2Sustain

How will climate change impact the coastal landscape of California?

New research from the US Department of the Interior, US Geological Survey (USGS) gives us some insights.

In the first integrated study of its kind, USGS scientists and academic colleagues analyzed how California’s interconnected San Francisco Bay and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (the Bay-Delta system) could change from 2010 to 2099 in response to both fast and moderate climate warming scenarios. The results show that: (more…)

Earlier this year, toy and game maker Hasbro, Inc. directed its suppliers to stop using paper sourced from unsustainably managed forests.

Now, the company has unveiled a comprehensive policy intended to ensure that all procurement decisions align with the company’s commitment to environmental sustainability and support sustainable forest management.

Hasbro’s new Paper and Forest Procurement Policy (PFPP):

• sets stringent vendor requirements for credible third party certification (such as the Forest Stewardship Council) of fiber.
• requires that no sources of Mixed Tropical Hardwood (MTH) virgin fiber be used in products, including packaging.

The PFPP underscores a goal Hasbro already had established: By 2015, the company wants 90 percent usage of paper packaging and in-box game content derived from recycled material or sources that practice sustainable forest management. (For 2011, the goal is 75 percent.)

In addition, Hasbro has taken the supplementary step of achieving Forest Stewardship Council certification for its US manufacturing facility, and the company is pursuing similar certification for its manufacturing facility in Ireland.

According to Kathrin Belliveau, Hasbro’s Vice President, Corporate Responsibility and Government Affairs, the company recognizes these moves have important strategic benefits. As I’ve mentioned before, “peak deforestation” creates three specific valuation risks for your company and its associated investment portfolios: (more…)

Kimberly-Clark Corporation is now the first US tissue maker to offer branded consumer tissue products that meet the sustainable sourcing requirements of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).

What is the FSC?

The FSC is a non-profit organization devoted to encouraging the responsible management of the world’s forests.

FSC certification is a market-based, non-regulatory forest conservation system recognized globally for having the highest social and environmental standards in forestry. The program uses third-party experts to verify forest management practices and track materials as they leave the forest and become products downstream. As a result, any FSC labeled product can be traced back through the chain of custody to a certified source.

So now, Kimberly-Clark’s Kleenex brand facial tissue and Scott Naturals brand products sold in North America will include fiber sourced from suppliers who have been independently certified to follow the highest standards in forestry management while also protecting high conservation-value forests and habitat.

Consumers will be able to identify FSC-certified Kleenex and Scott brand products by the FSC label on every package. (more…)

The logistics sector is an increasingly significant contributor to the global economy –and it’s also an increasingly significant consumer of fossil fuels.

To me, that indicates that logistics companies are facing considerable sustainability-related risks. Are there steps these companies can take to mitigate these risks while enhancing their competitiveness in today’s increasingly complex global business environment?

A new report from RBC and Supply Chain & Logistics Association Canada (SCL) takes a detailed look at that question and ultimately, concludes that environmental sustainability should be considered both a key issue and an important opportunity for Canada’s transportation and logistics companies.

According to the report, CEOs in the logistics sector need to grapple with five specific environmental challenges: (more…)

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…)