Top Stories

September 19, 2014

Employees

Business chiefs call for rise in UK minimum wage

A raft of UK business leaders including the chief executives of Kingfisher and Nomura have signed a letter calling for the minimum wage to rise faster now that growth has returned to the economy. The letter has been co-signed by Sir George Bain, former chairman of the Low Pay commission, and Alan Buckle, the former deputy chairman of KPMG who was appointed by Labour Party-leader Ed Miliband to examine the future of the minimum wage. The letter states: “Over the last 15 years, the national minimum wage has been successful in boosting pay at the bottom of society without leading to a loss of jobs. For businesses, it has created a level playing field, enabling employers to improve business performance and staff conditions without fear of being undercut… Now, as the economy recovers, we believe the minimum wage should rise faster than it has in the recent past. A stronger minimum wage will benefit businesses, improve public finances, and help tackle low pay.” (The Guardian)

Renewable Energy

White House announces plan to train 50,000 people, including veterans, to install solar panels

The White House has announced a plan to train at least 50,000 people, including veterans, to become solar panel installers. The jobs training program is among a host of initiatives the White House says will cut CO2 emissions by more than 300 million tonnes through 2030, and save billions of dollars on energy bills for homeowners and businesses. The Agriculture Department will also spend nearly $70 million to fund 540 solar and renewable energy projects, focused on rural and farming areas, while the Energy Department will propose stricter efficiency standards for commercial air conditioners. The proposals are modest compared with what President Barack Obama has asked Congress to do through legislation to promote clean energy, invest in infrastructure projects and force reductions in carbon dioxide emissions. But with lawmakers unwilling to consider any major climate legislation, Obama has sought to maximize what presidential authority he does hold. (PBS)

Amazon’s new Seattle office buildings will recycle ‘waste heat’ from data centres

The plant-filled “biodomes” Amazon is planning for its new Seattle campus aren’t the only green aspects to the internet company’s expansion in the area. Amazon is moving ahead with a unique plan to use heat generated from nearby data centres to warm some of its new buildings. The system transfers the heat via water piped underground, which is then returned once it has cooled to help cool the data centres. The setup will be unusual: “Certainly there are other people using waste heat from server farms but you don’t hear a lot about tying it in with buildings across the street from each other,” said Seattle City Councilmember Mike O’Brien. To encourage this kind of thinking, the city is offering credit to owners of new construction who build in so-called hydronic heat systems. “I see this project as a first step toward what I hope to be a district wide energy system, that we can build off this as a catalyst,” added O’Brien. (GeekWire)

Rankings & Standards

New sustainability ranking launched for Asia

Singapore broadcaster Channel NewsAsia (CNA) on Tuesday launched a new index which identifies leading firms in corporate sustainability across 10 Asian economies. The Channel NewsAsia Sustainability Ranking identifies leading firms in corporate sustainability across 10 key economies in the region. India’s Tata Consultancy Services, Singapore property developer City Developments and Unilever Indonesia took the top three spots. Debra Soon, managing director of Channel NewsAsia, said at the index’s launch in Hong Kong: “This is the Asian century, and businesses in the region need to be spot on with their processes to be more effective on the global field.” The new ranking will “help throw the spotlight on businesses that have excelled in corporate sustainability and spur others to re-examine their positions,” she added. (Eco-Business)

Sustainability rating announced for UK’s 10,000 cafés

A new sustainability rating initiative for coffee shops and cafés will launch in the UK next week. The standard has been developed by the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA), which already rates 4,000 restaurants ranging from Michelin-starred eateries to fish and chip shops against a wide range of criteria, with particular focus on their sourcing policies and environmental impacts. The new rating scheme has been developed in partnership with Costa, the UK’s largest coffee chain, and places a greater emphasis on the provenance of beverages and the volume of disposable items typically used in cafés, as well as establishments’ healthy eating efforts. Mark Linehan, managing director of the SRA, said the intention was to “drive up sustainability standards” across the UK’s 10,000 cafés by encouraging sustainable best practices that extend beyond simply sourcing sustainably certified coffee or Fairtrade tea. (BusinessGreen)

 

Image source: Official U.S. Navy Imagery – A CO inspects recently installed solar panels

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