Corporate Social Responsibility

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One-third of business leaders surveyed characterised their company’s purpose as bringing value to customers

EY: Corporate purpose crucial in uncertain global economy

The majority of businesses believe that having a well-integrated corporate purpose, rather than maximising shareholder value, holds the key to succeeding in the uncertain global climate, according to new research from EY.

IKEA has also today become a member of the Champions 12.3 coalition – a partnership of 30 government, business and civil society leaders from around the globe

IKEA commits to halve food waste by 2020

The world's biggest furniture retailer has today (19 June) launched a new smart device-based initiative which aims to cut in half the amount of food waste in its operations by 2020.

Trewin Restorick is concerned that the current choppy waters of British politics means the Government isn't “part of the picture” when it comes to resource efficiency

How positive psychology can bring consumers along on the sustainability journey

EXCLUSIVE: Businesses that force their sustainability agenda upon consumers through prescriptive orders and instructions are in a "dangerous place", the founder of social enterprise Hubbub has warned.

Through a partnership with Thread and the First Mile Coalition, HP has arranged to purchase the recycled content from suppliers in Haiti

HP launches new supplier emissions target and cartridges made from plastic bottles

Hewlett-Packard (HP) has unveiled new ink cartridge prototypes made from recycled plastic bottles from Haiti, while the company's newly-released sustainability report has outlined goals to target emissions in supply chains.

From CFO to CSR: Christine Hodgson's move from finance to CSR has given her a unique insight into how to secure buy-in for sustainability projects

Bridging the gap: How Capgemini's new CSR head has gained valuable insight into boardroom buy-in

EXCLUSIVE: Global IT consultancy Capgemini has appointed its former chief financial officer, Christine Hodgson, as its head of group corporate social responsibility. edie took the opportunity to sit down with the new promotee to discuss the key challenge of securing funding for sustainability projects.

Together Towards Zero sets 2030 targets for carbon, water, zero irresponsible drinking and a zero accidents culture that are “much bigger in scale and scope” than previous aims

Carlsberg targets zero-emission breweries under industry-leading sustainability strategy

EXCLUSIVE: Carlsberg has launched a new "industry-leading" sustainability strategy that aims to push beyond the company's own group strategy and exceed science-based recommendations by eliminating carbon emissions and halving water usage at breweries by 2030.

The coalition marks the first time that companies from Asia, Europe and the US have partnered to signal the end of unsustainable marine activities

Major seafood firms unite to pledge ocean stewardship

Nine major seafood companies, with a combined annual revenue of around £23bn, have committed to establish sustainable supply chains through the prevention of prohibited activities such as overfishing and slave labour.

A growing trend of rival companies joining the same global coalitions shouldn't negate the need for competition

Compete and collaborate: The balancing act that will accelerate corporate sustainability

EXCLUSIVE: Businesses that thrive in the low-carbon economy will be those that can balance the necessity of collaboration to tackle global megatrends with an inherent competitive nature that drives efficiency improvements.

182,000 cocoa, coffee and tea farmers are certified under both standards, and a single standard will allow farmers and businesses to invest in sustainable practices more easily

Rainforest Alliance and UTZ to 'redefine sustainability standards' with merger

EXCLUSIVE: Businesses look set to benefit from a streamlined certification process within agriculture supply chains, after the Rainforest Alliance announced an intention "redefine the certification landscape" by merging with fellow sustainability certifiers UTZ.

The farm to fork aspect of the manifesto will be rolled-out as part of a series of blogs, videos and infographics that highlight the need for large-scale changes

Unilever's Sustainable Nutrition Manifesto aims to prove that food shouldn't 'cost the earth'

In a change of pace from the numerous electoral manifestos, Unilever has launched a new agenda that commits to creating "food that tastes good, does good and doesn't cost the earth".

Plan A has so far delivered 296 eco and ethical commitments, saving more than £750m for M&S

Plan A 2025: M&S updates flagship initiative to 'embrace a sustainable future'

Marks & Spencer (M&S) has today (1 June) launched a new roadmap for its Plan A sustainability programme, which includes targets to reduce emissions by 80% and turn the company into a zero-waste business.

