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May 10, 2016

Supply Chain

Waitrose and Tesco threaten to can John West over broken tuna sustainability pledge

Waitrose has joined Tesco as the latest UK retailer to take seafood giant John West to task over destructive and wasteful fishing practices, threatening to remove its canned tuna from store shelves if it does not follow through on its promise to improve. The decision will pile pressure on Britain’s most popular tuna brand, after last week’s announcement by Tesco. Following a public campaign from Greenpeace that has seen more than 40,000 people email Waitrose’s managing director in a matter of days, the retailer has now told John West it has until the end of 2017 to meet sustainability criteria or face the consequences. John West, whose parent company also owns the US ‘Chicken of the Sea’ brand, has previously said it has found it “extremely difficult” to meet its sustainable sourcing promises. (Sustainable Brands)

Strategy

Science-based targets initiative passes 150 companies milestone

Ice cream brand Ben and Jerry’s and Japanese car manufacturer Toyota are among a wave of 41 big businesses that have joined the Science-Based Targets initiative since the COP21 negotiations in Paris last December. The companies are now part of a list of 155 businesses including Coca-Cola, Sony and the Kellogg Company that have committed to the science-based targets initiative – a partnership between CDP, UN Global Compact, WRI and WWF, which helps corporations determine how much they must cut emissions to prevent the worst impacts of climate change. “The enthusiasm companies have shown to setting ambitious climate targets is very encouraging. Our technical reviewers cannot keep up with the number of targets being submitted. This is a great problem to have and a clear indication that the Paris Agreement was a turning point for climate action,” said WRI’s Cynthia Cummis. (edie)

 

UN climate action database enjoys big business boost

More than 50 new climate commitments have been added to the UN’s Non-State Actor Zone for Climate Action (NAZCA) online portal, as companies, cities, and investors continue to build on the momentum created by last year’s Paris Agreement. More than 400 businesses, 120 investors and 150 cities and regions signed up to the Paris Pledge for Action in December, and over 11,000 actions have now been registered on the NAZCA portal. The latest update accompanies the launch of a global campaign – ‘We’re Accelerating Climate Action’ – to raise awareness of the steps being taken globally to curb greenhouse gas emissions, particularly in developing countries. For example, the campaign highlights how India’s Tata Motors has pledged to reduce CO2 emissions by 50 percent by 2020 and procure 100 percent of its electricity from renewable sources. (Business Green)

Technology

Cyber attacks: Two-thirds of big UK businesses targeted

Two-thirds of big UK businesses have been hit by a cyber attack in the past year, according to the government’s Cyber Security Breaches Survey, with stats garnered from phone calls with 1,008 UK businesses. 68 percent of the attacks were based on viruses, spyware, or malware, while 32 percent involved a company being fraudulently impersonated by hackers. “Too many firms are losing money, data and consumer confidence with the vast number of cyber attacks,” said digital economy minister Ed Vaizey. “It’s absolutely crucial businesses are secure and can protect data.” According to the survey, an average breach costs businesses £36,500. One company lost £3 million in the wake of a cyber attack on its systems. Only about a half of the businesses had acted on government recommendations to address cyber risks, while just 29 percent of those firms had formal cybersecurity policies in place, the survey found. (Ars Technica)

Employees

EU referendum and national living wage push up the number of UK workers on temporary contracts

The number of workers on a temporary contract in the UK has risen at the strongest rate in over a year as employers shun permanent contracts while they count the cost of the national living wage and the coming EU referendum. Billings for temporary and contract staff at employment agencies were at a 13 month high in April, according to the latest figures from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), as nervousness prevented employers from investing in permanent staff. Permanent staff hires rose at the weakest pace since September, the REC said. (Independent)

 

Image source: Yellowfin tuna fishing boat, source NOAA FishWatch / Wikimedia Commons

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