Daily Magazine

New research into New Zealand’s sustainability profession has found Kiwi businesses are continuing to invest in and prioritise sustainability by embedding it more broadly across their organisations, but highlights there are challenges ahead.

The third revolution in the movement of goods and services now is at hand with the new emphasis on sustainable delivery that conserves resources and pays heed to the societal impact of freight transport, says Automotive Futures Managing Director Bruce Belzowski.

Increased global awareness and debate surrounding climate change and sustainability has propelled environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) practices from a ‘nice to have’ to a necessity for today’s corporate treasurer, according to Karin Flinspach, head of transaction banking, Europe & Americas at Standard Chartered

Reduced environmental impact
At the heart of sustainability is the environment and how it can be protected. But often there’s a misconception that this comes at a cost. To highlight the benefits of an eco-friendly supply chain, let’s take a look at what French dairy producer Danone has been able to achieve.

In Evian-les-Bains, Danone worked with local authorities and farmers to convert 40,000 tons of organic waste into natural fertiliser while also producing biogas to provide power for 1,200 inhabitants. The organic waste helped to avoid contamination of spring water and ensured that farming continues without disruption or damage to the environment.

The switch from traditional farming to organic practices can see a 20% dip in milk production. But in the long term, the benefit of being able to sell at a higher price is realised, while using fewer resources keeps costs down and profits high.

It all forms part of Danone’s vision to be carbon-neutral across the full supply chain by 2050, something which will benefit the environment, the brand, and the profit margins.

This visualization reveals the freshwater stores that NASA’s GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) satellite detects from space and shows how that data can be used to evaluate groundwater gains and losses, critical information in the effort to conserve the water that people depend upon

Heavy equipment users have a new tool from Volvo Construction Equipment to help with carbon reduction goals tailored to their operations.

The CO2 Reduction Program is designed to be integrated into an organization’s operational plans and offers insights, analysis, improvement possibilities and sustainability targets while working toward carbon neutrality. The approach will be designed specifically to each user’s goals and operations.

The program will start by analyzing where an organization stands on its carbon emissions to establish a baseline for making improvements. It will use data from connected machines to determine the carbon footprint for all machines, regardless of brand, that are in use. Volvo CE says this will help users visualize the impact of carbon reduction changes over time.

Sustainability-driven investment is no longer considered a trade-off between generating economic value and positively impacting society. However, from an investor’s perspective, the current multiplicity of practices remains a substantial challenge, especially for those managing well-diversified, international portfolios.

Without a doubt, investor appetite for sustainable investment products is strong and growing. For example, the German Banking Association reported in 2021 that for 67% of surveyed investors, making socially and environmentally friendly investments is important.

JRC publishes new competence framework to support learning for environmental sustainability

International textile certifying body Oeko-Tex released its annual report on Monday, finding that sustainability certifications remain a top motivator among fashion. Noting how the past year upended the industry, “the rapid progress of digitalization and the increasing international focus on sustainability are having positive influences . ...