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CSX to Welcome EDF Climate Corps Fellow to Help Improve Energy Efficiency

05.23.2012 - 04:58PM

For the third consecutive year, CSX Corporation (NYSE: CSX) will welcome an MBA student from Environmental Defense Fund’s (EDF) Climate Corps summer fellowship program to help the company identify ways to improve energy and cost efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“The EDF Climate Corps program brings CSX’s brightest minds together with tomorrow’s leaders to solve problems to the benefit of our employees, customers and communities,” said Carl Gerhardstein, assistant vice president, environmental systems and sustainability. “CSX’s participation in this innovative program is an important part of our commitment to environmental stewardship and helps us achieve our emissions reduction goals.”

In 2011, CSX and the EDF Climate Corps fellow analyzed air compressors at rail yard facilities and the CSX Data Center in Jacksonville, Fla. Together, the team identified potential cost savings of more than $1.2 million and greenhouse gas emissions savings of nearly 3,000 metric tons annually. The 2010 partnership identified annual savings of more than $160,000, 1.5 million kWh of electricity (enough to power 140 homes), and 940 metric tons of CO2, the equivalent of removing 150 SUVs from the road.

This year, CSX’s EDF Climate Corps fellow will work with the company’s environmental and operations teams to develop a program to educate employees about how to save energy. The fellow will also conduct an energy audit of the Waycross, Georgia facility, including evaluating the energy efficiency of air compressors powering the yard’s operations.

“CSX’s renewed participation in EDF Climate Corps supports our goal of making aggressive energy efficiency the norm in organizations across America,” said Victoria Mills, managing director, EDF. “Working with companies like CSX for multiple years allows us to dive deeper into their energy management practices, and recommend solutions that deliver lasting energy savings.”

“Participating in the EDF Climate Corps program supports CSX’s overall sustainability strategy and environmental stewardship goals,” Gerhardstein said. “Thanks to programs like EDF Climate Corps, CSX was able to meet its greenhouse gas emissions intensity reduction goal in 2011, a year earlier than projected. CSX is now working to set a new emissions reduction goal, supported by the EDF Climate Corps results.”

For more information about CSX’s environmental initiatives, visit the responsibility tab of www.csx.com and www.beyondourrails.org/environment.

Environmental Defense Fund is a leading national nonprofit organization representing more than 700,000 members. Since 1967, EDF has linked science, economics, law, and innovative private sector partnerships to create transformational solutions to the most urgent environmental problems.

About CSX

CSX Corporation, based in Jacksonville, Fla., is one of the nation’s leading transportation companies, providing rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck transload services. The company's transportation network spans approximately 21,000 miles, with service to 23 eastern states, the District of Columbia and two Canadian provinces. CSX’s network connects more than 240 short line railroads and more than 70 ocean, river, and lake ports. More information about CSX Corporation and its subsidiaries is available at www.csx.com. Like us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/OfficialCSX) and follow us on Twitter (http://twitter.com/CSX).

Mills Achieves B Corporation Status

05.15.2012 - 12:00PM

Mills, a family owned office supplies distributor, is proud to announce that it has achieved Certified B Corporation status as designated by the non-profit organization B Lab. Mills is the first Office Supply Company in Canada to achieve this status.

B Corporations are a new kind of company which uses the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. There are currently over 515 Certified B Corporations from sixty industries, representing $2.9 Billion in collective revenues.

To become a Certified B Corp, companies must meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance. Environmental leadership is a priority and a long standing tradition at Mills. By working closely with its family of customers, employees and suppliers, the company brings to life a vision of environmental responsibility and care that encourages and supports sustainable practices in office productivity. Mills is Vancouver’s first office supply business to be carbon neutral, first business partner of cycle-based distribution initiative Shift Urban Cargo and first business in Canada to own the eStar-EV 100% electric delivery truck.

The electric truck is part of a Carbon Free Delivery Program that involves once a week delivery to customers on pre-determined routes in Vancouver, North Vancouver, Burnaby and Richmond. All products will be packaged using re-usable delivery totes, acquired from FrogBox, which will be left with the customer until the next delivery to collect a wide variety of recyclables, including: pens, markers, binders, batteries and empty toner cartridges.
It is a four-pronged approach that eliminates carbon emissions, reduces the # of deliveries on all routes, eliminates additional packaging waste and provides a recycling solution to businesses. (For additional information about Mills initiatives visit www.mills.ca.)

According to Brad Mills, CEO of Mills “Many of our competitors only act when being green meets their bottom line; by becoming a member of the B Corp Community, we want to show our customers our commitment to the environment and the local community we operate in”

“While any company can purchase carbon offsets, we are now being held to a higher standard as a Certified B Corporation” comments Brad. “We now must consider the impact that our decisions will have on our employees, customers, community, suppliers and the environment. While this has always been important to us, being a part of this community will give us the framework to measure our successes and determine where we need improvement.”

About Certified B Corporations

Certified B Corporations must:

Meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance;
Legally expand their corporate responsibilities to include consideration of stakeholder interests;
Build a collective voice through the power of the unifying B Corporation brand.

About B Lab

B Lab (www.bcorporation.net) is a non-profit organization dedicated to using the power of business to address the world’s most pressing challenges by supporting entrepreneurs who seek to use business as a force for good.

B Lab accomplishes this by:

Building a shining light on the community of Certified B Corporations, companies certified for being not just the best in the world, but best for the world. To earn certification, B Corporations must achieve a minimum score on the B Impact Assessment, which measures a company’s impact on its workforce, suppliers, consumers, community, and the environment;
Driving capital to these entrepreneurs using GIIRS Ratings and Analytics, a platform that allows investors to assess and benchmark the performance of companies and funds in their impact investment portfolios;
Creating an enabling policy environment, including incentives and new corporate form legislation that removes impediments to creating social benefit alongside shareholder value.

About Mills: Locally owned and operated, Mills has been supplying the Lower Mainland with office supplies and printing services since 1949. A carbon neutral, family owned business, Mills is known for its commitment to environmental sustainability and community based programs in the Downtown Eastside.

Many U.S Mutual Fund Companies Falling Short in Proxy Voting on Climate Change

05.14.2012 - 02:16PM

The three largest mutual fund companies in the U.S. – American Funds, Fidelity, and Vanguard – managing over $1.6 trillion in U.S. securities in 2011, voted on dozens of shareholder resolutions last year seeking to improve corporate environmental and financial performance related to climate change. But in no case did any of the three firms cast an affirmative vote. That’s one of the major findings of a new analysis of proxy votes cast in 2011 by 44 of the largest U.S. mutual fund companies. Other major mutual fund companies such as TIAA-CREF and Wells Fargo performed much better, voting for a majority of such resolutions (see Appendix 1).

“Mutual fund companies have a fiduciary duty to vote in the best interest of their clients, but in the case of climate change, many are not doing so,” said Mindy Lubber, president of the sustainability advocacy group Ceres, which commissioned the analysis. “The dearth of support by industry giants – American Funds, Fidelity and Vanguard – is especially disturbing.”

“Most large companies face significant climate-related risks, including physical and regulatory impacts, but many are ignoring them,” Lubber added. “Shareholder resolutions are a key mechanism for shareholders to strongly encourage companies to disclose these risks and actions for managing them.”

A growing number of institutional investors – many of them part of the Investor Network on Climate Risk comprised of 100 institutional investors collectively managing about $10 trillion in assets – have publicly signaled that they view information about climate change risks as material to their investment decisions.

Many of these same investors filed dozens of shareholder resolutions in 2011 and 2012 requesting that companies disclose climate risks and strategies for managing those risks. Among those are the New York State and New York City Pension Funds and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS), which together filed or co-filed 17 climate-related resolutions in 2011. All told, the Ceres study tracked 111 resolutions filed with 81 U.S. and Canadian companies during the 2011 proxy season on climate change and related sustainability issues.

In 2010, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission issued formal guidance requiring publicly traded companies to disclose material climate risks in their financial filings.

Although American Funds’ proxy voting guidelines call for a case-by-case voting strategy on issues such as climate change, the firm voted against every single climate-related resolution filed in 2011 with companies held in its mutual fund portfolios, according to the new analysis done by Jackie Cook of Fund Votes.

Fidelity abstained on 89 percent of the resolutions and voted against 11 percent even though its proxy voting guidelines state that abstentions are used mainly when information on economic impact is lacking. Yet there is a great deal of financial and analytical information available on the impacts of climate change and climate risk management strategies from highly respected institutions such as Deutche Bank, Generation Investment Management, and many others.

Vanguard’s 88 percent abstention rate (12 percent against) reflects a policy of deferral to corporate management on such issues even though Vanguard’s proxy voting guidelines call for action where an issue can have “a significant, tangible impact on the value of a fund’s investment and management is not responsive to the matter.”

“The movement over the last few years by Fidelity and Vanguard from voting against all shareholder resolutions related to climate change to abstaining on most is a very small step in the right direction,” Lubber said. “But it also a very passive strategy that simply defers responsibility to management. These mutual funds should be leveraging their influence to ensure the companies they invest in are taking their climate-related risks and opportunities seriously, and disclosing material climate-related information to their shareholders. As fiduciaries for their customers they have an obligation to do better.”

In some cases, according to the Fund Votes analysis, mutual fund voting is misaligned with the firms’ publicly stated positions on issues related to climate change. For instance, signatories to the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), BlackRock and AllianceBernstein supported less than five percent of climate-related resolutions on which they voted in the 2011 proxy season. PRI signatories publicly endorse six PRI principles, including Principle 2, which states: “We will be active owners and incorporate environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues in our ownership policies and practice,” including proxy voting. The preamble to the principles states “…we believe that ESG issues can affect the performance of investment portfolios…”

Another example of misalignment is between Fidelity’s voting record and its recent on-line advertisements featuring water scarcity and ‘peak water’ as a key investment theme. Despite these ads Fidelity failed to vote for a single water-risk-related resolution that was part of the study.

Though the proxy voting record of the Big Three is lacking, many large fund companies do have proxy-voting records that show strong concern for the financial impacts of climate change. Some have voted in favor of more than 50 percent of shareholder climate-related resolutions at large US corporations (See Appendix 1 below for specific voting records). Firms with the best voting records in 2011, all supporting more than half of the climate resolutions, were: TIAA-CREF, Wells Fargo, Fifth Third, Credit Suisse, Oppenheimer, GMO and Delaware.

Appendix:

Percent of votes cast ‘for’ and abstained by 44 Large Mutual Fund Families on 2011 climate-related resolutions

About Ceres

Ceres is an advocate for sustainability leadership. Ceres mobilizes a powerful coalition of investors, companies and public interest groups to accelerate and expand the adoption of sustainable business practices and solutions to build a healthy global economy. Ceres also directs the Investor Network on Climate Risk (INCR), a network of 100 institutional investors with collective assets totaling more than $10 trillion.

For more information, visit http://www.ceres.org and http://www.incr.com.

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Coca-Cola Enterprises Publishes 2011/2012 Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Report

05.09.2012 - 10:35AM

Coca-Cola Enterprises (NYSE/NYSE Euronext Paris: CCE) today released its seventh company-wide Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (CRS) report, “How can a drink build a more sustainable tomorrow?”

This is the company’s first CRS report since the publication of its “Deliver for Today, Inspire for Tomorrow” sustainability plan in September 2011. Built on extensive stakeholder feedback, the plan defines the company’s new sustainability vision, commitments and more challenging targets as it seeks to grow its business while building a more sustainable tomorrow.

The report demonstrates how CCE is delivering against its thirty seven targets in each of its seven CRS focus areas (Energy and Climate Change, Sustainable Packaging and Recycling, Water Stewardship, Product Portfolio, Active Healthy Living, Community, and Workplace). In particular, it focuses on the two areas in which CCE intends to lead the industry, Energy and Climate Change and Sustainable Packaging and Recycling, and addresses how the company plans to innovate for the future. The report emphasizes the importance of stakeholder engagement and collaboration and includes a range of questions posed to CCE by stakeholders in 2011.

“We have made important progress in the past year to reduce our water and carbon impacts while growing our business,” said John F. Brock, chairman and chief executive officer. “We know that taking broader accountability across our value chain is the right thing to do, and to create a more sustainable tomorrow, we will work even more closely with customers, suppliers and other partners.”

Key 2011/2012 progress includes reducing carbon emissions from the manufacture, distribution and cooling of CCE’s products by 8.4 percent while growing volume by 3.5 percent, and reducing the company’s water use ratio by 13 percent since 2007. In 2011, CCE announced a plastics recycling joint venture with ECO Plastics in Great Britain which, when operational, will enable the company to include 25% rPET in all its plastic packaging in Great Britain this year.

“As we move forward on our CRS journey, we realize that we don’t have all the answers,” added Brock. “Innovation and collaboration with our stakeholders is key, particularly in the context of the macroeconomic and societal challenges we continue to face. In partnership with our stakeholders, we seek to continue developing CRS solutions that benefit our company, our industry and society at large.”

2011/2012 CCE CRS Report Highlights:

Grew volume by 3.5%, while reducing emissions from manufacturing, distribution and the cooling of products by 8.6%
Became the first soft drinks company to receive the Carbon Trust Standard Award, receiving the best-ever score out of 675 companies.
Certified three manufacturing sites to the new energy management standard, ISO 5000, with the company’s plant at Wakefield, Great Britain, becoming the first in the food and beverage industry to achieve this certification.
Invested $23 million of capital expenditure on carbon reduction projects, such as solar panels
installed on the roof of a new green distribution centre in Belgium and at three sites in Great Britain.
Invited to join the EU Corporate Leaders Group on Climate Change to demonstrate the support of business for the European Union to move to a low-carbon society.
Launched a ‘Carbon Challenge’, in which 129 of CCE’s suppliers were surveyed on their carbon performance and asked to implement reduction plans.
Reduced the amount of water required to make 1 liter of product to 1.43 liters – a reduction of 13 percent since 2007.
Introduced PlantBottle – incorporating plastic from plant-based material - across all territories to popular 500ml PET Coca-Cola, Diet Coke and Coke Zero packages.
Executed recycling programmes at major summer festivals in France, Belgium and Great Britain, as well as with major retailers ASDA and Carrefour, reaching over 4.7 million consumers with recycling messaging .
Launched water replenishment partnership with WWF-UK and The Coca-Cola Company focusing on improving water quality in river catchments in South East England.
Introduced Powerade Zero in France and started work on product reformulation to include plant-based sweetener stevia into some drinks.
Invested $5.7 million in our communities. Activities included our ‘Real Business Challenge’ programme in Great Britain in which 45,000 students participated.

The report can be accessed at: http://www.ccesustainabilityplan.com/crsreport2011-12.

