Category Archives: Climate Action

Climate, Climate Action, Electric Vehicles, EVs and Automotive News, News

Competitors Polestar and Rivian make joint call for collective climate action among Car Producers

Polestar and Rivian have announced a joint call for collective action among automakers to tackle the climate emergency, in the first public report of its kind by two EV companies.

The two EV manufacturers have collaborated on a ‘Pathway Report’ which concludes that the automotive industry is set to overshoot the IPCC’s 1.5-degree pathway by at least 75% by 2050. The two pioneering EV makers initiated the report in response to the climate crisis. The report, which uses existing, open-source data to model the current trajectory for emissions stemming from the car industry, was carried out by global management consulting firm Kearney.

Passenger vehicles currently account for 15% of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions globally. The IPCC has stated that all GHG emissions need to be reduced by 43% by 2030 and the report makes clear that the automotive industry is far off track, and, alarmingly, will have spent its full CO2e budget already by 2035 without urgent action.

The data presents a pathway based around three key levers. Lever 1 looks at the speed at which fossil fuel-powered cars need to be replaced by electric cars but points out that this alone will not be enough. A lot more work will be required for levers 2 and 3:

  • Increasing renewable energy in power grids
  • Reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the manufacturing supply chain

Pulling just one or two levers in isolation will be insufficient and only reduce the overshoot. Collective action from automakers is needed on all three levers, in parallel, at a global level. Firstly, the industry must accelerate the transition to electric vehicles by investing in manufacturing capabilities, as well as implementing a firm end date for fossil fuel car sales globally. Secondly, build out renewable energy supply to global grids that enable EV’s to reach their full potential through green charging.

Thirdly, decarbonize the manufacturing supply chains for these vehicles through switching to low carbon materials, and investing in renewable energy solutions for supply chains.

Fredrika Klarén, Polestar Head of Sustainability, says: “Car companies may be on different paths when it comes to brand, design, and business strategies, and some won’t even admit that the road to the future is electric. I believe it is, and that the climate crisis is a shared responsibility, and we must look beyond tailpipe emissions. This report makes clear the importance of acting now and together. There’s a clear cost to inaction, but there’s also a financial opportunity for innovators who find new answers to the challenges we face.”

 

Kearney’s report has also been shared with several of the world’s leading car makers, together with an invitation to a roundtable held at the end of January to discuss areas of collective action. The aim is to find a path towards unprecedented, relevant and collective climate action for the car industry.

 

Anisa Costa, Rivian’s Chief Sustainability Officer, adds: “The report’s findings are sobering. Our hope is that this report lays the groundwork for the automotive industry to collaborate in driving progress at the pace and scale we need – and ideally inspiring other industries to do the same. Together, I’m confident we can win the race against time.”

 

The Pathway Report clearly shows the cost of inaction and the strong case for sustainable development. The investment community is moving and capital flows are shifting from traditional investment to sustainable investment, recognising an increasing link between sustainable transformation and financial benefits. In 2021, global sustainability investments totalled USD 35.3 trillion, representing over a third of all assets in five of the world’s biggest markets.

 

Angela Hultberg, global sustainability director at Kearney, says: “We are proud to have been chosen as a trusted expert to develop this report. The result of our modelling clearly shows that the industry needs to accelerate the pace of becoming a low carbon industry. We looked at different scenarios, different data points, and the conclusion is that no matter how you model it, we are far too close for comfort. We sincerely hope this report will be a starting point for the industry to focus on areas where there is agreement and find specific initiatives. It will take collective action to solve some of the issues at hand, and we look forward to seeing what the manufacturers will do in the near future.”

To drive the report forward, Polestar and Rivian invited several of the world’s leading car makers to a briefing and roundtable to discuss the critical steps that need to be taken. This includes:

  • Replacing fossil cars with electric vehicles
  • Increasing renewable energy in the power grids
  • Reducing emissions in the manufacturing supply chain by 81% by 2032

The data shows that pulling just one or two of these won’t be enough – all three need to be worked on, and at speed, with EV manufacturers collaborating like never before.

Electrification alone is not the solution – even if every car sold in the world tomorrow would be electric, we’re still on track to overshoot. Pure EV makers like Rivian and Polestar have a responsibility to double down on production related emissions and advocate for renewable energy across grids to enable green charging.

Despite the gloomy outlook, the report does suggest that the car industry has the technology, funds and know-how to rapidly build the momentum required to get back on track.

