Nestlé has promised to ramp up its work in three main areas: nutrition, water and rural development, according to its annual Creating Shared Value report, which was released yesterday. Nestlé has publicly committed for the first time to make “forward-looking commitments” to social and environmental sustainability. Nestlé’s goals, which the company is keen on accomplishing by 2020, are said to be “tangible, short-term goals”. Examples include distributing 200 billion servings of fortified food products worldwide by 2016, targeting children and women at childbearing age, as well achieve 100 percent sustainable and certified responsibly sourced palm oil by the end of this year. (Triple Pundit)
Environment
Brussels looks to reignite 2030 carbon target debate
A leaked draft paper reveals the European Commission’s (EC) plans for a new target requiring a 40 percent reduction in emissions by 2030. The EC is working on plans for a new package of carbon and renewable energy targets and is thought to start debate about what targets should be set, and whether they need to be legally binding. The EU’s 27 members were among the first to impose mandatory targets for cutting the gas emissions that scientists say are likely to warm the planet to potentially dangerous levels in coming decades. (Business Green, Financial Times*)
RBS tops renewable energy investment league table
RBS has retained its title as the biggest financer of UK renewables projects for a second year, according to the latest Infrastructure Journal league table. RBS said its first place position was secured after it lent or arranged finance worth $258.3m for renewable energy projects. They also emerged as a major lender to smaller scale renewable energy and efficiency projects, after launching both a dedicated £50m fund to support renewables projects on farms and a £200m ‘Carbon Reduction Fund’ late last year offering financing for corporate energy efficiency projects. (Business Green)
Human Rights
Key telecommunication players sign principles on Freedom of Expression
TeliaSonera a Scandinavian telecommunications company, and its fellow founding members of the Telecommunication Industry Dialogue (ID), have today published the signed guiding principles on telecommunication and freedom of expression and privacy. In addition, Global Network Initiative (GNI), an NGO responding to issues of privacy within the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry, announced a two-year collaboration with the ID group. By working together, the ID and GNI aim to advance freedom of expression and privacy rights in the ICT sector more effectively. Alcatel-Lucent, France Telecom-Orange, Nokia Siemens Networks, Telefonica, TeliaSonera, and Vodafone are amongst the companies participating in the ID. (Business & Human Rights)
Supply Chain
Co-op, Nestle, Sainsbury’s to cut supply chain carbon footprint
The Co-operative Group, Nestlé and Sainsbury’s have said they will improve the environmental performance of some of their products following research from the Product Sustainability Forum. An assessment of the environmental impact of grocery products published by the ‘Waste and Resources Action Programme’ analysed 50 grocery products with the biggest environmental impact. It was found that the production and sale of these products contributed between 21-33 percent to household consumption of greenhouse gases. As a result of the study, the Co-operative, Nestlé and Sainsbury’s will pilot projects called ‘Pathfinders’, intended to shrink the supply chain footprint of products with the most greenhouse gas emissions, product waste, and water, energy and resource use. (Environmental Leader)
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