About Coca-Cola Enterprises, Inc.

Coca-Cola Enterprises, Inc. is the leading Western European marketer, distributor, and producer of bottle and can liquid nonalcoholic refreshment and one of the world's largest independent Coca-Cola bottlers. CCE is the sole licensed operator for products of The Coca-Cola Company in Belgium, continental France, Great Britain, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. For more information about our company, please visit our website at www.cokecce.com.

Coca-Cola Enterprises sustainability plan, “Deliver for Today, Inspire for Tomorrow,” defines its sustainability vision, commitments and more challenging targets. This is an important milestone on CCE’s Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability journey as it seeks to grow its business while building a more sustainable tomorrow. The Company is taking broader accountability outside its own operations and is working across its value chain to grow a low-carbon, zero-waste business. The company recently received the Best Report and Best Carbon Reporting awards from the Corporate Register Reporting Awards for its 2010/2011 CRS Report. For more information about our corporate responsibility and sustainability efforts, please visit our website at www.ccesustainabilityplan.com.

Stewardship Action Council Releases First Annual Report

05.08.2012 - 10:00AM

The Stewardship Action Council (SAC) has released its first annual report, highlighting the growth of the association and the activities of its membership. The 60-page report features an Executive Summary, which includes highlights of SAC’s first year, its creation, membership, organizational goals and accomplishments. A complete copy is posted on the SAC website.

“In just one short year, SAC has grown to 73 members. Our mission – to raise the level of social, environmental, and economic performance through shared responsibility and collaboration among business, non-governmental, academic, and government organizations – is one our members take to heart,” said SAC Executive Director Anne Vogel-Marr.

Founding members of SAC include: American University, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, BMW, Calvert Investments, CLF Ventures, DM Petroleum, Johnson & Johnson, Michelin, Pfizer, PRIZIM, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, Wildlife Habitat Council and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. A complete list of SAC members is available on the SAC website.

“We are a learning organization, sharing best practices and unique perspectives with each other in many ways over the past year. Topics have spanned the ecological and natural resources arena, workers and their surrounding communities, and the interface of these resources in creating an ever more sustainable economy. And we are planning to do much more in 2012,” added SAC President Bill Bozzo, DM Petroleum Operations Company.

About the Stewardship Action Council (SAC)

SAC is a membership based organization, open to non-governmental organizations, states and local government, social investment companies, academic institutions and industry. Our mission is to raise the level of social, environmental, and economic performance through shared responsibility and collaboration.

Innovator Hunter Lovins On Reframing The Global Economy

05.06.2012 - 05:46PM

Renowned sustainability innovator, Hunter Lovins, will present on an economic model of growth in a talk titled, "Reframing the Global Economy: The Business Case for Gross National Happiness" on Thursday, May 17, 7- 9 p.m., in the Microsoft Auditorium at the Seattle Central Library.

Recently returned from the United Nations meeting, “Happiness and Well-Being: Defining a New Economic Paradigm,” organized by the Permanent Mission of Bhutan, Hunter Lovins, president and founder of Natural Capitalism Solutions, will continue the conversation on Gross National Happiness versus Gross National Product.

“Forward-looking thought leaders such as Lovins are key to this pioneering movement," says Terri Butler, Executive Director of Sustainable Seattle, an organization that, in 2010, started the Seattle Area Happiness Initiative.

Lovins’ solution combines international leadership, smart policy at the national level, action by states and provinces, a suite of market-based measures, and a growing commitment by individuals to create a sustainable future balancing social, economic and environmental justice.

Hunter Lovins is a sociologist and lawyer. She also serves as faculty at Bainbridge Graduate Institute. Her most recent book is titled, The Way Out: Kickstarting Capitalism to Save Our Economic Ass. In 2009 Newsweek dubbed her "Green Business Icon" while Time Magazine named her Hero of the Planet in 2000.

Sustainable Seattle and Bainbridge Graduate Institute host Lovins as part of Tools for Tomorrow, a series of events for business professionals interested in the area of sustainability. Registration is available at sustainableseattle.org. Tickets are $15 and $10 for students.

Founded in 1991, Sustainable Seattle is a non-profit organization that promotes sustainability in the Central Puget Sound, nationally, and internationally. Sustainable Seattle creates cutting- edge programs, processes, and leadership that propel people and communities forward in reaching sustainability. Sustainable Seattle's "flavor" of sustainability comes directly from the people of the Central Puget Sound.

The Bainbridge Graduate Institute (BGI) was the first school to offer an MBA in Sustainable business. Founded in 2002, BGI offers evening and weekend MBA and Certificate programs that thoroughly integrate environmental and social responsibility into every subject of the traditional core business curriculum. BGI works to help other business schools become more sustainable.

Dow’s Excellence in Energy Efficiency Continues to Gain Important Recognition

04.30.2012 - 09:54AM

The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW), a leader in energy conservation, has been recognized for excellence in energy efficiency by the American Chemistry Council (ACC). The ACC awarded Dow with five Responsible Care awards for outstanding achievements in energy efficiency. Two of the five projects received additional recognition for exceptional merit.

“Dow leads the world in innovations that reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, such as building insulation, light-weighting technology for vehicles and components that harness wind and solar power,” said George Biltz, corporate vice president and business vice president for Energy and Climate Change at Dow. "We have also long been recognized as a pioneer and leader in industrial energy conservation. We are extremely proud of these excellent examples of how Dow continues to be at the forefront in driving energy solutions, creating competitive advantage along the way.”

As an example of Dow’s leadership in energy efficiency, the Company has reduced its energy intensity by 40 percent since 1990, saving $24 billion and 5,200 trillion Btu—roughly equivalent to the annual energy consumption of 20 million homes. As a result of Dow’s energy efficiency efforts, the Company has also avoided over 270 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions since 1990. This is equivalent to the annual emissions of more than 16 million households.

Following are the award-winning Dow energy efficiency projects:

St. Charles Operations at Hahnville, Louisiana –improved the energy efficiency of its olefin unit’s flaring operation by 45%, saving 555,481 Btu/year. The facility produces basic building-block and intermediate chemicals that are used in thousands of everyday household, business and consumer products. This project was also recognized with an Exceptional Merit Award.
Ringwood, Illinois, an operating site that manufactures materials for packaging, adhesives as well as laminates, cut its energy consumption by 56,000 MMBtu/year from 2010 to 2011 by optimizing the utility footprint of the site.
Texas Operations in Freeport, Texas implemented a new reactor design to manufacture low density polyethylene (LDPE) that reduces process energy intensity by 11 percent and saves 67,200 MMBtu/year. Low density polyethylene is used in a variety of applications including plastic bags, food containers and laboratory equipment. This project was also recognized with an Exceptional Merit Award
Texas City Operations, in Texas City, Texas, through hydrogen enrichment of a flare stream, reduced its energy consumption by 60%, with an annual savings of 50,000 MMBtu/year. The conversion from natural gas to hydrogen enrichment using Dow’s patented process decreases the supplemental fuel requirement and energy used, while reducing the amount of greenhouse gases generated.
Texas City Operations, by optimizing flare fuel gas, will create energy savings of 155,000 MM Btu/year, a 28% reduction in fuel gas use, in its vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) plant flare. VAM is an essential chemical building block used in a wide variety of industrial and consumer products such as adhesives, coatings, textiles and wire and cable polyethylene compounds.

Dow’s energy efficiency initiatives were chosen out of 73 projects submitted from 19 member companies. Only 12 of the submissions were chosen as exceptional merit winners.

About Dow

Dow combines the power of science and technology to passionately innovate what is essential to human progress. The Company connects chemistry and innovation with the principles of sustainability to help address many of the world's most challenging problems such as the need for clean water, renewable energy generation and conservation, and increasing agricultural productivity. Dow's diversified industry-leading portfolio of specialty chemical, advanced materials, agrosciences and plastics businesses delivers a broad range of technology-based products and solutions to customers in approximately 160 countries and in high growth sectors such as electronics, water, energy, coatings and agriculture. In 2011, Dow had annual sales of $60 billion and employed approximately 52,000 people worldwide. The Company's more than 5,000 products are manufactured at 197 sites in 36 countries across the globe.

St. Charles Operations and Texas City Operations are owned and operated by Union Carbide Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company

Responsible Care is a trademark of the American Chemistry Council

Seventh Generation Marks 1st Anniversary of Pioneering USDA Biobased Certification

04.26.2012 - 11:57AM

(Marketwire) - Seventh Generation, the nation's most trusted brand of environmentally-friendly household and personal care products, is celebrating the one-year anniversary of the USDA Certified Biobased label and its first-in-the-nation certification of 13 of the company's key offerings. To commemorate the event, the company announced its intention to ensure that all eligible formulated products will be 100% USDA Biobased Certified by 2020.

The USDA BioPreferred® program's voluntary labeling initiative helps consumers easily identify biobased goods made in whole or significant part from sustainable agricultural, forestry, and/or marine raw materials rather than nonrenewable materials like those obtained from petroleum. Products that meet or exceed the standards established for their specific category receive official certification and may display the USDA Certified Biobased Product label on their products. All biobased content claims are verified by independent labs and monitored by the USDA and ASTM International so consumers can trust the label's accuracy and every buying decision based on it.

The biobased product certification and labeling initiative, which was launched last year as a new part of USDA's BioPreferred program, initially certified 13 Seventh Generation products from the company's bathtub cleaner and dish soap to its laundry liquid, which uses a revolutionary new 100% plant-based surfactant.

"We think biobased certification has the huge potential to break through what's become a clutter of green seals and certifications that just end up confusing consumers," said Chris Miller, the company's Director of Corporate Consciousness. "The label cuts to heart of the matter with a single glance that tells shoppers this is a product made from renewable materials that can be produced sustainably. It simplifies the often bewildering marketplace for so-called eco-friendly consumer products in the same way the USDA Organic seal has brought clarity to our food purchases."

Not only is the label a good idea whose time has come, the idea it represents -- that products manufactured from renewable natural components and ingredients make a crucial contribution to a healthier world -- is more critical than ever. It's for this reason that Seventh Generation is marking the first anniversary of the USDA program by announcing its commitment to biobased products.

"We are very pleased to celebrate the USDA Certified Biobased Product Label anniversary with Seventh Generation," said Kate Lewis, USDA BioPreferred Program deputy manager. "Biobased products help meet consumer demand to supplement or replace a wide variety of petroleum-based products. The companies we work with, who apply for the USDA Certified Biobased Product Label, understand the value of the BioPreferred program in promoting their biobased products as well as helping create jobs in rural communities by adding value to agricultural commodities."

About Seventh Generation

Seventh Generation is committed to being the most trusted brand of household and personal-care products for your living home. The company derives its name from the Great Law of the Iroquois Confederacy that states, "In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations." For information on Seventh Generation cleaning, paper, baby and feminine personal care products, to find store locations, and explore the company's website visit www.seventhgeneration.com. To read more about Seventh Generation's corporate responsibility, visit the company's Corporate Consciousness Report.

About USDA BioPreferred

The USDA BioPreferred program was created by the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (2002 Farm Bill), and expanded by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Farm Bill). The purpose is to increase the purchase and use of biobased products. The United States Department of Agriculture manages the program. Products that meet the USDA BioPreferred program requirements carry a distinctive label for easier identification by the consumer. To learn more about the USDA Certified Biobased Product Label please visit www.biopreferred.gov, and follow on Twitter at http://twitter.com/BioPreferred.

Arbor Day Foundation, U.S. Forest Service to Plant 1 Million Trees With Gift From Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation

04.26.2012 - 10:33AM

(Marketwire) - For the seventh consecutive year, the Arbor Day Foundation and the United States Forest Service will use funding from the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation to plant 1 million trees throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom as part of the Enterprise 50 Million Tree Pledge.

The 2012 efforts bring the number of trees planted by the private/public/nonprofit partnership to 7 million. This year also marks the first time the Tree Pledge will result in newly planted trees in state forests.

The 50 Million Tree Pledge began in 2006 with a $50 million commitment by Enterprise to plant 50 million trees over 50 years. An interactive map of the plantings is available on the Enterprise "Driving Futures" sustainability website.

The Arbor Day Foundation, the U.S. Forest Service and Enterprise work together each year to identify planting projects that will address the greatest and most immediate reforestation needs, helping protect water resources and improve forests damaged by wildfires and invasive insects.

"While seven million trees is an exciting next step, this is only the beginning of Enterprise's multi-year, large-scale commitment to replanting in our nation's forests," said John Rosenow, founder and chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. "The 2012 tree planting projects were selected with careful attention to level of need and the ability to have an impact. We're especially pleased to include often-overlooked state forests this year."

Approximately 6 million trees planted through the program's first six years are growing in forests across Alabama, California, Colorado, Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Oregon, South Dakota, Canada, Germany, the U.K. and Scotland.

"For Enterprise, the 50 Million Tree Pledge is about conservation and enhancing the environment in the communities where we live and work," said Lee Broughton, head of sustainability, Enterprise Holdings, which owns and operates the Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Alamo Car Rental and National Car Rental brands. "We've made a long-term commitment to support reforestation, and look forward to planting an additional 43 million trees over the next 43 years."

The 50 Million Tree Pledge planting projects for 2012 include:

Blackwater River State Forest, Florida: 350,000 were planted in early 2012
Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, California: 50,000 were planted in early 2012
Manchester State Forest, South Carolina: 50,000 were planted in early 2012
Black Hills National Forest, Wyoming and South Dakota: 150,000 trees to be planted in spring 2012
Dixie National Forest, Utah: 50,000 to be planted in spring 2012
Lolo National Forest, Montana: 90,000 to be planted in spring 2012
Sequoia National Forest, California: 110,000 to be planted in spring 2012
Manitoba, Canada: 50,000 to be planted in fall 2012
United Kingdom: 100,000 to be planted in spring and fall 2012

More information about Enterprise's environmental initiatives is available at www.drivingfutures.com and forewords.drivingfutures.com.

About The Arbor Day Foundation

The Arbor Day Foundation is a nonprofit conservation and education organization of one million members, with the mission to inspire people to plant, nurture and celebrate trees. More information on the Foundation and its programs can be found on arborday.org, or by visiting us on Facebook, Twitter or our blog.

About Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Founded in 1957 and known for an extensive network of locations, everyday low rates and outstanding customer service, Enterprise Rent-A-Car is an internationally recognized brand that has been named to BusinessWeek magazine's annual list of "Customer Service Champs" in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010. With more than 5,500 offices located within 15 miles of 90 percent of the U.S. population, Enterprise operates more than twice as many locations as its nearest competitor and continues to lead the home-city market, with local car rental revenues currently experiencing double-digit growth.

