DIGITAL ETHICS

Facebook and TikTok to keep ban on posts that promote Taliban

Facebook and TikTok said they will not lift bans on content that promotes the Taliban after the group took control of Afghanistan. The social media giants declared they consider the Afghan group, which has used social media platforms to project its messages for years, to be a terrorist organization. Facebook said it has a dedicated team of content moderators that is monitoring and removing posts, images, videos and other content related to the Taliban. Facebook’s ban also applies to Instagram and WhatsApp, although the chat platform is end-to-end encrypted, meaning Facebook cannot see what people are sharing on it. Twitter committed to proactively enforcing its rules and review content that may violate those rules, specifically policies against glorification of violence, platform manipulation and spam. (CNBC)

GENDER EQUALITY

UK equality laws could be changed to protect women in menopause

Changing equality legislation to protect women going through the menopause should “not be ruled out”, according to the chair of a group of MPs leading an inquiry into discrimination on the issue. The inquiry has heard from a growing number of women being forced to use disability legislation to seek redress in the courts, citing the menopause as proof of unfair dismissal and direct sex discrimination. The inquiry will look at whether equality law needs to be strengthened and if the menopause should be a protected characteristic under the Equality Act, which states that it is against the law to discriminate against someone because of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. (The Guardian)

COLLABORATION 

Tesco and WWF launch climate-friendly cattle feed scheme

Tesco has teamed up with conservation group WWF to launch a new subsidy scheme designed to expand the market for sustainable cattle feed for dairy farmers. The scheme offers 15 farmers an 80% subsidy to plant herbal leys, a mix of plants, legumes and herbs which are designed to offer healthy feed for dairy cows while also enriching the soil, boosting water quality and reducing the carbon footprint of farms. The dairy farmers are then also offered competitive prices for their milk to ensure they have enough money to invest in animal welfare and environmental sustainability. The partners plan to continue subsidising seed costs for farmers for the next two years, with view to potentially offering more farmers the chance to take part in the scheme in future. (Business Green)

RENEWABLE ENERGY

IKEA starts selling renewable energy to households in Sweden

IKEA, the world's biggest furniture brand, is branching out into selling renewable energy to households, starting with its home market Sweden in September. Ingka Group, the owner of most IKEA stores worldwide, said households would be able to buy affordable renewable electricity from solar and wind parks. Ingka's partner Svea Solar, which produces solar panels for IKEA, will buy the electricity on the Nordic power exchange Nord Pool and resell it without surcharge. Households will pay a fixed monthly fee plus a variable rate. IKEA, which also sells solar panels for households in 11 markets, said those buyers would be able to track their own production in an app and sell back surplus electricity. (Reuters)

WATER

PepsiCo pledges to become net water positive by 2030

Food and beverage giant PepsiCo has announced a commitment to become Net Water Positive, expanding its sustainability goals with a pledge to replenish more water than it consumes at high water risk sites and to deliver safe water access to 100 million people by 2030. To meet its new water stewardship goals, the company will aim for major improvements in efficiency, with a targeted 50% reduction in water use at PepsiCo sites, avoiding 11 billion litres of water per year. As part of its water access ambition, PepsiCo announced the launch of a new programme in partnership with NGO WaterAid to bring safe water to families in Sub-Saharan Africa, targeting improvements in water infrastructure, new water supply systems and equitable sanitation facilities, and the promotion of hygiene education. (ESG Today)