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Campaigns
Levi Strauss ‘simply cannot stand by silently’ on gun violence
Denim company Levi Strauss is calling for stricter gun laws and backing its position with $1 million in grant money for activists working to curb gun violence. The retailer is setting aside $1 million in donations to groups working to end gun violence in the U.S. It’s also partnering with Everytown for Gun Safety and business leaders including Michael Bloomberg to form a group of leaders that will push for change. It will also give Levi Strauss employees five hours of paid volunteer time every month to work on the issue. “As business leaders with power in the public and political arenas, we simply cannot stand by silently when it comes to the issues that threaten the very fabric of the communities where we live and work,” CEO Chip Bergh wrote in an op-ed posted on Fortune on 4 September. (CNBC)
Technology & Innovation
Tata Steel unveils technology that could halve emissions from steel production
Tata Steel has unveiled new technology that is able to reduce the carbon emissions from iron and steel production by more than 50 percent. Tata Steel has implemented the new technology at its Ijmuiden site in the Netherlands. Called HIsarna, the technology injects iron ore at the top of a reactor. The ore is then liquefied in a high-temperature cyclone and drips to the bottom where powder coal is injected. According to Tata Steel, the technology removes numerous energy-intensive steps – including having to pre-process the ore and coal in separate coke, sinter or pellet factories. Test campaigns were conducted using steel scrap and biomass and created carbon reductions of more than 50%. The HIsarna plant will now become a permanent feature of the production chain at the IJmuiden site. Tata Steel is also designing an industrial scale version of the technology. (Edie)
Corporate Reputation
BA chief pledges to compensate customers after data breach
The chief executive of British Airways (BA), Álex Cruz, has promised to compensate customers who have had their data stolen in what he described as a sophisticated breach of the company’s security systems. The breach took place between 10.58pm BST on 21 August and 9.45pm on 5 September. The airline said personal and financial details of customers making bookings had been compromised. Cruz apologised on Friday after it was revealed that about 380,000 payment cards had been compromised after a theft of data from the BA website and app over a two-week period. “The first thing to say is that I am extremely sorry for what happened,” Cruz said on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme. “We will work with any customer affected and we will compensate any financial hardship suffered.” Shares in the owner of BA, IAG, fell nearly 3% on Friday morning as investors weighed the impact of the hack on ticket sales. (Guardian)
Upset Hindus urge Chilean brewery to withdraw goddess Kali beer and apologise
Upset Hindus are urging Valdivia (Chile) based Cerveza Bundor craft brewery to apologise and retire its “Kali IPA” beer carrying the reimagined image of Hindu goddess Kali; calling it highly inappropriate. Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA), said that inappropriate usage of Hindu deities or concepts or symbols for commercial or other agenda was not okay as it hurt the devotees. Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, indicated that goddess Kali was highly revered in Hinduism and was meant to be worshipped in temples or home shrines and not to be used in selling beer for mercantile greed. Kali is an American IPA (India Pale Ale) with reportedly 6.5% ABV, 60% IBU and 6% SRM; and is described as having a tropical fruit character. (SantiagoTimes)
Environment
Amey to work with UK prison to recycle more than 130,000 televisions annually
UK based waste management firm Amey has formed a partnership with HMP Dovegate in a bid to recycle more than 130,000 televisions each year while reducing reoffending rates. Supported by waste management firm and social enterprise Recycling Lives, the new collaboration will see around 40 of the prison’s 1,100 inmates trained in separating electronic waste components such as circuit boards, glass and wiring for recycling. The men’s prison, in Uttoxeter, will receive more than 133,000 end-of-life television sets from 39 of Amey’s Household Waste Recycling Centres each year under the scheme – equivalent to around 1,700 tonnes. Once inmates have deconstructed the televisions, the separated parts will be sent to Recycling Lives’ 15-acre Recycling Park in Preston for final sorting, before going to the global commodities market for processing into new products. Participants in the scheme will be paid an hourly wage and offered the chance to gain transferable and sector-specific qualifications, such as a fork-lift truck license. (Edie)
Event
Ethical Corporation 13th Responsible Supply Chain Summit Europe 2018
10-11th October| Novotel London West #RSCEU
For over a decade this event has delivered an unmatched, holistic view of supply chain challenges and solutions. 2018’s iteration is the strongest, most value packed we’ve ever produced with a laser-like focus on the emerging technologies, innovations and collaborations critical to sustainable, cost-effective supply chain strategies.
Join 200+ executive attendees and 40+ senior level speakers from UN Global Compact, DSM, Mattel, C&A, Ørsted, British Retail Consortium, Neal’s Yard Remedies, OHCHR and Sodexo.
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