Lidl makes ‘fruit and veg pledge’ to back British farmers
Lidl has become the second UK grocer to sign up to a 12-month-old scheme to back British farmers by promising to buy more of their produce and offer long-term supply deals. The German discounter joins its close rival Aldi in aiming to boost the profitability of British farmers and suppliers, by signing up to the National Farmers Union-backed “fruit and veg pledge”. The code includes a commitment to pay on time and in full, offering more certainty on price and production requirements and aiming to reduce waste by buying the whole crop and adopting realistic product specifications. “We are delighted that Lidl has publicly committed to our pledge, highlighting its commitment to long-term supply relationships, equitable distribution of reward along the supply chain, and fair and respectful trading relationships,” said Ali Capper, NFU horticulture and potatoes board chair. (Guardian)
Corporate Reputation
Supreme Court sides with R.J. Reynolds over money laundering case
The Supreme Court has sided with the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company (RJR) in a lawsuit filed by the European Union and 26 member states accusing it of complicity in an international money laundering scheme. RJR allegedly dealt with Colombian and Russian drug traffickers, who smuggled narcotics into Europe and sold the drugs to pay for large shipments of RJR cigarettes, depriving European governments of billions of dollars in customs and tax revenues. But the court found that the company could not be sued under the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act over its conduct abroad. The European Union filed the case about 15 years ago, and RJR said at the time that any suggestion that it had been involved in smuggling was untrue. (New York Times)
Video shows China bank employees being spanked
A video has surfaced online showing staff at a Chinese bank being publicly spanked for poor performance during a training session. The video shows a trainer asking eight employees why they did not “exceed themselves” at training. He then spanks them with what looks like a stick. Reports say he later also cut and shaved their hair. The incident took place at a training session for more than 200 employees at Changzhi Zhangze Rural Commercial Bank in northern China. The trainer has issued an apology, saying the spanking was “a training model I have tried for years” and had not been instigated by executives at the bank. The bank’s chairman and deputy governor have been suspended for “failing to strictly check the content of the course”, while employees will receive help seeking compensation from the training company. (BBC)
Strategy
Uber loan program helps Vietnamese swap scooters for new Hondas
Uber is helping to create a new generation of auto drivers in Vietnam with first-time bank loans for vehicle purchases. In a country where motorbikes outnumber cars by a factor of 16, the three-month-old bank programme is changing driving habits while opening another front for Uber in its battle for ride-hailing customers and driver. The program, run together with Viet Capital Bank, has enabled participants to more than triple their income by becoming Uber drivers. Uber has also just started a leasing program with Toyota Motor Corp in which payments are made from Uber fares. “About 70 percent of car buyers borrowed money from banks last year,” said Ho Minh Tam, vice chief executive officer of Viet Capital Bank. “Vietnamese spending behaviours have changed.” (Bloomberg)
Environment
China’s plan to cut meat consumption by 50% cheered by climate campaigners
The Chinese government has outlined a plan to reduce meat consumption by 50%, in a move that climate campaigners hope will provide major heft in the effort to avoid runaway global warming. New dietary guidelines drawn up by China’s health ministry are designed to improve public health but could also provide a significant cut to greenhouse gas emissions. Should the new guidelines be followed, carbon dioxide emissions from China’s livestock industry would be reduced by 1 billion tonnes by 2030, from a projected 1.8 billion tonnes in that year. “Through this kind of lifestyle change, it is expected that the livestock industry will transform and carbon emissions will be reduced,” said Li Junfeng, director general of China’s National Centre on Climate Change Strategy and International Cooperation. (Guardian)
Image source: Meat butcher by Unsplash / Public Domain
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