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When family members of the farmers are accounted for, CmiA reaches more than 6.7m people on the African continent

Brands driving economic boon for sustainable cotton in Africa

A growing focus on sustainable procurement from textile companies such as ASOS, Aldi and Jack & Jones has helped the largest label for sustainable cotton from Africa increase licensing revenues by 47% over the last 12 months.

Currently, around one in three women’s pyjamas in the UK are purchased from Primark stores, potentially creating a wide market for the new range

Pyjamas become first products made using Primark's Sustainable Cotton Programme

Cotton sourced from Primark's Sustainable Cotton Programme, which has helped rural female farmers increase average profits, is being used in production for the first time.

In 2016, CFP found that 42% of participants calculated chemical footprints

Chemical footprinting 'moves to the mainstream' for big businesses

Companies with more than $670bn in revenue, including Adidas, HP and Walmart, have collectively reduced the use of hazardous chemicals in products by around 416m pounds in the last two years, according to a new report.

Clear and consistent labelling has increased by 15% since the SSC was founded in 2011

UK's largest foodservice firm commits to sustainable seafood pledge

Compass UK & Ireland is the first major food foodservice company to join the Sustainable Seafood Coalition (SSC), committing to voluntary codes of conduct regarding the sourcing and labelling of all seafood products.

28% feel that ESG issues should be considered to legally protect the company

Survey: Nearly half of UK workers feel sustainability and profits can grow hand-in-hand

A quarter of UK workers would by "unwilling" to sacrifice profitability for the sake of higher environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards, although almost half feel that standards can be improved alongside benefits to a company's bottom line.

Around 93,000 people are sexually exploited in European hotels annually, while a further 4,500 are exploited for labour

UK hotel group launches comprehensive anti-slavery programme

A privately-owned UK hotel group has launched what it claims is the first "industry-leading" anti-slavery programme in the sector, including plans to educate more than 400 staff members on identifying cases of modern slavery and human trafficking.

Imagery from RAN highlighting the illegal deforestation of elephant habitat

Pepsico, Unilever and Nestlé accused of complicity in illegal rainforest destruction

Pepsico, Unilever and Nestlé have been accused of complicity in the destruction of Sumatra's last tract of rainforest shared by elephants, orangutans, rhinos, and tigers together in one ecosystem.

The exclusive, one-hour webinar will take place on Tuesday 25 July at 11am (BST), and will conclude with a live audience Q&A

TODAY AT 11AM: Tune into edie's free webinar on supply chain ethics

Sustainability and CSR professionals can tune into a live, interactive webinar on Tuesday 25 July, which will discuss how businesses can enhance social sustainability through ethical supply chain management.

The UK-based supermarket will work with Greenpeace to ensure zero discharge of hazardous chemicals into the environment by 2020 image: Tesco

Tesco commits to detox chemicals in clothing supply chain

Supermarket heavyweight Tesco has vowed to phase-out toxic chemicals in the supply chain of its F&F clothing line, by signing up to Greenpeace's DETOX campaign.

Twelve industry experts came together in London to discuss how a sustainability report can effectively produced and disseminated to build trust and maximise engagement

Sustainability reporting: 10 steps to build trust and increase engagement

Sustainability and corporate responsibility managers from a range of businesses across the country recently gathered in London for an exclusive roundtable hosted by edie and DNV GL, which explored the steps required to take sustainability reporting onto the next level.

We take a virtual-reality tour of the Amazon rainforest to discuss SC Johnson's plan to protect 10,000 acres of land through consumer engagement. Photo: Trond Larsen

Sustainable Business Covered podcast: Under the canopy and what's all the hubbub?

The founder of behaviour change charity Hubbub discusses his mission to achieve a resource revolution, while US manufacturer SC Johnson takes us on a virtual reality tour of the Amazon rainforest as part of its latest CSR drive.

