manufacturing
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Sector insight: The state of sustainability in manufacturing
This edie Insight report explores some of the key drivers, challenges and opportunities facing sustainability in UK manufacturing.
edie Energy Insights 2017
EXCLUSIVE REPORT: edie's latest report offers an insight into business energy procurement, planning and purchasing priorities from efficiencies to onsite generation.
BYD to offer electric vehicle components to auto rivals
Chinese automaker BYD has announced that it will "open its technology and products to the whole world" by sharing its electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing components with rivals and the rest of the industry, on the same week that it fully formed a joint research venture with Tesla.
Investors write to businesses calling for action on human rights
Hundreds of investors have written to global companies deemed to be performing poorly on human rights indicators, calling for immediate action to improve standards across operations and value chains.
Coronavirus: Tesla pauses EV production at two key sites as BYD pivots manufacturing
Tesla will temporarily suspend production at two of its US factories from the end of today's (23 March) working hours - making it the latest electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer to scale back plant operations in light of the Covid 19 pandemic.
Coronavirus: Carmakers including Nissan pause EV manufacturing
Several of the world's largest carmakers, including Nissan and Toyota, have paused manufacturing lines in light of the coronavirus pandemic, including those producing electric vehicles (EVs).
Samsonite, Neste, make fresh carbon-neutral commitments
Luggage giant Samsonite has pledged to become a carbon-neutral company by 2025, in the same week that innovative fuel producer Neste unveiled a plan to achieve carbon-neutral production by 2035.
Solar demand could fall for first time in 30 years due to Coronavirus
BloombergNEF (BNEF) analysis suggests that the ramifications of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) will lead to downgrades in forecasts for renewables deployment and electric vehicle (EV) development, with solar capacity set to fall 16% compared to previous estimates.
Half of corporates unable to prove they are protecting human rights , report finds
An analysis of 200 of the world's biggest corporation has found that 95 are unable to prove they are taking action to protect and improve human rights for their direct employees, supply chains and the communities they serve.
Can the coronavirus outbreak teach us how to clean up the planet?
A microbe has changed how we interact with our surroundings across the globe, inadvertently cleaning the planet in the process. But how do we keep up the climate battle after the virus is gone?
Lifecycle approach required: Government's plastics policies could triple UK packaging emissions
The UK Government's ban on unnecessary single-use plastics could inadvertently triple the carbon emissions associated with packaging, unless policies are introduced to prioritise an "overall need to use less material" and to improve the energy efficiency associated with material production and recycling.
Ball Corporation achieves ASI certification and meets 100% renewables target
Aluminium packaging manufacturer Ball Corporation has been certified to Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) standards for environmental, social and governance impacts, while also revealing it is powering its operations in the UK, European Union (EU) and Serbia with 100% renewable electricity.
Firmenich powered by 100% renewables globally
Perfume company Firmenich has announced that its global operations are now powered by 100% renewable electricity, meetings its commitment to the RE100 initiative as a result.
Britvic signs for £400m sustainability-linked loan
Beverage manufacturing giant Britvic has signed for a £400m loan, whereby it will pay lower margins if it delivers progress against its plastics, emissions and nutrition targets.
Government focuses on hydrogen in £90m industrial decarbonisation funding
The UK Government has announced £90m in funding to help cut emissions from industrial processes and the built environment, including the backing of two low-carbon hydrogen production plants.
RBS's climate goals and Aldi's plastic bag crackdown: The sustainability success stories of the week
As part of our Mission Possible campaign, edie brings you this weekly round-up of five of the best sustainability success stories of the week from across the globe.
Why 2020 is the year of the collaborative circular economy
"The moment of crisis has come. We can no longer prevaricate." Naturalist and veteran broadcaster Sir David Attenborough pulled no punches in a recent BBC interview. If we are to keep global warming below 1.5C, greenhouse gas emissions must almost halve by 2030.
Lego to ditch virgin fossil plastics by 2030
Lego has vowed to eliminate virgin fossil-based plastics from its products within a decade, by investing heavily in recycled and bio-based materials.
Carlsberg slashes emissions by 30% as its closes in on zero-emission breweries
Global brewer Carlsberg has slashed carbon emissions across its group by 13% over a 12-month period, and 30% since 2015, as it pushes towards its corporate strategy to achieve zero emissions at breweries.
Creating a sustainable food system depends on a shared mentality as well as collaboration
Like most industries, food and drink is grappling with how to create a sustainable and, where possible, circular system. At the heart of that challenge is dealing with the huge and extremely complex global food system, which encompasses the way we grow, make and consume food.
edie's guides to net-zero carbon continues with the public sector
The fifth report in the series of edie guides on net-zero carbon has launched with a focus on the public sector.