St. Louis-based Enterprise Holdings owns and operates -- through its regional subsidiaries -- the Enterprise Rent-A-Car brand in the United States, Canada, UK, Germany and Ireland. With annual revenues of $14.1 billion and more than 70,000 employees, Enterprise Holdings also operates more than 1.2 million cars and trucks, making it the largest and most comprehensive car rental service provider in the world measured by revenue, employees and fleet. For more information about Enterprise's Corporate Sustainability Report or the brand's environmental stewardship and long-term commitment to the sustainability of its business, visit www.DrivingFutures.com and follow @LeeBroughton on Twitter.

CSX Earns Maplecroft Climate Innovation Leader Recognition

04.25.2012 - 02:00PM

CSX Corporation (NYSE: CSX) was named to the Maplecroft Climate Innovation Leader Index, one of three Maplecroft Climate Innovation Indices that rank U.S. companies on their leadership in climate change mitigation and management. At No. 81, CSX is the highest-ranked Class I railroad included in this year’s index and the only railroad featured on the top 100 Climate Innovation Leaders list.

“At CSX, environmental stewardship is a way of life – one that infuses all of our operations,” said Skip Elliott, vice president of public safety and environment, CSX. “We’re proud to be recognized among many of the top American companies for preserving the environment in the communities where we live and work.”

The Maplecroft Climate Innovation Indexes measure climate-related performance, including management, mitigation, emissions reduction, innovation and adaptation, as disclosed publicly by the top 360 U.S. companies. Innovation of new technologies or initiatives makes up half of the total score for each company.

CSX received particularly high marks in management, related to disclosures, targets and supply chain; and mitigation, related to partnerships and efficiency in operations.

Since 1980, CSX has improved its fuel efficiency by more than 90 percent. In the past ten years, CSX has invested more than $1.75 billion to upgrade its fleet of fuel efficient locomotives. In 2010, CSX achieved its voluntary goal ahead of schedule to reduce greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 8 percent per revenue ton mile, decreasing emissions by 1.5 million metric tons.

For more information about CSX’s environmental initiatives, visit http://www.csx.com/index.cfm/responsibility/environmental-leadership/.

For more information on the Maplecroft Climate Innovation Indexes, visit http://maplecroft.com/cii/cycle/three/.

About CSX

CSX Corporation, based in Jacksonville, Fla., is one of the nation’s leading transportation companies, providing rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck transload services. The company's transportation network spans approximately 21,000 miles, with service to 23 eastern states, the District of Columbia and two Canadian provinces. CSX’s network connects more than 240 short line and regional railroads and more than 70 ocean, river, and lake ports. More information about CSX Corporation and its subsidiaries is available at www.csx.com. Like us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/OfficialCSX) and follow us on Twitter (http://twitter.com/CSX).

New Ceres/Sustainalytics Report Shows Most U.S. Companies Falling Short on Sustainability

04.25.2012 - 09:30AM

In the first major assessment of progress on a unique Ceres Roadmap to corporate sustainability released two years ago, Ceres and global research and analysis firm Sustainalytics today released “The Road to 2020: Corporate Progress on the Ceres Roadmap for Sustainability.”

The findings - based on an assessment of how 600 U.S. companies are responding to environmental and social challenges such as climate change, water scarcity and supply chain conditions – show individual examples of leadership but significant need for overall improvement.

“While there are encouraging pockets of sustainability leadership in the U.S. business community, far too many companies are only taking small, incremental steps,” said Ceres president Mindy Lubber, in announcing the report at the opening of the Ceres annual conference today in Boston. “Sustainability has yet to gain traction at anywhere near the scale and speed required given the global threats we face.”

“We’re encouraged by the leadership shown by some companies and expect that their success will spur others to better leverage sustainability to identify risks and seize opportunities in an increasingly competitive global marketplace,” added Michael Jantzi, CEO at Sustainalytics, who joined Lubber in announcing the report.

The report evaluates companies based on specific expectations in the “The 21^st Century Corporation: The Ceres Roadmap to Sustainability,” a how-to guide for companies to achieve sustainability by 2020. The evaluation was based on company data available as of Dec. 31, 2011.

The report highlights dozens of company examples in hopes of inspiring others to take similar actions. For instance, Alcoa, Xcel and Intel are relative pacesetters in sustainable corporate governance practices; Baxter and Ford are setting a high standard in stakeholder engagement; and Exelon, Nike and the Coca-Cola Company are ahead of the pack in performance on metrics for reducing environmental impact and improving workers conditions.

Intel is cited specifically for linking executive and employee compensation to company environmental goals such as reducing energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions; in the two years since it started the program, the company has cut energy use by 8 percent and GHGs by 23 percent.

Coca-Cola is credited for being on track to meet its ambitious performance goal of improving water efficiency by 20 percent by the end of this year (against a 2004 baseline.) Other cutting-edge performance examples: Nike’s new partnership to implement a water-free fabric dyeing process, Kohl’s Department Stores achievement of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions at its stores, Pinnacle West using recycled urban wastewater (about 20 billion gallons a year) to cool its Palo Verde nuclear power plant and EMC building a new energy-efficient “virtual data center” to move data from physical storage to an entirely virtualized IT infrastructure (the shift has already saved the company more than $23 million).

But in the report’s four-tier assessment system, just a quarter of all companies surveyed were in the top two tiers for progress on governance, while 24 percent have some degree of meaningful stakeholder engagement. On corporate performance metrics, only 13 percent of the companies evaluated on human rights policies and programs were ranked in the top two tiers. And just a third of the 600 companies had time-bound targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in direct operations.

Lubber and Jantzi said companies are missing a big opportunity by not fully embracing sustainability. “We see it as a world of opportunity for companies to improve competitiveness, realize large savings through energy efficiency, invest in their workers, strengthen their supply chains and, in many sectors, reap the benefits of the enormous investment opportunities in clean technology and clean energy,” they wrote in the report.

Anne Stausboll, CEO of the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS), echoed the sentiment, saying: “The future will belong to innovative companies that understand that building long-term shareholder value and being an industry leader requires the integration of sustainability principles at every level, from the C-suite to operations and throughout supply chains.” CalPERS is the nation’s largest public pension fund with about $235 billion in assets under management.

The report provides a framework for investors who can use the report’s findings, case studies and sector trends to inform their decision-making and engagement strategies.

In the end, wrote Lubber and Jantzi, closing the sustainability gap “will require a collaborative effort among investors, businesses, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders concerned about the future of the planet and the economy.”

All four groups, more than 500 strong, were on hand in Boston today for the start of the annual Ceres conference at which the “Road to 2020” report was unveiled.

The new “Road to 2020” report can be found at: www.ceres.org/roadto2020.

An agenda and other information for this year’s Ceres conference are at: http://www.ceres.org/conference

Ceres is an advocate for sustainability leadership. Ceres mobilizes a powerful coalition of investors, companies and public interest groups to accelerate and expand the adoption of sustainable business practices and solutions to build a healthy global economy. Ceres also directs the Investor Network on Climate Risk (INCR), a network of 100 institutional investors with collective assets totaling more than $10 trillion. For more information, visit http://www.ceres.org and http://www.incr.com

Sustainalytics provides environmental, social and governance (ESG) research and analysis as well as responsible investment services to investors around the world. The firm offers global perspectives and solutions that are underpinned by local experience and expertise, serving both values-based and mainstream investors that integrate ESG information and assessments into their investment management.
www.sustainalytics.com

Major Investors and Companies Tackle Climate Change and Sustainability at Ceres Conference in Boston

04.25.2012 - 12:00AM

Companies and investors are tackling climate change and other global sustainability threats head-on—and are finding it profitable to do so. That’s the clear message emerging at the Ceres Conference 2012: Igniting Innovation, Scaling Sustainability at the Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel.

The conference’s opening day was marked by numerous company announcements and the release of a new Ceres/Sustainalytics report evaluating 600 leading US companies on their progress – or lack of it – on sustainability.

“Don’t let the weak economy and election-year rhetoric fool you, the Ceres conference proves sustainability is gaining traction and is making businesses more profitable,” said Mindy Lubber, president of Ceres.

Among the day-one highlights:

Wells Fargo: Announced substantial commitments to accelerate the transition to a ‘green’ economy, including $30 billion in loans and investments by 2020 to support green technologies such as energy efficiency, renewable energy and other environmental innovations.

SAP: Delivering on commitments made at last year’s Ceres conference, SAP announced the positive impact of new and enhanced energy-saving software solutions for its clients around the world. For manufacturers alone, these solutions led to 5.7 million tons of carbon pollution reductions and $500 million in energy savings in 2011.

Evaluating 600 Companies on Sustainability: Ceres and research firm Sustainalytics announced a new report assessing 600 U.S. companies on their progress on sustainability. The report findings – based on an analysis of how companies are responding to environmental and social challenges such as climate change, water scarcity and supply chain conditions – shows individual examples of strong leadership, but significant need for overall improvement.

Levi Strauss & Co: At last year's Ceres conference, Levi Strauss & Co. announced a bold commitment to improve factory and worker conditions in its global supply chain. The company's efforts to date on the project, done in close collaboration with Ceres, are outlined in a new white paper. The company is piloting the project at five factories in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Egypt, Haiti and Pakistan.

Bavaria Award: Tessa Tennant, president and co-founder of The Ice Organisation, has been awarded the fourth-annual Joan Bavaria Award for Building Sustainability into the Capital Markets. The Bavaria Award is presented annually by Ceres and Trillium Asset Management to an inspiring leader working to move capital markets toward a system that balances economic prosperity with social and environmental concerns. The award’s name honors Joan Bavaria, a pioneer of social investing who founded Ceres and Trillium Asset Management. Bavaria passed away in 2008.

Lisa Jackson, administrator of the US Environmental Protection Agency will close the final day of the conference at 2:00 PM on Thursday, April 26.

A full agenda can be found at: http://www.ceres.org/conferences/program. Reporters interested in attending the event are asked to contact Peyton Fleming, 617-733-6660, fleming@ceres.org

Follow Ceres on twitter @CeresNews and the conference #Ceres12

About Ceres

For more information, visit http://www.ceres.org and http://www.incr.com.

Cascades Tissue Group Bestows Environmental Distributor Achievment Award To 27 Firms

04.24.2012 - 01:07PM

Cascades Tissue Group today announces that 17 U.S. distributors and 10 Canadian distributors have received achievement awards in honor of their strong partnerships and dedications to furthering environmentally preferable products. By offering to their commercial and industrial customers tissue paper products made from 100 percent recycled fiber, instead of virgin fiber, these distributors collectively conserved 255,700 trees (the equivalent of 638 American football fields) and avoided emissions of greenhouse gases equivalent to 12,785 cars off the road for one year.

Approximately 20 percent of the distributor’s total green house gas savings were achieved through the sales of Cascades Tissue Group’s North River products, which use Green-e certified renewable energy credits to offset 100 percent of the electricity used in their production. Cascades Tissue Group’s annual 20,000 MWh of wind energy credits are sourced from the Charles City Wind Farm located in northern Iowa and supplied by leading renewable energy developer and marketer Community Energy, Inc.

Honorees of the Cascades Tissue Group’s third annual achievement awards include: Imperial Bag & Paper (Bayonne, NJ), Hill & Markes (Amsterdam, NY), Penn Jersey Paper (Philadelphia, PA), Labatt Food Service (San Antonio, TX), Riverside Paper Supply (Newport News, VA), Southwest Paper Company (Wichita, KS), Dacotah Paper (Fargo, ND) Dade Paper (Miami, FL), Tarheel Paper (Winston-Salem, NC), FPC Holdings (Elkridge, MD), Philip Rosenau Company (Warminster, PA), Kelsan (Knoxville, TN), Acme Paper & Supply (Savage, MD), Knight Marketing Corp. of New York (Maspeth, NY), Phillips Distribution (San Antonio, TX), Central Paper Company (Birmingham, AL), Northern Colorado Paper (Greeley, CO), Flanagan Foodservice (Kitchener, ON), Staples Advantage (Mississauga, ON), Cineplex Entertainment (Toronto, ON), Les Emballages Carrousel (Boucherville, QC), Jan-Mar Sales (Etobicoke, ON), WFS (Windsor, ON), Atlantic Grocery Distributors (Bay Roberts, NL) Snelling Paper (Ottawa, ON), Equipement Sanitaire Cherbourg (Sherbrooke, QC), Pratt’s (Calgary, AL; Winnipeg, MB), and Wood Wyant (Laval, QC). In addition to receiving certificates for their work, each company will also be recognized on Cascades Tissue Group’s blog, www.sustain.cascades.com/blog.

“The support from these distributor partners is indispensable,” said Suzanne Blanchet, Cascades Tissue Group’s President and CEO. “By honoring them with a certificate, we want to recognize their contribution in lowering our environmental footprint, and in informing our buyers and end users on the importance of sustainable development.”

About

Cascades Tissue Group, a division of Cascades, ULC, is the fourth largest manufacturer of tissue paper in North America. Founded in 1964, Cascades produces, converts and markets packaging and tissue products that are composed mainly of recycled fibres. The Company employs more than 12,000 employees, who work in more than 100 units located in North America and Europe. With its management philosophy, half a century of experience in recycling, and continuous efforts in research and development as driving forces, Cascades continues to serve its clients with innovative products. Cascades' shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange, under the ticker symbol CAS. For more information about Cascades Tissue Group and its North River environmental line, visit www.afh.cascades.com or www.sustain.cascades.com.

Americans Are Rooting for Trees, but Trees Are Demanding More Action

04.24.2012 - 09:39AM

(Marketwire) - While Americans recognize the value of trees, most are still not celebrating -- or planting -- them on their national holiday. According to the second annual Timberland Arbor Day Survey, only 12 percent of Americans celebrate Arbor Day -- although nearly all respondents (96 percent) think trees are important.

"Trees are probably wondering why they're not getting the attention they deserve," said Jim Davey, VP of global marketing for Timberland. "This year we want to show trees that people do still care, as our survey results show, so we're making it easy for consumers to celebrate and plant with us."

Plant One on Us

Timberland is helping people celebrate Arbor Day this year by relaunching its Hortiscope quiz on Facebook with a new tree planting component. The revamped quiz allows consumers to discover their tree personality with just a few clicks, and for every completed Hortiscope, Timberland will plant a real tree in Haiti.* The tree personalities have been updated to reflect trees that Timberland is now planting through its agroforestry program in Haiti, which has resulted in 1.4 million trees planted to date.

"The Hortiscope is made for people who really do care about trees but aren't sure how to celebrate them," explained Davey. "We've created an opportunity for people to have a little fun and engage in a tree planting initiative that has real meaning and impact at the same time."

