2Sustain

CEMEX announced last week that its United Kingdom operation (CEMEX UK) is the first cement company in the world to provide certified carbon labels for its cement using the Carbon Trust’s Carbon Reduction Label.

The label will show the carbon footprint generated by CEMEX cements in the UK. This measurement is the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases generated by the cement from cradle to grave, including the extraction of the raw materials, manufacturing, distribution, use by customers and disposal at the end of life.

“People are increasingly interested in the carbon impact of the products they buy. The challenge for businesses, such as CEMEX, is to get meaningful information to them, so they can begin to make informed low carbon choices,” says Euan Murray, Head of Carbon Footprinting at the Carbon Trust. “The Carbon Reduction Label is designed to help customers quickly identify the brands that have measured their footprint and are committed to carbon reduction. We hope more companies will follow the example of CEMEX and adopt the Carbon Reduction Label.” (more…)

PepsiCo wants to reduce the carbon footprint of Tropicana Pure Premium orange juice.

A year ago, the company partnered with the Carbon Trust to conduct a lifecycle analysis of its orange juice and discovered that the largest single source of carbon emissions  –approximately 35 percent — was fertilizer use and application for the growing process.

So now, Tropicana, in tandem with one of its long-time growers, SMR Farms in Bradenton, Fla., is launching a groundbreaking pilot program to determine whether using innovative, alternative fertilizers could significantly reduce the carbon footprint associated with the agricultural production of oranges. If successful, this change could reduce the total carbon footprint of Tropicana Pure Premium by as much as 15 percent.

Two lower-carbon fertilizers will be tested. (more…)

Proving itself (once again) to be a sustainability leader in its sector, U.S.-based global consumer electronics retailer Best Buy has joined Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy (BICEP), a coalition of major consumer companies advocating for strong U.S. climate and energy policy.

Best Buy joins other retail giants such as Nike, Starbucks and Levi Strauss & Co., who are already BICEP members. BICEP is coordinated by Ceres, a leading coalition of investors, environmental and public interest organizations working with companies to address sustainability challenges such as climate change.

“At Best Buy we’re committed to building sustainable business practices and helping our customers realize ways to live more sustainable lives,” says Laura Bishop, Best Buy’s Senior Director of Government Relations. “ We are honored to join BICEP in their efforts to advance legislation addressing climate change and promoting a clean energy economy.” (more…)

The World Economic Forum’s Logistics & Transport Industry Group, supported by Accenture, has taken a significant environmental step by agreeing to standard guidelines for calculating consignment-level carbon emissions from logistics and shipping operations.

These new guidelines for consignment-level emissions reporting will enable logistics and transport companies to:

• Assess the carbon intensity of their operations

• Define carbon reduction strategies leading to energy efficiency gains and cost reductions

• Provide their customers with information on the carbon associated with shipping their products

• Enable product lifecycle emissions assessments and product carbon labeling

And, ultimately, that will drive carbon efficiency in the freight and logistics sector –which in turn, will have a significant impact on global supply chains.

According to Jonathan Wright, senior executive in Accenture’s Supply Chain Management practice, the new carbon measurement and reporting approach will enable the logistics industry to better meet customer demands. (more…)

These days, more and more companies are seeking out ways to measure and reduce their environmental impact. They’re responding to new targets set by in-house sustainability programs, industry guidelines, and impending government mandates –and as a result, they’re creating a market for innovative carbon management services designed to help them meet their goals.

In fact, according to a new report from Pike Research, the global market for carbon management software and services will expand from $384 million in 2009 to more than $4.3 billion by 2017 –that represents a compound annual growth rate of more than 40 percent! (more…)