 

More talks are planned over the coming months. Other car manufacturers interested in partaking can contact pathway@kearney.com.

Read the full report here.

 

Climate Action, ESG/CSR, News, Supply Chain, Sustainability, Thought Leadership

The Greenwashing Has to Stop – Corporates Must Act Now

Written by Mark Perera, CEO, Vizibl

With COP27 completed, the urgency surrounding climate action couldn’t be more acute. Countries, governments, and organisations must immediately work together and act now if we are going to avoid a climate crisis. News that only 29 out of 193 countries have submitted tightened national plans to the UN since COP26 simply doesn’t reflect the urgency we must all adopt.

Additionally, I echo the importance of transparency and accountability shared by Simon Stiell, UN Climate Change Executive Secretary, in his opening COP27 remarks; without it, we will not meet our goals.

Seriously, with every five weeks that pass, we edge 1% closer towards the end of the 2020s – the most decisive decade of our lives for the climate crisis and for the sustainability of our planet more broadly.

As of 2022, the situation could not be more serious. We now have a 50% risk of exceeding the 1.5°C warming limit set out in the Paris Agreement before we even reach 2030. This year has seen record heat waves rip across Europe and beyond; Pakistan ravaged by deadly floods as a result of glacial melt and extreme monsoon rains; and record wildfires rage across Spain, Australia, and California. We are pulling more natural resources out of the ground than ever before; our aquifers are drying up; we waste one third of the food we produce globally; and at our current rates of deforestation, the planet may be left with just 10% of its forests by 2030.

As our natural environment suffers under the weight of unsustainable consumption patterns, so too do our communities. Climate change is exacerbating pre-existing social inequalities that persist across the globe, compounding the effects of poverty and marginalisation that increase in likelihood along lines of race, ethnicity, disability, geography, and gender. The result will be poorer health, safety, and socioeconomic outcomes, poorer food and water security, and ultimately poorer people.

Though they do not threaten us equally, these challenges do threaten us all – and while they might like to think otherwise, businesses are no exception. Businesses – particularly global enterprises – produce almost everything we manufacture, use, and dispose of; they touch just about every community and every person on the planet. As a result, much of the responsibility for averting what awaits us sits with these organisations, but so too does most of the room for positive change and concrete improvement.

Yet despite their longevity and even their very existence being endangered by the grave sustainability situation we all face, the corporate world is not acting quickly enough. So far, 2022 has seen more than its fair share of greenwashing, while many enterprise organisations have completely failed to make the necessary changes to the way they run their operations.

Instead, they have doubled down on measurement to quantify where we’re starting from when it comes to issues such as emissions and put out endless reams of PR implying that this is the same as actually doing something. In all but the most progressive and sophisticated of organisations, there has been startlingly little progress in actually pursuing more sustainable business practices.

It is imperative that we get started immediately; we are already behind. This will become all the more true as we see the results come in from 2022’s frenzy of running the numbers. As measurement becomes more robust and disclosures more comprehensive, it is likely that the current state of play will be revealed to be considerably worse than we anticipate.

Not only does failure to act now come with disastrous consequences for the planet and its people, it also signals true business risk. Some penalties already exist for flouting certain ESG issues; UK headquartered companies, for example, can face fines up to £20 million and their executives risk two year prison terms if found to be knowingly operating using modern slavery. Last year, we saw the Shell ruling in which the fossil fuel giant was taken to court by private citizens and ultimately deemed legally liable for the emissions of not just its own operations, but also of “the suppliers and customers of the group”.

More recently, the UN has called for the end of greenwashing and corporate inaction as its High-Level Expert Group On the Net Zero Emissions Commitments of Non-State Entities launched their Integrity Matters Report at COP27. In it, they make “a call for governments to regulate net zero commitments, starting with large emitters” – a rallying cry which should signal to all enterprise businesses that more scrutiny is coming. This rising tide will not – and should not – slow.

As businesses look to make improvements fast, it will be necessary to decide where it’s most efficient to pool our time and resources. The key lies outside our own four walls. With over 80% of large enterprises’ emissions impact and 90% of their impact on land, sea, air, biodiversity, and natural resources sitting within their value chains, it is clear that large corporates simply cannot be sustainable without involving their suppliers.

To address this reality, sustainable procurement has emerged – both as a movement, and as a distinct business unit. Yet, despite the huge growth in such departments and job titles over 2022, the maturity level is still low across the board.