Other Key Findings from the 2012 Timberland Arbor Day Survey

Arbor what? Nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of Americans don't know when Arbor Day is, however, 77 percent recognize Arbor Day as a tree planting holiday, a six percent increase from 2011.
Where's the tree party? Lack of knowledge about Arbor Day events prevents one-in-five (19 percent) Americans from celebrating the holiday. And when their local cities and towns don't participate in Arbor Day events, 20 percent of Americans are less likely to celebrate.
Leader of the "tree" world. When asked which 2012 presidential candidate they would most want to build a tree house with, 32 percent chose President Obama. Opposing candidates Mitt Romney and Ron Paul each received 9 percent of the survey's tree house building votes.

Timberland's Tree Planting Commitment

Tree planting is an important part of Timberland's global commitment to protecting the outdoors; to date, the company has planted more than 3.5 million trees globally, which includes 1.4 million in Haiti. In 2010, the company launched a tree nursery and training program in Haiti, where less than two percent of the country's original forests remain due to a long history of unsustainable land use practices and a continuing dependence on tree wood and charcoal for cooking and heating needs.

The community-based agroforestry model includes eight tree nurseries located throughout the Gonaïves region of Haiti, run by volunteer farmers who receive trees, seeds, tools and training. To date, the model has resulted in larger crop yields, which means more food to eat, crops to sell and increased income for the farmers and their families. A variety of multi-purpose and fast-growing trees are grown in the Timberland nurseries. In addition to reforestation, they provide many other benefits including combating malnutrition; sustainably harvested wood for charcoal production and lumber for construction; re-nourishment of the soil; and much needed shade.

To learn more about Timberland's tree planting commitment in Haiti, watch the Journey to Five Million Trees in Five Years.

Survey Methodology

The 2012 Timberland Arbor Day Survey was conducted by ORC International between March 20 and April 1, 2012, among a sample of 1,026 adults comprising 517 men and 509 women 18 years of age and older. The margin of error associated with a sample of this size is ± 3%.

About Timberland

Timberland, a wholly owned subsidiary of VF Corporation, is a global leader in the design, engineering and marketing of premium-quality footwear, apparel and accessories for consumers who value the outdoors and their time in it. Timberland markets products under the Timberland®, Timberland PRO®, Mountain Athletics® and Timberland Boot Company® brands, all of which offer quality workmanship and detailing and are built to withstand the elements of nature. The company's products can be found in leading department and specialty stores as well as Timberland® retail stores throughout North America, Europe, Asia, Latin America, South America, South Africa and the Middle East. Timberland is committed to doing its part to address environmental challenges and to minimizing its impact. From product design to manufacturing and shipping, the company is constantly finding new ways to be a little lighter on the environment. The Timberland Earthkeepers® Collection incorporates recycled PET bottles in linings, recycled rubber in soles, leather from silver and gold-rated tanneries and organic content throughout the apparel line. Timberland's dedication to making quality products is matched by the company's commitment to "doing well and doing good" - forging powerful partnerships among employees, consumers and service partners to transform the communities in which they live and work. To learn more about Timberland, please visit www.timberland.com.

* For every completed Hortiscope Quiz (limited to one per Facebook account), Timberland will plant one real tree in Haiti, up to 100,000 trees or through December 31, 2012 (whichever comes first).

Merck Named as Leader in Maplecroft Climate Innovation Index

04.24.2012 - 08:30AM

Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, has been named as a leader in the Maplecroft Climate Innovation Index (CII), which identifies global companies that demonstrate superior management, mitigation and adaptation in climate innovation.

Merck ranked 45th out of the top 100 global companies (and 17^th among the top 100 U.S. companies), out of a total universe of more than 300 companies that were reviewed. Merck placed third out of the 10 pharmaceutical companies that made the global ranking.

“Merck’s ranking in the top 100 of Maplecroft’s CII reflects its continued commitment to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions,” said Alyson Warhurst, chief executive officer of Maplecroft. “Demonstrated by its attainment of previous targets to reduce GHG emissions, Merck has implemented successful schemes across the business, developing efficiency metrics for all energy intensive processes/equipment, and is using these metrics to improve performance. The establishment of a dedicated Center of Excellence in Energy to identify and implement innovative practices, together with new targets to reduce emissions by 10 percent by 2015, helped ensure Merck’s particularly strong scores in the management and adaption sections of the CII’s.”

The Index is based on public disclosures and direct engagement with companies. Maplecroft rated each company against more than 100 criteria including: technological innovation and new working practices to combat climate change impacts; management of climate-related issues; adaption to physical climate-related risks, such as flooding or more extreme weather events throughout the supply chain; and, the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The Index is designed to enable investors to identify the most resilient and innovative companies with the best long-term growth prospects.

“Climate change will affect business in unexpected ways, such as altering demand for existing products based on their climate-related impacts and by driving the demand for innovative sourcing, manufacturing, logistics, usage and recycling,” states Maplecroft Director, Kevin Franklin, Ph.D. “With growing legislation and regulation in the United States around emissions and climate change disclosure, companies must innovate or be left behind. The CIIs favor front-runners that are engaging proactively to shape the future growth environment, that have clear and efficient business processes and robust governance / business models.”

Merck has made it a priority to reduce our demand for energy since establishing our first corporate energy policy in 1994. Merck's Center of Excellence in Energy is responsible for identifying and implementing best practices for reducing energy use across the company. "At Merck, we have a long history of environmental responsibility and compliance. But we know that the world's current approach to resource use is not sustainable," said Tom Pagliuco, director of Merck's Center of Excellence in Energy. "We believe companies share the responsibility of making business decisions that create a sustainable economy and serve as the foundation for a world that thrives financially, environmentally and socially."

For more information on Merck's environmental sustainability strategy, including goals to reduce Merck's energy use and GHG emissions, visit www.merckresponsibility.com

About Merck
Today's Merck is a global healthcare leader working to help the world be well. Merck is known as MSD outside the United States and Canada. Through our prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, and consumer care and animal health products, we work with customers and operate in more than 140 countries to deliver innovative health solutions. We also demonstrate our commitment to increasing access to healthcare through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. For more information, visit www.merck.com and connect on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

Forward-Looking Statement
This news release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements may include, but are not limited to, statements about company's plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements that are not historical facts. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of Merck's management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

Merck undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in Merck's 2011 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC's Internet site (www.sec.gov).

Vapur Celebrates Earth Month by Expanding Partnership with Recyclebank

04.23.2012 - 04:44PM

When Vapur® introduced its innovative “Anti-Bottles” in 2009, not only was the company looking to make waves with its bold, trendy and versatile design, but Vapur also wanted to change the way consumers, well, consumed. Right out the gate, Vapur planted its roots deeply in environmental causes, and is expanding these efforts through an enhanced partnership with Recyclebank®.

Recyclebank helps create a more sustainable future by rewarding people for taking everyday green actions with discounts and deals at more than 3,000 local and national businesses. Through digital offerings and partnerships with municipalities, haulers, small businesses and corporate brands, Recyclebank aims to increase recycling rates, curb energy and water consumption, encourage smarter transportation, strengthen local economies and help people realize the financial benefits of making greener choices every day.

Intrigued by Recyclebank's unique platform and motivated by the organization’s brand mission, Vapur is proud to participate in four of Recyclebank’s earth-conscious campaigns throughout the year, which include: World Water Week, Earth Month, Back to School and Holidays. During these campaigns, Recyclebank members receive a “buy one, get one free” offer for Vapur’s internationally acclaimed Anti-Bottles.

Vapur first partnered with Recyclebank in January, participating in Recyclebank’s standard rewards program that offers Recyclebank members a 20-percent discount on www.vapur.us. This standard reward will continue throughout the year, running simultaneously with Recyclebank’s the earth-conscious campaigns. The success of the program and Vapur’s commitment to Recyclebank’s mission prompted Vapur to expand its support of the organization. By partnering with like-minded companies, such as Recyclebank, Vapur can support its key mission while also sharing its message with more users and consumers.

“Each year more than 38 billion single-use water bottles end up in U.S. landfills,” says Jason Carignan, chief design officer and co-founder of Vapur. “Though the adoption of reusable water bottles has grown rapidly over the past few years, it has done little to stem the flow of plastic bottle waste. We can further promote our message of sustainability through our partnership with Recyclebank, and we are honored to be part of their larger action toward everyday conscious consumption.”

Vapur believes that a key reason for the lack of impact reuseable bottles has made on the quantity of disposable bottles in landfills is due to the inconvenience of toting a bulky rigid water bottle around on a daily basis. With this thought in mind, the incredible team at Vapur came up with the genius idea behind the Anti-Bottle. Vapur hopes, the convenience, design and affordability of the Anti-Bottle will compel consumers to change their behavior and adopt a new habit of more sustainable portable water consumption.

“At Recyclebank, we’re always searching for like-minded companies to partner with and together encourage people to be more conscious of how they consume and dispose of products every day,” said Sue Igoe, senior vice president of Account Management for Recyclebank. “We are thrilled that Vapur has expanded its partnership with us for 2012. Vapur’s unique and innovative Anti-Bottles are a great fit for our members, who want to make smart choices for their families that are also eco-conscious at the same time.”

All Vapur Anti-Bottles are manufactured in the United States and use less energy to make and transport than traditional bottles, and produce significantly less waste in our landfills. The Anti-Bottle is a unique and novel hydration collection that underscores the company’s vision and leadership in design.

“Live Flexible” with the Vapur community; follow Vapur on Facebook or join the conversation on Twitter.

About Vapur, Inc.
Founded in 2009, California-based Vapur, Inc. is on a mission to make hydration incomparably portable and convenient. As the leading designer, marketer and distributor of reusable, handheld, collapsible hydration products. Vapur’s complete line of Anti-Bottles® have been adopted by athletes, outdoor enthusiasts, celebrities, green activists, government agencies, fashion gurus, and families alike. Vapur’s ultra-durable Anti-Bottles® are proudly made in the USA, BPA-free, freezable and dishwasher-safe. Vapur is privately held, with products available in 13 countries worldwide and contributes a portion of all sales to water-related and environmental causes. For more information, visit www.vapur.us and as always, “Live Flexible.”

About Recyclebank
Recyclebank helps create a more sustainable future by rewarding people for taking everyday green actions with discounts and deals from more than 3,000 local and national businesses. Through its online platform and partnerships with municipalities, haulers, small businesses and corporate brands, Recyclebank is empowering individuals to make a collective impact on the environment by increasing household recycling, reducing household energy usage and taking other environmentally-preferred actions. A Certified B Corporation, Recyclebank has been recognized as a Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum, a Champion of the Earth by the United Nations Environment Programme and for Outstanding Excellence in Public/Private Partnerships from the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Recyclebank is headquartered in New York City. For more information, visit http://www.Recyclebank.com.

Climate Change and Business Opportunities

04.23.2012 - 03:44PM

UNEP and Bayer Announce North American Winners of 2012 International Children's Painting Competition

04.23.2012 - 01:00PM

Bayer Corporation and the United Nations Environment Programme in North America (UNEP RONA) today announced the winners of the 21st annual International Children’s Painting Competition on the Environment (ICPC) in North America.

Thirteen-year old Michelle Lai of Toronto has been named first place winner and 11-year old Vellia Zhou of New York City has received second prize for their paintings that illustrate this year’s ICPC theme, “Green Communities.” A panel of judges selected the winners from among more than 800 students who submitted artwork in UNEP’s North American region, which includes the United States and Canada.

Lai attends Toronto’s Beware Wet Paint Progressive Art School and took the top prize for an acrylic painting that depicts her strategy for creating a green community. With a polluted city on the outskirts, Lai’s artwork is dominated by an enormous key made of a tree with cuts of an electric car, a solar panel, wind turbine and bicycle that “unlocks” the door to a new pristine community.

Using watercolors, New York’s Zhou delineates an Atlas-style superhero who is literally lifting out of a polluted city a new planet Earth filled with green towns and cities.

“We congratulate both winners on their thoughtful, vivid portrayals that convey their solutions to environmental issues,” said Rebecca Lucore, Executive Director, Bayer USA Foundation, and Head, Corporate Social Responsibility, Bayer Corporation. “Our partnership with UNEP RONA on this innovative painting competition is one of the key ways we’re able to help students who may not be on a science path become more science literacy and environmentally responsible.”

Both Lai and Zhou will receive all-expense paid trips to Washington for World Environment Day. First place winner Lai also will receive a $1,000 cash prize and an all-expense paid trip for her and a chaperone to UNEP’s TUNZA International Children’s Conference to be held Rio de Janiero, Brazil, on June 20-22, 2012. While there, she will compete against other first place ICPC winners from UNEP’s six global regions for the top ICPC global prize.

“Once again this year, Michelle and Vellia have shown us that art is a powerful tool for expressing ideas – both good and bad, happy and sad – about the environment,” said Amy Fraenkel, Director, UNEP RONA. “And it’s also demonstrated for us just how powerful the International Children’s Painting Competition is for helping students understand their roles, both present and future, as environmental stewards.”

“Clearly, all the participants in this year’s ICPC art contest had an articulate and passionate message that they wanted to convey, from one generation to another, about their concern for the environment,” said Jim Toomey, the creator of syndicated newspaper cartoon “Sherman’s Lagoon” who served as an ICPC judge.

The ICPC, a signature event of UNEP’s World Environment Day (WED) celebrations held annually on June 5, is sponsored globally by Bayer AG and regionally in North America by Bayer Corporation. Bayer also is a sponsor of WED.

In North America, Bayer Corporation’s partnership with UNEP RONA is bringing ICPC to communities across the U.S. where Bayer, through its Making Science Make Sense® program, has partnerships with local school districts.

Fifth Annual ICPC Exhibition to Open in U.S. on World Environment Day

More than 50 artworks, including the winning entries, will be on display at the Bayer-sponsored 2012 ICPC North American Exhibition scheduled to open at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in Washington on June 5.

In addition to attending the exhibition opening and awards ceremony at the library, Lai and Zhou will participate in the other Bayer-sponsored WED youth program, an interactive environmental workshop for Washington students led by Dr. Mae C. Jemison at Woodrow Wilson High School. Former director of the Jemison Institute of Environmental Studies at Dartmouth College and founder of an international science camp The Earth We Share, Jemison is a scientist, educator and the nation’s first African-American woman astronaut.

About Bayer Corporation and Making Science Make Sense®

Bayer Corporation, headquartered in Pittsburgh, is a subsidiary of Bayer AG, an international health care, nutrition and high-tech materials group based in Leverkusen, Germany. As an inventor company, it sets trends in research-intensive areas. The company’s products and services are designed to benefit people and improve their quality of life. The Corporation is committed to the principles of sustainable development and to its role as a socially and ethically responsible corporate citizen. Economy, ecology and social responsibility are corporate policy objectives of equal rank. In North America, Bayer had 2011 net sales of EUR 8,177 million ($11,366 million) and employed 15,800 at year-end. For more information, go to www.bayerus.com.