The viscose market is projected to grow from $13.45bn to $16.7bn by 2021, and 11 companies control 75% of global production

Dirty Fashion: Global retailers vow to respond to 'toxic' supply chain practices

Fashion retailers H&M and Marks and Spencer (M&S) have vowed to implement new supply chain management approaches, after a new report linked some of the world's largest fashion brands with highly-polluting facilities that are producing man-made viscose fibres.

Sainsbury's prompts backlash from Fairtrade after developing its own 'Fairly Traded' eco-label

Sainsbury's has clashed with The Fairtrade Foundation after the supermarket group launched its own sustainability standard which effectively negates the need for external ethical certification labels on its products.

edie editor Luke (right), senior reporter Matt (left) and reporter George (centre) recorded a special two-part episode of the Sustainable Business Covered podcast from the edie Live show floor

Sustainable Business Covered podcast: We're back! And we're LIVE from edie Live (Part 2)

Sustainability leaders from the likes of BT, Interface and Vodafone are providing the insight and inspiration in the second of this special two-part episode of the podcast, brought to you live from the show floors of edie Live 2017.

CDP analysis from 2016 revealed that more than $900bn in annual turnover is at risk from deforestation

McDonald's and L'Oréal join CDP's zero-deforestation supply chain agenda

Fast-food giant McDonald's, global cosmetics firm L'Oréal and healthcare specialists Johnson & Johnson are among the first eight major companies that have agreed to disclose key supplier information to CDP to manage deforestation risks.

edie's exclusive webinar explored what 'getting it right' looks like when it comes to developing an engaging sustainability report

Maximising value: How can your sustainability report drive engagement?

Businesses can maximise stakeholder engagement with sustainability through their reporting by encouraging internal participation in product design and exploiting digital tools to present data in new and exciting ways.

The 'Maximising the value of your sustainability report' webinar will take place on 4 May at 11am

Last chance to register for sustainability reporting webinar TODAY

Sustainability and CSR professionals are invited to tune into a free-to-watch live webinar today (4 May) at 11am (BST), which will focus on maximising the value of reporting.

A number of companies, including Unilever, Mars and Nestlé, have cancelled contracts with IOI because of last year’s suspension

IOI commits to 'best-practice' peatland and deforestation plans

One of the world's biggest palm oil suppliers has committed to address deforestation and exploitation in its supply chain, which had caused major brands to cancel contracts with the firm.

171 businesses from across the UK have been recognised for their contribution to international trade, innovation, sustainable development and promoting opportunity

Queen's Awards recognise UK business contribution to sustainable development

Construction firm Carillion and beverage company Bettys & Taylors are among almost a dozen businesses to today (21 April) receive the prestigious Queen's Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development.

Child labour was found to pose an “extreme risk” in mines in Bolivia (pictured), Myanmar and Indonesia

Tech firms urged to expand gaze to account for 'myriad' of conflict mineral risks

Tech companies may be exposed to human rights violations in supply chains by failing to examine the "myriad of risks" that can be found outside of the traditional homes of conflict minerals, a new report has found.

A guide to effective sustainability communications

Whether it's driving engaging with employees to maximise results, with stakeholders to translate progress, or with consumers to drive awareness and brand value, getting sustainability communications right is crucial, and getting it wrong can be disastrous.

The world is facing demographic and social transformations that will have profound implications both locally and globally, posing significant challenges for governments and businesses

Sustainability megatrends: The ever-changing landscape of population growth and social change

Next in edie's series of thought-leadership articles on the global impact of megatrends, Carillion's chief sustainability officer David Picton explores how businesses can adapt to the increasing challenges of demographic and social change at a time when populations are continuing to rise and people in all regions are living longer.

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.

A general inertia exists around undertaking specific practices linked to preventing key industry human rights risks, the report notes

Report: Big businesses falling 'overwhelmingly behind' on human rights

A large majority of businesses are in danger of falling "overwhelmingly behind" on human rights issues, according to a new report which benchmarks the ethical performance of some of the world's biggest businesses.

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.

SC Johnson goes 'Acre-for-Acre' with customers to protect the Amazon rainforest

Cleaning products manufacturer SC Johnson has unveiled a new challenge to help with the "necessity" of saving the Amazon rainforest, by challenging consumers to protect 10,000 acres.

