive dialogue, it is only open to qualified sustainability practitioners and organized into structured and specific working groups. Here, Working Group Managers work with their Advisory Boards and with members to ensure that 2degrees provides a sufficient service for clients.
2degrees is an exclusive service, as emphasized by access to 2degrees resources being conditional on a paid subscription. However, it is free in the United States.
Current Projects
As of 2011, 2degrees is working with Oxford University's Smith SchoolSmith School of Enterprise and the Environment
The Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment is an interdisciplinary department of the University of Oxford that brings together leaders from academia, government, and enterprise to address global environmental challenges...
to publish a White Paper on the 4th Economic Revolution.
In June 2011, Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
announced that it was working with 2degrees to create an online hub as part of its target to reduce its supply chain carbon footprint
Carbon footprint
A carbon footprint has historically been defined as "the total set of greenhouse gas emissions caused by an organization, event, product or person.". However, calculating a carbon footprint which conforms to this definition is often impracticable due to the large amount of data required, which is...
by 30% by 2020.