2012 Insider Knowledge Report Shares Lessons from McDonald’s, Unilever, 130 Others - 4 March 2012.
Cargill is continuing its sponsorship of the Antinea
Foundation and their project - The Changing Oceans Expedition. Antinea, a
Geneva-based foundation registered in 2007, operates as an international
non-profit organisation which aims to reconcile the health of the global marine
environment with the practicalities of human activities in relation to the
world’s oceans.
The foundation focuses its efforts on three fields
of activity: science, communication and outreach. The Changing Oceans
Expedition aims to visit up to 100 of the most important marine eco-regions
around the globe over a 10-year timeframe. As part of its core scientific
mission the 
expedition brings together a team of leading international
scientists who are conducting a research programme designed to validate and
build upon “a global map of human impact on marine ecosystems” (B.S. Halpern et
al. Science 2008). In addition, The Changing Oceans Expedition provides a
compelling communications platform to engage with both an international
audience – raising awareness of the vital role that oceans play for humanity –
and with the wide range of local and regional communities and stakeholders who
take part in the missions conducted onboard.
“We are almost three years into The Changing Oceans
Expedition”, says David French, head of strategic partnerships at the Antinea
Foundation. “This year, we expect the release and publication of several
important scientific reports linked both directly and indirectly to our work.
We look forward to returning to some of the communities with which we have
already worked, from Morocco to the Red Sea, to explore what can be done on a
local and international level to implement the recommendations contained in
these reports. We will also be extending our mission to new regions, from the
Canary Islands to the west coast of Africa. Cargill has been instrumental in
contributing to the success of our scientific mission, and we have benefited
not just from their financial support but also from the engagement and support
of its employees who have volunteered with us.”
“We are delighted to continue our support of The
Antinea Foundation’s Changing Oceans Expedition”, says
Roger Janson, head of Cargill’s Ocean Transportation business. “The
world’s oceans play a vital role in global trade and in connecting products
from areas of surplus to areas where they are most needed. However, it is
critical that the shipping industry operates as efficiently, responsibly and
sustainably as possible in order to minimize its impact on the environment and
protect the ocean’s ecosystems, some of which are coming under increasing
pressure.”
Cargill’s
Ocean Transportation business is part of the company’s Energy Transportation
and Metals group of businesses and is a global leader in ocean freight
chartering, trading, logistics, operations and risk management. Environmental
Leader has launched its 2012
Insider Knowledge Report, sharing lessons learned from 132 corporate
environmental, energy and sustainability decision-makers.
The second annual report gives real-world examples
of how sustainability initiatives are making a difference at companies
including 3M, Diageo, Duke Energy, Fujitsu, GM, IBM, Intel, McDonald’s,
Marriott, Nike, Staples, Unilever, Walmart and Yahoo!. Topics
covered include energy management, auditing and reporting, strategy and
leadership, supply chain, water management and waste and recycling.
Environmental Leader released the report at an EL
webinar yesterday, which featured Matthew Littlefield, president and principal
analyst at LNS Research; Rick Swionteck, senior energy manager
at Johnson Controls; and Michael D. Smith, senior vice president of
green initiatives at report sponsorConstellation Energy.
In the webinar, Littlefield advised companies to
establish sustainability as a key strategic objective at a corporate level and
to start their initiatives with the biggest opportunity for impact – which most
often means cutting energy use in industrial settings.
But contributions to the report reveal that
companies are often not just driving sustainability from the top, but also
looking for innovation from employees. A sampling of their findings:
Duke
Energy cautions that sustainability is not a synonym for employee-numbing
directives to “cut their budgets” and “do more with less,” especially during
tough economic times. Sustainability and innovation are more creative and
positive approaches, the utility says.
Shari’s restaurant
chain allowed its managers to calculate bonuses related to utility expense
savings. The results included $750,000 in saving from a temporary adjustment of
the menu that did not require the use of gas broilers. Redesigning the heated
water dipperwell for ice cream scoops is expected to save $200,000 annually.
Intel calls
on companies to heed the “fourth stakeholder,” saying that there is business
risk that comes from disregarding the greater community needs related to the
supply chain, human rights, and environmental causes.
UL
Environment, after a two-year process to publish its UL 880: Sustainability for
Manufacturing Organizations, says that corporate sustainability
standards nowadays are like safety testing and standardization a
hundred years ago. “It makes sense, and it’s the wave of the future, but the
way in which individual companies begin the implementation will vary.”
Diageo installed
a “liquid ring and chiller” system in its bottle filling systems at its
Huntingwood, Australia facility, to save 36,000,000 liters of water a year.
Walmart recommends
setting challenging goals, because, “even if you are not sure how or when you
will achieve them, you will usually accomplish more than you ever thought
possible.”
Lotic
Water Marketing sends a reminder that the message is as
important as the means, advising: “Tell your story. Simply.”
Source: www.environmentalleader.com
March 4, 2012.