Manufacturing giants slash food waste by 30%
The UK's largest food and drinks manufacturers have collectively reduced their food waste by 30% over the past eight years, on a per capita basis.
Industrial Decarbonisation Champion to steer £20m innovation centre for net-zero transition
Professor Mercedes Maroto-Valer has been appointed as an "Industrial Decarbonisation Champion" to oversee the development of a £20m research and innovation centre at Edinburgh's Heriot-Watt University that will drive the delivery of the UK's net-zero emissions target.
8 steps for overcoming the behavioural change challenge
During the SPARK 2.0 event, energy and sustainability professionals discussed the barriers to behaviour change and how businesses could harness the wider awareness of the climate strikes to engage all staff members on the need to manage energy use.
edie's guides to net-zero carbon continues with construction sector
The fourth report in the series of edie guides on net-zero carbon has launched with a focus on the construction sector.
Kingspan and Cargill unveil Paris-aligned climate strategies
Construction materials giant Kingspan and agri-food multinational Cargill have both unveiled new science-based emissions targets at the UN's COP25 summit in Madrid.
Philip Morris: Offsetting isn't the 'credible' long-term solution to carbon-neutrality
EXCLUSIVE: As it strives to achieve carbon-neutrality across all factories by 2030, cigarette giant Phillip Morris International (PMI) will continue to "do the hard work first" and only use offsetting as the last piece of the puzzle, the firm's director of operational sustainability has said.
Why energy productivity holds the key to net-zero business
Jenny Chu, head of energy productivity initiatives, at international non-profit, The Climate Group, argues that business has a key role in using less energy to achieve higher economic output.
Moonshots and loving carbon: Climate action requires step away from 'less bad' business models
Interface's regional sustainability manager Jon Khoo reflects on the success of the firm's Mission Zero sustainability strategy and why businesses need to set "moonshot goals", view the climate emergency through the lens of "climate optimism" and start "loving carbon".
Just Eat and Unilever brand Hellmann's to reduce plastics through seaweed sachet trials
Just Eat has partnered with Unilever brand Hellmann's to trial sauce sachets made of seaweed in an attempt to reduce single-use plastics.
Liberty House pledges carbon-neutral steel operations by 2030
Global metals and engineering group Liberty House has announced plans to roll all of its steel plants into a single company, largely in order to target carbon-neutral operations by 2030.
Volvo Cars to become carbon-neutral by 2040
Volvo Cars has announced plans to become a carbon-neutral company by 2040, with short-term targets in place to slash emissions by 40% and generate 50% of its global sales from electric vehicles (EVs).
Paper Bottle Community: Is this the beginning of the end for the single-use plastic bottle?
EXCLUSIVE: Following the launch of Carlsberg's paper bottle prototypes, edie explores how Coca-Cola, The Absolut Company and L'Oréal are joining the brewer to scale-up paper-based solutions that replace or rival single-use plastic bottles.
Google unveils $150m investment to power manufacturing with renewables
Google has committed to invest $150m (£118m) in helping its key manufacturers to source renewable power, and to help the regions in which they operate decarbonise their electricity grids.
'We're up for it': Sky exploring its role in net-zero future
Sky's chief executive Jeremy Darroch has claimed that the company is "figuring out" how it can help push the UK to net-zero emissions before the 2050 deadline.
Bentley achieves carbon-neutral certification at solar-powered Crewe plant
Bentley Motors' corporate headquarters and main manufacturing facility in Crewe has achieved carbon-neutral certification, with a solar-powered carport, green energy contracts and carbon offsets used to decarbonise the plant.
Paper beer bottles: Carlsberg's bio-based packaging to be shared with corporate giants
EXCLUSIVE: Danish brewer Carlsberg has unveiled prototypes of the world's first beer bottles made from recyclable and bio-based materials, with the company's sustainability director claiming that the innovation could have "endless impact" if upscaled collaboratively by corporates including Coca-Cola and L'Oreal.
Philip Morris to make all its factories carbon neutral by 2030
Cigarette giant Philip Morris International (PMI) has announced its intention to make all of its factories carbon neutral by 2030, after its Klaipeda factory in Lithuania reached the status.
PepsiCo prices $1bn green bond to assist with plastics phase-out
PepsiCo has priced its first ever green bond at $1bn, which will be used to fund initiatives to reduce plastic content in packaging, improve supply chain engagement and management and boost water stewardship.