The H&M Foundation has so far donated more than £5.3m to WaterAid, and will match that donation as part of the second-phase

H&M Foundation donates £5m in second stage of WaterAid partnership

The H&M Foundation is launching the second stage of its partnership with WaterAid to deliver safe water and sanitation to four of the world's poorest communities.

The Body Shop unveils London bus stop air quality technology

The Body Shop has partnered with a scientific research organisation to launch a new technology which aims to deliver up to 95% cleaner air at bus stops across London.

Businesses need to strike a balance between targeting consumers on sustainability issues but not appearing to 'preach' CSR, the edie Live discussion concluded

Resource efficiency: Should we be socially engineering consumer behaviours?

Businesses must focus on the granularity of consumer needs to drive behaviour change over resource efficiency matters, according to sustainability experts speaking at edie Live this month.

Middle-management and wider employees remain “disconnected from the narrative” of the SDGs

Middle-management 'disconnected' from Sustainable Development Goals, report finds

A "strong appetite" to address the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is being hindered by a lack of engagement and understanding in mid-management and employees, a new report described as the "wake-up call to the importance of working together" found.

Select Tesco stores will sell only reusable bags in a 10-week trial that could lead to the single-use bags being phased out in all of its stores

Tesco to trial a phase-out of single-use 5p plastic bags

Shoppers at a handful of Tesco stores in the UK will no longer be able to buy 5p "single-use" plastic carrier bags, in the first such trial by a supermarket.

Juniper said that despite the volatile policy landscape, the underlying case for private sector leadership is stronger than ever

Tony Juniper: Sustainability will determine business survival by 2050

Businesses that fail to integrate sustainability as a core business principle will struggle to survive by 2050, leading environmentalist Tony Juniper said on the opening day of edie Live this week.

Co-op has worked with scientific advisors to produce special packaging and vacuum packs that increase product shelf life

Co-op votes to make 100% of own-brand packaging recyclable

Co-op has pledged to make all of its own-brand packaging recyclable, in the same week as the head of food policy told edie the retailer is exploring the option to publicly release all of its food waste data.

A scientific study carried out last week found that more than 70% of plants tested from garden centres at firms such as Aldi, Wyevale and Homebase contained neonicotinoid pesticides

British public urges retailers to remove bee-harming pesticides from plants

Garden retailers are facing increased pressure to stop the sale of plants using pesticides linked to bee decline, as a new survey shows that more than three quarters of UK citizens oppose the practice.

The company is also trialling onsite solar panels at its Chapelfield shopping estate

Shopping centre owners launch innovation lab after closing in on CSR targets

Shopping centre owner intu has launched a new Green Lab to identify new solutions to reduce environmental impacts, as outlined in a sustainability report that announced the firm had reached a zero-waste-to-landfill milestone.

More than 100 sustainability, communications and marketing professionals gathered in London for edie's Sustainability Communications Conference

How can we forge a deeper connection with consumers on sustainability?

EXCLUSIVE: Sustainability practitioners need to personalise their communications strategies to drive engagement with an increasingly ethically-conscious consumer base, a cross-sector panel of experts has concluded.

The update reveals that Unilever is on track to meet the majority of the targets set out in the Sustainable Living Plan

Unilever's Sustainable Living brands outstrip rest of business

Unilever has continued to present the business case for sustainability, with the consumer goods firm's 'Sustainable Living' brands delivering more than 60% of its growth last year, and growing at twice the rate of the rest of the company.

Hubbub has said that the Trashconverter Van will tour the country if the pilot project is successful

Hubbub and Lucozade launch 'vandetta' against countryside waste

Drinks firm Luzocade Ribena Suntory has teamed up with social charity Hubbub in a behaviour change campaign aimed at encouraging road users to dispose their litter responsibly.

Brands will be invited to provide lessons and insight on how to promote sustainable cotton sourcing, so that others might learn from them

Cotton 2040: Brands unite to develop the business case for sustainable cotton

Brands and retailers including Marks & Spencer (M&S) and Target have teamed with Forum for the Future to convene a new cross-industry initiative aimed at turning sustainable cotton into a mainstream commodity.

Balfour Beatty is also a member of the Supply Chain School, an initiative which represents a common approach to sustainability within supply chains

Balfour Beatty 'leading the way' on ISO 20400 sustainable procurement standard

UK construction contractor Balfour Beatty has become the first company globally to be assessed to the ISO 20400 standard for sustainable procurement, which was formally published last month.

