Citing increased pressure from shareholders, half of the multinationals in a recent study said they expect, in the future, to select their suppliers based upon carbon performance.
The research, commissioned by Carbon Trust Advisory, consisted of phone interviews with 100 organizations that have at least 1,000 employees worldwide. The data shows that: (more…)
For years now, sustainability advocates have urged manufacturers to use carbon footprint labels on consumer products. These labels would show the volume of greenhouse gasses emitted during a product’s lifecycle, so that consumers could make more educated choices based on the environmental impact of the products they buy.
And, as a result of these efforts, carbon footprint labels are in use in a few limited areas. For instance, the Carbon Trust has established carbon footprint labels for some products in the UK. (See earlier posts about Walkers crisps and the UK dairy sector, e.g.) But, the idea has never really caught on in the US.
Michael Vandenbergh, environmental law professor at Vanderbilt Law School and director of the Climate Change Research Network, Thomas Dietz of Michigan State University and Paul Stern of the US National Research Council would like to see that change.
In their commentary, recently published in the premier issue of the journal Nature Climate Change, the three argue that adding carbon labels to products has benefits for both consumers and manufacturers alike. Carbon footprint product labels allow consumers to choose a product based on its lower carbon footprint. That, in turn, may influence how businesses produce, package and transport products, leading to even lower carbon emissions. Plus, as I have pointed before, greening the supply chain in these ways can lead to significant financial benefits to companies, as well. (more…)
What’s the carbon footprint of a gallon of milk?
New guidelines, published last week by the Carbon Trust, in partnership with major dairy processors and the trade associations Dairy UK and DairyCo, will help us learn the answer to that question –and many others from the dairy sector, too.
According to the Carbon Trust, Guidelines for the Carbon Footprinting of Dairy Products in the UK applies the methodology of PAS 2050 to ensure that the dairy sector has a common approach and can focus on reducing emissions rather than discussing the methodology.
“Dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt are found in the homes and shopping baskets of most UK consumers, so by working to reduce their carbon impact we can make a real difference,” says Euan Murray, Head of Footprinting at the Carbon Trust. “Building a consistent and accurate footprint is a key step towards managing and reducing carbon emissions and we are pleased to have helped Dairy UK and DairyCo develop sector specific guidance on carbon footprinting.”
Using these guidelines, the dairy sector can calculate a carbon footprint based on these key phases of the dairy product life cycle: (more…)
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…)
As consumer awareness about climate change grows, a few companies are emerging as leaders in the area of carbon footprint labeling. For instance, last month the supermarket giant Tesco became the first UK retailer to display the full carbon footprint of milk.
But, it’s a fledgling movement. It was only two years ago that Walkers Crisps, part of PepsiCo, became the first consumer brand in the world to launch the Carbon Trust’s Carbon Reduction Label.
