Mike Hower
Managing Director, Sustainability & Social Impact
Deutsche Bank
Mike Hower is tagged in 1051 stories.
Page 18 of 53.
Marketing and Comms /
The global environmental industry grew 3.6 percent in 2013, generating revenues of $1.047 trillion, while the U.S. environmental industry grew only 0.7 percent in 2013 compared to 4.5 percent in 2012, according to new research from Environmental Business International.In 2013, the U.S. environmental industry’s total of $344.84 billion in annual revenues represented 2.81 percent of the gross domestic product, while the environmental industry employment reached 1.75 million.
- 9 years ago
Collaboration /
Cargill Cattle Feeders, the cattle supply arm of the company's U.S. beef business, has entered into an agreement with Wichita-based consultancy Kennedy and Coe, in a joint effort to create a verified beef supply chain sustainability assessment program for Cargill feed yards.As part of the collaboration, Kennedy and Coe will leverage its extensive beef-industry and sustainability expertise and ResourceMax™ assessment service developed by its Vela Environmental division.Based on the successful development of benchmarking and measurement criteria, this type of assessment could eventually be expanded to include cattle production in collaboration with stocker operators, ranchers, as well as with Cargill's strategic feed yard partners.
- 9 years ago
Leadership /
Today is #GivingTuesday, a day dedicated to charitable giving, harnessing the power of social media and the generosity of people around the world to bring about real change in their communities. In the spirit of the day, The Salesforce Foundation, Atlassian and Entrepreneurs Foundation of Colorado announced the Pledge 1% program, setting a target of securing 500 pledges by #GivingTuesday 2015.The program is the result of corporate social responsibility leaders coming together to encourage and challenge their peers to pledge 1% of their company’s equity, product and employee time for their communities.
- 9 years ago
Marketing and Comms /
Vermont-based Green Mountain Power (GMP) has become the first utility in the world to become a Certified B Corp, according to a recent announcement.GMP says it is helping to lead a transformation that is delivering cutting edge energy products and services to help Vermonters save money by using less energy. This year GMP even lowered rates for customers.B Corps are companies that believe business can be a force for good and are certified by the nonprofit B Lab to meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency.
- 9 years ago
Marketing and Comms /
There is a limit to how much companies can expect consumers to pay for higher sustainability standards—a limit in terms of the price that they will be willing to pay and also in terms of the market share that can be commanded, according to a new report by U.K.-based Sustainable Food Supply Chains Commission.
- 9 years ago
Cleantech /
Hyundai has announced that it will be the first automotive company to make hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles available to the Canadian public.The Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) will be available to Canadians on a 3-year lease beginning in early 2015 in the Vancouver area.The vehicle stores hydrogen gas and draws an inflow of air to the fuel cell stack. There is no combustion of hydrogen and the stack has no moving parts. The electrochemical process of combining oxygen and hydrogen in the fuel cell stack creates electricity to power the vehicle's electric motor and charge an onboard battery. The only by-product of the process is pure water vapor, resulting in zero greenhouse-gas emissions.
- 9 years ago
Product, Service & Design Innovation /
United Food Group, developer and manufacturer of specialty dry powder mixes and equipment, has developed the first sustainable canister for coffee condiments.Unlike traditional cream and sugar canisters that have plastic tops, metal bottoms and end up in landfills, the Perfect Servings Sustainable Canister consists of a reusable outer shell and uses sustainable replacement cartridges that are 100 percent biodegradable. The outer shell also comes in eight stock colors and can be private labeled with custom artwork creating a unique marketing tool.
- 9 years ago
Marketing and Comms /
Forward-thinking restaurant operators are more frequently using marketing strategies that incorporate health, safety and environmental concerns, which can resonate with consumers seeking out more responsible restaurants and food choices, according to a new report by market research publisher Packaged Facts.
- 9 years ago
Product, Service & Design Innovation /
Kohler Co., developer of kitchen and bath design and technology, has received a two-year grant from The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to design and fabricate five closed-loop flush toilet systems for field testing in developing world locations without adequate sanitation.The grant followed a successful two-year cooperative project between Kohler and Caltech in the development of a photovoltaic toilet as part of the Reinvent the Toilet Challenge, hosted by the Gates Foundation.