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.

Companies that are actively pushing the agenda are doing so through their supply chains, by seeking to drive improvements in farming practices

Brands committed to strengthening animal welfare management in supply chains

UK supermarkets Marks & Spencer (M&S) and Waitrose have been listed amongst the best performing businesses for the management and reporting of farm animal welfare, although others have been warned to adhere to best practice as tougher regulations are introduced.

Two of the new recycled Blue Peter badges will launch this month, with all of the show's other plastic badges set to follow

'Here's one we made earlier': Blue Peter badges to be made from yoghurt pots

The BBC has announced that its long-running children's show Blue Peter will now be making its famous badges from old yoghurt pots.

The report found that 80% of the banks are failing to integrate the results of environmental stress tests into decision making processes, despite 70% introducing new stress tests

Major banks failing to align climate strategies to Paris Agreement targets

Despite more than 70% of banks introducing environmental and carbon footprint stress, many are failing to align business and investment strategies in keeping with the 2C pathway scenario established through the Paris Agreement.

While low in emissions intensity, sugary food and drink products are relatively resource-intensive at every stage in the supply chain

Sweet success? How the sugar tax will impact Britain's low-carbon commitments

Many of us will have made a healthy New Year's resolution, often tailored to running off a Christmas dinner or two and reducing the amount of sugar in our diets. In light of the UK's upcoming sugar tax, what impact could a sugar-reduced diet have on the environment and the sustainability of big food retailers?

Aiming high: Being an SME has obvious downsides in terms of scale and access to markets, but if you can be quick to learn and change, those downsides become strengths

Big ambitions: How SME's can become sustainability leaders

Next up in the series of contributed articles for edie's Sustainability Leadership Month, Andy Wood, chief executive of Suffolk-based brewer and distiller Adnams, outlines how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can incorporate sustainability in their business agenda.

Big ambitions: How SME's can become sustainability leaders

The report found that 688 institutions and more than 58,000 individuals across 76 countries are now committed to divestment

Fossil fuel divestment funds double to $5tn in a year

The value of investment funds committed to selling off fossil fuel assets has jumped to $5.2tn, doubling in just over a year.

True sustainability leaders never stop learning, adapting, disrupting – but they do it in a way that takes others with them

Hidden heroes: Identifying the leaders of the green industrial revolution

As part of edie's sustainability leadership month, Marks & Spencer's (M&S) director of sustainable business Mike Barry has penned this exclusive opinion piece, underlining the importance of adopting a leadership approach to green business against a turbulent political backdrop.

The reporting of non-financial information is seen as a crucial tool to identify key sustainability risks

EU Non-Financial Reporting Directive: 'A positive step towards a sustainable economy'

With the deadline for Member States to implement the European Union Non-Financial Reporting Directive (EU NFRD) passing earlier this week, edie has spoken to an array of industry experts to find out exactly how the legislation will affect the future of sustainability reporting and green business in the UK.

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.

Stella McCartney was the guest of honour at the 2016 Kering Talk, which brought together more than 400 fashion students and industry professionals at the London College of Fashion

Stella McCartney: Fashion is literally getting away with murder

British fashion designer Stella McCartney has called on clothing manufacturers to take more responsibility for the environmental impact of the products they produce and stop the "unglamorous" sourcing of unsustainable and unethical products.

The agreement outlines fundamental elements of the converged methodology that protects HCS forests, and High Conservation Value (HCV) areas and peatlands

Palm oil sector agrees on unified 'no deforestation' approach

A host of multinational organisations including Unilever, Cargill and Golden Agri-Resources (GAR) have agreed upon a single, unified definition of "no deforestation" for the palm oil industry.

Beyond creating a 'nice story' as part of a company’s CSR commitments, what is the business case for not just investigating water security, but actually improving it?

Liquid assets: Strengthening the business case for water management

With global water supplies running dry at an alarming rate, edie's Matt Mace hears from some of the private sector's leading lights on tackling water scarcity to uncover the business case that lies beneath the surface.

