Sustainability & Corporate Social Responsibility

HanesBrands Outperforms Apparel Peers on Carbon Emissions

November 11, 2016

HanesBrands received a B score on the CDP's 2016 climate change report - better performance than the apparel industry average, according to CDP, formerly known as the Carbon Disclosure Project.

General Mills, PepsiCo Target Suppliers' Water Efficiency

November 10, 2016

Environmental Leader

Almost all of General Mills' water use occurs in its supply chain, as farmers around the world grow crops for the company's food products. "Ninety-nine percent of our water footprint is upstream of us," says General Mills chief sustainability officer Jerry Lynch. "It is largely about how we grow food and use water to grow food. So it’s a really important piece of the pie - and with water you see the impact very quickly and clearly."

Shell Says Demand for Oil Could Peak in 5 Years

November 9, 2016

Energy Voice

Royal Dutch Shell Plc, the world's second-biggest oil company by market value, thinks demand for oil could peak in as little as five years. Demand will peak before supply, says chief financial officer Simon Henry, and that peak will be driven by efficiency and substitution, more than offsetting the new demand for transport.

Pollution Accord Is Set for Global Flights, But Tasks Remain

November 9, 2016

The New York Times

The great and the good of world aviation gathered in Montreal last month to do something that seemed impossible even a couple of years ago. They agreed to cap greenhouse gas emissions from international flights. The pact - the first climate change agreement to apply worldwide to a specific sector, one that produces the equivalent annual carbon dioxide output as that of Germany - was greeted with almost universal support.

Americans Prefer Ethical Brands, Dominate Online Shopping, Report Says

November 7, 2016

Apparel

American consumers prioritize risk-taking, adventure and living an exciting life when it comes to making purchases, according to global research by HSBC. This structural shift among U.S. consumers' purchasing habits is prompting companies to rethink existing marketing and business strategies.

Clean Ships to Jump the Queue at Panama Canal, Officials Say

November 4, 2016

Maritime Executive

The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) has unveiled a new recognition program for clean operators that will help them to get ahead of the pack for transit bookings. The ACP calls the new system "environmental premium ranking."

Tesla Announces Commercial Solar Roof Tiles

November 3, 2016

Computerworld

Tesla has announced four different solar roof tiles that the company plans to tie tightly into its manufacturing and sales of household and commercial battery systems, that will be able to store the energy while at the time making it available to charge Tesla electric cars

Scotland Councils Club Together to Grow Local Supply Chains

November 2, 2016

Supply Management

Three councils in the North of Scotland say they hope by combining their procurement operations, they can incentivise key suppliers to invest in local supply chains. Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeenshire Council and Highland Council will be encouraging primary suppliers to increase their local footprint and help deliver social value.

Target Passes Walmart as Top Corporate Solar Customer

October 28, 2016

Computerworld

Target has surpassed perennial champion Walmart as the U.S.'s top corporate user of solar power, according to a new report. Target has installed 147 megawatts of solar capacity on 300 stores, according to the 2016 Solar Means Business Report from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).

Retailers Say They Are Increasingly Turning to Sustainable Cotton

October 26, 2016

Bloomberg BusinessWeek

Cotton, the most widely used natural fiber, is considered the world's dirtiest crop because of its heavy use of pesticides - its cultivation accounts for 17.5 percent of global insecticide sales. So in recent years, several apparel and home-goods companies, including Eileen Fisher, Patagonia, and Nike, have used organic cotton, grown by farmers who eschew pesticides and enrich their soil with compost. That's good for the environment but raises another big problem: Organic cotton is too expensive for average shoppers.