Making Science Make Sense® (MSMS) is Bayer’s company-wide initiative that advances science literacy through hands-on, inquiry-based science education, employee volunteerism and a public education campaign. Currently, 12 Bayer sites around the U.S. operate local MSMS programs, which together represent a national volunteer corps of more than 1,000 employees.

About United Nations Environment Programme and World Environment Day

Established in 1972 following the United Nation’s Conference on the Human Environment, UNEP’s mission is to provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.

World Environment Day is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates world-wide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action. With thousands of events in the six UNEP regions, World Environment Day is considered the largest environmental event of its kind.

About UNEP Regional Office for North America

The mission of UNEP's Regional Office for North America (RONA), which is located in Washington, D.C. and comprises Canada and the United States, is: to build support in the region for UNEP's work; to promote effective responses to international environmental challenges; and to foster cooperation on environmental issues between North America and the broader international community. To achieve this mission, RONA’s strategy is to promote collaboration between UNEP and all sectors of North American society, including U.S. and Canadian governmental institutions, the private sector and civil society groups, and to provide UNEP with North American perspectives. For more information on UNEP RONA, go to: www.unep.org/rona.

About Bayer and UNEP

Bayer AG is the first company in the world to forge a long-term partnership with UNEP in the area of youth and environment. The partners first began cooperating on youth environmental projects in Asia in the late 1990s. In 2004, Bayer and UNEP signed a framework agreement to globalize this partnership. The partners have jointly organized a dozen environmental projects for young people around the world, including the TUNZA International Youth and Children’s Conference, regional youth networks, the Bayer Young Environmental Envoy Program, the International Children’s Painting Competition, the photo competition Ecology in Focus in Eastern Europe and TUNZA Magazine. In addition, Bayer Corporation in the United States supports UNEP’s World Environment Day activities in North America. Further information on the partnership between UNEP and Bayer is available on the Internet at: www.unep.bayer.com.

Social Media Users:

Facebook: facebook.com/BayersMSMS

Twitter: twitter.com/BayerUSNews

YouTube: youtube.com/users/BayerChannel

Forward-Looking Statements

This release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer Group or subgroup management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer’s public reports which are available on the Bayer website at www.bayer.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

2011 U.S. Dairy Sustainability Report

04.23.2012 - 10:40AM

Science-based, Practice-driven Resources Advance Dairy Industry Sustainability

04.23.2012 - 10:29AM

Since the launch of the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Commitment in 2008, the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy — established under the leadership of America’s dairy producers — has united the dairy value chain in a collective effort to measure and improve the environmental, social and economic sustainability of U.S. dairy from farm to table. Using a research-based approach, the Innovation Center is establishing benchmark measures of industry-level dairy sustainability, while putting tools in the hands of decision-makers to drive innovation at individual businesses.

In celebration of Earth Day, the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy announced three resources available to the industry, its partners and consumers that will help the dairy value chain measure, improve and communicate about sustainability. The 2011 U.S. Dairy Sustainability Report provides an update on progress toward the industry’s sustainability goals. Two measurement Web resources — Dairy Plant Smart^™ and Dairy Fleet Smart^™ — provide milk processors and transporters with the tools to calculate their carbon footprints and identify opportunities to save energy and money.

In addition to these new resources, USDairy.com/Sustainability provides access to more decision-making tools like the SaveEnergy resource, which connects dairy farmers with financial assistance opportunities for farm energy audits and equipment upgrades.

“We’ve spent three years in the field gathering research to support our science- and practice-based approach to improving sustainability across the value chain — from growing crops to feed our dairy cows; to processing and manufacturing real, fresh, nutrient-rich dairy foods and beverages; through consumption and packaging disposal,” said Barbara O’Brien, president of the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy. “The key learning we identified about dairy’s impacts and opportunities for improvement made these new resources possible.”

The 2011 U.S. Dairy Sustainability Report serves as a comprehensive resource on dairy sustainability for the dairy industry, as well as its partners and consumers. The 2011 report expands beyond the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and fluid milk focus of the 2010 report to include broader discussions on the environmental, social and economic aspects of U.S. dairy. Highlights of the 2011 industrywide efforts include:

Engaging more than 830 stakeholders who invested approximately 6,700 working days, valued at more than $6.2 million, to support dairy sustainability efforts throughout the year.
Launching a new industrywide initiative to establish the Sustainability Measurement and Reporting Framework for U.S. Dairy.
Partnering with stakeholders in the inaugural U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards program, which recognizes efforts that deliver outstanding benefit to business, community and the environment.

“Sustainability has become a key business strategy for the industry and its future development,” O’Brien said. “In addition to industry-level work, the Innovation Center built upon the findings of the GHG Life Cycle Assessment for Fluid Milk to develop and test a suite of measurement tools, two of which we are excited to launch today. These tools help dairy farms and businesses adopt sustainable practices that improve their environmental performance and positively impact their bottom line.”

Dairy Plant Smart enables fluid milk processing plants to evaluate overall energy use — including production, transport, refrigerant losses and packaging — to identify opportunities to conserve energy use. In addition to reducing GHG emissions and lowering utility bills, energy efficient practices can help milk processing plants improve system reliability, prevent maintenance and shutdown costs, increase productivity and introduce new revenue streams.

Featured video: Learn about ways processors can improve energy use

Dairy Fleet Smart helps transportation managers identify ways to more efficiently deliver milk from the production facility to storage or retail by completing a 360-degree evaluation of fuel used. Adopting fuel-efficient best practices can save trucking companies a substantial amount in fuel costs, while also reducing emissions.

Featured video: Discover ways transporters can reduce fuel use

The Dairy Plant Smart and Dairy Fleet Smart tools feature case studies highlighting proven best practices and the associated cost and energy savings. The respective calculator tools also allow dairy plants and transport fleets to benchmark their energy efficiency performance against the U.S. average to identify areas for greatest improvement. As part of the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Commitment, Dairy Plant Smart and Dairy Fleet Smart aim to help the industry achieve a combined reduction of 705,457 metric tons of emissions and $108 million in annual business savings toward the voluntary industrywide reduction goal.

“Resources like Dairy Plant Smart, Dairy Fleet Smart and the 2011 U.S. Dairy Sustainability Report provide verified information, common measures and best practices to help producers, processors, manufacturers, transporters and brands improve their economic, social and environmental sustainability,” said Jed Davis, director of sustainability at Cabot Creamery Cooperative.

Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy^® is a forum for the dairy industry to work together pre-competitively to address barriers and opportunities to foster innovation and increase sales. The Innovation Center aligns the collective resources of the industry against common priorities to offer consumers nutritious dairy products and ingredients, and promote the health of people, communities, the planet and the industry. The Board of Directors for the Innovation Center includes dairy industry leaders representing key producer organizations, dairy cooperatives, processors, manufacturers and brands. The Innovation Center is staffed by Dairy Management Inc^™. Visit USDairy.com for more information about the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy.

"I need Advertising," said Earth.

04.20.2012 - 05:27PM

If Earth had an ad budget, it would hire Earth Advertising, or at least that was my assumption when I invented the agency in 1999, originally eFlicks Media. “Earth needs a good ad agency,” Walter Cronkite had suggested to me back then.

Here on the eve of Earth Day, there is tremendous pressure to share what it’s been like over the past 13 years since Earth Advertising hatched in Soundtrack Studios. It’s been up and down. The fisheries went down, the trash went up. Water down. Temperature up. Species down. Chemicals up.

But, Earth Day is a day of celebration, not mourning. Although not the kind of celebrating we’re used to. Celebrating without plastic balloons, stirrers, straws, cups, bottles, bags, plates, forks, spoons and other harmful substances. We can celebrate by refusing single use disposable plastic on Earth Day. I know I’ve given up all these addictions, including on special occasions. Believe me, I fall off the wagon. But I get right back on. You can even take a pledge. Go to http://plasticpollutioncoalition.org/support/pledge/

But I digress. If Earth did have a budget for an ad campaign clearly nobody would ever agree on which agency to hire anyway. And should it be positive or negative?

With the help of Stuart Ross, an advisor to Earth Advertising, we brainstorm the idea via social media. His ideas arrive by simple text, “What if there was an RFP?” I text him back that I love it. “Help Wanted. Mid-sized terrestrial planet seeking immediate advertising support.”

Objective? Long-term sustainable relationship with inhabitants.

Single Most Important Message? Help Wanted.

Most Valuable Available Asset? Unlimited intellectual capital.

Single Most Limiting Factor? Natural resources.

Single Biggest Challenge? Old habits.

Metrics for Success? Cleaner atmosphere. Fresher water. Healthier people. Abundant fisheries. Fertile land. Swimmable oceans. Peaceful co-existence.

As the world turns its attention to Rio+20, the 20^-year anniversary of the first global Earth Summit, an RFP from Earth is a novel idea. World leaders need our community’s help right now. They need a collective RFP.

Submit your creative ideas today for a two-page RFP from Earth to rfp@earthadvertising.com.

Connect with us on Twitter: @earthadv.

CSX Celebrates Earth Month Across Its Network

04.20.2012 - 10:46AM

To celebrate Earth Day and Earth Month, CSX Corporation (NYSE: CSX) is continuing its long-standing commitment to environmental sustainability by organizing a series of local events across its network and remaining focused on environmentally-friendly business practices. In addition, the company is working to raise awareness about the importance of protecting the environment by holding an online contest on the company’s Facebook page.

“We look forward to volunteering our time and resources each year to celebrate Earth Day, but our commitment to the environment is much more than a one-day event,” said Skip Elliott, vice president, public safety and environment. “CSX works to make every day Earth Day by reducing the company’s environmental footprint and supporting sustainable development.”

Throughout April, the environmental field service managers in many of CSX’s field locations are hosting the company’s fourth-annual city cleanups. Employees and volunteers will pick up trash and conduct other beautification efforts in Montgomery, Ala.; Waycross and Savannah, Ga.; Riverdale, Ill.; Avon, Ind.; Corbin, Ky.; Hamlet, N.C.; Selkirk, N.Y.; Columbus and Cleveland, Ohio; Nashville, Tenn.; and Philadelphia.

In addition, on Earth Day, April 22, CSX is sponsoring the Anacostia Watershed Earth Day Cleanup & Celebration in Washington, D.C., where more than 2,000 volunteers will remove trash at more than 40 sites along the watershed. That same day, in CSX’s headquarters city of Jacksonville, CSX employees will staff booths at the city’s Ecology Fair at the Jacksonville Landing and sponsor the City of Jacksonville’s Earth Day poster contest for children. The following weekend in Charlotte, N.C., the company is partnering with customers for “The Great Charlotte Cleanup,” a local cleanup effort tied to the Keep America Beautiful, Great American Clean Up.

“These activities are just some of the ways in which CSX contributes to environmental stewardship throughout the year, both through volunteering efforts and operational decisions,” said Tori Kaplan, assistant vice president, corporate social responsibility.

Since 1980, CSX has improved its fuel efficiency by more than 90 percent, and with constant innovation, freight rail becomes more efficient every day. In the past five years, CSX has invested more than $1.75 billion to upgrade its fleet of fuel efficient locomotives.

Last year, CSX introduced an updated online carbon calculator that makes it easy for customers and consumers to understand the emissions savings that freight rail can deliver. Located on CSX’s website, this tool helps customers and consumers optimize supply chains and bring goods to market more sustainably than ever before.

Across the network, CSX protects local ecosystems through its Trees for Tracks program, the company’s pledge to plant one tree for every mile of its 21,000 mile system. To date, the company has planted nearly 17,000 trees. These new trees improve air quality, offset carbon emissions, improve wildlife habitats and add beauty to the communities CSX serves.

CSX annually recognizes its customers who demonstrate continued dedication to safety in the transportation of hazardous materials through its Chemical Safety Excellence Award. This year, CSX named 61 winners, who had each shipped more than 600 carloads of hazardous materials during the year without a non-accidental release.

CSX’s Earth Month celebration has also moved online this year. Participants can enter the Environmental Pursuit contest by “liking” the official CSX Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/OfficialCSX) and testing their environmental knowledge through a weekly interactive quiz by 11:59 p.m. EDT on April 30. In addition to the weekly prize winners, three grand prize winners will also each receive $1,000 from CSX, with a $1,000 matching donation provided to a charitable organization selected by each winner.

For more information on CSX’s commitment to environmental sustainability or to learn how to get involved in local Earth Day volunteer activities, visit www.csx.com.

About CSX

CSX Corporation, based in Jacksonville, Fla., is one of the nation’s leading transportation companies, providing rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck transload services. The company's transportation network spans approximately 21,000 miles, with service to 23 eastern states, the District of Columbia and two Canadian provinces. CSX’s network connects more than 240 short line railroads and more than 70 ocean, river, and lake ports. More information about CSX Corporation and its subsidiaries is available at www.csx.com. Like us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/OfficialCSX) and follow us on Twitter (http://twitter.com/CSX).

ANN INC., parent Company of Ann Taylor and LOFT, Partners with Good360 to Donate Reusable Goods to Charitable Organizations

04.20.2012 - 07:00AM

ANN INC. (NYSE: ANN) the parent company of Ann Taylor and LOFT, today announced the launch of ANNCares360, a program in partnership with Good360, the nonprofit leader in product philanthropy. The program will facilitate the donation of available displays, marketing items, and fixtures to local charities that support women and children.

ANNCares360 allows Ann Taylor, LOFT, ANN Taylor Factory, and LOFT Outlet stores to enter valued, reusable goods into a tracking system that will link to Good360’s online product donation marketplace and its network of more than 26,000 charities.

“ANN INC. is a company that is committed to doing business responsibly”, said Jeannette Ferran Astorga, Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility. “The ANNCares360 program aligns perfectly with our environmental commitment to minimize waste in our operations since most of these items can be reused. We are pleased to know that we will be able to provide resources for communities in need. We are also excited to celebrate the Company’s commitment to the environment by launching this program for Earth Day.”

Each year, the Company has items in its stores and corporate offices that are available for donation across the country. The partnership with Good360 offers a uniform company-wide system, better tracking mechanisms, a wider reach, and a sustainable program for the future.

Good360, previously known as Gifts In Kind International, is a pioneer in the product giving space with recognition by Forbes Magazine as one of America’s top ten most efficient charities. In three decades of service, Good360 has distributed nearly $7 billion in product donations to thousands of organizations serving a wide spectrum of people in need. Good360 is developing the world’s largest online product donation marketplace, where product donations from America’s top brands and retailers become goods for the greater good.