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.

Ikea's new PÅTÅR coffee range is both UTZ and EU Organic-certified

Ikea and McDonald's go 'all-in' for sustainable coffee

Furniture retailer Ikea and fast food business McDonald's have both announced fresh commitments to sell coffee from certified-sustainable sources.

Listen to exclusive interviews with London Metropolitan University's sustainability manager Rachel Ward and ICRS chair Claudine Blamey

The Sustainable Business Covered podcast: Episode 10 - Back to CSR school

Is sustainability evolving into just another elite job? Should CSR companies be looking beyond graduates to find the next generation of leaders? Or could universities do more to develop the softer skills needed to triumph in the sector?

Sainsbury’s, M&S, Waitrose, Morrisons and The Co-operative are among the British retailers that have stepped up efforts to reduce the deforestation impacts of producing palm oil. Photo: WWF

Britain's retailers 'leading the way' on sustainable palm oil

Marks and Spencer (M&S), Associated British Foods (ABF) and Reckitt Benckiser (RB) are among a cluster of British-owned retailers, manufacturers and foodservice businesses that are "leading the way" on sustainable palm oil sourcing, while others appear to have fallen short of their commitments.

The panel agreed that CSR required sharp minds and a broad understanding of common sustainability issues, and therefore effective education would prove crucial

Why businesses should look beyond graduates to develop the next generation of CSR leaders

Organisations from across the public and private sectors should do more to expand the capacity of corporate responsibility and sustainability job markets, by looking beyond graduates and in-house employees to broaden engagement and leadership skills.

The Bangladesh Accord was introduced to ensure tragedies like the Rana Plaza building collapse of 2013 don't happen again

Three years on from Rana Plaza: How The Bangladesh Accord plans to leave a positive supply chain legacy

Three years on from the Rana Plaza tragedy, edie's Matt Mace speaks to the executive director of the Bangladesh Accord Rob Wayss on why the seemingly "slow movement" of improving safety standards in the country shouldn't take away from the "unprecedented progress" shown by willing brand signatories.

Andrex has a key role to play in engaging employees, customers and consumers to take action on the global sanitation crisis

Sharing sustainability success: From selling to showing

Kimberly-Clark's head of sustainability for EMEA Tom Berry explores how some of the world's most intractable development issues, such as increasing access to education and improving sanitation, require effective behaviour change programmes to create real progress.

The survey carried out by Globescan found that 74% of people agreed that steps must be taken to ensure sustainable food production for future generations

Surveys reveal growing consumer demand for food supply chain ethics

New research has revealed that an overwhelming majority of UK consumers believe it is the responsibility of Governments and businesses to guarantee food supply chain sustainability, while a separate YouGov poll has found that most Brits would now be willing to pay a premium for products which possess strong green credentials.

Asda, like other large retailers, is now required by law to charge a minimum of 5p for every carrier bag used by a customer in England, Scotland and Wales

Asda passes £1m carrier bag charge profits onto social enterprises

Asda will be investing £1.1m from its carrier bag charge into programmes aimed at developing social enterprises across Scotland and Wales.

There are still murmurs within sustainability departments (which develop into muffled screams in the marketing departments) that sustainability simply can’t do what sex can… sell

The 'S' word: A guide to communicating sustainability to consumers

In the final part of edie's 'guide-to' series for sustainable professionals, Matt Mace explores how to communicate sustainability to different business departments and consumers, and asks the experts whether it is time to disregard the 'S' word altogether.

Carpet is woven at Interface Europe's manufacuring facility in Scherpenzeel, the Netherlands. The company wants to ignite a green industrial revolution. Photo: Interface

Climate Take Back: Inside Interface's bold new mission to reverse climate change

EXCLUSIVE: Just four years away from its ambitious Mission Zero deadline, global carpet manufacturer and sustainability leader Interface has decided to evolve its sustainability strategy, developing an unparalleled initiative that goes "beyond the boundaries" of any single company. edie's Matt Mace investigates.

