SUPPLY CHAIN

Ferrero targets nature net-gain and 'fully transparent' supply chain

Ferrero Group, the confectionery giant which owns Nutella, has launched a new Palm Oil Charter featuring commitments to regenerate biodiversity and water systems, expanding on the company’s prior commitment. On human rights and social practices, the new Charter aims to maintain and improve measures on responsible recruitment, fair and safe working conditions and eliminating forced labour, while helping smallholders build resilience against environmental and economic risks. On environment, the Charter contains a commitment for the business to “become a positive driver to regenerate biodiversity, soils and water systems”. It also has a “no-deforestation” supply chain commitment, banning the use of fire to clear land and banning planting on peat, and encouraging tree restoration in cleared lands, and efforts made to protect surrounding forests and other habitats. (Edie)

BIODIVERSITY

Beauty brand Dove plots €8.5m Indonesian forest restoration project

Unilever-owned beauty brand Dove has teamed up with NGO Conservation International for an €8.5 million project announced today aimed at restoring 20,000 hectares of North Sumatran forest, and to boost wildlife and biodiversity in the region, considered among the planet's most biodiversity-rich. The project, which promises to protect and restore the equivalent of three million trees in the Indonesian region, further aims to capture over 300,000 tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere, while also avoiding the release of over 200,000 tonnes of emissions. The five-year Dove Forest Restoration project marks the first major initiative supported through Unilever's €1bn Climate & Nature Fund announced last year, and builds upon ongoing plans by Unilever to achieve a deforestation-free supply chain by 2023 and reach net zero for its products by 2039. (Business Green)

GENDER EQUALITY 

EU court backs Tesco workers in equal pay dispute

Thousands of current and former employees of UK supermarket group Tesco won the support of Europe's top court in their fight for equal pay in a judgment that could affect other retailers. The 6,000 current or former employees who took the grievance to court argued the company's shop workers - mostly women - had not received equal pay for equal work compared with its distribution workers - mostly men - since February 2018, in breach of EU and UK laws. The shop staff argued the firm should be seen as a single entity in terms of employment conditions. Tesco had argued an EU law defining equal pay for equal work, or work of equal value, was not directly applicable in this case. (Reuters)

ETHICS

Major firms team up to rally 100m staff to take 'personal climate actions'

A host of major corporates including JLL, BT Group, Landsec, Reckitt, EDF and IKEA have teamed up to launch a campaign today to encourage 100 million employees globally to take "personal climate actions" by 2025. Dubbed 'Count Us In', the impact of the campaign could help drive down greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to that of Switzerland from now until 2025, on the assumption that climate-engaged workforces increase the likelihood that businesses will be able to deliver their net zero commitments. Among the practical actions employees are being encouraged to consider include switching their to renewables tariffs for their home energy use, walking and cycling more, eating more plant-based food, and speaking up at work on the issue of climate change. (Business Green)

STRATEGY

Bank of England aims for net-zero emissions before 2050

The Bank of England Governor announced the central bank would cut the carbon emissions from printing banknotes and running its buildings to net zero by 2050 at the latest. The BoE this month will for the first time require British banks and insurers to undertake a 'stress test' of their exposure to financial risks linked to climate change, and to require businesses to disclose their climate impact clearly to investors. However, it will still not link capital requirements directly to climate change goals. In March, British Finance Minister changed the BoE's mandate to require it to support the government's goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to net zero. (Reuters)