“Thanks to donors like ANN INC., Good360 is able to get essential products into the hands of those who need them most,” said Cindy Hallberlin, CEO and president of Good360. ANNCares360 is just one of many programs ANN INC. executes to provide a positive impact on the environment and the communities it serves. An overview of ANN INC.’s corporate social responsibility efforts can be found on www.responsiblyann.com.

# # #

About Good360

Consistently ranked by Forbes Magazine as one of the ten most cost-efficient charities in America, Good360 (formerly Gifts In Kind International) is dedicated to helping people and communities in need by distributing corporate product donations to qualified nonprofits. These include nonperishables, such as apparel, books, toys, personal care products, office and school supplies, computers and much more. On behalf of several Fortune 100 consumer, retail and technology companies, Good360 distributes products to a network of more than 26,000 pre-vetted organizations.

About ANN INC.

ANN INC. is the parent Company of Ann Taylor and LOFT, two of the leading women's specialty retail fashion brands in the United States. The Company operates 953 Ann Taylor, Ann Taylor Factory, LOFT and LOFT Outlet stores in 46 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico as of January 28, 2012, as well as online at AnnTaylor.com and LOFT.com. Visit ANNINC.com for more information (NYSE: ANN).

"I need advertising," said the Earth.

04.19.2012 - 07:18PM

If Earth had an ad budget, it would hire Earth Advertising, or at least that was my assumption when I invented the agency in 1999, originally called eFlicks Media. “Earth needs a good ad agency,” Walter Cronkite had suggested to me then.

On the eve of Earth Day, there is tremendous pressure to share what it’s been like over the past 13 years since Earth Advertising hatched in Soundtrack Studios. It’s been up and down. The fisheries went down, the trash went up. Water down. Temperature up. Species down. Chemicals up.

But, Earth Day is a day of celebration, not mourning. Although it is not the kind of celebrating we’re used to. Celebrating without plastic balloons, stirrers, straws, cups, bottles, bags, plates, forks, spoons and other harmful substances.

We can celebrate by refusing single use disposal plastic on Earth Day. I know I’ve given up all these addictions, including on special occasions. Believe me, I fall off the wagon. But I get right back on. You can even take a pledge .

But I digress. If Earth did have a budget for an ad campaign clearly nobody would ever agree on which agency to hire anyway. And should it be positive or negative? With the help of Stuart Ross, an advisor to Earth Advertising, we brainstorm the idea via social media.

His ideas arrive by simple text, “What if there was an RFP?” I text him back that I love it. “Help Wanted. Mid-sized terrestrial planet seeking immediate advertising support.”

Objective? Long-term sustainable relationship with inhabitants.

Metrics of Success? Less CO2 in atmosphere. More fresh water. Health. Fisheries come back. Oceans you can swim in.

Don't wait. Send your ideas to rfp@earthadvertising.com.

Earth Day New York Calls on the Public to do Their Part!

04.19.2012 - 03:08PM

Calendar of Earth Day Earth Week Events, April 19th through 21st includes details on Friday’s CO2 E Drive and Fashion Show in Times Square and three days of Exhibitions at Grand Central Terminal

Earth Day New York called on the public to do their part, on Earth Day and every day. A call to action to educate themselves about ways to make a difference on the many environmental challenges we face.

The press conference held in Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall launched Earth Day New York’s events and marks the official opening of exhibits taking place in Vanderbilt Hall, Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Avenue and Times Square. The events are designed to introduce attendees to the many ways they can get involved and engaged on environmental issues and make better greener choices every day.

“New York City has become a global leader for what it means to be ‘green,’ and through sweeping programs like PlaNYC we are building a more sustainable city,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “It’s just as important for New Yorkers do their part and these exciting Earth Day events are an opportunity for us all to build on our City’s progress, and make ‘greener’ choices throughout the year."

President and Executive Director of Earth Day New York, Pamela Lippe spoke about the upcoming events and the Earth Day Organic Indoor Learning Garden, a portable indoor garden for classrooms. She was joined at the conference by John T. Shea, CEO, Division of School Facilities of the New York City Department of Education, who talked about the importance of Sustainability in schools.

Mr. Yoshihide Fujii, Chairman and CEO of Toshiba America, Inc. highlighted the company’s visionary ideas for technologies that could someday help people live in closer harmony with the Earth and talked about their long time support of STEM education of youth. Toshiba will be introducing their new virtual game Smart Ninja at their exhibit in Vanderbilt Hall that will help kids discover eco-friendly innovative ways to build a better tomorrow.

Lippe introduced The Earth Day Organic Indoor Learning Garden a program that has been introduced to over 120 classrooms in New York with the support of Anvil Knitwear. Caterina Conti, EVP, Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel of Anvil Knitwear Inc. talked about the importance of education around food and nutrition with a focus on organics. Artist Erwin Dazelle presented Earth Day New York with a print of artwork he created for the Earth Day Organic Indoor Learning Garden.

“The launch of the Earth Day Organic Indoor Learning Garden is a wonderful example of how public-private partnerships are supporting our schools with innovative resources to teach our children,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “ Anvil Knitwear is leading the way by donating over 120 indoor organic gardens to classrooms in New York City public schools. I encourage other companies and individuals to support this innovative learning program”.

Lippe thanked Earth Day 2012 partners including: Toshiba, Anvil Knitwear, Metro, New York Post, Home Depot, Bridgestone, Toyota and ConEd. A listing of Earth Day 2012 Events was announced:

Grand Central Indoors in Vanderbilt Hall
Thursday April 19: Exhibits 10am-7pm
Friday, April 20: Exhibits 10am-7pm
Saturday, April 21: Exhibits 10am-5pm
Featuring exhibits from Toshiba, Anvil Knitwear, SodaStream, 3D Systems, and Odwalla with three days of children’s and family programming.

Grand Central Outdoors on Vanderbilt Avenue
Friday, April 20: Exhibits 12pm-7pm
Saturday, April 21: Exhibits and Live Concert 11am – 4pm
Two days of exhibits and a concert on Saturday featuring: Nightmare River Band, Conveyor, Annie and the Bee Keepers, FlyinFisch, The Whispering Tree, Push Method, Kinetics & One Love

CO2 E Drive and Green Car Fashion Show -Time Square Broadway (43-44)
Friday, April 20: 10:45am-12:00pm
Press opportunity featuring Bridgestone, Toyota, and Bob Lutz the creator of the Chevy Volt and Board Member of VIA Motors followed by a Green Car Fashion Show at 11:10am.

Earth Day at Time Square Broadway (42-44)
Friday, April 20: Exhibits 11am-5pm
Exhibits from Bridgestone, Home Depot, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Nissan and SodaStream. Performances from Voca, Sistas The Musical, My Sinatra, Sami the Great, Alec Gross, Amber Rubarth, Melissa Wrolstad and Lisa Jaeggi.

For more information, visit www.earthdayny.org.

For media interviews: Joanna Black | 646-912-2681 jblack@earthdayny.org.

New Publication by Piraeus Bank On Climate Change And Business Opportunities In Greece

04.19.2012 - 11:00AM

In the framework of the European project climabiz carried out by Piraeus Bank in cooperation with WWF Greece and the consultancy Facets, a study was completed titled “Climate Change and Business Opportunities”. This study was prepared by Facets, and it is part of Piraeus Bank’s strategy for promoting green business as the major sustainable development perspective for Greece.

The purpose of this study is to raise awareness among the Greek business community, especially Small and Medium Enterprises, about the business opportunities that arise from climate change. It analyses the sectors of the Greek economy that present investment opportunities, i.e. electricity from Renewable Energy Sources, infrastructure for energy saving in buildings, financial sector, insurance sector, organic farming, biofuels, food and beverage, telecommunications, and tourism. Business opportunities may emerge due to:

The new climatic conditions that will prevail in a region, which may be favourable for the pursuit of particular activities.
The regulatory framework adopted for managing climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which favours the penetration of efficient and clean technologies, creating new markets, such as carbon markets, etc.
The change in the behaviour of consumers, who, recognizing the importance of environmental issues and especially climate change, modify their habits and adopt new consumption patterns, increasing the demand for specific products and services.
The technological innovations adopted by businesses in order to adapt to the new circumstances and gain market shares.

Climabiz is an innovative project which prepares the market to adapt to the new conditions created by climate change, giving thus the opportunity to businesses to develop a competitive advantage, especially during the current economic situation in Greece. The project is co-funded by the European Union under the LIFE+ instrument.

The study can be found on the project’s website www.climabiz.gr.

McDonald's Celebrates 90 Groundbreaking Advancements in Environmental Practices Around the World

04.18.2012 - 12:03PM

(Marketwire) - Reusing air conditioning condensation to water plants and clean. Repurposing advertising banners into fashionable tote bags. Recycling used cooking oil to power generators at a hospital. Today, McDonald's Corp. (NYSE: MCD) celebrates these and dozens more examples of passion and innovation in the 2012 Global Best of Green report.

Best of Green is a collection of best practices that focus on the environment and provide tangible positive impact for the company's business and brand. The report illustrates progress in eight categories -- energy, packaging, anti-littering, recycling, logistics, communications, green building, and greening the workplace.

"Our commitment to environmental sustainability truly comes to life in our restaurants," said Jeff Stratton, McDonald's chief restaurant officer. "By implementing these solutions, McDonald's demonstrates its commitment to building a better business through effective environmental practices around the world."

"I'm proud of the progress in all these areas and I'm especially excited to see the number of impactful advancements in energy/carbon reduction and green building -- two of our key planet priorities," said Bob Langert, McDonald's vice president of Sustainability.

2012 Best of Green includes more than 20 energy-efficiency initiatives, including carbon-reduction practices, and green building advancements in more than a dozen markets around the world.

In the U.S., for example, McDonald's USA has made a national commitment to match 30 percent of its electricity use at company-owned restaurants in 2012 with renewable energy credits from U.S. wind sources. Renewable energy credits help fund the development of new renewable energy resources to increase the amount of available clean energy for everyone.

Other report highlights include:

A maintenance technician at a McDonald's restaurant in Brazil suggested re-using condensation generated by the air conditioning unit. The resulting collection, storage and re-use system provided water for plants and cleaning external areas, and reduced daily water consumption 15 percent.
Restaurant crew at McDonald's restaurants in the U.K. created new environmental best practices, leading to key changes including a 20 percent increase in cardboard recycling.
McDonald's focus on sustainable meetings is illustrated by actions at the 2011 gathering of 16,000 U.S. Owner-Operators, restaurant managers, staff and suppliers. More than half the waste stream was diverted and 1.35 tons of waste kept out of the landfill through soap/amenity recycling. Additional recycling initiatives kept more than 85 tons out of the landfill.

McDonald's collaborated with key external stakeholders to recognize "best of the best" actions by selecting "Planet Champions" for each report category. The selection committee voted for projects and included representatives from BSR, Ceres, Conservation International, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and McDonald's. They made their selections based on the level of innovation, environmental and business impacts, scalability and business integration. The 2012 McDonald's "Planet Champions" are:

Energy: McDonald's Europe's innovative carbon footprint measurement "toolkit" sets the stage for identifying future carbon reduction opportunities
Packaging: McDonald's Canada's switch to unbleached napkins and bags leads to positive environmental, customer and cost savings impacts
Anti-Littering: Through a focus on litter reduction for more than 20 years, McDonald's Australia works to establish a leadership position by engaging its restaurant employees, staff and customers to control the impacts of litter around restaurants in Australia
Recycling & Waste Reduction: McDonald's Austria achieves a 95 percent recycling rate in its restaurants with the McRecycle® program
Logistics: McDonald's entire fleet of supply trucks in the UAE currently run on 100 percent biodiesel, made from vegetable oil recycled from McDonald's restaurants
Communications: For McDonald's restaurant employees in Spain, environmental training is a core element of orientation and training
Greening the Restaurants: McDonald's USA plans to build 25 additional LEED-certified restaurants by 2015 through its participation in the LEED Volume Program
Greening the Restaurants: The first green restaurant in Pilar, Argentina, built by Arcos Dorados, McDonald's development licensee in Latin America, becomes the first new building in the country to receive LEED Gold for New Construction certification
Greening the Workplace: McDonald's Japan helps nearly 5,500 of its crew members achieve a 15 percent reduction in their power usage from July through September 2011

"These actions are important," said Ryan Schuchard, manager of climate and energy, BSR. "The environmental progress from the U.S. market's energy-saving commitment alone is meaningful, and it provides good examples of initiatives that could have a huge impact if scaled throughout the McDonald's system globally."

For more on Best of Green:
http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/sustainability/signature_programs/best_practices.html

About McDonald's
McDonald's is the world's leading global foodservice retailer with more than 33,500 locations serving approximately 68 million customers in 119 countries each day. More than 80 percent of McDonald's restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by independent local men and women. To learn more about the company, please visit www.aboutmcdonalds.com and follow us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/mcdonaldscorp) and Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/mcdonaldscorp).

The Mediterranean City: A Conference on Climate Change Adaptation

03.26.2012 - 03:09PM

The Mediterranean City: A Conference on Climate Change Adaptation will initiate an ongoing collaboration of cities working together to share ideas, needs and strategies to realistically adapt to the current and future impacts of climate change as they similarly affect the five Mediterranean-climate regions of the world.

The conference will bring together an international network of experts from the academic, policy, business, public health and government worlds, and will stand as an example for how cities can work together across regional and national boundaries to bring more resources and knowledge to building solutions.

B4E Global Summit 2012

03.05.2012 - 10:00AM

The green economy heralds a new era of opportunity, growth and sustainable development, placing a higher value on social equity, natural capital and ecological services. Delivering this will require an unprecedented level of collaboration, innovation and commitment to action. But what does this actually mean for business? The B4E Global Summit 2012 in Berlin will define the role of business in shaping and building a global green economy. With the theme “Collaborate, Innovate, Act – Delivering the Green Economy”, the summit will explore transformative business models, smart cities and innovative financial solutions, with proposals for a better, more sustainable future. The outcome of the B4E Summit discussions will be shared with key decision makers at the 2012 Earth Summit in Rio.

FedEx: I Deliver a Better World - A Global Citizenship Update

07.25.2011 - 10:43AM

EHS Compliance Excellence & Best Practices

05.05.2011 - 11:47AM

As new regulations proliferate across the globe, companies are looking to reduce the cost of compliance and are requiring EHS departments to do more with less.

Join us July 27-28 in Minneapolis, Minn. as EHS and Sustainability managers work together and share best practices on how they ensure compliance. With a cross-industry approach from the world's leading companies, this program offers managers the latest strategies on:

Enterprise-wide EHS management
Product focused regulations
Auditing and corrective action
Regulation tracking and data management

Ontario Feed-in Tariff Supply Chain Forum

03.11.2011 - 02:54PM

This industry critical conference is a proven must attend event for renewable energy experts. Last year's event sold-out a week in advance and the April Forum is on track to do the same.