Lidl has pledged to communicate directly with suppliers to gain a better understanding of production challenges and consumers’ needs

Lidl makes ethical fruit and veg pledge to support British suppliers

German discount retailer Lidl has today (21 June) announced a commitment to the National Farmers' Union (NFU) Fruit and Vegetable Pledge, underlining the importance of maintaining long-term, sustainable relationships with its British farmers and suppliers.

The 48-page M&S Plan A report reveals a further 22 commitments were achieved in 2015/16 and good progress was made in engaging its 32 million customers on sustainability. Photo: M&S

'The world never stands still': M&S continues green business evolution with Plan A update

Nearly three-quarters of products now have an 'eco' or ethical quality; retail food waste has significantly declined, and energy and water efficiency have greatly improved, capping off another hugely successful year of progress for Marks & Spencer's (M&S) Plan A sustainability programme.

Gold-diggers: Sustainability professionals need to know exactly how to approach their board, and must be able to present a compelling case for investment

Into the Dragon's Den: A guide to boardroom buy-in on sustainability

In this three-part 'guide to' series for sustainability professionals, edie asks the experts about how to overcome major challenges and seize hidden opportunities on the path to driving green business. First up: the daunting task of getting the board on-board.

The Vodafone Village in Milan, Italy - the world’s
largest LEED for Commercial Interiors (LEED-CI) certified building. Image: Vodafone

Vodafone targets energy innovation with Sustainable Business drive

Off the back of rising greenhouse gas emissions, telecoms giant Vodafone is championing 'energy innovation' as one of three new 'global transformation goals' under a new, 10-year Sustainable Business strategy.

Unilever’s Sustainable Living Plan serves to highlight that sustainability is no longer viewed as a “niche” issue for the business

Unilever's Sustainable Living brands delivering 'superior performance'

Unilever is continuing to reap the benefits of green business, with the consumer goods firm's 'Sustainable Living' brands contributing to half of its growth last year, and developing 30% faster than the rest of the business.

IOI has long been the target of environmentalists, who have previously accused it of felling forests and draining peatlands in Malaysian Borneo

Top palm oil producer sues green group over deforestation allegations

One of the world's largest palm oil producers is suing the green body that suspended its sustainability certification last month because of allegations it had deforested Indonesian rainforests.

The sustainability standards of bananas help ensure that farms comply with rigorous criteria designed to protect biodiversity, workers, families and nearby communities

Aldi jumps on sustainable bananas bandwagon

Supermarket Aldi UK has become the latest retailer to pledge to source its entire UK range of bananas from either Fairtrade or Rainforest Alliance-certified farms before the end of 2016.

The edie Live Sustainability Salary Snapshot reveals that gender, region, job role, seniority and industry type are all significant variables when it comes to annual pay

edie Live survey reveals extent of gender pay gap in sustainability

The average annual salary of men working as energy, sustainability and resource efficiency professionals is £11,500 higher than women, edie Live's Sustainability Salary Snapshot survey has revealed.

Timberland has unveiled 2015 CSR results as well as new five-year performance targets against the core pillars of product, outdoors and community

Timberland pledges to 'preserve the outdoors' with fresh sustainability targets

Outdoor clothing company Timberland has set itself a new list of ambitious sustainability targets for 2020, including goals to plant 10 million trees and ensure that 50% of energy comes from renewable sources.

With the BITC event covering the issues of purpose in products, speakers highlighted how brands can bring far-reaching climate issues to the forefront for consumers

How collaborating with charities creates the business case for CSR

EXCLUSIVE: "Leaning" on charities provides a resource-driven platform to ensure that companies are "walking the talk" on delivering sustainability, catering and facilities company Sodexo has claimed.

The Behind the Brands campaign has driven change amongst the Big 10 food and drink firms in specific areas of supply chain management. Photo: Oxfam

Behind the Brands: Unilever tops Oxfam's 'Big 10' supply chain rankings

Global consumer goods firm Unilever has overtaken nutrition business Nestlé to claim the top spot in Oxfam's 'Behind the Brands' campaign, which measures and ranks the social sustainability of the 'Big 10' global food and drinks companies.

