2Sustain

Back in 2005, GlobeScan found that the vast majority (more than 80 percent) of Chinese consumers felt that companies communicated ‘honestly and truthfully’ about their social and environmental performance.

Five years later, opinions have changed.

In its 2010 global tracking research on public views of corporate social responsibility, GlobeScan found that these days, less than half (40 percent) of Chinese consumers believe that companies are being truthful about their CSR performance. (more…)

Without question, the disaster that’s unfolding in the Gulf of Mexico is a case study in the lack of corporate sustainability oversight.

But, now there’s a new report that says the problems aren’t limited to BP or even “big oil.” According to this latest research, most corporations don’t seek out independent sources of information on the impact of business operations on the environment, and most lack detailed procedures and metrics for integrating social objectives into daily corporate activities.

The report, Sustainability in the Boardroom, released yesterday by The Conference Board, reveals that few companies consistently elevate sustainability issues to the strategic discussions that take place at the board level. As a result, the vast majority of directors (89 percent) continue to base their decision on reports by senior executives, and most sustainability discussions with the board only take place in reaction to emergency situations.

Here are a few additional, and equally sobering, findings from the report: (more…)

The Sportlifestyle company Puma wants to enhance transparency and improve social and working conditions in its supply chain, and so the company is going to provide training about sustainability reporting to its strategic suppliers.

Puma says 20 of its strategic suppliers  –which account for more than two thirds of all Puma products – will receive GRI-certified training on transparent measurement and reporting of their sustainability performance using the GRI G3 Guidelines. The training, part of  the Global Action Network for Transparency in the Supply Chain program (GANTSCh), will be conducted by GRI Certified Training Partners, and during the reporting process, the suppliers will be supported by regional sustainability consultants.

The training is scheduled to start in 2010, and the suppliers’ first sustainability reports are expected to be released in 2011/2012. (more…)

Wondering what the future holds for the textile industry?

According to a new report from cKinetics, it’s going to be all about “green.”

The report, Exporting Textiles: March to Sustainability 2010, says that over the next decade, the textile industry is going to focus on sustainability and optimally using natural resources to generate value in the supply chain.  The report maps supply chain sustainability initiatives and plans by global brands and retailers in their textile procurement process. It profiles 19 global firms (Adidas, Gap Inc., H&M, Ikea, Levi Strauss & Co, Marks & Spencer, Nike, Otto, Carrefour, Walmart, Continental Clothing, Phillips-Van Heusen, Timberland Company, Inditex, Primark, John Lewis Partnership, Lindex and Tesco) and  concludes that even though much of the current work being done to increase the sustainability of the global textile supply chain is still in its early stages or only being applied regionally, in the next 24-36 months these initiatives will significantly influence mainstream business practices worldwide.

cKinetics uses the report to make a handful of very specific predictions, including: (more…)

The adidas Group has released its tenth annual sustainability report, providing an overview of the company’s strategies to reduce environmental footprints of its own operations while continuing to help suppliers reduce their environmental impacts, as well.

In particular, adidas Group reports that it is focusing its 2010 efforts on actions directed at these specific 2015 targets (each measured against a baseline of 2008 unless specified) : (more…)