Dulux Trade and Veolia partner to launch 35% recycled paint
Paint manufacturer Dulux Trade has launched a new partnership with Veolia UK to offer a new matt emulsion made from 35% recycled paint, which also produces 10% lower carbon emissions per litre.
edie's guides to net-zero carbon continues with manufacturing sector
The second report in the series of edie guides on net-zero carbon has launched with a focus on the manufacturing sector.
Turning the Resources and Waste Strategy from ambition into action
Now the industry has had time to reflect on the Resources & Waste Strategy, the consensus seems to be that it is pretty fair and addresses most of the major issues. While much detail is yet to be painted, the Strategy undoubtably provides welcome clarity on the direction of travel.
SC Johnson on track to make all plastic packaging closed-loop by 2025
US-based consumer goods firm SC Johnson's latest sustainability report has revealed the company is on target to meet its 2025 targets for plastic and recycling, Ellen MacArthur Foundation's New Plastics Economy, with 94% of the firm's plastic packaging now recycle, reusable or compostable.
Unilever powered by 100% renewable electricity across five continents
Unilever has revealed that all its buildings across Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and North America are now powered by 100% renewable electricity.
New initiative to help business minimise climate impacts of cooling
The Climate Group has launched a new initiative aimed at helping businesses to improve the energy efficiency of their cooling processes and to decarbonise their cooling systems.
Suntory pledges '100% sustainable' plastics packaging across Europe by 2030
Beverage giant Suntory has pledged to eliminate virgin fossil-fuel-based plastics from its packaging portfolio across Europe by 2030.
Edible drinks bottles backed by Government funding
Oohos, the edible, plastic-free packaging capsules trialled by companies such as Lucozade Ribena Suntory, have received more than £300,000 in Government funding that will help boost daily manufacturing outputs.
Meet the sustainability leader: Energy Efficiency - Ibstock Brick
With entries now open for edie's Sustainability Leaders Awards 2020, this new feature series showcases the achievements of the 2019 winners and reveals their secrets to success. Up next: The winner of our Energy Efficiency Award, Ibstock Brick.
Climate change to shock steel sector profitability, report warns
The global steel sector is facing a vicious cocktail of climate impacts that could see water scarcity, global warming and an increased carbon price place more than 10% of the sector's economic value at risk, according to a new report from CDP.
HSBC: Investment in sustainability becoming mainstream for UK businesses
Against a backdrop of new green legislation and increasing consumer demand for low-carbon, resource-efficient products and services, almost half of UK businesses are planning to up their sustainability-related investments over the next two years.
JLR, VW & Ford accelerate electric vehicle development
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has secured a £500m loan guarantee from the Government at the same time Volkswagen (VW) and Ford announced a multi-billion deal on electric vehicle (EV) and autonomous vehicle infrastructure.
Kellogg's seeks water self-supply licence for Manchester operations
Food manufacturing giant Kellogg's has applied for a water and sewerage self-supply license for its Manchester facility, in a bid to gain greater control on water usage and generate savings.
Global economic growth 'now directly linked to greater energy efficiency', report finds
The global energy efficiency of economic growth has improved by one-third since 1990, new research from professional services giant PwC has concluded.
JLR to invest hundreds of millions in EV production
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is due to invest hundreds of millions of pounds into its UK factories to manufacture electric vehicles (EV) in the future.
EPCs: The seldom-used tool that can unlock greater efficiency
The 2016 Paris Agreement was a watershed moment for international action on climate change. With 195 signatories, the accord has forced governments into action, with many looking to enshrine 'net zero' targets into law
Manufacturer 3M joins Ellen MacArthur Foundation's CE100 initiative
Multinational consumer goods, healthcare and industry manufacturer 3M has pledged to champion the circular economy and make the best use of the planet's resources by joining the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's CE100 initiative.
Record 11 million people now employed in renewable energy sector
Renewable energy now accounts for more than 11 million jobs worldwide, according to the latest set of official figures on the sector.
Waitrose posts impressive energy savings from innovative fridge tech
New in-store fridge technology has enabled Waitrose & Partners to reduce its energy use for refrigeration by more than 40%, the supermarket has claimed.
How 'inclusive capitalism' can create prosperity for people, planet and profits for Firmenich
EXCLUSIVE: Fragrance & flavour company Firmenich is using an "inclusive capitalism" business model to deliver benefits for profits, the planet and people in a way that is causing others to "rally" behind the concept of sustainability.
Business Energy Barometer: April-May 2019
edie's brand-new Business Energy Barometer report maps out the key energy drivers, challenges and opportunities facing UK businesses, based on an in-depth survey of energy managers across the country.
SEAT to double down on waste reduction efforts
Spanish car manufacturer SEAT has announced new plans to boost its efficiency in reducing waste at all key facilities, with select initiatives set to nearly double waste reduction levels by 2025.