That’s because sustainable procurement is broad-ranging and complex, touching multiple areas including technology, data architecture, finance, and more. As such, organisations need to consider how they go about selecting the right procurement platforms, how to harness supplier innovation, how they build their sustainable procurement priorities, how they change their current procurement practices and culture.

Perhaps of most importance is how they construct a robust business case for sustainable procurement and gain that all-important executive sponsorship. Proactively pursuing supplier sustainability delivers multiple benefits. It allows organisations to increase their awareness of possible risks, it future-proofs the business against ever-evolving legislation as well as delivers brand reputation and growth benefits.

Of equal importance is how an organisation goes about building a successful post-contract sustainable procurement programme and this is where Supplier Collaboration and Innovation really helps.

As COP27 finishes, let’s hope that corporate greenwashing stops and that organisations see the critical importance, as well as their responsibility and accountability for prioritising the climate crisis NOW.

Climate, Climate Action, Environment, Environment News, News, Sustainability

How to Motivate Your Employees to Go Green

Within the past few years, it has become apparent that the UK is the leader on the world stage of environmental issues. As the first nation to bring about legislation that is aimed at significantly reducing our carbon footprint toward the ultimate NetZero date of 2050, we are making great strides. But is that enough? Can we leave everything to government without taking personal responsibility for this human-caused global crisis?

Even sceptics have begun agreeing that global warming is real and that if something isn’t done soon, there will be no reducing the catastrophic effects caused by a total breakdown of the ozone layer. The ice caps are already melting, and large chunks of glaciers are breaking off and will eventually lead to major tsunamis along every seacoast around the globe.

The point is, now is our turn to do something real to put a halt to further destruction on planet Earth. Change only happens if enough people get involved in the process of reversal through sustainability. As an employer, you are now tasked with motivating your employees to Go Green. What will it take and what can you do to lead the way? Here are a few suggestions to get you headed down the right path.

Lead By Example

One of the criticisms the UK is receiving is that there are policy gaps in their previously ambitious legislation, many of which are rooted in lack of budgetary funding. Even so, they are still advancing as the world leader in their efforts to bring about zero carbon emissions by mid-century. It is believed that progress starts from the top down. Government is doing what they can with the resources available to them, but perhaps being joined by corporate leaders would accelerate national efforts.

As an owner, director or manager of a UK business of any size, it is important to understand just how important it is to lead your company’s efforts toward sustainability. Once you implement a Go Green strategy, it is up to you to ‘practice what you preach.’ It is imperative to understand that you truly are the leader of the pack and where the leader goes, the pack will surely follow.

Provide Transportation Alternatives

Since the primary goal is to reduce carbon emissions, this should start with providing alternatives in transportation. If the majority of your workforce travels by automobile to work every day, perhaps you could subsidise public transport passes to and from your place of employment.

What about building a bike shed to encourage more employees to bike to work? Even this can be accomplished with sustainability in mind because you can have the shed built with all sustainable materials. You can let ClearAmber Shop provide corrugated roofing at low market prices. Bear in mind that a Corrapol PVC Installation with sustainable corrugated roofing would be an example of both a sustainable building and zero-emissions transport. With a Corrapol stormproof structure, employee bikes would be kept safely in all types of weather.

Establish Energy-Saving Procedures

Energy saving procedures in the workplace can go far in reducing our dependence on electricity. Although we have reduced our use of fossil fuels in the production of electricity, the nation is nowhere near its goal of using only alternative sources to power those generating stations.

Set a strict policy of turning everything off when leaving for the night. If you are a manufacturer with 24-hour operations, only the production floor should be powered. All those offices should have lights and electronics off when leaving for the day.

Set Up Recycling Bins

Did you ever stop to think just how many water bottles or soda cans are being disposed of daily at your place of business? One of the things many corporations have begun doing is to setting up recycling bins adjacent to their rubbish bins. This encourages employees to toss their recyclables in the proper receptacle so that they can be taken to the nearest recycling centre.

Use Air-Purifying Plants in Office Décor

This is something that will add a touch of class to your offices whilst also working to purify the internal air that has been depleted of life-sustaining oxygen. Try adding one lovely potted air-purifying plant to each office as well as the reception area of your company. Then assign a team, such as the one mentioned below, to ensure they are watered and fed as needed. Here again, only use natural nutrients to feed those plants because chemicals are a huge part of the damage we are doing to our environment.