BT, H&M, Heineken and Henkel have all turned to rap music as a way of spreading their CSR messages

Rap battle: Sustainability's latest Millennial marketing trend

From BT laying down a track about minimising emissions to a Dutch hip-hop star freestyling about Heineken's reduced water consumption, edie explores the latest trend in CSR reporting: rap music.

Apple was the only company to receive an A+ grade from analyst InfluenceMap

Apple ranked as highest scoring corporation for climate influence

Tech giant Apple's continuous drive to champion renewable energy has seen it top a list of more than 150 companies - including rivals Microsoft and Google - to receive the first 'A+ grade' from a sustainability analysis group.

The Two Degrees of Change group will face a major task, as women are still poorly represented in politics and in most major international forums

UN launches campaign to enlist women in boardrooms to take up climate issue

Women working in financial services are opening a new front in the battle against climate change, with the launch of a UN-backed initiative to take global warming concerns into business boardrooms.

The issue of food waste in the UK was thrown into the spotlight late last year by chef-turned eco warrior Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

Vacherin summons wonky veg army to fight war on waste

London catering business Vacherin is striving to bring cosmetically rejected - but still perfectly edible - fruit & vegetables back into the foodservice supply chain with a three-fold increase in its sourcing of produce that would not ordinarily meet the exacting standards of larger retailers.

Verizon's latest sustainability report includes a number of big changes in assumptions of carbon savings generated by the US firm's various products and services

'Painful learning process' for Verizon as it downgrades carbon reduction projections

America's largest wireless telecoms provider has drastically reduced estimations of the environmental impact of the products and services it offers after previously using 'over-optimistic' assumptions to inform its sustainability report.

Apple's Foxconn facility had previously been criticised over poor working conditions

Apple turns to supply chains ethics as emissions tumble

Tech giant Apple has revealed that it cut carbon emissions by almost 14,000 tonnes in 2015, as the firm continued its drive to improve supply chain sustainability and ethics, its latest supplier responsibility report has revealed.

The new partnership will focus on two commodity supply chains - Soy in Paraguay and palm oil in Indonesia

Cargill partners with WRI to tackle supply chain deforestation and water risk

International agri-foods business Cargill has forged a new partnership with global research organisation World Resources Institute (WRI) to improve the sustainability of its supply chain, with a particular focus on deforestation and water risk.

The programme aims to enable 50,000 young people to develop the confidence and resilience to become environmental leaders

National Lottery invests £33m in next generation of environmental leaders

Young people across the country will have the opportunity to "unleash their ambition" and develop skills and knowledge to improve their local environments through a new £33m programme from the Big Lottery Fund.

FareShare believes that the strengthened commitment will see more than 5,000 extra charities and community groups collaborate with the platform

Tesco rolls out 'FoodCloud' waste donation scheme

Tesco has commenced a national roll-out of a comprehensive and innovative online 'FoodCloud' platform that redirects surplus food from stores to provide millions of meals to local charities and community groups across the country.

The University will be making substantial efforts to avoid conflict materials from Africa

Businesses warned over supply chains as Edinburgh University goes conflict mineral free

The University of Edinburgh has put pressure on its electronic suppliers, after it became the first higher education institution in the UK to ban the purchasing of supplies that contain controversial 'conflict minerals'.

Arguments have been made that audits are causing too much duplication and costs too much money

Supply chain audits at risk of becoming 'Frankenstein monsters', experts warn

Supply chain audits are in danger of compromising working conditions and creating unnecessary costs unless a new model is introduced, industry experts have cautioned.

Brimming with 39 commitments the Nestlé in Society CSR report is as much a behemoth of sustainability pledges as it is a beacon of business best practice

No breaks for Nestlé in its relentless pursuit of global supply chain sustainability

If you're one of the thousands of people across the globe heeding Nestlé's advice to 'have a break, have a KitKat' this lunchtime, it might be worth taking an additional moment to consider exactly how the world's largest food company is working to ensure its snacks are sustainably and ethically produced.