Sainsbury’s has launched pop-up ‘banana rescue’ stations across more than 500 stores nationwide

Britons waste 1.4 million edible bananas a day, research shows

The UK general public throws away 1.4 million edible bananas every day, according to research from Sainsbury's, which values the waste stream to cost around £80m a year.

easyJet’s emissions per kilometre travelled by passengers fell from more than 82g to 79.98g last year

easyJet sets new carbon goal after emissions tumble by 31%

Airline company easyJet has set a new emissions reduction goal for 2020, after a range of fuel-saving techniques helped record a 31% reduction since 2000.

The report found that 70% of retailers were experiencing enhanced employee engagement as a result of sustainability commitments

Responsible forestry sourcing demonstrates multiple business values for retailers, says WWF

Retailers that place a strong emphasis on sourcing polices that promote sustainable forestry are building better relationships with both consumers and employees, a new WWF report has revealed.

New seafood sustainability benchmarks were launched to halt concerns that supermarkets were using terms such as ‘responsibly farmed’ with no set criteria against which to make the claim

Most supermarket seafood products now sustainably sourced

The overwhelming majority of seafood products in UK supermarkets are now responsibly sourced and labelled consistently in line with industry guidelines, new research from environmental law firm ClientEarth has found.

The standard will act as a guideline to establish methodologies that take into account the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Paris Agreement objectives

ISO 14080: New standard set to play 'essential role' in climate agenda

A new international standard for climate action is set to play an "essential role" in helping businesses achieve emissions reductions in line with the Paris Agreement goals, according to industry experts.

AB InBev has aligned its sustainability strategy to the SDGs, focusing on water, carbon and human rights goals as a result

World's largest brewer saves £50m through sustainability strategy

The world's largest brewer has saved $60m (£46.5m) in the past four years through energy-efficiency improvements, while also passing key water stewardship and carbon reduction targets.

The incoming Government should force the UK's major retailers to publicly report data on food waste, MPs say

Food waste: Ambitious national reduction target needed, MPs say

A national food waste reduction target and greater transparency from retailers are among the steps required to reduce UK food waste levels, according to a group of MPs who claim the issue is costing the average British citizen £200 per year.

It is hoped that five million cups will be collected and recycled by the end of the year

London's Square Mile Challenge on course to recycle 500,000 coffee cups

A joint campaign coordinated by major coffee retailers and business in the London Square Mile is on course to reach its target to recycle half a million coffee cups in the capital in one month.

The new current account will begin with a phased rollout from June this year

Triodos launches UK's 'most sustainable' personal current account

Sustainable banking group Triodos has today (26 April) ramped up efforts to disrupt the "dysfunctional" banking sector through the launch of a new personal current account that embraces responsible finance.

Olam’s 29% carbon reduction was driven by “upstream productivity” and a carbon positive agenda at plantations in Gabon

Olam International pairs sustainability and financial reporting for the first time

Agri-business supplier Olam International has announced cuts to carbon intensity and water usage in its own operations in a sustainability report that has been merged with its annual financial report for the first time.

Fashion Revolution Week 2017 will feature events and activities worldwide to encourage people to think differently about the clothes they buy and wear and inspire them to make a positive difference

Fashion Revolution Week: Spotlight turns to supplier transparency as reports reveal slow progress

At the start of a week dedicated to generating awareness over sustainability issues in the fashion sector, a flurry of new reports have demanded greater transparency to help improve working conditions and wages in the clothing supply chain.

Walmart was the first retailer to adopt a science-based-target emissions reduction plan

Walmart to cut one billion tonnes of supply chain emissions by 2030

The world's largest retailer has launched a sustainability platform which aims to slash one billion tonnes of emissions from its supply chain by 2030, as the company's latest CSR report reveals that 40 million tonnes of CO2 emissions have been avoided in the past decade.

A pilot project aimed at tackling slum housing has recently started in Jakarta, Indonesia

AkzoNobel launches sustainable cities coalition to manage rapid urbanisation

Dutch paints manufacturer AkzoNobel has brought together an alliance of major businesses, NGOs and government representatives to focus on building sustainable cities and communities across the world.