"There was more information exchanged in these two days than at any other event since the launch of the FIT," says David Dunnison of Dunnison & Associates, who attended the first FIT forum.

The forum provides a much needed platform for wind, solar and biogas developers, manufacturers and suppliers to explore the tremendous opportunities created by North America's most ambitious feed-in tariff. It offers the very latest updates on manufacturing capacity, domestic content requirements, supply chain opportunities, and financing. It also covers the most critical questions facing FIT forum participants including updates on the province's transmission expansion plans and managing political uncertainty in the run-up to Ontario's election next October.

Over 60 speakers from top renewable energy manufacturers, developers and suppliers are confirmed on the agenda including representatives from Canadian Solar, Siemens, GE Energy, Vestas, Brookfield Asset Management, International Power Canada, Recurrent Energy, Enercon, Silfab, and Suncor Energy. Speakers also include representatives from the Ontario government and the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) which is administering the FIT program.

Editor's Note: View the associated press release here.

GreenShifters FREE Global Virtual TeleSummit

11.15.2010 - 05:03PM

Tonight we begin an important new series of The Shift Network. We have invited 10 of the most inspiring, innovative green pioneers in the world to share with all of us how we can make the shift to sustainability.

You can still register here for free (the first session at 5 pm Pacific is with Green Festival co-founder Kevin Danaher and eco-entrepreneur Scott Cooney): http://www.greenshifters.info

I'm not sure about you, but when I think of the enormous environmental crises we face, I can feel overwhelmed. But then I remember just how many innovative, pioneering efforts are happening around the world, often below the surface of the news.

The truth is that there is a beautiful revolution happening, one based in reverence for our planet that is also proving to be a far more sane, healthy, and creative way to live. This move to a green lifestyle is central to the Shift. We have to learn how to live in a balanced way with our planet's resources. It means streamlining, innovating, and inventing. It means harnessing the power of community, eliminating toxins, and honoring the delicate ecosystems upon which we depend. And it means creating a thriving new green economy that can pull us out of the lingering recession.

Each of us can be a model of this change, both in small ways and large. We can cut down on our waste. Support local agriculture. Buy electric vehicles. Solarize our house. Advocate for public policy changes. Eat lower on the food chain. Stop buying stuff we don't need to fill our garages.

And the beauty of it is that the greener we live, the better we feel.

The shift to sustainability may be the single greatest challenge humanity now faces, as we press up against our planet's limited resources. But we can still succeed in rising to meet this challenge. It's a challenge that has now transcended political parties and ideologies. It's based in a recognition that we're all in it together.

That's why we're excited about GreenShifters - four days of free teleseminars with some of the most inspiring, innovative, and groundbreaking pioneers in the world. These are the movers and shakers of green, showing us HOW we can make the transition and live more joyfully as a result.

Together, we can all create the next revolution with the inspired example of people like Kevin Danaher, Vandana Shiva, Randy Hayes, Vicki Robin, and Majora Carter.

Find out more: http://greenshifters.info

GreenShifters is completely free and includes access to the recordings. Please do invite your friends and networks as well!

GMIC Sustainable Meetings Conference 2011

10.12.2010 - 04:17PM

The annual GMIC Sustainable Meetings Conference is the premier event for planners and suppliers to address sustainability issues that are redefining the events industry. Whether you are an experienced green meetings professional or in the beginning stages of implementing green event practices, the annual Sustainable Meetings Conference will help take your green meeting strategies to the next level.

Join us February 20-23, at the Doubletree Hotel in Portland, Oregon, for our 2011 event.

Follow the event on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Neenah Paper Offers 'Eco-Trip for Two' Environmental Adventure

08.03.2010 - 11:08AM

Life is full of choices when it comes to protecting the environment. You can take small steps from the comfort of your own home or office (always a good thing!), or you can go "hard core" and experience conservation in the heart of some of nature's most fragile environments. In celebration of its ENVIRONMENT® Papers line, Neenah Paper has launched an "Eco-Trip for Two" sweepstakes in which one lucky winner will have the opportunity to help make the world a better place through an environmental adventure to the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica.

The Neenah "Eco-Trip for Two" sweepstakes runs from July 30 to September 30, 2010. During that time, designers, printers, and anyone with a passion for the environment can enter to win by registering at neenahpaper.com/environmentcontest. One winner will be randomly selected from all entries to receive the all-expenses-paid* grand prize trip for two which includes airfare, ground transportation, six days and five nights of accommodations at an ecologically friendly resort as well as a guided day-trip to the Neenah Reforestation Project, a project in partnership with the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin and Friends of the Osa. Neenah will offset the carbon footprint for the winner's entire trip with carbon credits.

In addition to the grand prize, Neenah will award three $100 gift certificates (to REI, Keen Footwear and Patagonia) as secondary prizes. To be eligible for the gift certificates, participants can visit neenahpaper.com/environmentcontest and answer five easy questions designed to test their environmental awareness. It doesn't matter whether they're an environmental expert or need a "green" primer, all completed quizzes qualify to win.

Says Kristen Hogan, senior brand manager for Neenah Paper, "While the eco-trip will give two people the chance of a lifetime to experience the reforestation project first-hand, the broader message is that even a simple act like purchasing environmentally conscious paper can set off a chain of events that ultimately leads to the protection and conservation of the world’s natural resources."

Countdown to Zero Documentary

07.16.2010 - 09:00AM

Countdown to Zero is a stunning documentary about the escalating global nuclear arms crisis that recently premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was shown at the TED Conference, United Nations and Cannes Film Festival. Produced by Academy Award winner Lawrence Bender (An Inconvenient Truth, Inglorious Basterds) and written and directed by Lucy Walker (The Devil's Playground, Blind Sight).

Countdown to Zero opens in New York City and Washington DC on July 23rd and on July 30th in most other major cities.

Check out the trailer here: http://www.takepart.com/countdowntozero

Powering Our Changing World: Sempra Energy 2009 Corporate Responsibility Report

06.29.2010 - 08:01PM

Tekserve Hosts eWaste Recycling Event

06.29.2010 - 10:01AM

Tekserve Hosts Lower East Side Ecology Center for Free eWaste Recycling Drive July 10th

Bring your electronic recyclables to Tekserve on Saturday, July 10th, from 10am to 4pm to be responsibly recycled; and while you're there, receive a coupon for $25* and register in a raffle to win a new Apple Mac mini.

Since 2007, Tekserve and the Lower East Side Ecology Center (LESEC) have teamed up to host free-of-charge recycling drives for the public in front of Tekserve's store in New York City.

New York City currently offers no eWaste drop-off program of its own. But under a new law recently passed by the New York State legislature (one of the most strict eWaste measures in the country), beginning April 1, 2011, electronics manufactures will be obligated to offer take-back programs.

Tekserve is proud to lead the way in helping New Yorkers recycle. At the last eWaste event, over 900 people brought nearly 18 tons of recyclable material, keeping tons of hazardous materials such as lead, cadmium, and mercury out of our landfills.

If you missed the last event or couldn't bring everything you wanted to, now is the time to properly dispose of the old electronics taking up space in your home. The collection point will be at 119 West 23rd Street, just off of Sixth Avenue, in front of Tekserve's retail store.

Recyclable items include: computers, monitors, fax machines, copiers, DVD/VCR players, radios, telephones, cell phones, televisions, cameras, and stereo equipment. Unfortunately, Tekserve and the LESEC cannot accept home appliances, such as microwaves, stoves, refrigerators, and air conditioners, nor can they accept drop-offs from businesses.

For more information, including interviews and video from the last event, visit tekserve.com/recycling.

*good towards any Mac or iPod (excluding iPod shuffle) from Tekserve, good until August 10th, 2010.

Tekserve is New York's largest independent Apple store and service facility. Tekserve has been serving the local New York City community for over 20 years, offering the newest family of Macs, iPods, the iPad, plus the City's best selection of accessories, cases, bags, and gear. Tekserve also offers while-you-wait configuration, service and repairs, software, professional audio, video, and graphic solutions, rentals, seminars, training, data recovery, on-site service, and plain ol' good advice. For more information, visit www.tekserve.com or call 212 929-3645.

The Lower East Side Ecology Center has been active in educating and promoting environmental initiatives since 1987. For more information on what the LESEC does and how you can be involved, call 212 477-4022 or visit their website at www.lesecologycenter.org.

Everything is connected A Global Citizenship Update

04.20.2010 - 11:40AM

Transurban Sustainability Report 2009

11.09.2009 - 10:09AM

Great River Energy 2008 Social Responsibility Report

10.15.2009 - 02:18PM

Update on Climate Science

06.30.2009 - 12:00AM

Update on Climate Science (June 30, 10:30 AM Pacific;1:30 PM Eastern, 7:30 PM Stockholm. One hour.)

Richard Klein with the Stockholm Environment Institute has long been working in the climate field and has recently started a professional journal through Earthscan on the topic. We'll let him synthesize the lastest and most important developments in the field. More info to come.

Environmental Business Opportunities in Vietnam

05.28.2009 - 12:00AM

The Maryland-Asia Environmental Partnership, the American Council of Independent Laboratories, Washington Laboratories and American TCB would like to invite you to an important forum regarding Environmental Business Opportunities in Vietnam on May 28 at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington D.C..

For the past decade, Vietnam has been growing at breakneck speed as its economy has doubled in size. Vietnam's phenomenal growth has come at a price as pollution, water and energy shortages are now impacting Vietnam's future. The country recently joined the World Trade Organization and is adapting to WTO standards requirements to ensure its future attractiveness as a foreign direct investment location. Join us to hear from the Vietnamese Embassy, U.S. companies working in Vietnam and U.S. government trade, environment and standards groups for this important public-private dialogue.

Sustainable Construction Supply Chain Summit

05.18.2009 - 12:00AM

This key 2-day global summit at the Business Design Centre, London, aims to develop win-win strategies throughout the construction industry, to improve profit, enhance competitiveness and manage environmental risk. The event hopes to define what sustainability means today (in terms of clients and their responsibilities) and to deliver tangible benefits to the triple bottom line.

Attendants will be able to engage, network and build relationships with clients, contractors, sub-contractors and raw material supplies to work towards critical financial and environmental goals: working together to find solutions to the current economic crisis. This is the first event from a client and supply chain perspective that works to demonstrate how to make sustainability happen, on the ground, in a way that links it to making and saving money.

The summit will bring together leading project developers and industry partners in various sectors and regions such as, Governmental Agencies, Commercial, Transportation, Energy and Utilities, Environment, Middle East, China and USA. Amongst others, key speakers include Shri D S Sachdev, Director General CPWD from the Government of India; Nirmal Kotecha, Head of Major Projects at Highways Agency; Mark Sowter, Head of Environmental Construction at Tesco and Dan Epstein, Head of Sustainable Development and Regeneration for the Olympic Delivery Authority.

Engaging supply chain partners on aligning sustainability with cutting costs & engineering efficiency gains and developing standards and measurements for construction raw materials.

A key feature of the event will be its regular Round Table Sessions which draw upon the expertise of major infrastructure developers, bringing together all parts of the global construction supply chain. As a result, by joining these sessions you will be able to expedite the process by which you can locate specific expertise and materials and find the right solutions for you.

Obtaining better quality materials with a narrower embodied carbon, and a higher recycled content is a key challenge for the industry to help drive down waste reductions and enable the more efficient use of materials. In the roundtable sessions on 'Life Cycle Assessment of Construction Raw Materials', contractors and subcontractors in the supply chain together can develop standards and measurements, (including embedded carbon measurement) for the following raw materials: concrete, steel, cement, timber, plastics, recycled materials, aggregates, plasterboard and chemicals.

Exploiting life cycle analysis across every stage of the construction project: prioritising your carbon measurement and sustainable development programme to maximise impact.

Understanding the life cycle of materials, from harvesting through processing, manufacturing and transport, will enable a more informed decision-making process when comparing products against one another on a straight cost basis. Beyond this, we need to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of all the different aspects of a major infrastructure project throughout its life cycle; from concept, through design, tendering, project realisation, and then handover and maintenance.

How can infrastructure help support sustainability as we transition towards a low carbon economy?

If you are looking at how to engage diverse suppliers on the sustainability aspects of a construction project in order to optimise the processes and maximise the potential efficiencies, this Summit will be of incredible practical value. It will show working examples of win-win partnerships and tangible results of successful collaboration: delivering reduction in waste, carbon emissions and cost savings.

It will also look at how we can apply practical experiences on collaborative working from outside the construction industry, and how to manage environmental and social factors from diverse supply chains including oil and gas, chemicals, automotive and textile. Our speakers have hands-on experience of successfully influencing contractors and raw material sourcing including timber, steel and aluminium.

Key public sector perspectives on sustainable procurement will also be covered as governments set increasingly tough requirements to enforce, encourage and support sustainable capital procurement processes.

Money is Tight But The Sustainable Supply Chain is One Solution to The Economic Crisis – Ensure You Are Part of The Sustainable Supply Chain Construction Summit this May 2009.

Recap Of The Summit Benefits:

- Learn From Early Adopters With Practical Experience Of Orchestrating Win/Win Partnerships
- Clearly Define Sustainability And Link It To Making Money In An Economic Downturn
- Successfully Communicate The Key Sustainable Business Drivers All The Way Through To The End Of The Supply Chain
- Implement Materials Usage Efficiencies And Waste Reductions On The Ground
- Re-Think The Entire Life Cycle Of A Construction Project
Demonstrate How The Triple Bottom Line Can Be Profitable And Look At Reductions In Carbon, Waste, Water And Energy Usage In Key Infrastructure Development Projects

You will see from the agenda that this is not another conceptual green event preaching theories and re-stating problems. The value proposition for this event is all about the actual practical solutions for implementing precise, properly defined, sustainable development concepts on the ground.

To register online, follow the link:
http://www.london-business-conferences.co.uk/register/register.asp?eventID=36

Maryland-Asia Environmental Leadership Series Features Battelle

03.31.2009 - 12:00AM

The Maryland-Asia Environmental Partnership (MD-AEP) is pleased to announce that Battelle will host MD-AEP's Environmental Leadership Series on Tuesday, March 31, 2009 at the Battelle Eastern Science and Technology (BEST) Center in Aberdeen, Maryland.

Battelle is the world's largest non-profit independent research and development organization, providing innovative solutions to the world's most pressing needs through its four global businesses: Laboratory Management, National Security, Energy Technology, and Health and Life Sciences. It advances scientific discovery and application by conducting $5.2 billion in global R&D annually through contract research, laboratory management and technology commercialization.

Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Battelle oversees 20,400 employees in more than 120 locations worldwide, including seven national laboratories which Battelle manages or co-manages for the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Battelle offers a complete range of environmental solutions for the unique challenges faced by government and commercial clients. Ranked #14 among the Engineering-News Record's Top 200 Environmental Firms for 2008, Battelle integrates enterprise-wide environmental technologies and expertise to develop, evaluate, and apply:

• Innovative methods and technologies for detecting, quantifying, and characterizing changes in the environment, including research and development activities for assessing risks to human health or the environment from natural or man-made contaminants and incidents

• New methods and technologies for minimizing and preventing damage to the environment, as well as restoring valued environmental resources

• Tools and techniques that foster sustainable environmental management practices.

GREENNET

03.24.2009 - 12:00AM

CSRware is a proud sponsor for the upcoming Green:Net event in San Francisco. As an early leader in the carbon / green market, CSRware will be available for product demos and other questions related to this growing market.

GigaOM Event:

"At Green:Net, we'll show you how the tools created in the Internet, computing and IT revolutions will be crucial for fighting climate change. Whether you’re in a corporation looking to learn about best Green IT practices or you're an entrepreneur looking for your next venture, Green:Net in San Francisco is a must-attend event that will allow you to take away the best ideas, contacts and thinkers in this space."

Maryland-Asia Environmental Leadership Series Features the University of Maryland's Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center (ESSIC)

03.24.2009 - 12:00AM

The Maryland-Asia Environmental Partnership (MD-AEP) is pleased to announce its third Environmental Leadership Series Forum on March 24th, featuring Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center or ESSIC. The program is part of MD-AEP's Environmental Leadership Series. The new series is aimed at mobilizing Maryland-based environmental lesson learned and expertise from business, government and academia to help address Asia's massive water, energy and climate change needs.

Municipality Webcast Series: Water Outlook for 2009

02.19.2009 - 11:00PM

HydroPoint Director of Conservation Tom Ash presents winning strategies for coping with alarming water shortages, runoff pollution and budget shortfalls. He'll examine the specific challenges faced by cities around the nation, and how they are being overcome with proven programs that meet sustainability and revenue goals.

Case Study: Jack in the Box Reduces Water Footprint

01.15.2009 - 11:00PM

Greg Sutton, Operations Manager, Corporate Facilities, Jack in the Box, Inc., and Jeff Foote, Director of Environment and Water Resources for The Coca-Cola Company, will share effective strategies for cutting costs by reducing water footprint.

The Color of our World

01.12.2009 - 12:00AM

Climate change: options and opportunities - Exelon CEO John Rowe, Phil Sharp and Raymond Kopp from Resources for the Future

12.16.2008 - 11:00PM

Climate change is here to stay. Its impact on the regulatory, political, economic and technological landscape of the energy industry is inevitable. How are industry captains planning to win in the new world? Join Restructuring Today, your colleagues, Exelon CEO John Rowe, Phil Sharp and Ray Kopp from Resources for the Future for a live, powerful, engaging and interactive audio discussion on climate change ...

Coca-Cola Case Study: Reducing Your Water Footprint is Good Business

12.04.2008 - 11:00PM

As supplies of water, a non-renewable resource, dwindle, water rate hikes are outpacing energy prices. Government rebates for Smart Water Management solutions are running out even while legislatures pass more rigorous conservation measures.

This webcast will cover the keys to a successful Smart Water Management strategy – including how to identify and address areas of greatest water waste, determine a manageable program scope, and report progress towards conservation and cost-saving targets.

Jeff Foote, Director, Environment and Water Resources for Coca-Cola, will relate his experiences in reducing water consumption throughout the Coca-Cola supply chain. Webcast participants will learn the criteria applied by the Coca-Cola team in evaluating programs and the metrics and tools they use to measure and report the success of these programs.

Participants will come away from this webcast prepared to launch successful strategies that can be implemented in weeks and deliver financial value in months.

Carbon Emissions Business Forum: Compliance, Innovation, and Leadership

11.23.2008 - 11:00PM

Understand the regulatory challenges, compliance options, and business opportunities in carbon emissions management.

The Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment has concluded that climate change is real, and significant action is required. Climate change is becoming the top political, social, and business issue of our time.

In March 2008 the federal government released an enhanced version of its “Turning the Corner” regulatory framework for industrial greenhouse gas emissions. It includes tough new measures to meet environmental commitments and adds details to the framework first announced in early 2007. It also identifies carbon capture and storage as a key tool for reducing greenhouse gas emissions across all industries.

The proposed greenhouse gas regulations, developed through consultation with 17 key industrial sectors, are to be published later this year, finalized in 2009, and instituted January 1, 2010. The regulations will be accompanied by the setting of a market price for carbon and the development of a carbon emission trading and offset system.

Many sectors will need to make fundamental changes to how they do business to manage their carbon emissions and greenhouse gas related risk.

The regulations will apply to all big industry in Canada, from oilsands to chemical and steel companies, to pulp and paper mills and electricity production and transmission. All industry sectors will be affected as they try to reach the federal government’s goal of reducing Canada’s emissions by 20% by 2020 and 50% by 2050.

Businesses will shoulder the majority of responsibility and cost in complying with the new regulations.

Companies will need to choose between in-house reductions, contributions to a capped time-limited technology fund, domestic carbon emissions trading and offsets, or carbon capture and sequestration to meet their emissions reduction targets.

Learn from the innovators how they’re adapting to the new realities.

Ontario, British Columbia, and Manitoba have joined the Western Climate Initiative (WCI) with seven western U.S. states including California. The WCI is establishing its own carbon emissions reduction goals and targets, and intends to develop a cap and trade program later this year. The group’s philosophy is that climate change is a global problem that requires a proactive, global solution, and their activities and policies could influence today’s standards and tomorrow’s targets for all industries in North America.

The Montreal Climate Exchange, in partnership with the Chicago Climate Exchange, is the first environmental products market in Canada to offer environmental financial products and services. In March 2008 it announced plans to launch trading of futures contracts on Canadian carbon dioxide equivalent (CO²e) units by May 30, 2008, subject to regulatory approval.

Webinar: Save Money by Going Green

10.30.2008 - 12:00AM

You can read fully descriptions of each event and register directly on
our website (www.sustainabilityconsulting.com). Once we receive your
payment you will be emailed instructions for how to join the webinar at
the appointed time. Feel free to email us with questions at info@sustainabilityconsulting.com

Webinar: Save Money by Going Green
October 30, 2008
Time: 1:00PM - 2:00PM
Online, At Your Desktop! (EST)
Washington, DC
Cost: FREE

In these tough economic times, it's easy to brush off "going green" as something for another day. Not so fast! We'll show you how making simple environmental changes can positively impact your bottom line. And for each suggestion, we'll include a calculator so that you can measure the environmental benefits and financial savings to your company. You'll be surprised by how the little things add up!

A Public-Private Dialogue: Galvanizing Maryland Resources to Meet Water Management and Technology Needs in Asia

10.23.2008 - 12:00AM

United Nations experts predict that Asian developing countries are likely to face a crisis on water quality management that is unprecedented in human history. The Maryland-Asia Environmental Partnership is committed to Asia's sustainable future and aims to galvanize public and private resources to bring relevant lessons and resources to the countries of Asia. This forum will feature public and private sector experts on a variety of different water topics from such organizations as the World Bank, XPV Capital, Northrop Grumman, the University of Maryland Marine Biotechnology Institute, The U.S. Trade Development Agency, Bay Bio, the Maryland Department of Environment, Coca Cola Enterprises, Phillips Foods, WaterVap, LLC among others.

1st General Meeting of Caring for Climate Signatories

10.21.2008 - 12:00AM

The Global Compact and partners will convene an international meeting of Caring for Climate signatories to take stock of progress to reduce emissions, review the priorities, address challenges and identify opportunities. More specifically, the meeting will: i) constitute a learning forum to discuss strategies; ii) showcase innovative best and emerging practices; and iii) provide a platform to analyze actions undertaken by various sectors. The first version of a report on the efforts of Caring for Climate Signatories will be released during the event.

Learn more about Caring for Climate and how to endorse this environmental leadership initiative.

NRC's 27th Annual Congress & Expo

09.21.2008 - 12:00AM

The NRC Congress & Exposition is considered to be the premier national education and networking event for recycling professionals.

The City of Pittsburgh is a perfect symbol for this year's Congress Theme: Innovation. The city, once pictured as little more than black smoke stacks has transformed itself, through innovation and leadership, to "America's Most Livable City" with a verdant waterfront and a thriving civic culture.

Innovation is also at the center of revitalizing our shared future in a sustainable economy and environment. Recycling remains an evolving American success story, and with ingenuity and leadership, we continue to build our environmental future.

Policy: Climate change and energy policy require us to look at the policy dynamics that are the foundation of our recycling programs.

Management: Communities and businesses everywhere are focusing on best management practices and continuous improvement programs to ensure that recovery programs are optimized for performance and value. Corporations world-wide have recognized that environmental sustainability, and its recycling component, are central to the corporate purpose.

Finance: We see the possibility for new means to finance recycling, from the proven models of PAYT, to the innovations in incentive-based recycling and the product stewardship models of e-recycling. In addition, we see climate change as a springboard for new investment in recycling infrastructure to realize, monetarily, the energy and greenhouse gas emissions reductions of recycling.

Technology: To keep pace with the changing nature of our products and packages, and to establish a durable business model for materials recovery.

Education: We are learning how to better educate our citizenry, from where all recycling starts. The time is ripe for a great national campaign of environmental awareness and consistent environmental behavior. With innovative research and education programs, we truly can change the world, one container or newspaper at a time.

Carbon Symposium

09.12.2008 - 12:00AM

CARBON SYMPOSIUM

The Ross Energy Club's 1st Annual Carbon Symposium will provide educational and professional insights into the emerging importance of carbon in our economy. Graduate students in business, environmental science, public policy, economics and other disciplines will come together to learn from and interact with some of the pioneers of the burgeoning carbon economy. Attendees to the symposium will gain a greater understanding of the following questions:

- Why is carbon gaining importance in the world economy?
- How is the business community assigning value to it?
- What are the current carbon trading schemes and how do they differ?
- What is the role of public policy in establishing a fair market?
- What will business leaders need to know to stay relevant?
- How can young professionals get involved in this emerging market?

WHO WILL BE THERE:
In addition to students from the University of Michigan's various graduate programs, Energy Clubs from the Collegiate Energy Association (CEA) partner schools will also be invited including Yale, MIT, Notre Dame, and the University of Wisconsin. Attendance at this event is capped at 225 and is anticipated to run at capacity. For more information, please send us an email at carbonchairs@umich.edu

VENUE:
Rackham Graduate School
4th Floor Amphitheater
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan

Wal-Mart Canada Corporate Environmental Report

08.01.2008 - 12:00AM

Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development 2007 Annual Report

08.01.2007 - 12:00AM

Seiyu: Stories from Behind the Scenes

01.01.2007 - 12:00AM

TODO: Figure out what the title should be

CSX to Welcome EDF Climate Corps Fellow to Help Improve Energy Efficiency

Mills Achieves B Corporation Status

Many U.S Mutual Fund Companies Falling Short in Proxy Voting on Climate Change

Coca-Cola Enterprises Publishes 2011/2012 Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Report

Stewardship Action Council Releases First Annual Report

Innovator Hunter Lovins On Reframing The Global Economy

Dow’s Excellence in Energy Efficiency Continues to Gain Important Recognition

Seventh Generation Marks 1st Anniversary of Pioneering USDA Biobased Certification

Arbor Day Foundation, U.S. Forest Service to Plant 1 Million Trees With Gift From Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation

CSX Earns Maplecroft Climate Innovation Leader Recognition

New Ceres/Sustainalytics Report Shows Most U.S. Companies Falling Short on Sustainability

Major Investors and Companies Tackle Climate Change and Sustainability at Ceres Conference in Boston

Cascades Tissue Group Bestows Environmental Distributor Achievment Award To 27 Firms

Americans Are Rooting for Trees, but Trees Are Demanding More Action

Merck Named as Leader in Maplecroft Climate Innovation Index

Vapur Celebrates Earth Month by Expanding Partnership with Recyclebank

Climate Change and Business Opportunities

UNEP and Bayer Announce North American Winners of 2012 International Children's Painting Competition

2011 U.S. Dairy Sustainability Report

Science-based, Practice-driven Resources Advance Dairy Industry Sustainability

"I need Advertising," said Earth.

CSX Celebrates Earth Month Across Its Network

ANN INC., parent Company of Ann Taylor and LOFT, Partners with Good360 to Donate Reusable Goods to Charitable Organizations

"I need advertising," said the Earth.

Earth Day New York Calls on the Public to do Their Part!

New Publication by Piraeus Bank On Climate Change And Business Opportunities In Greece

McDonald's Celebrates 90 Groundbreaking Advancements in Environmental Practices Around the World

The Mediterranean City: A Conference on Climate Change Adaptation

B4E Global Summit 2012

FedEx: I Deliver a Better World - A Global Citizenship Update

EHS Compliance Excellence & Best Practices

Ontario Feed-in Tariff Supply Chain Forum

GreenShifters *FREE* Global Virtual TeleSummit

GMIC Sustainable Meetings Conference 2011

Neenah Paper Offers 'Eco-Trip for Two' Environmental Adventure

Countdown to Zero Documentary

Powering Our Changing World: Sempra Energy 2009 Corporate Responsibility Report

Tekserve Hosts eWaste Recycling Event

Everything is connected A Global Citizenship Update

Transurban Sustainability Report 2009

Great River Energy 2008 Social Responsibility Report

Update on Climate Science

Environmental Business Opportunities in Vietnam

Sustainable Construction Supply Chain Summit

Maryland-Asia Environmental Leadership Series Features Battelle

GREENNET

Maryland-Asia Environmental Leadership Series Features the University of Maryland's Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center (ESSIC)

Municipality Webcast Series: Water Outlook for 2009

Case Study: Jack in the Box Reduces Water Footprint

The Color of our World

Climate change: options and opportunities - Exelon CEO John Rowe, Phil Sharp and Raymond Kopp from Resources for the Future

Coca-Cola Case Study: Reducing Your Water Footprint is Good Business

Carbon Emissions Business Forum: Compliance, Innovation, and Leadership

Webinar: Save Money by Going Green

A Public-Private Dialogue: Galvanizing Maryland Resources to Meet Water Management and Technology Needs in Asia

1st General Meeting of Caring for Climate Signatories

NRC's 27th Annual Congress & Expo

Carbon Symposium

Wal-Mart Canada Corporate Environmental Report

Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development 2007 Annual Report

Seiyu: Stories from Behind the Scenes

GreenShifters FREE Global Virtual TeleSummit