A patch of forest remains between palm oil plantations in Indonesia. Photo: Ulet Ifansasti/Greenpeace

Big brands 'failing' on palm oil policies, Greenpeace claims

PepsiCo, Colgate-Palmolive and Johnson & Johnson are among a raft of consumer goods companies that are "letting their customers down" by failing to break the link between the use of palm oil in everyday products and deforestation, a new Greenpeace report has concluded.

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will frame the UN's policies and agenda over the next 15 years

UN Global Compact seeks 'change agents' to accelerate action on SDGs

The United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) has launched a 'pioneers programme' to accelerate grassroots leadership on the new global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

A cotton field in India. Primark has trained 1,251 female smallholders through its partnership with CottonConnect

Primark extends sustainable cotton initiative to 10,000 farmers

Primark is scaling up a sustainable cotton scheme as the discount fashion retailer looks to recruit a further 10,000 female smallholder farmers in India onto the programme.

Cargill works to improve the livelihoods of cocoa farmers and simultaneously secure the sustainable supply of cocoa and chocolate products

The importance of measuring and evaluating your CSR impact

Taco Terheijden, director of cocoa sustainability at global chocolate supplier Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate, explains the new approach the organisation is taking to monitor, measure and evaluation its wide-ranging sustainability strategy.

The ongoing migration crisis stretching out across the globe is an emerging driver in forced labour occurring in company portfolios, according to the report

Supply chain ethics and traceability among biggest business human rights issues, report finds

Increasing supply chain traceability and integrating human rights into the adaptation and mitigation of climate change impacts are among the most significant human rights issues effecting sustainability and CSR professionals.

Lidl has pledged to donate at least £1m over a 12 month period, with proceeds going to CLIC Sargent, Keep Scotland Beautiful and Keep Wales Tidy

Lidl uses plastic bag charge to help Keep Britain Tidy

German discount supermarket chain Lidl has today (19 February) pledged to donate a minimum of £1m raised from its 5p plastic bag charge to charity, in a bid to educate children on litter prevention.

The Body Shop now has 14 specific, measurable 2020 targets that make the business accountable for its sustainability plan

Green makeover: The Body Shop enters new era of sustainable business with bold CSR strategy

The Body Shop has today (2 February) launched an ambitious new CSR strategy including an overarching goal to be the world's most ethical and truly sustainable global business".

Green hero: Sustainability leaders spend years fine-tuning their talents to deliver a long-term vision and inspire change

Top 10 skills that every sustainability professionals needs

From being a good storyteller to 'wearing different hats', the modern day sustainability professional needs a huge array of skills to be able to work towards a long-term vision and inspire change within - and outside of - their organisation.

Lidl will switch the majority of its banana to Rainforest Alliance-certified farms by the end of the year

Lidl goes 100% sustainable with bananas

Lidl will only sell bananas that are sourced from farms that are either Rainforest Alliance or Fairtrade-certified, the German discount retailer has announced.

Asda will help social enterprises sell products directly to members of the public via supermarkets

Asda uses carrier bag charge to fund social enterprise scheme

Asda has used money it has generated from the carrier bag charge to fund a ground-breaking new scheme in Scotland which aims to increase the availability of supermarket products that have a positive social or environmental impact.

The movement has been organised by the Aiming for A movement which filed two similar successful resolutions focusing on climate change with BP and Shell last year

Investors demand climate transparency from mining firms

Investors responsible for more than $8trn have called on mining giants Anglo American, Glencore and Rio Tinto to be more transparent over the climate risks and impacts of their businesses.

The narrative of the Paris accord provides the perfect backdrop to create a compelling sustainability story

Fifty shades of green: Telling your sustainability story

With this week being National Storytelling Week (30 January - 6 February), edie reporter Matt Mace investigates how creating a compelling and evocative sustainability story can turn a big green idea into reality.