Apple doesn’t necessarily need to recover as much tin, compared to aluminium, due to an existing market of recycled content

Apple vows to 'pioneer' closed-loop mining supply chain

Tech giant Apple has pledged to "go deeper" in developing new products that promote the circular economy by using only renewable resources or recycled materials that negate the need to mine materials.

The announcement means there are now more than 2,000 restaurant locations across the UK serving MSC-certified traceable and sustainable seafood

Premier Inn pledges to deliver three million sustainable fish and chip meals

Premier Inn has become the world's largest Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified national hotel chain, meaning an extra three million sustainable portions of fish and chips will be served across the UK each year.

The standard acts as the world’s first independent certification for organisations that are measuring and managing supply chain emissions

O2 becomes first company to receive highest Carbon Trust Standard for supply chains

As the United Nations launches a framework to help businesses assess sustainability impacts, digital communications provider O2 has been named as the first organisation in the world to receive the highest Carbon Trust Standard for supply chains.

Philippe Joubert believes the unique position of power held by company boards makes them ideal candidates to drive the long-term global sustainablility agenda

Philippe Joubert: Boards must realise business purpose in Trump era

EXCLUSIVE: Boardroom bosses need to consider the fundamental "purpose of the business" to ensure long-term sustainability, especially in an uncertain international political climate, according to sustainable business expert Philippe Joubert.

The carbon neutral aspect of the strategy is already in full swing. H&M, which operates more than 4,300 stores globally, reduced carbon emissions by 47% in the last 12 months

H&M eyes 'climate positive' status by 2040

International fashion brand H&M has unveiled a new sustainability strategy to become climate positive by 2040 through ambitious closed-loop and renewable targets.

Almost 70% of sustainability practitioners surveyed said that they are already collaborating with others to achieve tangible impacts

Report: Private sector entering new era of collaboration on sustainability

Businesses are embarking on a "new era" of collaborative ventures to solve the world's greatest social and environmental challenges, a new study has found.

The partnership will spend the remainder of 2017 “fine-tuning” the supplier strategy, which includes training events in countries such as Turkey, India, Spain, Hungary and Italy

BMW and Volkswagen lead 'next level' automotive supply chain partnership

Ten global automotive giants including BMW, Jaguar Land Rover and Volkswagen (VW) have launched a new partnership to integrate a common approach to sustainability throughout the automotive supply chain.

Improved transparency has seen Apply identify and solve 196 environmental issues since 2012, including 23 last year

Apple triples supplier sites enrolled in energy efficiency programme

Apple has tripled the number of supplier sites listed in its energy efficiency programme aimed at reducing onsite emissions, and has also introduced a "first-of-its-kind" risk assessment tool covering supply chain risks related to material sourcing, environmental impact and health and safety.

The Bullring in Birmingham, one of Hammerson's many retail properties

Hammerson launches all-encompassing Net Positive strategy

Retail property specialist Hammerson has become the first firm in its sector to launch a pan-European Net Positive strategy covering carbon, resource use and water consumption across internal and tenant operations.

Concerns have been raised that a lack of specialist focus on ESG could undo the stability of the global economic system

BlackRock headlines green bonds push, but is investor action ambitious enough?

As a new briefing paper highlights that up to $6.9trn in controlled assets are covered by investors with little to no environmental, social and governance (ESG) responsibility, the world's largest investor has headlined a stream of new green bond announcements.

The 12 companies will now implement a planning and consultation process with governments, NGOs and stakeholders to build the framework in time for its unveiling at COP23

Major firms commit to ending deforestation in cocoa supply chains

Senior executives from 12 leading coca and chocolate companies, including Mars, Mondelēz International and Nestlé, have heeded the advice of the Prince of Wales and agreed to end deforestation in the global cocoa supply chain.

BlackRock is calling for companies to build environmental, social and governance management into their business models

World's largest investor to vote out directors failing to act on climate risks and mitigation

The world's largest investor has warned that high-level directors could be voted out of companies that are failing to mitigate climate-related risks posed to individual firms.

