2Sustain

Last week, the H.J. Heinz Company released it 2011 Corporate Social Responsibility Report and announced that the company is on track to achieve or surpass its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, solid landfill waste, energy consumption and water consumption by at least 20 percent each by Fiscal Year 2015.

Since the baseline year of 2005, Heinz has achieved the following cumulative reductions through Fiscal Year 2011, which ended on April 27:

• 45.6 percent global reduction in solid waste per 100 metric tons of production globally
• 21.8 percent global reduction in water consumption per metric ton of production globally
• 13.2 percent decrease in greenhouse gas emissions per metric ton of production globally
• 15.1 percent decrease in energy consumption per metric ton of production globally

The 2011 report, which adheres to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) G3 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines, also includes these additional highlights from 2011: (more…)

In what’s being billed as the most comprehensive survey of corporate responsibility (CR) reporting ever published, KPMG found that CR reporting has reached an all-time high –but unfortunately, the reports lack rigor.

KPMG’s International Survey of Corporate Responsibility Reporting 2011 reviewed trends of each of the Global Fortune 250 (G250), as well as 3,400 companies worldwide, representing the national leaders in 34 countries and 15 industry sectors.

The research showed that:

• Nearly all (95 percent) of the G250 companies report their corporate responsibility activity.
• More than half (64 percent) of the largest 100 companies (N100) in each country report –that’s up 11 percent since 2008, with developing nations showing fast uptake.

KPMG also compared CR reporting activity across different countries and found some significant differences: (more…)

In April 2006, Toyota began working to meet the guidelines of its second consolidated Environmental Action Plan (EAP), an aggressive five-year roadmap for improving and enhancing sustainability efforts across the company’s North America operations.

Last week, Toyota reported on its progress and affirmed its commitment to sustainability with the release of its 2011 North America Environmental Report.

Among the energy consumption, recycling and resource management achievements outlined in the 2011 report: (more…)

Last month, Dunkin’ Brands Group, Inc., the parent company of Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins, released Serving Responsibly, the company’s first CSR report. It offers a detailed overview of Dunkin’ Brands’ current CSR initiatives as well as key areas of focus for the future, such as nutrition, sourcing and packaging.

Serving Responsibly outlines Dunkin’ Brands’ ongoing commitment to grow its business in a sustainable manner, while taking into consideration the needs of guests, employees, franchisees, local communities and the environment.

Among the highlights, the report states that Dunkin’ Donuts was the first national brand to sell espresso beverages made exclusively with 100 percent Fair Trade Certified™ coffee, helping farmers and their families earn a better income and invest in the quality of their harvest. By the end of 2010, Dunkin Brands purchased nearly 26 million pounds of Fair Trade Certified^TM coffee and delivered approximately $1.9 million in premiums back to farming communities.

In addition, back in 2008, Dunkin’ Brands opened its first “green” restaurant, in St. Petersburg, Florida, which achieved the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification in 2010. This restaurant also boasts the following eco-friendly features: (more…)

Late last month, UPS released the latest edition of its annual sustainability report, and once again, the company has managed to reduce the amount of fuel it’s using to deliver each package in the United States.

Interestingly, the company’s US package volume rose 1.8 percent in 2010 compared to 2009, and yet UPS reduced the amount of fuel consumed per package by 3.3 percent. The company attributed the improvement to:

• deploying the right vehicle on the right routes,
• using technology to minimize the miles driven and
• focusing on how behavior can affect fuel use.

All told, technology has enabled UPS to avoid driving more than 63.5 million miles in 2010 with an associated emissions avoidance of 68,000 metric tonnes. As remarkable as it sounds, UPS estimates that distance is the equivalent of 251,987 trips to the International Space Station.

How, exactly, has the company used technology to reduce fuel consumption? According to a press release, UPS has specifically improved: (more…)