Mark McElroy on What's Wrong with Sustainability Reporting
While it's great to see so many companies embracing sustainability reporting, most aren't giving us the whole picture, says Mark McElroy, founder of the Center for Sustainable Innovation (CSI). Mark is no armchair critic, however. CSI has spent the past three years developing a new reporting standard called the Social Footprint, currently being piloted by such forward-thinking companies as Ben & Jerry's. In this SLM interview, Mark discusses the philosophy behind the framework - and explains why the Global Reporting Initiative doesn't go far enough. Read more...
This Week Top News...
Patagonia Microsite Chronicles Products' Eco-Impact
Patagonia is tracking the environmental impact of select products from design to distribution, posting the results - for better or worse - on a microsite dedicated to the subject, Fast Company reports. The most surprising findings? Product shipping accounts for just 1% of supply chain energy use, while actual manufacturing sucks up considerably more energy than originally assumed. Read more...
CH2M HILL Cuts Paper Use 23%
CH2M HILL's paper use per employee dropped 23% last year, far surpassing its goal to reduce paper consumption by 5% in 2007. Overall paper use declined by 4 metric tons even as the construction giant took on new office staff. Read more...
U.K. Procurement Policy to Promote Green Innovation
The British government has unveiled a new procurement policy aimed at “[harnessing] the power of government as the U.K. economy’s biggest customer to create new markets and demand” for greener products, the Guardian reports. In addition to rewarding big-name companies with large R&D budgets, the new program will make a special effort to reach out to smaller businesses. Read more...
China Launches Auto Parts Recovery Program
Three Chinese automakers and 11 car parts manufacturers have signed on to a government-sponsored recycling program that will harvest reusable materials from the more than three million vehicles scrapped in China each year, Xinhua reports. The program is part of a larger government effort to achieve a more "circular" - or sustainable - economy. Read more...
Chemical Supplier Makes Business Case for Greener Manufacturing
Chemical supplier SI Group has unveiled a new program to deliver customized, environmentally preferable products for manufacturers. The new program, dubbed StrategicGreen, aims to "help manufacturers think beyond compliance issues to realize additional business benefits" of using greener chemicals. Read more...
Virgin's Branson: Biofuels Test "Not a Publicity Stunt"
Virgin CEO Richard Branson has hit back at criticism - most recently from British Airways CEO Willie Walsh - that his airline's recent biofuels test flight was a publicity stunt that offers little real-world value for the aviation industry. In an editorial in The Guardian, Branson responds directly to Walsh, charging that if the BA boss "had his way the industry would go backwards." Read more...
Pepsi Center Goes Green from Air to Zamboni
The Pepsi Center - Colorado's largest sports arena and the site of the 2008 Democratic Convention - has invested in massive green retrofits, from giant air circulating fans in the building's roof to the Zamboni that cleans the hockey rink's ice. The facility has also become the first U.S. sports arena to buy enough renewable energy to offset 100% of its electricity use. Read more...
Marriott Mandates Green Certification for 34 Golf Courses
Marriot is requiring 34 of its North American golf courses to earn green certification from the Audubon Society. The golf courses, including high-profile properties such as Miami's Doral Golf Resort & Spa and California's Shadow Ridge Golf Club, must achieve certification by the end of the year. Read more...
Wal-Mart Tailors Energy-Efficient Store to Desert Climate
Wal-Mart has opened a new energy-efficient store in Las Vegas that is tailored to the unique environmental conditions of the American West. The prototype, dubbed HE.5, is designed to use 45% less energy than a typical Wal-Mart store. Read more...
Bissel Vows to "Get a Little Greener"
Bissell says it's getting "a little greener," unveiling a new floor cleaner - dubbed "Little Green" - that symbolizes the company's focus on small environmental improvements over flashy corporate announcements. Read more...
Travelers Enhances Coverage for Green Commercial Properties
Travelers has expanded its insurance coverage for mid-sized businesses that own commercial real estate. The company's enhanced Deluxe Property Coverage promotes the use of environmentally friendly building materials as replacement components following a covered loss. Read more...
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Eco-Advantage Salon Tour Coming to L.A.!
Come hear our own Andrew Winston, co-author of Green to Gold, talk about what's driving so much increased focus on the environmental impact of business, and how you can navigate this changing landscape successfully. Click here for more information.
GE, Wal-Mart Chiefs Renew Green Vows
At a recent conference organized by the Wall Street Journal, GE's Jeff Immelt and Wal-Mart's Lee Scott fielded some pointed questions from conservative market watchers on their aggressive environmental policies. Fortune's sustainability columnist Marc Gunther has the wrap-up. (Fortune) Read more...
Case Study: Coca-Cola's Global Water Stewardship Program
This case study reviews the drivers for Coca-Cola's commitment to water resources management, examines the complexities of integrating water initiatives throughout global systems, and outlines implications and key lessons to guide other companies that wish to gauge their water footprints and evaluate potential risks. Scroll to the end for a list of seven action items for greening your own company's water policy. (Business for Social Responsibility) Download now (PDF)...
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