APP is now entering its fifth year of exclusively sourcing fibre generated from “responsibly managed plantations” throughout its supply chain

Asia Pulp & Paper advances forest conservation initiatives

One of the biggest pulp, paper and packaging firms has taken strides to cease all natural forest clearances within its suppliers and operations and promote best practice working standards for peatland management in Indonesia.

The World Bank's head office. Photo: World Bank

World Bank unveils first green bonds linking business actions to SDGs

The World Bank has issued its first ever set of green bonds that directly link financial returns to companies performing to the standards and aims on the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Links to deforestation were found in Brazil, Bolivia and Chile (pictured)

Burger King linked to alleged South American deforestation practices

The world's second largest burger chain, Burger King, has been accused of fuelling deforestation in Brazil and Bolivia through its "seeming unwillingness" to address practices linked to key soybean suppliers in South America.

The panel raised concerns that broad reporting frameworks have created a

Sustainability reporting frameworks lack comparability to attract investment, say experts

EXCLUSIVE: Sustainability reporting frameworks should be developed to encourage businesses to compete on performance and attract investors rather than simply being used as compliance mechanisms, a panel of experts have agreed.

The amount of Fairtrade cocoa sourced by Co-op will increase five-fold to 2,848 tonnes

Co-op becomes first UK retailer to source 100% Fairtrade cocoa

Co-op has become the first UK retailer to only sell and use 100% Fairtrade cocoa in its products, and has called on other retailers to increase their commitments to the Fairtrade initiative.

During 2017 Heineken will define its 2030 ambitions in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and COP21

Heineken couples sustainability and financial reporting as emissions tumble

A "firm belief" that business growth and sustainability go hand-in-hand has seen Heineken publish its latest sustainability report alongside a financial report for the first time, with the report highlighting rapid business expansion alongside a decrease in emissions.

An increasung number of companies are now experimenting with various new technologies and media platforms to push their sustainability strategies to wider audiences

Captivating CSR: How to produce an engaging sustainability report

Ahead of edie's Smarter Sustainability Reporting conference, Matt Mace investigates how companies are going beyond compliance with their reports to drive engagement on a range of CSR issues among key stakeholders.

IEMA’s response to the consultation lists five key recommendations to ensure that sustainability grows hand-in-hand with the competitiveness of UK businesses

Corporate Governance Reform must account for long-term sustainability, says IEMA

Attempts to enhance the competitiveness of UK businesses through the Corporate Governance Reform should account for long-term financial performances covering environmental and social factors, the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) has claimed.

Businesses with one eye on the horizon are turning to new methods to drive home their sustainability message in a way the CSR reports and glowing PR stories can’t

Engagement evolution: 6 exciting trends directing the future of sustainability communications

As edie's engagement month of editorial content rolls on, we round-up some of the latest techniques and platforms businesses are using to drive sustainability engagement among internal and external stakeholders.

The new H&M Conscious Exclusive collection (left) and Mango's new Committed Life collection (right) are a step in the right direction for the wasteful fast fashion industry. Photos: H&M/Mango

Sustainably attired: H&M and Mango launch ethical fashion collections

Multinational clothing brands H&M and Mango have unveiled new sustainable fashion collections made from organic and recycled materials.

Retail ready packaging from Smurfit Kappa, which has strict sourcing policies for its virgin and recovered fibres

Smurfit Kappa hits certification goal for sustainably-sourced packaging

Global paper-based packaging firm Smurfit Kappa has completed its goal of ensuring that 90% of all packaging sold to consumers is Chain of Custody certified, demonstrating full-transparency and a willingness to source from verified certification systems.

The decision to make tracking compulsory has been backed by PACT, the trade association for independent media firms and television companies

BBC launches mandatory carbon tracking scheme

From April this year, all BBC televisions programmes will be required to track their carbon footprint using a "hotspot" identifying calculator.

Primark announced in March that it is scaling up the initiative to recruit a further 10,000 female smallholder farmers in India onto the programme

Third year's a charm for Primark's sustainable cotton initiative

High street retailer Primark has helped rural female farmers in India increase average profits by 247% through the third year of its Sustainable Cotton Programme.

The programme has started in Aberdeen with the launch of a two-month energy-focused exhibition which includes turbine demonstrations, workshops and other associated activities

Vattenfall launches Scottish offshore wind education project

Swedish energy firm Vattenfall has joined forces with a Scottish science centre to launch a programme aimed at educating the population about offshore wind energy.