Establish a Company Go Green Team

You may already have several employees who are committed to sustainability. Many are already making efforts to live a green lifestyle at home and are probably among the best-informed green activists in your company. Perhaps you could ask for volunteers to form a Go Green Team to help you put many of these suggestions into practice. Let them choose among themselves who they would like to name as team leader.

You might even want to give them an hour or so on the clock once weekly to meet as a team. With the current state of the economy in flux as it is, few might be willing to work off the clock, even for a cause they are committed to. This team will oversee all the efforts already in effect and can help organise a few more as the suggestions come in.

Incentivise a “Go Green” Suggestion Box

Incentivised suggestion boxes have proven to be highly successful in other areas of business operations. Sometimes companies put up boxes in departments for suggestions to increase efficiency and other times suggestion boxes are placed outside of HR for employees to suggest better working conditions or benefits that would help them lead a better quality of life.

With a Go Green team in place and a Go Green Suggestion Box accessible to all employees, it will not be long before more innovations in sustainability are suggested. Some of these will be amazingly creative and these can be ranked and rewarded. For the suggestions that are put into place, those employees could receive some sort of bonus for aiding in the company’s Go Green efforts.

Invest a Portion of Company Profits in Green Infrastructure

One last, but nonetheless equally important, suggestion is to visibly invest a portion of the company’s annual profits in green infrastructure. Bearing in mind that part of what is stalling government efforts in their NetZero programme is a lack of funding. Any form of infrastructure demanding a green alternative could use whatever funding is made available to them.

Perhaps donations could be made to local green activist groups operating as a non-profit organisation. These groups seek to raise public awareness of a growing problem that is not yet being met sufficiently to bring about any real change. Just remember that change really does start at the top, so as your employees see you committed to supporting efforts toward sustainability, you can expect them to follow in your footsteps.

As the company leader, think of yourself as that pebble tossed into a puddle. As you ripple outward, the waves will catch and carry your employees and together you can be that boulder in the ocean bringing about a tidal wave of change.

Cleaning & Facilities Management, Climate Action, News

Kimberly-Clark Professional™ first to launch a 100% bio-based and recyclable core plug for its hand towel range

Plastic-free core plugs in Kimberly-Clark Professional’s branded hand towel range across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa increase cleaning professionals’ efficiency and improve businesses’ recycling rates.

Kimberly-Clark Professional™ is the first manufacturer to introduce 100% bio-based and recyclable core plugs in its Scott® and Kleenex® hand towel ranges across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. The plastic-free core plugs are made primarily from starch and fibre, replacing plastic core plugs currently in use. It is estimated to reduce plastic by over 30 tons every year – the equivalent weight of 1.5 million plastic bottles.

As with all of Kimberly-Clark Professional’s industry-leading washroom and wiper products and services, this product innovation is designed to help cleaning professionals improve efficiency and recycling rates while simplifying the waste management process.

When replacing the hand towel roll, cleaning professionals typically separate the card-based hand towel roll from the plastic core plug for their different disposal or recycling streams. With this new plastic-free core plug, there is no need for cleaning professionals to spend time separating the waste into paper and plastic, as the towel roll and plug can be disposed of together in paper recycling streams.

“I am proud that we are designing innovative products with circularity in mind and taking this step to eliminate unnecessary plastic in our hand towel range with this game-changing solution,” said Olena Neznal, Vice President for Kimberly-Clark Professional in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. “In doing so, we are reducing plastic waste, helping our customers improve their recycling rates, and saving cleaning professionals’ time.”

Kimberly-Clark Professional is launching this product innovation in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa and will evaluate expansion into other markets as part of the company’s global 2030 sustainability goals.

Kimberly-Clark set a goal to reduce its plastic footprint by 50% by 2030 by using less virgin, fossil-fuel-based plastic and more recycled, renewable, or degradable materials while finding ways to support the transition to a circular economy. This contributes to the company’s global ambition to improve the lives of 1 billion people in underserved communities around the globe by 2030 with the smallest environmental footprint.

Aligned with this strategy, Kimberly-Clark Professional™ is committed to helping customers achieve their environmental aspirations by elevating workplaces with the highest sustainability standards. Almost three-quarters (73%) of UK businesses say reducing the environmental impact of their hygiene products guides their decision-making – a factor of great significance in the future¹.

Sources:

  1. Ipos – Kimberly-Clark eHRT B2B – March 2021

How Loic Wozny drew on his skills and experience to develop the game-changing recyclable core plug at Kimberly-Clark Professional™

 The brains behind Kimberly-Clark Professional’s (KCP) new ground-breaking 100 percent bio-based and recyclable core plug is talented engineer Loic Wozny.