Bosch targets carbon neutrality by 2020
Engineering and electronics giant Bosch has committed to achieve carbon neutrality across its direct global operations by 2020 - a move it claims will mitigate the emission of 3.3 million tonnes of CO2 within the next 12 months.
The climate turning point: 8 sustainable business gamechangers for 2020
With the UK having just declared a climate emergency and Government advisers calling on policymakers to set a net- zero carbon target by 2050, edie's latest report explores eight potentially game-changing innovations that will help businesses lead the charge towards the so-called 'climate turning point'.
edie Explains: The circular economy
This new and updated edie Explains guide breaks down everything there is to know about achieving a circular economy for your business.
SDGs In Action: How Tetra Pak is achieving Goal 13 - Climate Action
Welcome back to edie's new editorial series which breaks down exactly how businesses are turning the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into action. Up next: multinational food packaging firm Tetra Pak unveils how it is protecting futures by championing actions to mitigate climate change.
Three-course meal: How addressing food waste can deliver a triple win for sustainable business
Following the revelation that food banks around the world helped mitigate more than 10.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions while reducing food costs, edie explores whether the conversation on food waste needs to change to capture heightened calls for action on climate change.
Apple to exceed 4GW renewable energy goal for supply chain
Apple has almost doubled the number of suppliers that have committed to 100% clean energy, as part of a wider goal to deliver 4GW of renewable energy into its supply chain by 2020.
Jaguar Land Rover updates closed-loop aluminium initiative
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is developing the next phase of its aluminium recycling strategy, having processed more than 300,000 tonnes of scrap back into vehicles over the last six years.
The trends transforming mobility’s future
Four trends - autonomous driving, connectivity, the electrification of vehicles, and shared mobility- are disrupting how we move about in ways not seen for 100 years. We call what's happening mobility's "second great inflection point".
Europe risks 'second mover' status on battery tech, auditors warn
Europe could be left behind in the international battery-building race, the EU auditors have warned in a report and stressed that better storage is needed if the bloc is to hit its climate and energy targets.
'I certainly didn't do it for sales': Iceland boss sheds fresh light on palm oil phase-out
Iceland's managing director Richard Walker has discussed his decision to ban palm oil from the retailer's own-brand products for the first time since the phase-out was completed in January, claiming that the move has helped to "democratise environmentalism".
Why Heineken is championing water circularity as its contribution to the SDGs
EXCLUSIVE: Brewer Heineken has called for more collaborative and circular approaches to water use, after launching a new 2030 strategy aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goal 6 - Clean Water and Sanitation.
It’s time to turn off the tap
Greenpeace recently tweeted, 'If your bath was overflowing you wouldn't immediately reach for the mop - you'd turn off the tap'. In this instance, they were referring to the spiralling impact of single-use plastics but in truth, this statement holds true for pretty much any type of waste, as Richard Gillies explains.
Mission Possible: edie launches new construction sector report
The key drivers, challenges and opportunities facing sustainable business in the UK construction sector are revealed in edie's latest Mission Possible report, today (6 March).
3M pledges to source 100% renewable electricity
Multinational consumer goods, healthcare and industry firm 3M has become the latest corporate to join The Climate Group's RE100 initiative, pledging to source 100% renewable electricity for its global operations.
Government unveils deposit return scheme blueprints as part of waste management revamp
The UK Government has launched a 12-week consultation to explore how a "world-leading" tax on plastic packaging, standardised waste collections across the country and varying deposit return schemes for single-use items could overhaul and modernise the national waste management system.
Zero-waste and carbon-neutral: £35m programme launched to transform UK steel sector
UK steelmakers and university experts are teaming together on a seven-year research programme aimed at boosting the productivity of the steel sector by championing carbon capture techniques and minimising industrial waste streams.
UK food and drink sector moves closer to 2025 sustainability goals
Food and beverage giants such as Coca Cola, PepsiCo and Lucozade Ribena Suntory made great strides in slashing their carbon and water impacts in 2017, according to the industry trade body.
Tommy Hilfiger unveils 'world's first' 100% recycled luxury jeans
Global fashion brand Tommy Hilfiger has unveiled plans to launch a range of 100% recycled jeans this spring, in what it claims is a first for the luxury fashion sector.
'A 1.5C world is circular': Nations urged to drive resource productivity to reach climate goals
A new report released today (22 January) at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos has outlined the urgent need for nations to "wake up to the potential" of the circular economy in order to push the world towards the Paris Agreement's more ambitious pathway.