Despite a 16% growth in production since 2010, the firm has worked with suppliers to cut emissions by 15% in the same timeframe

Tetra Pak commits to science-based emissions target

Swedish food processing and packaging company Tetra Pak has today (2 February) pledged to reduce emissions by 58% through a partnership with the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBT).

The Sustainable Business Covered podcast: Episode 19 - Inside The Body Shop's innovation lab

Rounding off a packed month of innovation-themed content, edie takes the Sustainable Business Covered podcast to Croydon to bring you an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of The Body Shop's new innovation laboratory.

The contract caterer has partnered with smart tech start-up Winnow to tackle food waste

Contract caterer Compass plans 10% food waste cut by 2020

British contract foodservice firm Compass Group has pledged to reduce food waste by 10% by 2020 as part of the company's commitment to become a "truly sustainable business".

The Gucci owner has set 2025 targets for 100% traceability of key raw materials, and the creation of a supplier index to ensure the entire supply chain complies with Kering’s values

Kering shifts focus to supply chain with 2025 strategy

Global luxury fashion group Kering has today (25 January) revealed new targets which place a focus on emissions reductions and supply chain sustainability, as part of the next phase of its CSR strategy.

Sainsbury's has already made a further £1 million fund available to towns and cities across the UK, to help them tackle food waste at the consumer stage

Sainsbury's sees surge in demand for regional food waste campaign

As the spotlight on reducing consumer food waste intensified this week, Sainsbury’s director of corporate affairs Louise Evans has revealed that the supermarket has seen a surge in applications from town and cities to take part in its campaign to tackle household food waste.

Unilever’s Sustainable Living division brands are now developing 30% faster than the rest of the business

Clearer marketing can open £800bn windfall for 'sustainable' brands, says Unilever

Brands that move to promote the sustainability credentials of their products more clearly can tap into a £817bn market opportunity catalysed by a growth in awareness amongst consumers, new research from Unilever has suggested.

For Gardner, collaborations can only thrive if a “specific shared purpose” is established at the beginning of any partnership

Trust and collaboration should be at the heart of brand sustainability, says Collectively

Companies seeking to engage with increasingly aware consumers on matters regarding sustainability should do so through trust building "exercises" of transparency and humility, while also reaching out to grasp the "huge benefits" of collaboration.

The new hub (pictured) will help with assurances that 100% of its natural ingredients are traceable and sustainably sourced

The Body Shop accelerates CSR commitments through East Croydon innovation hub

EXCLUSIVE: The Body Shop has officially unveiled a £1m innovation hub in East Croydon that it claims will enhance the company's ability to reduce the environmental impact of its product category footprints and develop an innovation pipeline to deliver pioneering cosmetics produced from biodiversity hotspots.

P&G has published a sustainability report annually since 1999 but has updated it this year to include a more comprehensive overview of the good P&G is doing

Employee engagement helps P&G hit energy reduction goal four years early

Consumer goods firm Procter & Gamble (P&G) has revealed that a new energy engagement initiative at manufacturing sites has improved energy efficiency by 5% in the last 12 months, which has seen the company hit a 2020 goal for energy reduction four years early.

The Science-Based Targets initiative calls on businesses to revamp corporate climate goals in-line with global climate commitments established under the Paris Agreement

The 2C catwalk: Kering commits to approved science-based emissions goal

Global luxury fashion group Kering, which includes Gucci, Saint Lauren and Stella McCartney amongst its brands, has seen its target to halve scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions by 2025 officially verified by the Science-Based Targets initiative.

Disruption will come partly through the need to avoid runaway climate change, and partly through the increasingly urgent need to reinvent capitalism

Disrupt or die: Preparing for the next generation of sustainability

edie's Sustainability Leadership month continues, and today it's Forum for the Future founder-director Jonathon Porritt's turn to pen an exclusive thought leadership opinion piece, offering an eye-opening insight into the future of corporate sustainability.

The 17 SDGs were introduced in September 2015 with an aim to end extreme poverty, fight inequality and justice and combat climate change by 2030

Lack of collaboration hindering UK uptake of Sustainable Development Goals

The United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are increasing in prominence amongst UK businesses, although siloed working conditions are still impacting the ability for the private sector to deliver social and environmental change.