- 9 years ago
Marketing and Comms /
Effie Worldwide and the World Economic Forum (WEF) have announced the inaugural call for entries for The Positive Change Effie Award, which recognizes and celebrates the most effective marketing programs that have measurably shifted consumer behavior toward more sustainable choices, and/or grown demand for more sustainable products and services by incorporating sustainability as a part of their marketing communications.The call for entries opened in September, and the deadline period runs from December 4, 2014 to January 12, 2015.
- 9 years ago
Supply Chain /
Tesco, the UK’s largest retailer, has appointed Anthesis Group to develop and manage a single online sustainability community spanning the retailer’s supply base.
- 9 years ago
Collaboration /
Philips and the SNV Netherlands Development Organisation have partnered to improve access to clean cooking solutions in Africa by introducing clean and efficient household cook stoves to rural communities across the continent. Bank of America, Deutsche Bank and the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves (GACC) announced separate plans to raise $100 million to help provide clean cooking solutions to millions of people worldwide.The Philips-SNV partnership aims to improve the health and wellbeing and income of rural populations while having a direct positive impact on the environment. It will include research, community education and access to financing for adopting clean cooking technologies.
- 9 years ago
New Metrics /
Carnival Corporation, the world's largest cruise company, has reduced its carbon emissions from shipboard operations by 20 percent one year ahead of schedule, according to the company’s new sustainability report.
- 9 years ago
Collaboration /
CVS Health has committed to invest more than $1 million in grants to support tobacco-cessation and -prevention programs nationwide. The grants will be distributed to healthcare and community partners working to promote tobacco-free communities, programs that help people kick the habit and help those who don’t smoke to never start.
- 9 years ago
Leadership /
General Mills released a new water policy this week that factors water risk considerations into business decisions, including where to locate new facilities. A primary aim is to improve the health of watersheds—particularly those critical to the company’s business.Last night at The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Global Water Summit, General Mills chairman and CEO Ken Powell spoke about the company’s efforts to conserve and protect global water resources critical to the business. He shared the company’s journey of “über-collaboration” with stakeholders to improve the health of watersheds and announced significant steps the company is taking to ensure freshwater for future generations.
- 9 years ago
Behavior Change /
Global investment in activities that reduce the threat of climate change fell for the second year in a row from $359 billion in 2012 to $331 billion in 2013, according to a new study by the Climate Policy Initiative.Global Landscape of Climate Finance shows that, while public sources and intermediaries contributed $137 billion—a figure largely unchanged from last year—private investment totaled $193 billion, falling by $31 billion from 2012.
- 9 years ago
Cleantech /
The global market for zero net energy (ZNE) commercial buildings is expected to grow to $239.7 million by 2018, with a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 50.6 percent, according to a new report by BCC Research.
- 9 years ago
Leadership /
53 California-based companies, including Apple, Google and Facebook, have received perfect scores in an annual report assessing lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) workplace inclusion.The 2015 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) is a project of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest LGBT civil rights organization. As the national benchmarking tool on corporate policies and practices related to LGBT workplace equality, the 2015 CEI unveiled that a record 366 businesses — spanning nearly every industry and geography — earned a top score of 100 percent and the distinction of “Best Places to Work for LGBT Equality.”
- 9 years ago
Product, Service & Design Innovation /
The Boeing ecoDemonstrator 787 has begun flight testing more than 25 new technologies aimed at improving aviation's environmental performance through every phase of flight.The program accelerates the testing, refinement and use of new technologies and methods that can improve efficiency and reduce noise. Boeing says this new round of testing, using 787 Dreamliner ZA004, will evaluate software and connectivity technologies related to operational efficiency; remote sensors to reduce wiring; aerodynamic and flight control improvements for greater fuel efficiency, and icephobic wing coatings to reduce ice accumulation.Technologies being tested include:
- 9 years ago
Product, Service & Design Innovation /
India-based social enterprise Spring Health has announced plans to join the Business Call to Action (BCtA) and provide safe drinking water to two million customers in rural India by 2017 to improve the health outcomes of more than five million people in Eastern India by 2019.Spring Health is the Indian counterpart of US-headquartered Windhorse International, founded by entrepreneur Paul Polak with Indian partner Jacob Mathew and CEO Kishan Nanavati.
- 9 years ago