A successful materiality assessment allows a business to prioritise its environmental efforts and spend accordingly, helping to maximise return on investment

Sustainability reporting: Why conduct a materiality assessment?

In the third part of edie's sustainability reporting feature series, we explore how CSR reports can be used to monitor and manage the most important environmental issues affecting your company.

There is increased scrutiny for business practices and an amplified desire to work within the sustainability sector

Generation S: Survey reveals employment benefits of sustainable business

Firms accused of 'unethical' practices such as poor environmental performance are missing out on more than half of 'Generation S' candidates, who are more selective about their employer's approach to sustainability .

UN Climate Chief Christiana Figueres pointed out that all companies had to act now to get into the

Christiana Figueres: The hard work starts NOW for sustainable business

One month on from the successful Paris climate summit, UN Climate Chief Christiana Figueres says businesses must now act as the catalyst in a "virtuous and self-reinforcing" transition to a low-carbon global economy.

Over the next 18 months NUS will work with students’ unions to pressure institutions to sever ties with the fossil fuel industry

University staff and students make £100m fossil fuel divestment call

The National Union of Students (NUS) has called on all UK higher education facilities to play their part in removing a £100m 'tip of the iceberg' fossil fuel fund and divest assets into renewable technology.

Renault's market value has tumbled by around €5bn as a result of the reports

'No emissions fraud' in Renault engines as stocks plummet

French ministers have reassured Renault owners and investors that no performance-modifying software was detected in engines of Renault vehicles following reports that fraud investigators had inspected three of the carmaker's sites.

The conservation fund aims to protect around six million acres of US forest

World's largest wood pellet producer embarks on sustainable forestry project

US firm Enviva - the world's largest producer of wood pellets - has announced the establishment of a new $5m, 10-year forest conservation project in North Carolina and Virginia.

Deforestation is responsible for approximately 15% of the world's total greenhouse gas emissions

From 'zero deforestation' to lasting solutions: Beyond COP21, what is needed to save forests?

Following a spate of global zero-deforestation initiatives and commitments at last month's Paris climate conference, environmental campaigner and Forum for the Future founder Jonathon Porritt investigates the practical, sustainable solutions needed to mitigate and eliminate tropical deforestation.

Intel is hoping to inspire other companies to join the conflict-free ethos

Intel achieves conflict-free supply chain

Products and packages shipped by American technology giant Intel will be 'conflict free' in 2016, the company's chief executive announced at this week's Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

Questions are being raised about the ramifications meat, vegetables and fish have on the climate

Supply chain sustainability key to navigating food consumption minefield

With experts warning that consumer eating habits are likely to be impacted by climate change and the obesity crisis rather than price fluctuations and global supplies, businesses are being urged to source more 'sustainable' products to sway demand.

With businesses facing a wealth of guidance and instruction frameworks it can be easy to become shackled by the reporting standards

Sustainability Reporting: Taking the first steps

Convincing stakeholders - and perhaps even yourself - to undertake your company's first sustainability report is a daunting task. What are the key first steps you must take to embark upon a successful sustainability reporting journey.

Messages supporting climate action and economic growth have risen by 1500%

Positive climate chatter on social media rockets 700%

Positive discussions about the climate action and economic growth nexus on social media have increased by 700% over the past three years according to new analysis by the New Climate Economy (NCE).

Kit Kat, which is part of the Nestlé Cocoa Plan, was certified was first certified by Fairtrade in the UK in 2013

Greener Kit Kats on the way as Nestlé achieves 100% sustainable cocoa

Nestlé Professional UK & Ireland has become the first major confectionary company in the hospitality and foodservice sector to source 100 certified sustainable cocoa for its chocolate and biscuits.

The multifaceted landscape of sustainability reporting has made 'double work' for companies seeking to satisfy stakeholders on their CSR efforts

Sustainability Reporting: More goals, more targets, more frameworks, more reporting

Ahead of edie's Sustainability Reporting Conference which takes place in February, conference chair Elaine Cohen examines the challenges and opportunities of the current reporting landscape, with an insight into what we can expect in the coming year.