Call for responsibility ‘bonus’ to reward responsible behaviour
The UK charity, Business in the Community (BITC) is calling on chief executives to reward responsible behaviour in the same way that they incentivise staff to meet financial targets and generate profit, in the form of a responsibility ‘bonus’. Stephen Howard, chief executive of BITC, challenged leaders to incentivise and reward ‘doing the right thing’ at the charity’s Leadership Summit. This follow the results of a survey of 215 senior business leaders, which shows that individual employee objectives often do not align with the organisation’s corporate responsibility goals. Howard suggested that responsible behaviour should form a central element of staff training and development and urged bosses to actively give staff experiences outside of the business to help nurture their values and decision-making. Commenting, he said that, “business leaders are failing to properly reward responsible behaviour, meaning that despite good intentions, there is no incentive for new recruits to do the right thing.” (Ethical Performance)
Waste
Small retailers ask to be part of plastic bag scheme
Small shopkeepers have called on the UK government to include them in plans to introduce a mandatory 5p charge on plastic carrier bags next year. The scheme will apply to shopping bags handed out by English retailers, but currently exempts stores with fewer than 250 employees, as well as paper and biodegradable bags. MPs criticised the scheme saying that in its current form the charging scheme would be “less effective” than a simpler 5p bag tax, such as the one introduced in Wales in 2011, which has helped reduce bag use by 75 percent. James Lowman, chief executive of the Association of Convenience Stores which represents 33,500 retailers, said that, “before the introduction of the scheme in Wales, our members had concerns about administration of the levy… However, their experience is overwhelmingly positive, with fewer bags being given away, thus reducing costs, more involvement with local charitable and community projects, and no significant administrative burdens.” (Guardian)
Energy
Interface confirms 100% renewable-powered factory
Carpet tile giant Interface has confirmed that it is now operating a factory in the Netherlands using solely renewable energy. The company, which has won numerous plaudits for its commitment to green business practices, said the achievement represented another step towards its ‘Mission Zero’ plan of eliminating any negative environmental impacts that the business has by 2020. The company announced that as of last month its European manufacturing facility in Scherpenzeel, The Netherlands, has been operating wholly on green electricity and gas produced through an anaerobic digestion plant fuelled by fish waste. In addition, a water circulation process ensures it uses virtually no water in its manufacturing process, while the company said the facility would send zero waste to landfill. Interface’s Mission Zero sustainability plan has so far seen the company reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent and water use 87 percent at its European operations between 1996 and 2013. (BusinessGreen)
Lagoon power proposed for UK
Plans for the world’s first tidal lagoon power station have been submitted today in the UK. The plans include building a 6 mile wall around Swansea Bay and creating a lagoon in the Severn Estuary with underwater turbines to harness the incoming and outgoing tides. Tidal Lagoon Power, the company behind the £850 million project, believes it will become a tourist attraction, drawing thousands of visitors as well as generating electricity for 120,000 homes. The company said it could be the first of several similar developments around Britain that could generate 10 percent of the country’s electricity by 2023. Mark Shorrock, chief executive of Tidal Lagoon Power, said that, “we are an island nation and we are surrounded by these massive tides so it would make sense to have some home-grown security of supply that’s going to last for four generations.” (Times*)
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