Sustainability & Corporate Social Responsibility

Who Cares About Conditions in Overseas Factories?

June 10, 2013

On March 25, 1911, fire swept through the Triangle Shirtwaist factory in New York City. One hundred and forty-six garment workers perished in the blaze, many of them trapped in the building because management had locked the exit doors. The youngest of the victims were 14. It was a horrifying tragedy, not atypical of working conditions during the so-called Progressive Era. Can we not, however, take comfort in knowing that those times are far behind us?

Growth in Coal Market Has Been Boon to Dry Bulk Shipping Industry

June 6, 2013

Drewry's

Drewry's latest Dry Bulk Forecaster reports that coal has been the recent saviour of the dry bulk market. Global GDP grew by 3.2 percent in 2012, following growth of 5.2 percent and 4.0 percent in the post-recession years of 2010 and 2011. This slowdown blighted dry bulk cargo volumes and in turn tonnage demand. Global steel production, reflecting industrial and growth activity around the world, grew by only 1.3 percent in 2012, with a subsequent impact on iron ore and coking coal trade.

SEC's New Rule on Conflict Minerals: Clarity and Confusion

June 3, 2013

Robert J. Bowman, SupplyChainBrain

The fog is beginning to clear. High-tech and other types of manufacturers are getting a better idea of what they must do in order to conform to new requirements for disclosing the presence in their products of conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and neighboring states. Still, a number of questions remain unanswered.

IKEA's Mike Ward to Keynote Retail Sustainability Conference 2013!

May 29, 2013

Railroads Promote the Mode as More Environmentally Friendly Than Trucking

May 24, 2013

Railway Age

Freight that moves by rail instead of highway is estimated to reduce emissions by two-thirds, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. If just 10 percent of the long-haul freight currently moving by truck could be switched to rail, it would eliminate more than 12 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year.

Cradle-to-Cradle Supplies Grows Demand in Supply Chains

May 10, 2013

edieWaste

A huge opportunity exists to develop new, safer materials as companies look to phase out hazardous substances and textiles from their supply chains.

War on Waste and Packaging to Target Supermarkets, Retail

May 10, 2013

Business Green Plus

There are few issues guaranteed to make environmentalists' blood boil quite like packaging and food waste. From single bananas in plastic wrapping to giant bags of produce that spoil within days, packaging and food waste remain one of the most visible symbols of resource inefficiency and a source of deep frustration for green campaigners and mainstream shoppers alike.

Companies Begin to See Risks, Opportunities Associated with Sustainability, Report Finds

May 9, 2013

Ernst & Young LLP

Companies are increasingly connecting the dots between risk management and sustainability by making sustainability issues more prominent on corporate agendas, according to :2013 six growing trends in corporate sustainability", an Ernst & Young LLP / GreenBiz Group study.

Commercial Building Automation Market Sees Growth, More SaaS Applications

May 7, 2013

ABI Research

A drive for cost savings and energy efficiency has brought a wave of new players and capabilities into the commercial building automation market. Rather than competing directly with the giants of the established building automation system (BAS) market, these new entrants are bringing additional managed data services to help drive greater efficiency.

'Green Tax' Index Measures How Nations Use Taxes to Influence Corporate Sustainability

May 7, 2013

CFO

Although the corporate tax director doesn't normally pow-wow each week with the head of sustainability, a new green-tax index just might encourage more talking between the two - and maybe with the CFO in on the conversation.

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.