ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE -
Today, Dell unveiled the significant progress it has made against the 21 goals under its 2020 Legacy of Good Plan. Based on a baseline of its Fiscal Year 2013 (FY13) performance, the company aims to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from its facilities and logistics by 50 percent, ensure 100 percent of product packaging is sourced from sustainable materials and is either recyclable or compostable, identify and quantify the environmental benefits of IT-based solutions, and much more.
PRESS RELEASE -
To further expand how Bank of America is creating long-term value across Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors, today the company shares progress made to deliver on its purpose of helping make financial lives better for customers, clients and communities around the world. The Business Standards Report, first published earlier this year, plus the ESG Addendum, together detail how the company is delivering responsible, sustainable growth – making the business more efficient, helping employees realize their potential and helping local communities around the world address their biggest challenges.
CLEANTECH -
Apple seems to be embedding its renewable energy commitments into its corporate structure. The company recently created a new wholly-owned subsidiary known as Apple Energy LLC and filed an application to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), which regulates power companies, to be able to sell electricity and other power grid services to non-utility customers. The move is a strong sign that Apple will not only fulfill its plans to operate on 100 percent renewable energy through net-metering, but plans to generate and sell renewable energy back to the grid.
PRESS RELEASE -
POWER PLAY
Toyota’s New Plano Campus Drafts Impressive Energy & Environmental Line Up
CLEANTECH -
“Facility managers are at a premium these days and are overtaxed,” said Julien Gervreau, director of Sustainability at Jackson Family Wines (JFW) during a Thursday breakout session at SB'16 San Diego.
That’s why the winery is benefiting from Tesla Energy’s stationary energy storage systems, which currently stores 4.2 MW of electricity. Partnering with Tesla has been helpful because the energy innovator understands how the winery is trying to be disruptive, Gervreau said.
CLEANTECH -
In the postcard-perfect town of Göss, a two-hour drive south of Vienna, something very interesting is brewing.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
It is an achievement of the sustainability movement that standards for measuring and reducing our societal and planetary footprint have been established and are being tracked. But evolution tells us that more must be done - business must become restorative. Where is the roadmap for that?
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
The San Diego breeze rustles the palm fronds above the Mission Bay Patio - it's nice to be in an outdoor presentation space enjoying the Southern California climate.
The topic for the afternoon is innovation, and the panel brings a good range of perspective.
Carrie Majeske kicks things off by detailing some of Ford's initiatives under the tagline, "Driving change for a better world."
COLLABORATION -
In this Tuesday afternoon panel, representatives from Ford, MillerCoors and Hershey described how their companies are leveraging a variety of partnerships to innovate for sustainability across their global supply chains.
In 2014, Ford launched its innovative Partnership for a Cleaner Environment (PACE) program, which focuses on collaborating with suppliers to reach the company’s aggressive environmental targets.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
The Spring 2016 proxy votes supporting the 2°C stress test resolutions at last week’s Annual General Meetings of ExxonMobil (38.2%) and Chevron (41%) give cause for both celebration - and concern. These votes suggest that key asset managers are recognizing (and others seem to be willfully ignoring) climate risk inherent in the business-as-usual practices of the largest U.S. oil and gas corporations and their downstream value chains.
PRESS RELEASE -
Philadelphia, PA (June 6, 2016) – EEQO, a privately owned company located in The Netherlands, Europe, which produces a broad range of natural cleaning and maintenance products under the brands Rhinoc, Rhinoc Sport, and Seesoo, announces a partnership with companies Avery Dennison and Braskem to use biobased polyethylene self-adhesive labels in their packaging. All EEQO’s products use mainly natural ingredients, are biodegradable and, in some cases, even probiotic.
PRESS RELEASE -
In collaboration with Braskem and Consolidated Container Company, Seventh Generation eliminates oil-based plastic content from its 100 oz laundry packaging.
PRESS RELEASE -
Toyota is Ready to Catch Some Rays in Plano
Toyota’s New Plano Campus Will Get 25 Percent of Power from the Sun
Plano, Texas and San Diego, Calif. (June 6, 2016) – It might not be the sunshine state, but Texas gets its fair share of sun. And when Toyota moves into its new North American headquarters next year, the automaker plans to “catch a ray.”
CHEMISTRY, MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
From investors to growers, producers, blenders and consumers, the below50 initiative, launched today, expects to attract every industry sector involved in the pipeline of sustainable fuels. Any company who produces, uses and/or invests in fuels that are at least 50 percent less carbon intensive than conventional fossil fuels can join below50.
CLEANTECH -
Schneider Electric, global specialist in energy management and automation, today announced it’s working with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA — aka “the T”) to cut utility bills and carbon emissions tied to public transportation in the greater Boston area. Together, the organizations will develop a comprehensive energy management plan and implement technology to help the MBTA reach its goal of reducing energy costs 12 percent next year.
CLEANTECH -
Today, large quantities of CO2 are emitted when we extract raw materials for the production of consumer goods. After use, most of these products end up in landfills as wasted resources. Among other drawbacks, this linear, take-make-waste system harms local environments and economies, and exacerbates climate change.
COLLABORATION -
The motor vehicle industry in the United States spends about $3.6 billion on energy annually, according to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. In the U.S., over 70 assembly plants currently produce 13 million cars and trucks each year.
While energy expenditures are a relatively small cost factor in the total production process, energy-efficiency improvements are helping manufacturers gain an edge in an increasingly competitive environment.
NEW METRICS -
Oil company shareholders are voting on resolutions today that propose to cut spending on opening new oilfields and change how they report reserves, among others. In Dallas, Texas, ExxonMobil shareholders are voting on four climate change-related resolutions, while Chevron has four such issues on the ballot for its Annual General Meeting in San Ramon, California.
The same firms that convinced ExxonMobil to report on climate change and carbon asset risk in 2014, Arjuna Capital and As You Sow, are leading the charge again with these new proposals.
CLEANTECH -
Earlier this month, engineers at the Toyota Research Institute of North America (TRINA) announced they made a breakthrough in magnesium battery technology that could lead to smaller, longer-lasting rechargeable batteries for “everything from cars to cell phones.” Magnesium metal has long been theorized as a much safer and more energy-dense alternative to current lithium battery technology, but research on magnesium-based batteries has previously been limited by a lack of suitable electrolyte.