Alongside offering the 'sustainable life at home' product line, Ikea now offers residential solar arrays to consumers in three countries

Ikea nears three-fold increase in sustainable product sales

The world's biggest furniture retailer Ikea has almost trebled the sales from its 'sustainable life at home' products, while also announcing a new €1bn financial framework to promote projects that fall within its People & Planet sustainability strategy.

The Co-op says that its salmon products are made using “responsibly sourced fish”

Supermarkets urged to prevent high-risk salmon sourcing

Supermarket giants Sainsbury's and the Co-op have been called upon by a conservationist group to stop putting Scottish farmed fish on their shelves to maintain sustainable sourcing credentials.

Alongside Fairtrade, Cadbury’s Cocoa Life initiative is supported by a number of on-ground NGOs and experts from organisations like WWF, the UN Development Programme

Cadbury alters Fairtrade partnership in an effort to boost sustainable cocoa sourcing

British confectionary giant Cadbury is extending its Cocoa Life sustainability initiative across all of its chocolate products in UK and Ireland by 2019, and will utilise the expertise of Fairtrade as a key partner in the programme.

The company is also a member of the 1% for Planet alliance, which pools together businesses that contribute 1% of total annual sales to grassroots environmental protection groups

Patagonia donates $10m Black Friday sales to environmental grassroots

American clothing firm Patagonia has raised $10m for environmental grassroots nonprofits, after donating 100% of the global sales that it generated from Black Friday.

There are estimated to be 5tn pieces of plastic floating in the world’s seas

Tesco and Sainsbury's ban plastic cotton buds to cut waste

The UK's two largest supermarket chains have committed to end the sale of cotton buds with plastic stems, which are the most common litter from toilets flushed on to the country's beaches.

Sustainable business guru John Elkington says businesses should turn to disruption, innovation and cross-sector collaboration as a means to funnel the low-carbon agenda down towards SMEs

John Elkington: Business case for sustainability must strengthen amidst Brexit and Trump uncertainty

EXCLUSIVE: Major political upheavals caused by Brexit and president-elect Donald Trump have created a "sense of uncertainty" in the climate change battle, which has heightened the need for the private sector to develop a more strengthened business case for sustainability.

Some retailers are beginning to turn their backs on the Black Friday craze as a means to protect the environment

Black Friday: Five ways businesses are promoting sustainable shopping during the frenzy

Black Friday and its tech-savvy sibling Cyber Monday look set to send the retail sphere into a frenzy. But with consumers beginning to align to companies with sustainability credentials, will this year's shopping spree spare a thought for the environment?

A company report released in June showed that M&S had conducted 1246 audits last year, raising 7,256 non-compliance concerns directly with the suppliers

Labour rights the 'next big challenge' for corporates, says M&S

Corporate and Social Responsibility (CSR) has moved beyond dealing with ethical trade as a singularity to encompass human rights movements and modern slavery issues, and it should now be a core strategy for businesses.

The 200th company to officially commit was South African-based private hospital group Mediclinic Southern Africa

200 companies now committed to science-based targets

An initiative that calls on companies to cut their carbon footprints in line with scientific studies geared towards a two degrees global warming limit is "far exceeding" it's timeline, with 200 companies now signed up to the scheme - just 18 months after its inception.

VF’s international headquarters in Stabio, Switerland. The site was designed with an emphasis on sustainability

VF corporation exceeds carbon reduction goals by 'large margin'

International apparel and footwear company VF corporation has reduced its global carbon emissions by 12% from 2011 to 2015 - exceeding its original 5% goal for the five-year period.

WWF is calling on all UK furniture retailers to publish a responsible timber sourcing policy

Are UK furniture retailers unwittingly destroying forest resources?

The majority of British furniture retailers are failing to treat responsible timber sourcing as a key issue despite having long-term business interests in such actions, a new report commissioned by the WWF suggests.

The survey was released as part of Good Money Week (30 Oct-5 Nov) - the national campaign to raise awareness of sustainable, responsible and ethical finance

Investors want more transparent sustainable funding opportunities

New research from ethical investment specialists Triodos Bank has revealed that investors want to increase ethical investment prospects and enhance socially responsible investment (SRI) opportunities, despite many feeling that they don't have the opportunity to do so.

