Stories About Brands Taking Stands
Found 598 stories. Page 30 of 30.
Nestlé, Campbell's, Coke Among Companies That Eliminated 6.4T Calories from U.S. Marketplace
BEHAVIOR CHANGE - 16 of the nation’s leading food and beverage companies sold 6.4 trillion fewer calories in the United States in 2012 than they did in 2007, according to the findings released last week by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). The companies, acting together as part of the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation (HWCF), pledged to remove 1 trillion calories from the marketplace by 2012, and 1.5 trillion by 2015. The independent evaluation found that the companies have so far exceeded their 2015 pledge by more than 400 percent.The 16 companies committed to the HWCF calorie-reduction pledge are:
H&M Backs Civil Rights Defenders
COLLABORATION - H&M has announced a partnership with Civil Rights Defenders (CRD), a Swedish non-profit organization that works to support human rights around the world. The fashion retail giant says it will donate 4 million SEK (~US$609k) to support their work for human rights.CRD says the support is a welcome addition that will enhance the organization’s long-term commitment to human rights. “We are delighted that H&M has decided to support us in this way. The donation will allow us to fund our ongoing human rights work and in particular to ensure assistance is available for vulnerable human rights defenders who operate in some of the world’s most repressive states,” says Civil Rights Defenders executive director Robert Hårdh.
McDonald's Beginning Journey to 100% 'Verified Sustainable Beef' — But Is That an Oxymoron?
SUPPLY CHAIN - McDonald’s announced this week that, by 2016, it will begin sourcing “verified sustainable beef.” The pledge is an effort to reduce the environmental impact of the fast-food chain’s meat production, as well as to be kinder to the animals on which its livelihood rests. Though there is, of course, plenty of debate over just what “sustainable beef” is, or whether it is achievable.In its pledge, McDonald’s vows, rather vaguely, “to improve environmental practices in the way beef is produced, support positive workplaces in the beef industry, and drive continuous improvement in animal health and welfare.”
Pantene's 'Be Strong and Shine' Message Empowering Some, But Raising Feminists' Hackles
MARKETING AND COMMS - A 60-second ad released by Pantene last month in the Philippines called "Be Strong and Shine," which tackles the dichotomy of gender labels, has gone viral far beyond the island country, with more than 5.9 million views and thousands of comments to date from around the world, according to Pantene parent company Procter & Gamble.The video exposes hidden gender double standards in the workplace — a prevalent theme, not just in Filipino culture, where the notion still exists that women should not be too assertive or strong-willed when it comes to getting what they want. But does the connection of the ad’s message to using Pantene products diminish its power?
Seventh Gen, Annie’s, Eileen Fisher Among Companies Pushing Congress for Better Chemicals Policy
COLLABORATION - A group of the country's leading consumer brands have formed a new coalition to persuade Congress to update the nation's out-of-date and ineffective chemical safety laws. Strong lobbying by other industry groups has given policymakers the impression that business is monolithic in its support for weak legislation. The new coalition, Companies for Safer Chemicals, will make a business argument for strong reforms that support the industry innovating to create safer and cleaner products.
Tesco Reveals Food Waste Figures, Plus Action Steps on How to Tackle It in Store and at Home
WASTE NOT - Today, UK grocery retailer Tesco unveiled food waste figures for its operations and supply chain, alongside figures that show 68 percent of bagged salad in particular is wasted and that 35 percent of this waste occurs in the home.As a first step in reducing this waste, Tesco announced it will end multi-buys on large bags of salad and is developing mix-and-match promotions for smaller bags in a bid to help customers reduce the amount they are wasting at home.Bagged salad is just one of the 25 best-selling grocery products that Tesco has tracked from farm to fork to gain a detailed understanding of where food waste occurs. This is part of the grocer’s commitment to lead in tackling food waste and to work with suppliers and customers to address this.
Solazyme and Unilever Sign Supply Agreement for Tailored Algal Oil
COLLABORATION - Solazyme, maker of algae-based oils and bioproducts, today announced a commercial supply agreement with Unilever for the first partnered Solazyme Tailored™ Algal Oil, a culmination of five years of collaboration between the companies. The agreement covers the first of Solazyme and Unilever's jointly developed tailored oils with an initial supply of at least 10,000 metric tons (MT), which Unilever says it will use in its Dove and Brylcreem brand personal care products, according to the New York Times.
SNAP Answers: How Can Protecting Nature Help Ensure Food, Energy, Water Security for Nine Billion People?
