Stock values rise when companies disclose “green” information
A UC Davis study finds that it pays to be green, as companies that are open about their greenhouse gas emissions and carbon reduction strategies see stock values rise. The study, Going Green: Market Reaction to CSR Newswire Releases, uses the archives of the Corporate Social Responsibility Newswire to identify climate change related press releases issued by companies between 2000 and 2010. For the 172 companies identified as making voluntary disclosures, average stock prices increased just under 0.5% in the five-day span around the disclosures, according to the study.
For the past 18 years, the National Football League (NFL) has been working to decrease the environmental footprint of the largest annual sporting event in the United States – the Super Bowl. To engage fans and the Indianapolis community in these greening efforts and help address impacts outside Super Bowl operations, the NFL also organised the ‘1st & Green Environmental Challenge’. Participants can track their carbon and water savings on the website and the winner of the challenge will be recognised on stage at the Super Bowl village.
IBM to help oil and gas companies monitor and reduce environmental impact
IBM was selected for a global research project to develop the world’s first integrated environmental monitoring system aimed at helping oil and gas companies minimise their environmental impact. IBM researchers are developing a solution that will use industry frameworks combined with advanced streaming analytics technology to enable real-time monitoring of environmental data. The system will be able to move beyond simply monitoring, to predict and prevent issues before they occur, helping companies minimise the environmental risk associated with subsea oil and gas operations.
CSR Africa http://csrdaily.csrafrica.net/environment/3699-ibm-to-help-oil-and-gas-companies-monitor-and-reduce-environmental-impact.html
Social Investment
Lowe’s announces more than $2 million in grants to schools
Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation, who support communities through public education and community improvement projects, has awarded more than $2 million in Lowe’s ‘Toolbox for Education’ grants to 588 schools throughout the United States. The grants were given to schools and parent organisations for parent-initiated, school-improvement projects benefiting K-12 public education. The projects funded during the fall grant period include outdoor classrooms, technology and safety improvements, library renovations, walking trails, greenhouses, and edible vegetable gardens.
UK green corporate spending forecast to grow rapidly
UK sustainable business spending is set to grow twenty times faster than economic growth in 2012 and will be responsible for driving green growth, it has been claimed. According to a new study by independent analysts Verdantix, corporate sustainable spending on environmental and sustainability initiatives will grow by about 16% a year between 2012 and 2015. Verdantix has forecast that spending will increase 15% in 2013 and 17% in 2014 and 2015, generating a market value of £6.8 billion.
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