Vodafone has announced a global policy intended to ease new mothers’ transition back to work, offering them 16 weeks fully paid maternity leave, followed by six months of full pay on reduced 30-hour weeks after they return to work. The policy aims to reduce the proportion of new mothers quitting in their first year back at work, previously at 65%. Vodafone HR executive Sharon Doherty, who developed the policy, said that recruiting and retaining more women has been a priority. Women make up 35% of Vodafone’s global workforce, and only 21% of leadership positions. “We’ve been asking, what are the cultural, policy and leadership issues to make Vodafone more female-friendly?” Doherty said. Even with paid leave for 1,000 female employees, Vodafone anticipates a potential net annual saving of $19 billion as these women stay with the company post-baby. (Fast Company; Wall Street Journal)
Strategy
Report: Sustainability can unlock savings for the healthcare industry
A new report by the Wharton University of Pennsylvania Initiative for Global Environmental Leadership, in partnership with Johnson & Johnson (J&J), examines the sustainability challenges faced by the healthcare industry. The report highlights the potential for sustainability initiatives to yield long-term savings in the industry, while reducing environmental impacts and delivering other employee and community health benefits. It notes that employee engagement plays an important role in the success of sustainability initiatives. Leading companies identified in the report include J&J, for its ‘Earthwards’ programme for sustainability in new product development, and Abbott Laboratories, which has adopted the management concept of ‘shared value’. “Business is at its best when it acts as a business and not as a charity,” noted Susan Beverly, Abbott’s director of global citizenship and policy. “For something to be truly sustainable and to solve a social issue at scale, it’s important to find a way for the business to be successful.” (Knowledge@Wharton)
Supply Chain
Greenpeace gives a failing grade for most of America’s canned tuna
Environmental campaigning organisation Greenpeace has released a Canned Tuna Shopping Guide, to inform concerned consumers about the sustainability of their fish. The guide, which ranks 14 American canned tuna brands, scores brands based on how their sourcing practices impact oceans, the safety of the workers and the ability to trace tuna back to its source. Whilst some brands have made great progress in sustainability, Greenpeace found that about 80 percent of the US market does not offer even one product that is easily identifiable as sustainable. The top ranked brand is Wild Planet Foods, whose tuna sourcing policy is the most clearly-defined of the 14 brands surveyed. Meanwhile, Bumble Bee ranks twelfth in the guide, despite that fact that the company claims to be a leader in sustainability. (Triple Pundit)
Education
University of Vermont replaces traditional MBA with Sustainable Entrepreneurship Program
The University of Vermont has launched its newest accredited programme, the Sustainable Entrepreneurship MBA (SEMBA), to replace its former standard MBA degrees. According to the university, the SEMBA programme will train business leaders to focus on more than just the bottom line, and employ sustainable resources and business models to build a better planet. The university believes that by shifting the focus on responsible business leadership, it will generate a new breed of entrepreneurs who are in high demand across the country. The program will focus on the “Triple Bottom Line” approach of Profit-People-Planet. It is designed for completion in 12 months by students who already have three to five years of professional experience. (Just Means)
Association of Climate Change Officers unveils first professional credentialing program
The Association of Climate Change Officers (ACCO) has announced its first professional certificate, providing a recognised credential to professionals who have “developed the competencies and knowledge to integrate an understanding of climate change and related implications into their decision-making”. The curriculum addresses issues such as climate science and risk assessment, footprint management and reduction strategies, governance and engagement tactics. ACCO aims to standardise the role of the climate change professional, and to formalise climate change education and training across a broad range of other key professions. (Sustainable Brands)
COMMENTS