COLLABORATION - The Nature Conservancy (TNC), the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), and the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) today announced the launch of SNAP (Science for Nature and People), a collaboration aimed at solving the world’s most pressing conservation and human development challenges. The announcement was made at the annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative.SNAP is designed to find practical, knowledge-based ways in which the conservation of nature can help provide food, water, energy and security to Earth's fast-growing population. SNAP will tackle high-profile problems where the solution has a clear pathway to implementation.
Microsoft, Diageo Among Latest Companies Urging Policymakers to Address Climate Change
COLLABORATION - Business calls for strong climate change action are getting louder. A half-dozen more leading global companies including Microsoft, Owens Corning, Diageo, Thornton Tomasetti, and Acer America Corporation last week joined hundreds of other U.S. businesses in signing the Climate Declaration, which calls on federal policymakers to seize the economic opportunity of addressing climate change, according to CERES.
Coca-Cola Joins with Sainsbury’s For 'Don't Waste. Create' Campaign
MARKETING AND COMMS - Coca-Cola Enterprises has partnered with Sainsbury's to launch a new sustainability program that aims to increase the reuse and recycling of plastic bottles during the summer.The beverage company says its Don't Waste. Create campaign is designed to encourage consumers to use their waste packaging at home in a fun and useful way, while also promising to recycle.
LG Electronics, Nokia Tackle Illegal Tin Mining in Indonesia
SUPPLY CHAIN - LG Electronics, Nokia, Sony, Blackberry and Motorola have released statements reaffirming their commitments to tackling illegal tin mining in Indonesia.The move came after British environmental NGO Friends of the Earth released information from an investigation into the devastation caused by mining for tin on Bangka. According to the charity, tin is used as solder in all phones and electronic gadgets, and around a third of the world's mined tin comes from Bangka and neighboring island Belitung.The Friends of the Earth investigation in Bangka found:· Dangerous and unregulated tin mining
Crayola's Colorcycle Program Turning Used Markers Into Clean Energy
WASTE NOT - JBI, Inc., a clean energy company that recycles waste plastic into liquid fuels, has announced it is partnering with Crayola on its "Colorcycle" program, which converts markers into clean energy.The program will be conducted throughout the United States in participating K-12 schools and encourages students to responsibly dispose of used Crayola markers through an in-school collection process. Markers will be sent to JBI, where they will be used as feedstock to produce diesel and other liquid fuels using JBI's Plastic2Oil® ("P2O") process.
Walmart-Backed Alliance Vows to Fix Bangladesh, But Critics Fear Lack of Liability
SUPPLY CHAIN - An alliance of 17 North American brands led by Walmart, Gap and Target has unveiled the details of its independent Bangladesh Worker Safety Initiative — a five-year pact that aims to improve conditions at Bangladesh garment factories and establish more viable worker communications.
Asia Pulp and Paper Reports Latest on No Deforestation Policy in Third 'Vision 2020' Update
SUPPLY CHAIN - Asia Pulp and Paper (APP), which ended natural forest clearance in its supply chain after pressure from nearly 100 of its customers earlier this year, has released the latest update in its "Vision 2020" plan that provides further insight into its new Forest Conservation Policy (FCP). Through the new policy, natural forest will be identified through High Conservation Value (HCV) and High Carbon Stock (HCS) assessments currently underway across all APP land concessions in Indonesia.
Nike, Levi Strauss Publish Updated Hazardous Chemical Plan
CHEMISTRY, MATERIALS & PACKAGING - Nike, Levi Strauss, H&M and several other members of the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals Group have committed to publishing a list of chemicals targeted for phase out or research by 2015 as part of a plan to eliminate hazardous chemicals from their supply chains by 2020.
Eurostar, GlaxoSmithKline Join Ecodesk Campaign To Improve Supply Chain Efficiency
SUPPLY CHAIN - Ecodesk recently announced that 25 companies representing one million suppliers have joined its VIP Enterprise Innovator Program aimed at developing a clear and unambiguous business case for supply chain efficiency.
UPS Pledges $1.5 Million in Aid to Storm Recovery Efforts
PRESS RELEASE - Atlanta, November 02, 2012 Delivery Operations in All Package, Freight and Logistics Facilities Have Been Restored to Provide Service Wherever Possible UPS (NYSE: UPS) today announced it has pledged $1.5 million in cash and in-kind support to aid in the recovery efforts following the devastation caused by Superstorm Sandy that struck the northeast corridor of the U.S. earlier this week.
UPS Employees Focus on Communities, Environmental Sustainability During Annual Global Volunteer Event
PRESS RELEASE - ATLANTA, Oct. 1, 2012 – Since its founding in 1907, UPS (NYSE:UPS) has established a strong legacy of support to the communities it serves. The company’s commitment is especially evident during its annual Global Volunteer Month, which begins October 1.
