Sustainability & Corporate Social Responsibility

Sustainable Palm Oil Isn’t Hard to Find. But No One Buys It.

January 15, 2019

The world’s biggest growers of palm oil say they’re stepping up efforts to produce the contentious commodity more sustainably, but consumers are unwilling to pay.

A Perfect Storm: Carmakers in Europe Face Uncertainty Beyond Brexit

January 11, 2019

Bloomberg

Demand in the region fizzled late in 2018 due to a combination of emissions-testing bottlenecks and economic headwinds — and more pain could lie ahead.

How Emissions Rules Could Actually Make Shipping Fuel Dirtier

January 10, 2019

Bloomberg

Thousands of merchant ships will soon start burning fuel containing higher concentrations of sulfur — a quirky outcome of rules that are supposed to cut emissions of the pollutant.

American Chain Restaurants Had a Tough Year and 2019 Looks Worse

It’s not going to get much easier for the restaurant industry.

December 28, 2018

Bloomberg

After facing stagnant sales and weak customer traffic in 2018, U.S. restaurants will encounter more headwinds next year, including rising food and wage costs.

U.K. Plans to Bill Packaging Makers for Their Plastic Pollution

December 18, 2018

Bloomberg

U.K. packaging manufacturers will have to pay for the full cost of dealing with the waste their goods produce under new government plans.

Podcast | Blockchain in Action: Tracking Vanilla

December 14, 2018

Robert J. Bowman, SupplyChainBrain

The latest flavor of blockchain technology is vanilla, and the stakes are high: Vanilla is the world’s second most expensive spice — with a price higher than that of silver.

Q&A | When to Embrace Sustainability — and When Not To

December 14, 2018

Robert J. Bowman, SupplyChainBrain

When is sustainability an investment? And when is it a cost? MIT Professor Yossi Sheffi shares some answers from his new book.

In Cancer-Linked Packaging Test, Whole Foods Ranks Worst

December 12, 2018

Bloomberg

Whole Foods Market, hailed for its high standards for healthy food, ranked worst in a study of five major U.S. grocery chains for chemicals it uses in packaging.

Once-Profitable Holiday Trash Surge Could Now Bury Struggling Recyclers

December 10, 2018

Bloomberg

Americans generate 25 percent more trash during the holidays and, historically, that’s been a gift to the companies that sell it to recycling processors overseas.

How Used Vegetable Oil Could Power World Trade

December 5, 2018

Bloomberg

Waste vegetable oil is the latest in a list of fuel innovations from a transportation industry that’s under intense pressure to lower its carbon footprint.

Sustainability & Corporate Social Responsibility

The latest news, analysis, trends and solutions for sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) and their impact on supply chain management. New customer expectations for green and ethical products and practices are transforming the way companies do business — and requiring more supply chain transparency than ever before. As solutions continue to evolve, businesses are discovering new ways to increase efficiency and cut costs. Learn how companies around the world are leveraging sustainability and CSR to stay ahead of the competition in their industries.