Greenpeace targets Shell’s ‘keep the lights on’ ad with Arctic counter-attack
Shell‘s Arctic drilling programme has again been targeted by Greenpeace, as the campaign group mocked the oil giant’s latest advertising campaign by hoisting a banner with the message “let’s keep the drills on, so the Arctic’s gone when she’s your age” opposite Shell’s London HQ. The oil major’s latest advertisements depict a girl reading a book in bed by lamplight, watched by a polar bear on her bedside table, with the caption “let’s keep the lights on when she’s your age”. Greenpeace has also received over 2,300 donations to place a counter-advert in major UK newspapers with the headline “Shell’s Arctic drilling plans are the stuff of nightmares”. It is the latest in a long-running campaign to persuade the oil giant to abandon plans to drill in the Arctic region, which included successfully pressuring toy manufacturer LEGO to end its partnership with Shell. (Business Green)
Circular Economy
Carlsberg faces up to ‘tough’ circular economy changes
Carlsberg is facing difficulties in adopting a circular economy business model, the brewing company has admitted, as it battles with poor government engagement, lack of industry collaboration and in-house habitual change. The Carlsberg Circular Community (CCC) scheme has seen the group take the lead on resource effectiveness and the circular economy; using a ‘Cradle-to-Cradle’ design framework to partner with suppliers, create clean material streams optimised for reuse and recycling, and support the sharing of sustainable innovations between companies – all in pursuit of zero-waste. But, 10 months on from the initiative’s launch, the group’s senior vice-president of communications and corporate social responsibility, Anne-Marie Skov, admits the process has been a challenge: “It’s been particularly hard to change old habits. Internally in the business, there has been a lot of debate around the issue of changing what we’ve been so used to doing for many years”. The company is, nonetheless, pleased with how well the CCC initiative has been received externally and intends to widen the Community beyond its eight existing members to 15 by 2016. (Edie)
Responsible Investment
Hyundai, Kia to triple range of eco-friendly cars following investor concerns
Hyundai Motor Co and affiliate Kia Motors Corp plan to triple their number of fuel-efficient cars by 2020, addressing concerns about the pair’s green track record and competitiveness in fuel economy. Investors have voiced concern about the companies’ latest cars having lower fuel mileage than their predecessors, and about a $350 million fine in the United States for overstating vehicles’ fuel economy. The announcement came a week after the pair pledged to raise the fuel economy of their vehicles by 25 percent by 2020 to meet emissions regulations in the United States and Europe and at home in South Korea. “We have set an internal target of making it to no.2 in the global eco-friendly car market, which is expected to grow from this year’s 2.2 million vehicles to 6.4 million in 2020,” Hyundai said in a joint statement with Kia. Hyundai and Kia plan to release a number of models powered by hybrid engines, fuel-cells and electric batteries. (Reuters)
Barclays and MSCI unveil Green Bond index ‘family’
Barclays and index provider MSCI have launched a series of Green Bond indexes, building on the two companies’ existing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investment tools. The new green bond index family measures the global market of fixed income securities issued to fund projects and initiatives with direct environmental benefits and is designed to complement the Barclays MSCI ESG Fixed Income Index family established last year. Earlier this year, Barclays earmarked the green bond market for further growth, pledging to invest a minimum of £1bn over the next year. Eligibility for the new indexes is based on an independent and objective assessment of four areas: use of proceeds, project evaluation, management of proceeds, and reporting. In a statement, the companies said the indices will be “useful benchmarks” for dedicated green investors and traditional fixed income investors seeking to assess green bond risks and returns as part of their broader portfolios. (Business Green)
Waste
P&G takes previously non-recyclable Febreze plastic away from landfill
Proctor & Gamble’s air freshener brand Febreze has partnered with international upcycling and recycling firm TerraCycle for a new recycling scheme to enable previously non-recyclable air and home care products to be recycled for the first time. The Air and Home Care Brigade initiative is a free recycling fundraising scheme which allows UK individuals or organisations to recycle plastic air fresheners and plug-in refills, air and home care product trigger heads, pumps and caps, and flexible home cleaning wipe packs of any brand. Although air and homecare products and packaging are technically recyclable, owing to the high cost of recycling mixed plastics, the infrastructure to recycle such material isn’t available across the UK. Participants interested in the scheme can collect any of the above products and freepost them back to TerraCycle in exchange for points, redeemable for a 1p contribution to the school, charity or non-profit of the sender’s choice. (Edie)
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