The City of London Corporation is urging businesses to ‘gift their skills’ with particular focus on homelessness charities and those which support older people, which currently make up just 9 percent of all company volunteering support. Research found that most London businesses favour supporting charities which focus on youth and education. Noa Burger, corporate responsibility project manager at the City of London Corporation, said that, “areas which really need help – homelessness, the elderly and adult unemployment – particularly during the winter months, are still being somewhat overlooked and it’s important they are not forgotten. Collaboration across sectors is a powerful way to address society’s challenges, and charities can hugely benefit from the expertise of corporate volunteers.” (Ethical Performance)
Supply Chain
Fox DNA found in donkey meat products at Chinese Walmart
The world’s largest retailer, Walmart, has withdrawn donkey meat products from its stores in China after they were found to contain fox DNA. The Shandong Food and Drug Administration told Walmart to compensate the people affected and to establish a DNA testing system for food as quickly as possible. China has vowed to crack down on food safety violations after recent contamination of products from baby formula to mutton sparked consumer outrage. A spokesperson from Walmart said that, “we take the issue of food fraud very seriously. Walmart China is going beyond what local law requires and is adding DNA tests to its sample tests of meat products.” Richard Matthews, head of product liability at law firm Eversheds said that, “the fox meat scandal in China illustrates the importance of supplier due diligence, even in markets where the regulatory frameworks and consumer expectations may be less well developed.” (Bloomberg, SupplyManagement)
UK shoppers urged to buy British food
The UK energy secretary, Owen Patterson, has called on consumers, businesses and the public sector to purchase more local produce. He made a direct call to the food and drink industry and the government to work together to help curb inefficient and energy-intensive global supply chains. He argued that recently announced changes to the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy were good news as they incentivised farms to embrace sustainable practices, making the UK industry more competitive and innovative. He said that, “this is a huge opportunity, and it’s up to all of us – farmers, food manufacturers and government – to take action. By buying seasonal fruit and veg we can improve the nation’s health, help the environment and boost the economy.” (BusinessGreen)
Environment
Carbon emissions in US suburbs dwarf those in cities
A study from the University of California has found that population dense cities contribute less greenhouse gas emissions per person than other areas of the US, but that these cities’ suburbs are so damaging to the environment that they effectively wipe out any climate benefits. The study found that greenhouse gas emissions, largely from vehicles in the suburbs, account for 50 percent of all household emissions in the US, despite less than 50 percent of the population living in these areas. Christopher Jones, one of the study’s authors, said that, “unfortunately, while the most populous metropolitan areas tend to have the lowest carbon footprint centres, they also tend to have the most extensive high-carbon footprint suburbs.” Daniel Kammen, another author, said that, “a number of cities nationwide have developed exceptionally interesting and thoughtful sustainability plans; many of them very innovative, but cities need information about which actions have the highest potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in their communities. There is no one-size-fits-all solution.” (Huffington Post)
Singapore’s environmental groups push for more nature parks
The Nature Society Singapore (NSS) has recommended that environmental impact assessments should be conducted on development plans to assess their impact on biodiversity as well as the culture, recreational use, economy, air and water, and has called for the introduction of more nature parks and tree planting. These recommendations come in response to Singapore’s Urban Redevelopment Authority’s draft plans, which the NSS says do not contain enough emphasis on conservation or preservation. The NSS is calling for more emphasis on curbing the impact of urbanisation with more thought for sustainability and said that residents and other stakeholders should also be consulted, with assessments made before development plans are finalised and put out for tender. The NSS said that more emphasis should be put on designating wild-life rich areas, with currently only 4.4 percent out of a potential 29 percent of land permanently protected as nature reserves. (Eco-Business)
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