ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE -
Sustainability conversations are changing. Just look at the National Association for Environmental Management’s (NAEM’s) thorough “Planning for a Sustainable Future” report released this week: EHS and sustainability leaders are quickly solving operational questions of compliance, measurement & metrics, and target-setting. Now, they’re being called to convene organizational leaders in the face of changing climate, consumers, supply chains, and competitors — three forces that challenge the traditional near-term planning processes endemic to businesses. They’re even grappling with reframing corporate business models for people and environmental stewardship.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
There is a building sense of urgency among leading businesses, public figures, and concerned citizens as the United Nations’ Conference of the Parties (COP21) approaches.In December, over 190 government representatives will gather in Paris to discuss a new agreement on climate change. The message to them is clear: We need bold action.
PRESS RELEASE -
Duke Energy Renewables has acquired a 50 percent stake in Mesquite Creek Wind near Lamesa, Texas, through its joint venture partnership with Sumitomo Corp. of Americas -- increasing Duke Energy Renewables' Texas wind capacity to more than 1,200 MW.Global food manufacturer Mars Inc., best known for its candy products, is purchasing the power and associated renewable energy credits from the 211 MW wind farm, which is already operational, over a 20-year period.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
Iluméxico, a Mexican social enterprise focused on solar power, has joined the Business Call to Action (BCtA) with a commitment to bring its Solar Home Systems to 50,000 off-the-grid rural homes — approximately 300,000 people — by 2020.This commitment includes the creation of 180 new jobs, of which 90 will be designated for women and 70 will be based in rural communities.The company said it plans to increase its “ILU Centros” support network from 5 to 50 locations nationwide and strengthen alliances with both public and private institutions. Anticipating up to 70 percent growth within the next five years, Iluméxico also plans to expand its business into two new Latin American countries by 2020.
STAKEHOLDER TRENDS AND INSIGHTS -
On Monday, General Mills announced a commitment to reduce absolute greenhouse gas emissions by 28 percent across its full value chain — from farm to fork to landfill — over the next 10 years. The commitment was calculated using science-based methodology to achieve a level of emission reductions that science suggests is necessary to sustain the health of the planet.
LEADERSHIP -
Rio de Janeiro has become the first city in the world to reach full compliance with the Compact of Mayors, a global coalition of city leaders dedicated to reducing their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, making urban communities more resilient to climate change and regularly reporting their progress publicly.Rio now has established a local GHG emission inventory using the Global Protocol for Community-scale GHG Emissions Inventory (GPC), the international “gold” standard for GHG emission reporting, according to a recent announcement. It also is the first Brazilian city to complete a study on climate vulnerabilities.
LEADERSHIP -
Around three-quarters of the carbon credits issued under Joint Implementation (JI) may actually have increased emissions by about 600 million metric tons, according to a new study by the Stockholm Environmental Institute (SEI).JI allows countries with emission reduction commitments under the Kyoto Protocol to generate Emission Reduction Units (ERUs) from carbon reduction projects and transfer them to other countries.
PRESS RELEASE -
Corporate responsibility is about more, not less: more value creation, more collaboration, more diversity and more passion. This belief in continuous growth and improvement is central to our approach to corporate responsibility here at Symantec. It’s been a busy year for us with dozens of new product releases, global expansion of our services and a historic decision to split the company into two stand-alone entities – one focused on security and the other on information management. Amidst all the activity and progress, we remain laser-focused on our commitment to corporate responsibility, because we’ve seen time and time again that it provides clear value to our employees and our business, the environment and society.
CHEMISTRY, MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
We know from the emerging discipline of biomimicry that natural systems can stimulate sustainable designs for human use. Two recent innovations use trees for inspiration and materials in unconventional products that may revolutionize very different industries: large-scale metal production, and battery technology to suit cars and wearable devices.
WASTE NOT -
The Rothes CoRDe, a John Dewar & Sons distillery part-owned by The Combination of Rothes Distillers, is the latest facility under the Bacardi umbrella to produce energy through a biomass boiler fuelled by Scotch whisky distillery by-products. The Dewar's facility produces enough energy to power entire communities of neighboring distilleries — along with about 8,000 homes.“A number of whisky companies are part of an industry consortium looking at sustainable ways of processing by-products from our distilleries,” says Iain Lochhead, Operations Director for John Dewar & Sons Ltd., part of the Bacardi group of companies.
