2Sustain

More than three-fourths of consumers say that it is important for companies to be socially responsible, according to the second annual Corporate Social Responsibility Perceptions Survey, conducted by research-based consultancy Penn Schoen Berland in partnership with brand consulting firm Landor Associates and strategic communications firm Burson-Marsteller.

The study, which analyzed consumer views of companies from 14 industries ranging from apparel to telecommunications, found that: (more…)

Samsung wants to collect and recycle one million mobile phones in 2010.

To that end, the Samsung “Mobile March to a Million” project has launched a nationwide in-school education and recycling program that will teach teens about the importance and ease of mobile phone recycling, while encouraging students, teachers and the community to recycle used mobile phones.

Joining the “March” is easy. Anyone can simply collect used mobile phones, and then Samsung Mobile will reuse the materials and recycle the rest responsibly. For more information, check out this guide. (more…)

At the Global Label Association Summit held earlier this month in Barcelona,  the Tag & Label Manufacturers Institute (TLMI), the Féderation INternationale des fabricants et transformateurs d’Adhésifs et Thermocollants sur papiers et autres supports (FINAT) and other major associations in the label industry agreed to promote sustainability and environmental standards worldwide.

For example, the global label associations, suppliers and converters, say they’re committed to: (more…)

Businesses aren’t the only organizations prioritizing sustainability. The Pentagon is also stepping up its efforts to address the threat of climate change.

Last month, the Department of Defense released its Quadrennial Defense Review, and for the first time, this document –prepared periodically by the Pentagon to update Congress –addressed global warming, acknowledging that it will 1) accelerate instability and conflict around the world, and 2) impact US military facilities and capabilities, as well.

As a result, the military is planning a comprehensive assessment of all installations and is now working to  improve energy efficiencies and move away from fossil-based fuels.  As Lauren Morello points out in “Navy and Marines Aim for a Leaner, Greener Fighting Machine,” her article in the New York Times from earlier this week, these steps won’t just save money, they’ll save lives and time –and strengthen the military, too. (more…)

Ford Motor Company is expecting to save more than $1 million annually by simply powering down computers when they’re not in use during the work day and then turning them off overnight and on weekends.

Ford says that under a new program called PC Power Management, the power settings on Windows laptops and desktop computers are centrally controlled to reduce energy waste and optimize software updates. A managed shutdown of computer systems not in use, especially overnight and on weekends, further reduces energy use.

In addition, the PC Power Management system ensures all computers connected to the Ford Intranet are awake and able to receive software deliveries during off hours, decreasing downtime during working hours due to software loads.

Ford expects this new initiative will: (more…)