Lucozade Ribena Suntory to fit UK factory with water and waste-saving bottling technology
Multinational beverage firm Lucozade Ribena Suntory (LRS) is investing £13m in new bottling technology for its Gloucestershire factory, in a bid to minimise the facility's waste output and water footprint.
In 2019, businesses will need to embrace sustainability, or risk being left behind
What would you do if you only had 12 years to stop catastrophic climate change? At COP 24 in Poland earlier this year, 200 nations formed plans to collectively tackle this issue, and their message is clear: as nations, we will go beyond our commitments and ambitions from the 2015 Paris Agreement to further reduce emissions and tackle one of the world's greatest challenges.
Food waste chief to target 'scandal' of 250 million binned UK meals
The Government has appointed a food waste champion to tackle the problem of 250 million meals being thrown away in the UK each year.
Palm oil bans, sustainable fashion and edie's 30 Under 30: The top sustainability stories of November 2018
As November comes to a close and we begin to think about putting up our Christmas trees and wrapping our presents, edie rounds up some of the best-read sustainability stories and standout pieces of content from the past 30 days - from Iceland's now-infamous popular palm oil advert to the launch of our exclusive new networking group for young sustainability professionals.
edie Explains: Energy-from-Waste
Is Energy-from-Waste (EfW) right for your business? What are the different EfW technology options, and how do you choose the right one? This edie explains business guide, produced in association with phs Group, has the answers.
Five ideas to achieve your flexible energy future
This report showcases the output of edie's SPARK! event, where roundtable participants explored what lies ahead for electricity systems flexibility, and discussed the practical steps that can be taken to achieve flexible energy, today.
ASOS boss: The circular economy is the only way forward for fashion retailers
Fashion retailers that fail to adopt circular economy principles and encourage consumers to make their clothes last longer will fail to survive in a new era of consumer awareness, ASOS's chief executive Nick Beighton has argued.
How are food and drink manufacturers adapting to Industry 4.0?
EXCLUSIVE: As the fruits of the Fourth Industrial Revolution continue to alter how businesses operate within society, how are some of the world's biggest food and drink manufacturing firms adapting, growing and using new technologies to minimise their environmental footprints?
10 ideas to make energy innovation work for your business
This report showcases the output of edie's SPARK! event, where roundtable participants discussed the role of innovation in achieving a sustainable future for business energy and debated which new technologies could hold the key to clean growth.
Available on demand: Sustainable manufacturing webinar featuring Mondelēz & Quorn Foods
Sustainability and energy representatives from Mondelēz International and Quorn Foods are among the speaker line-up for edie's one-hour webinar. now available on demand, which will explore the challenges and opportunities facing low-carbon, resource-efficient manufacturing.
Disruptive plastics firm Polymateria backed by £1m Innovate UK funding
BT's former chief sustainability officer Niall Dunne's vision to create the "Tesla of plastics" has moved a step closer to reality, after securing more than £1m in Innovate UK grants to research and scale-up compostable plastics.
The challenges have been set, now business must rise to them
In the food business, Mission Possible should really be 'Mission Necessary'. We'll have to feed nearly 10 billion people by 2050. And we'll have to do so without destroying the natural resources on which food production depends.
Five ways food and drink firms are manufacturing a sustainable future
As a teaser for edie's latest Mission Possible sector insight report, edie rounds up five key trends within the food and drink manufacturing sector which prove the industry is striving to achieve as sustainable future, today.
Mission Possible: Achieving a sustainable future for FOOD & DRINK MANUFACTURING
This brand-new sector insight report provides an end-to-end overview of the steps that organisations within Britain's food & drink manufacturing industry can take to achieve a sustainable future, today.
Perfume giant Firmenich unveils approved science-based targets
Perfume company Firmenich has had a goal to reduce Scope 1 & 2 emissions by 39% approved by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi).
Scotland's cities can unlock £1bn circular economy boon, says report
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has urged Scotland's largest cities to transform waste processes and operations to capture a £1bn economic growth opportunity highlighted by a new Zero Waste Scotland report, released today (31 October).
Clorox exceeds carbon reduction target three years early
The Clorox Company has surpassed its 2020 goal to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 20%, according to the consumer goods giant’s latest annual report.
The Industrial Strategy roundtable: What impact is it having on manufacturing sustainability?
Sustainability and energy managers from a range of businesses recently gathered in London for an exclusive roundtable hosted by edie and Centrica Business Solutions to discuss the impact the Government's Industrial Strategy is having on manufacturing sustainability.
Britvic switches to 100% renewable electricity
Britvic has announced that every UK manufacturing site will be powered by 100% renewable electricity from October 2018.
