Survey finds half of UK women sexually harassed at work
A survey of 1,553 women by the UK’s Trades Union Congress (TUC) has found that 52% say they have been subjected to unwanted behaviour at work, including groping, sexual advances and inappropriate jokes. The figure rose to 63% for those aged 16-24. The survey also found that women working in the manufacturing and hospitality industries were significantly more likely to experience such harassment. One in eight women reported instances that would be classified as sexual assault under law. Despite this, four in five women said they had not reported incidences to their employers in fear of harming their workplace relationships or not being taken seriously. The TUC has called for the reinstatement of parts of the Equality Act 2010 to make employers responsible for protecting staff from harassment. (The Guardian)
Corporate Reputation
Investors pressure KFC owner on antibiotics policy
Investors in Yum Brands, the owner of KFC, have filed a shareholder proposal requesting that the company immediately phase out the use of harmful antibiotics in its meat supply. The proposal comes as pressure mounts from shareholder activists and public health experts to take action against the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, or “superbugs”. Yum’s Taco Bell and Pizza Hut chains have committed to ending the use of antibiotics in chicken supply early next year, but KFC has not made such a promise. Activist group As You Sow filed similar shareholder proposals at Wendy’s and Burger King parent Restaurant Brands International, but pulled them after the companies agreed to set stricter antibiotic policies by the end of 2016. Meanwhile, McDonald’s USA last week announced it had completed its move to chicken raised without antibiotics important to human medicine. (Reuters)
Green groups slam RSPO for reinstating IOI Group’s sustainability certification
Following the announcement that Malaysian palm oil giant IOI Group has had its certificate for sustainable palm oil reinstated by the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), environmental groups have been quick to criticise the decision as premature and risky. While RSPO says it will closely monitor IOI Group’s progress in delivering plans to address legal and environmental issues, green groups have said that RSPO should have waited to see actual results. Deborah Lapidus, campaigns director at the Washington-based Centre for International Policy, described RSPO’s decision as “naïve in the extreme to trust a company that has broken virtually every commitment it has made”. Buyer companies that previously dropped IOI as a supplier, including Unilever and Cargill, said they would review IOI’s implementation plan before taking further action. (Eco-Business)
Supply Chain
UN Global Compact and EY launch global state of sustainable supply chains report
The United Nations Global Compact has launched a report alongside professional services firm EY exploring how companies are embedding sustainability in their supply chains. The report collates the thoughts of over one hundred sustainability, supply chain and procurement specialists from sixty-five companies interviewed globally. The study provides an overview of the leading practices in supply chain sustainability, whilst also giving an indication of what companies need to take into account going forward. All companies interviewed are investing in sustainable supply chains, but the report finds that leading companies are moving beyond compliance to capture opportunities for “shared value”. The growth of multi-stakeholder collaborations in recent years is another trend identified, suggesting that more companies are recognising the economic and societal value of tackling issues together. (UN Global Compact)
Strategy
New $2 million Sustainability Academy launched in Singapore
Singapore property company City Developments Limited and the Sustainable Energy Association of Singapore are to jointly launch the Singapore Sustainable Academy. Costing $2 million, the academy is set to open in March 2017 and is the first major Private Public Partnership initiative of its kind in the region. The development is to be a major training and networking facility on sustainability, and aims to promote a low-carbon economy. The building itself will feature solar technology and a monitoring system to track energy consumption and automatically adjust air conditioning and lighting to maximise energy savings. (OPP Today)
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