Loic joined the global personal care team 11 years ago and after various positions at the organisation is now Lead Engineer for Hand Towel, Bath Tissue and Wiper in the B2B division of Kimberly-Clark across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Loic enjoys playing a leading part in what he describes as KCP’s ‘engine room’ and his ultimate goal is to develop products that meet the high expectations of our customers.

Loic said: “Working in R&D allows you to be creative, while ensuring products meet our customers’ needs, and also being part of the ‘engine room’ of our company. So, this balance of technical matters and customer facing activities makes R&D one of the most versatile roles you can have.

“I think one of my strengths is to make different worlds work together, bringing technical insights to the business and fitting business needs into product development. What is inspiring is that I know I have an impact on our company’s future and also on our customers. I am making things that make a difference.”

Describing the journey to developing the core plug, Loic recalled: “The initial ambition was to be proactive about reducing plastic usage, so that we would comply with any requirements of the UK/EU plastic pacts, as well as the French AGEC law. We originally thought of using bio-plastics as an alternative material, but after consulting customers we realised segregating the plug and core was not straightforward and may impact on their recycling targets”.

He added: “So I decided to change the project scope and go 100 percent natural. This was a challenge, and the business were supportive of this change in scope. The biggest benefit of our new product is the reduced environmental impact, as we will now avoid using 30.5 tonnes of plastic. The other big advantage is that we will help increase our customers’ recycling rates as we have made it easier for them to recycle plug and core together”.

The creation of a 100 percent natural product is something Loic is particularly proud of as, he believes, sustainability must now be mandatory, and not just a nice to have, in the corporate world.

“Our planet is suffering from our human impact,” reflects Loic. “I desperately want my daughter to live in a better world. I try to do my part, personally, and at work, as I have the chance to be able to change things and to influence to make them better”.

Caption: Loic Wozny, Lead Engineer for Hand Towel, Bath Tissue and Wiper in the B2B division of Kimberly-Clark across Europe, the Middle East and Africa

 

 

Climate, Climate Action, Events, News, South Wales

Everyone can take part in the world’s longest ever climate relay on 5th November – and stay at home!

Residents of South Wales, who have already taken part in the world’s longest relay ever attempted, are urging others to get involved in the ‘Running Out of Time – The Global Stage‘. This is a special stage on Saturday 5th November to celebrate the relay’s arrival at COP27 and to help show world leaders at the UN climate change summit, COP27, how strongly the public wants them to take action to combat climate change and not just make more promises.

However, this latest part of the relay lets people get involved where they live!

The Running Out of Time Relay unites thousands of members of the public who are running, cycling and sailing 7,767km/4,826 miles, day and night to deliver a climate action message from young people to world leaders when they gather at COP27 in Egypt. The relay started on September 30th in Glasgow and is travelling through 18 countries before arriving at Sharm el-Sheikh on November 5th for the start of the next UN summit about climate change.

Over 70 local people ran or cycled a 10 km (approx) stretch when the relay passed through Wales, and Swansea and South Wales in particular between Wednesday 5th and Thursday 6th October – you can see the full route here. The participants included a running team from the SPECIFIC Innovation & Knowledge Centre at the University of Swansea which is developing an environmentally friendlier form of concrete, and cycling and running teams from Seagrass Ocean Rescue, an environmental charity working to restore the 92% of seagrass in British waters has been lost in the last century. Seagrass absorbs carbon dioxide at a faster rate than rainforests and, although seagrass occupies just 0.1% of the seabed, it holds onto 11% of the carbon dioxide buried in the ocean.

When it passed through Wales, the relay also visited The Carbon Community in Carmarthenshire, which is carrying out one of the largest field-trials in the UK designed to accelerate and enhance carbon drawdown in trees & soil with nature-based techniques, and The Penpont Project in Powys, the world’s first large-scale, intergenerational nature restoration project and a blueprint for how youth action and conservation can bring change.

They’re now urging more people to support the relay’s climate action message by joining in with the ‘Running Out of Time – The Global Stage’. At 10.00 am on 5th November (or as close to that date as possible), people are being asked to run, walk, cycle, dance or be active in some way for 27 minutes  – on their own or with friends and family. Then to post those pics & selfies tagged with #RunningOutofTime to showcase unity across the world for combating climate change, and to call on world’s leaders to do the same. More information and registration is at Running Out of Time – the Global Stage.