CLEANTECH -
President Obama made several announcements on Monday at the National Clean Energy Summit in Las Vegas, mainly related to executive actions under the Clean Power Plan. New financial commitments include $1 billion in loan guarantees for “innovative” energy projects, $220 million in energy-saving activities for veterans and low-income households, and $24 million for 11 solar panel technology development projects.
CHEMISTRY, MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
Seventh Generation, which makes eco-friendly household and personal care products, on Monday launched a new line of laundry and dishwasher detergents designed to save consumers energy and money, while also helping to protect and care for the environment.Each product in the so-called “Energy Smart” line is formulated with advanced enzyme technology to give the same performance in cold and hot or warm water. This allows consumers to clean dirty dishes and clothes effectively, the company says, all while using low energy settings on their washing machines and dishwashers.
CLEANTECH -
Imagine living in a luxurious circular skyscraper, with a breathtaking view and without electricity bills on the table. As futuristic as that my seem, it may not be too far off, according to Lennart Graaff, director of Windwheel Corporation.The Netherlands-based consortium of companies BLOC, DoepelStrijkers and Meysters has plans to construct what it calls the “Dutch Windwheel,” a double-ring rotating edifice that is powered by the wind energy it generates.
CHEMISTRY, MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
This week, researchers at George Washington University (GWU) unveiled a new method to convert carbon dioxide into nanoscale carbon fibers that may serve as valuable future building materials (think: aircrafts, fitness equipment and sports cars), as well as another potential weapon against climate change.The new technology captures airborne carbon dioxide and employs an electrochemical process to convert it to carbon nanofibers and oxygen. The method is more efficient and potentially significantly cheaper than existing methods, according to Stuart Licht, a professor of chemistry at GWU.
CLEANTECH -
Cochin International airport in Kochi, India has become the world’s first airport to completely operate on solar power, according to a recent announcement.The airport is powered by a 12 MWp solar power plant comprising of 46,150 solar panels laid across 45 acres. It now will have 50,000 to 60,000 thousand units of electricity per day to be consumed for all its operational functions, which make the airport 100 percent power neutral.
CLEANTECH -
Google is testing a new online tool to help homeowners explore whether they should go solar, according to a recent blog post by the search giant.Now available in the San Francisco Bay Area, Fresno and the Boston area, Project Sunroof utilizes the same high-resolution aerial mapping used by Google Earth to help homeowners calculate their roof’s solar energy potential, right from their laptop or smartphone.
LEADERSHIP -
After the Pope recently added a religious voice to the chorus of hundreds of business leaders, youth, subnational governments (and one boyband) calling on world leaders to take bold action on climate change, Islamic l
LEADERSHIP -
ClimateCare, which delivers corporate and government programs to protect the environment and improve people’s lives, today announced that it has received certification as one of the UK’s first Certified B Corporations.With an 18-year track record, ClimateCare claims it is living proof that commercial businesses can deliver positive impacts at scale. In the last seven years alone, the business has deployed $100 million to deliver measurable social and environmental outcomes for corporate and government clients.B Lab, the nonprofit that administers Certified B Corporation status, awarded ClimateCare a score of 141.4 points — well above the average of 97 points.
CHEMISTRY, MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
Conventional plastic — found just about everywhere you can think of and in many places you wouldn’t — is made from ethylene, a cheap hydrocarbon made using petroleum and natural gas – through a process that emits more carbon dioxide than any other chemical process. At the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), researchers have been experimenting with ways to make ethylene production less toxic to the environment, and are apparently finding success with the help of cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, according to ClimateWire.
LEADERSHIP -
The latest quarterly sector research report from CDP ranks companies in one of the highest-emitting sectors — diversified chemicals — based on a number of emissions-related metrics which, in aggregate, could have a material impact on company performance. It reveals which companies in the sector are best prepared for the future in developing sustainable products, enhancing efficiency or addressing regulatory change across sector-specific environmental metrics.