2Sustain

For years now, consumers, investors, advocacy groups and other stakeholders have been pressing for improved transparency in business practices, and in line with appeals like these, California legislators passed the Transparency in Supply Chain Act (SB 657), effective as of January 1, 2012.

Simply put, The Transparency in Supply Chain Act requires retailers and manufacturers to publicly disclose their efforts to eradicate slavery and human trafficking from their supply chains. The law applies to all corporations doing business in California with more than $100 million in worldwide gross receipts, and as a result, it’s estimated to affect some 3,200 companies.

Not surprisingly, the new regulations have been the subject of much debate. (more…)

In an effort to provide all of us with fundamental information about our communities, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its annual Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) earlier this month. This analysis provides information on nationwide toxic chemical disposals and other releases into the air, water and land, as well as data on waste management and pollution prevention activities n neighborhoods across the country.

TRI data is submitted annually to EPA and states by multiple industry sectors including manufacturing, metal mining, electric utilities and commercial hazardous waste facilities. Facilities must report their toxic chemical releases to EPA under the federal Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) by July 1st of each year. In addition, the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 requires information on waste management activities related to TRI chemicals.

EPA’s analysis for the latest reporting year, 2010, concluded that disposals are higher than the previous two years, but lower than 2007 and prior year totals.

The 2010 TRI data showed that since 2009 there has been: (more…)

The world’s highest rates of deforestation, a key factor to rising atmospheric CO₂ levels and subsequent climate change, are occurring in the emerging economies of Brazil, Indonesia and Nigeria, according to research released earlier this month by risk analysis and mapping company Maplecroft.

Maplecroft’s new  Deforestation Index concludes that economic growth, poverty, corruption and the rise of biofuels are among the major causes of deforestation in nine countries which Maplecroft now classifies as “extreme risk.”

These endangered nations are:

Rank      Country

1           Nigeria

2           Indonesia

3           North Korea

4           Bolivia

5           Papua New Guinea

6           Democratic Republic of Congo

7           Nicaragua

8           Brazil

9           Cambodia

The report also details specific challenges faced by different countries.

For example, (more…)

The nonprofit advocacy group Mercy for Animals launched an undercover investigation into McDonald’s egg supplier Sparboe Egg Farms and found cruel conditions. Hidden-camera video from the investigation showed a number of abuses, including:

• the use of battery cages, which are banned in California, Michigan and throughout the entire European Union,
• workers burning off the beaks of young chicks and callously throwing them into cages, some missing the cage doors and hitting the floor and
• rotted hens, decomposed beyond recognition as birds, left in cages with hens still laying eggs for human consumption.

In a statement, McDonald’s described the behavior on the video as “disturbing and completely unacceptable.” (more…)

Over the years, I’ve seen again and again how collaboration with the supplier network is fundamental to meeting supply chain sustainability goals.

But, we all know that pushing and pulling data between trading partners can be tremendously frustrating. Even though we’ve seen nearly every other aspect of our lives –how we shop, communicate with friends, search for jobs, even look for restaurants and service providers –completely transformed by companies like Facebook, LinkedIn, Yelp, etc., that kind of Web 2.O communication and collaboration has been sorely lacking in supply chain management .  . .

Well, what I mean to say, is that Web 2.O communication and collaboration has been sorely lacking in supply chain management  . . . until now.

This week, I’m thrilled to announce that Aravo has released Aravo Assure^TM, an innovative web-based B2B social network we built to revolutionize the way businesses engage, share data and collaborate.

Using Aravo Assure’s^TM Enterprise 2.0 technology, trading partners are empowered with an industrial-strength collaboration platform and many-to-many communications framework designed to facilitate information exchange, while reducing the expense and administrative burden on both parties. That means Aravo Assure^TM makes it easier than ever before for suppliers and buyers to build robust, collaborative relationships.

Suppliers can share their latest sustainability credentials, environmental performance record, disaster recovery plans, etc. Buyers can update suppliers on risk assessments, sustainability program requirements, etc. It’s an entirely new, configurable B2B collaboration infrastructure that will strengthen supplier relationships –and save companies time and money.

We’re not the only ones who think so. (more…)