 

Bethan Thomas, one of Seagrass Ocean Rescue’s team commented:

“To combat climate change, we need all of us working together. Project Seagrass were delighted to be invited to take part in a few stages for the Running Out of Time Climate Relay and help get a message across to our global leaders. Everyone now has the chance to get involved with the Global Stage to have their voices heard and help convey the urgency of climate action.”

 

Georgia Bevan, one of SPECIFIC’s team said:

“We’re delighted that SPECIFIC’s low carbon Active Buildings were part of the Climate Relay when it came through Swansea. Several of our staff took part then, and we heartily encourage anyone who couldn’t be there to try the Global Relay. The message that is being carried to the world’s leaders at COP27 is such an important one, and this is a way to add your voice to growing demand for action on climate change. Knowing that you’re running alongside thousands of others from around the world is a great motivation too!”

 

People can also add their names to the message to help to show the strength of feeling the public have for tackling climate change right now rather than just talking about it. The message will be read out at the Ministerial session on climate change and education, and it’s calling on Governments to provide quality education, skills and resources to enable people to tackle climate change where they live and to protect their communities from the worst effects of climate change. People can add their names to the message and help to meet the target of 500,000 signatures here.

 

Climate, Climate Action, News, Sustainability

“ESG pay” for executives reduces companies’ carbon footprints

Companies that include ESG metrics in their executive compensation schemes experience more tangible improvements in their CO2 emissions, research from the University of Mannheim, Business School reveals.

According to Professor Stefan Reichelstein,  Director of the Mannheim Institute for Sustainable energy Studies and Professor of Business Administration at the University of Mannheim, Business School, including ESG criteria among key performance indicators for executives (referred to as “ESG pay”) is also associated with firms receiving more favourable ESG scores from external rating agencies.

The likelihood of firms adopting ESG pay for executives is more common in environmentally burdensome industries and countries with greater sensitivity to ESG-related issues, Reichelstein finds.

At the firm level, the proclivity to introduce ESG pay is associated with large firms that exhibit greater volatility, and increases if a company has already publicly issued environmental commitments.

“By including ESG metrics for activities subject to external costs in executive compensation schemes, owners can credibly convey to the firm’s stakeholders that management’s attention will be drawn to these external effects. In addition to improving the general corporate image, a firm commitment to be ‘ESG conscious’ may strengthen customer loyalty and make the firm’s equity shares more attractive for institutional investor groups,” says Reichelstein.

Though window-dressing activities, where firms don’t want to “walk the talk”, can be difficult to detect in the context of ESG pay, these findings indicate that the majority of ESG pay adopters are not merely engaging in window-dressing.

This research was based on a sample of 4,395 public firms from 21 countries taken from the ISS Executive Compensation Analytics database.

Carbon Reduction, Climate, Climate Action, News, Sustainability

Infinity Inc. branches out with planting and conservation initiative

A leading branded merchandise and uniform supplier, which supplies some of the biggest brands in the world, has ramped up its sustainability goals by teaming up with a pioneering environmental conservation organisation.

Infinity Inc has teamed up with Ecologi to plant trees and fund climate change projects across the globe, whilst encouraging clients to opt for more sustainable products and garments.

Infinity Inc has seen a major increase in sales throughout 2022 for its eco-friendly merchandise and sustainable garment range. The Leeds-based business already works closely with leading sustainable brands and powers its own production facility by solar panels and uses electric vehicles for customer deliveries.

Founded in 2019, with the mission to collectively halve the world’s carbon emissions by 2040, Ecologi is a B Corp-certified social enterprise that facilitates the funding of verified carbon reduction projects and responsible tree planting around the world.

Pledging to plant a tree for every order containing a sustainable product or garment, a target of 10,000 trees has been set for the first year of the partnership. The partnership has also supported two new wind power projects in Honduras and Mexico preventing the emission of over 450,000 tonnes of CO2 every year.

Darren Cohen, CEO and managing director for Infinity Inc. said: “This is a very positive, strategic partnership for us and comes at a time when our commitment to the environment is beginning to have a major impact on the way we do business. As climate change and fashion waste continue to be key issues in the industry, the demand for greener products is expected to grow extensively and we are fully geared up to be at the forefront of the market.”

Ecologi’s reforestation and restoration projects are all community-driven. Working directly with local communities enhances stewardship, education and employment opportunities. For Earth Day 2022 Ecologi partnered with entrepreneur Steven Bartlett to encourage businesses to take action on climate change.