The programme is being promoted through The Body Shop’s Christmas in-store and digital marketing campaign, ‘The Wildest Christmas Ever”

The Body Shop extends Southeast Asian biodiversity programme

The Body Shop has today (1 November) extended its Bio-Bridges programme which aims to regenerate 75 million square metres of forest by 2020.

The month of November sees edie shift the editorial spotlight from green buildings to skills

Kering and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation launch separate sustainability curriculum modules

French apparel company Kering has launched a new curriculum to gain understanding of the environmental impacts of student fashion designs, just days after the Ellen MacArthur Foundation moved to place circular economy into International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum.

More than half of companies cite a lack of sufficient resources to conduct due diligence and to support supplier improvements on modern slavery as a key barrier

Supply chain barriers stall business 'journey' to end modern slavery, report finds

Almost exactly a year to the day since the Modern Slavery Act came into force in Britain, a new report has found that business efforts to address modern slavery face several risks and barriers such as supply chain complexity, commercial priorities and transparency dilemmas.

The adoption of management systems was flagged as the most important initiative to support integration processes, as indicated by 53% of the respondents

Business sustainability integration hampered by short-termism, survey finds

The progress of integrating sustainability within business operations is still being hindered by a focus on short-term results and a lack of management awareness, according to a new survey conducted by a global consultant in risk management.

Timberland has partnered with tyre manufacturer and distributor Omni United to produce a line of tyres intended to be recycled into footwear out-soles. Photo: Timberland

Timberland continues collaborative circular economy drive

Outdoor clothing company Timberland is ramping up its circular economy efforts as a number of innovative closed-loop models for footwear now approach the next stages of development.

According to the report, the average carbon footprint of those on the list is around 80% lower compared to other firms

CDP's Climate A List: Highlighting the business case for low-carbon commitments

Companies that feature in global disclosure organisation CDP's annual Climate A List - such as Sky, Apple, Tesco and Unilever - are producing 6% higher returns on average compared to other brands.

Businesses are missing out on attracting investment from the ever-growing number of investors that incorporate CSR information into their financial analysis and decision-making

Businesses must address 'internal disconnect' to deliver sustainability success

Sustainability and investor agendas are becoming increasingly intertwined, but gaps in knowledge and understanding are preventing companies and investors from sharpening their focus on long-term sustainable value creation, a new report has found.

More than 260 million children are now employed across the globe, with an estimated 170 million subjected to child labour working conditions

How Britain's retailers can solve the Syrian refugee supply chain quandary

The shock revelation that Syrian refugee children have been found making clothes for a number of British fashion brands serves to highlight the desperate need for more robust procedures and increased collaboration among businesses to drive truly sustainable and ethical supply chains.

As Africa’s second-largest tea producer with 50,000 workers and 12,000 smallholders, Malawi also has 62% of the population living below the World Bank’s extreme poverty

Tea value network delivering supply chain sustainability in Malawi

A multi-stakeholder coalition including Tesco, Marks & Spencer (M&S), and Unilever has made significant progress towards achieving a competitive Malawian tea sector where workers earn a living wage and smallholders earn a living income by 2020.

The upcoming guide will specifically focus on informing businesses how to calculate GHG emissions from deforestation

Industry leaders unite to develop deforestation guidance

Mars, L'Oreal and Tetra Pak are among a host of international businesses that have come together to form a new cross-sector initiative to help tackle deforestation and develop better climate change accounting methods.

The survey found that around three in four respondents are aware of what the The Modern Slavery Act (MSA) 2015 covers, while 74% know how it affects their organisation

Construction industry unaware of modern slavery risks, survey finds

In the same week the UK marked Anti-Slavery Day (18 October), a survey has found that more than half of construction businesses would not know what action to take if modern slavery was encountered in their supply chain.

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development report praises the 'leading light' companies that are demonstrating the best reporting practices among Council members

SDGs underpin 'positive progress' of corporate sustainability reporting

Nearly a third (30%) of world-leading companies are now implementing the framework into their sustainability and integrated reports, as the push to mainstream non-financial reporting continues to gain momentum.