Take a look at Infinity Inc’s online portal which shows the trees planted since the launch of the partnership and how funding has supported different projects. Infinity Inc | Ecologi

 

Pictured: Planting taking place as part of Ecologi’s Eden Reforestation Project

Carbon Reduction, Climate, Climate Action, News

4 Ways Your Business Can Help The Marine Environment

About seventy percent of the planet is water. All organisms, but especially marine organisms, depend on it for survival. On top of that, the ocean is responsible for half of the Earth’s oxygen and absorbs a portion of the carbon dioxide we produce. These carbon emissions are one of the primary drivers of climate change, which is harmful to the planet and all living things on it. 

Furthermore, millions of people worldwide rely on the ocean for their income and employment. Minerals are extracted, crude oil is drilled for, and trade routes are established along its length. It’s also a source of food for people. 

However, the ocean is under stress from human activities such as overfishing, global warming, pollution, etc., which can severely affect the marine ecosystem. And since people and industries rely heavily on ocean resources, it’s only suitable that they pitch in to help preserve them. 

That said, here are some things you can do as a company owner to help safeguard the marine environment. 

 

  • Dispose Of Waste Properly

Oils and chemicals have the potential to harm wildlife, devastate habitats, and pollute vital resources in the food chain. And these oils and chemicals can end up in the water if not correctly disposed of. 

For example, if you’re a restaurant owner, avoiding disposing of wasted oil in the waterbodies can go a long way. Instead, consider installing grease trap maintenance so grease collecting firms may use the oil and turn it into fuel. Moreover, if you accidentally spill oil, you can use boom and pad absorbers to soak it before it reaches the water. 

 

  • Reduce Carbon Footprint 

Climate change is a serious issue the world is facing right now. For one, carbon emissions can change the ocean’s chemistry and make it more acidic, making it a less suitable environment for marine life to thrive.

With that, your business can reduce its carbon footprint by ensuring your office or store is well-insulated. Doing so can lessen the use of air-conditioning units, which release carbon dioxide harmful to the environment. You can also encourage your employees to walk or bike to work whenever possible and consider offering incentives for them to do so.

  • Avoid Using Plastics 

There are at least 5.25 trillion particles of plastic in the ocean, and around 8 million new pieces of plastic find their way there daily. These plastics are to blame for the deaths of several marine animals. In most cases, a few end up consuming the plastics or become entangled in them. Consequently, some are either drowned, suffocated, or starved to death. 

Plastic packaging plays a significant addition in building up tonnes of garbage annually. Therefore, as an owner of a retail business, consider seeking out environmentally friendly alternatives to plastic packaging, such as eco bags and paper bags.  

On the other hand, if you run a food business, you can encourage your customers to bring their water bottles, tumblers, and reusable straws to minimize the use of plastic cups. You can even offer incentives such as discounts to motivate them to take part in sustainable practices. 

 

  • Partner With Organizations 

You can take your business’s sustainability initiatives further by building alliances with organizations currently working to preserve the ocean safely. By doing so, you can increase your grasp of the challenges in the marine ecosystem and your familiarity with eco-friendly solutions.

You can make generous donations, or you may participate in some of their voluntary activities like clean-up drives to observe how their objective is carried out. You can also consider encouraging your employees to participate. This can be a good way to embrace sustainability as a company. 

Furthermore, you can support practices such as sustainable fishing. The number of people in the world is constantly rising, so there’s an ever-increasing requirement for food. And thus, overfishing continues to be a problem. Too many fish are removed from the marine environment, rendering the remaining fish sterile, and this is where sustainable fishing practices come in. In general, the practice of sustainable fishing limits catches to those species found in abundant populations to maintain balance in the marine ecosystem. 

You can stand behind the cause by helping raise awareness. On the other hand, if you’re running a restaurant business, you can partner with suppliers practicing sustainable fishing.

 

Conclusion 

The marine environment is essential to maintaining life on Earth. With that, everyone must do their part to preserve it. You can help save the ocean by cutting down on your company’s carbon footprint and the usage of toxic chemicals. In addition, you can stop using plastic bags and start opting for eco-bags or paper bags to save the environment. It can also be a good idea to team up with marine-focused groups that care about the ocean’s health. Finally, support responsible fishing practices.

Climate, Climate Action, News, Sustainability, Telecoms, Telecoms News

Plastic fantastic – juice® makes plugs from strawberry cartons and removes ALL virgin plastic from entire product range

juice® mobile phone accessories manufacturer has succeeded in its mission to remove ALL single use plastic from its products, five months ahead of schedule, becoming the first technology brand to achieve this.

In July 2020, juice® became the first mobile phone accessories manufacturer in the UK to remove all single-use plastic from its packaging.

Impressive BUT the big challenge for the team at juice® for 2022 was to go one step further and remove all single-use plastic from their products, starting with speakers, cables and power banks, followed by core wireless and ‘mains’ range.

EVERYTHING being made by juice® that previously used virgin plastic, is now being made from post-consumer waste collected from oceans, beaches and landfill sites, meaning they no longer make new plastic in any part of the business.

CEO and founder Jolyon Bennett explains:

“We have always wanted to become a trailblazer brand, hugely flying the flag for sustainable technology, and this latest achievement has made us just that. We really hope that this will encourage other companies to follow suit.

“Plugs made from strawberry punnets and speakers made from water bottles….we have 8.3billion tons of waste plastic on the planet so let’s get through it! Every time we make something, that pile goes down.

“And we’re not cutting corners. The juice® products are the same product but manufactured using recycled post-consumer waste plastic. The products perform the same and look the same – the quality remains the same. We are just doing the right thing (for the environment) and seven months in, this decision has proven to be the right one as not only are our Eco products flying off the shelves, but juice® is being recognised again and again for its sustainability initiative.”

Juice has recently squeezed its competition out of the water for its sustainability drive, taking home the titles of Best Accessory Manufacturer and Best Environmental Sustainability Initiative at the Mobile News Awards. This was followed by short listings for Accessory Manufacturer of the Year and Sustainability Initiative of the Year at the Mobile Industry Awards and now the Established Business and the Sustainable Business Award at the Cherwell Business Awards.

The most recent shortlist accolade is for The Lloyds Bank British Business Excellence Awards in The Lloyds Bank Sustainable Business of the Year.

Climate, Climate Action, News, Sustainability

Flooring retailer reduces 300 tonnes of CO2e and plants 15,000 trees as part of their commitment to sustainability

Midlands-based flooring manufacturer and retail firm Factory Direct Flooring (FDF) is championing climate action and celebrating the milestone of planting 15,000 trees through climate action platform, Ecologi. Just 15 months ago, FDF became a Climate Positive Workforce® through Ecologi – which involves offsetting the carbon footprint of each employee by funding some of the world’s best carbon reduction projects, and funding responsible tree planting. The partnership is part of FDF’s commitment to sustainability across all processes and its future goal of carbon neutrality.

The offsetting is based on the approximate carbon footprint of FDF’s 25-strong workforce at its Hemdale Industrial Park-based warehouse and showroom facility. Becoming a Climate Positive Workforce® is part of FDF’s commitment to sustainability across all processes, and the verified carbon reduction projects FDF has been supporting each month has prevented the emission of over 300 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) into the atmosphere. To put this achievement into perspective, that reduction effectively offsets the same emissions produced from 233 long-haul flights.

FDF’s founder Paul Hambidge said: “This milestone that Factory Direct Flooring has reached of planting 15,000 trees in just 15 months is something our whole team is proud of. We’ve seen that by taking quite a simple step and becoming a Climate Positive Workforce®, businesses can easily fund climate action and make a difference. I certainly recommend Ecologi to other environmentally conscious SMEs.

“We are mindful about our operational impact on the planet and we moved to our current warehouse last year to consolidate and negate transport between units. FDF’s mission to reduce its environmental impact isn’t over; we are currently looking into utilising carbon accounting software Ecologi Zero to help us measure and reduce our emissions going forward,” he added.

Sam Jackson, Senior Climate & Environmental Impact Manager at Ecologi, said: “We congratulate FDF on this milestone and thank them for their commitment to taking climate action. However large or small the contribution we make in our personal and professional lives, committing to being part of the solution and implementing change is crucial in our collective effort to solve climate change.”

Ecologi is a social enterprise and certified B corporation with a mission to halve the world’s greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. To date, its users have collectively funded the planting of 45 million trees and the reduction of 2.1 million tonnes of CO2e emissions through supporting the world’s best climate solutions.

To find out more about the reforestation and carbon reduction projects FDF has supported, visit its Ecologi profile. More information on Ecologi can be found at https://ecologi.com/.

For more information about FDF and its luxury vinyl tile (LVT), laminate and engineered wood products, visit www.factory-direct-flooring.co.uk.