On July 28, 2009 GEMI’s Chair, Moe Bechard,
JohnsonDiversey participated on a panel with Jason
Mathers of Environmental Defense Fund at the greaterthan
> conference in Portland, ME to share with the attendees
the GEMI-EDF Guide to Successful Corporate-NGO Partnerships.
They discussed the Guide and some of the case examples.
The 150 attendees received a copy of the GEMI-EDF Guide
as it was included in all the meeting packages. The greaterthan
> conference explored and fostered partnerships, across
sectors, among multiple organizations, public and private.
As Moe Bechard noted, "The need for collaboration between
non-profits, for-profits and governments to meet the complex
sustainability challenge we face is just beginning to emerge
from thought leadership to activation. The work to facilitate
this emergence through greaterthan> is insightful and
very much appreciated. The conference featured a stimulating
mix of presenters, active engagement of the attendees and
was superbly choreographed."
David Swardlick, co-founder of the greaterthan > conference,
said in his comments when introducing Moe and Jason, “The
GEMI-EDF Guide played an integral part in the inspiration
for the development of the greaterthan > conference.
GEMI’s work is extremely important to the future of
the greaterthan > community and mission and look forward
to exploring future collaborative efforts.”
PICTURED: Jason Mathers, EDF and GEMI's
Chair Moe Bechard, JohnsonDiversey at the greaterthan >
conference
• EMS/ISO Network webinar: August
24 at 2:00pm EDT. The webinar topic is "Integrating
EMS in international facilities" and will feature presentations
from GEMI members - Carnival Corporation & plc,
DuPont and Smithfield Foods.
Log-in information will be distributed via meeting request
as well as posted on the Members Only page.
• Supply Chain Network webinar:
August 26, 2009 at 2:00pm EDT. This webinar will feature
guest presentations from Sedex Information Exchange and
WRI on the GHG Protocol for Supply Chain. Log-in information
will be distributed via meeting request as well as posted
on the Members Only page.
• Senior Advisory Council (SAC) meeting:
September 22-23, 2009 in Washington, DC hosted by The
Scotts Miracle-Gro Company
• Meeting & Forum Day #3: October
21-22, 2009 in Washington, DC. Networks will meet on October
21 to continue to address their strategic agendas and Forum
Day #3 will focus on Supply Chain Sustainability. This meeting
will be the Annual Meeting of GEMI in which the 2010 Board
of Directors will be elected and the budget for 2010 is
approved. In addition, every three years, GEMI is required
by its by-laws to address its “sunset provision”
and affirm that GEMI should continue as an organization.
A draft agenda and hotel logistics will be sent in August.
Bristol-Myers
Squibb Company and the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation
announced new grants providing technical assistance and
$1.3 million in funding to community-based organizations
in Africa to enhance the care and support for people affected
by HIV/AIDS. The grants will help to improve the effectiveness
and sustainability of community outreach programs, harnessing
the technical expertise developed over ten years of SECURE
THE FUTURE® programs and support on the ground
in Africa. More
Information.
DuPont
announced plans with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
for a $9 million solar research program --- part of the
company’s overall effort in providing more mainstream
solar photovoltaic (PV) products for commercial and residential
applications. DuPont will provide $6 million and the DOE
will contribute $3 million to the program. The three-year
program is designed to accelerate commercialization of an
ultra-thin protective film --more than 3,000 times thinner
than a human hair -- that prevents moisture from degrading
the performance of thin film PV modules, a key challenge
in the past. More
Information. In addition, DuPont announced
products from its Building Innovations portfolio have received
the Green Approved Product Seal for National Green Building
Certification by the National Association of Home Builders
(NAHB) Research Center. The third-party endorsement means
that DuPont “Green Approved” products can now
be used by builders to earn points toward certification
to the National Green Building Standard™. Products
that received the Green Award mark include product lines
and applications from the Tyvek® weatherization portfolio,
Zodiaq® quartz surfaces and Corian® solid surface.
More
Information.
Duke
Energy added to its growing portfolio of renewable
power assets with the announcement that it is building a
new wind energy project in eastern Colorado and has closed
its acquisition of a Pennsylvania wind farm. Duke Energy
will develop the 51-megawatt (MW) Kit Carson Windpower Project
on approximately 6,000 acres of land under long-term lease
near Burlington, CO. The project will be the company’s
first in the state and fourth in the region. More
Information. In addition, Duke Energy
has filed testimony with the Indiana Utility Regulatory
Commission describing a proposed carbon dioxide storage
project in southwest Indiana. The company is proposing to
study permanent underground storage of a portion of the
carbon dioxide emissions from its Edwardsport coal gasification
power plant under construction. More
Information.
Eastman
Kodak Company introduced a family of new portable
power-charging solutions that enable fast and convenient
charging of multiple devices, including a solar-powered
charger that harnesses the sun’s power to charge gadgets
while on the go. Leading the new line of chargers is the
KODAK Solar Charger KS100-C+2, which produces enough power
to deliver 1.5 charges to a cell phone, or run a music player
for an additional 33 hours, or capture up to 200 digital
camera pictures. More
Information.
FedEx Ground announced plans to install the nation’s
largest rooftop solar-electric system at its distribution
hub in Woodbridge, N.J. The solar power project is the third
between a FedEx operating company and BP Solar and the fifth
solar power project for FedEx. The 2.42 megawatt solar power
system will cover approximately 3.3 acres of roof top space
with approximately 12,400 solar panels. More
Information. In addition, FedEx Office,
a subsidiary of FedEx Corp., announced
that it has been ranked No. 1 on the U.S. EPA’s new
Top 20 Printers List of the largest green power purchasers
in the commercial printing business. The Top 20 Printers
List is one of nine Top Partner Lists that EPA releases
quarterly, highlighting some of America's largest green
power purchasers. In addition, FedEx Office is ranked No.
11 on the EPA's Top 20 Retail List, marking the company's
15th consecutive appearance on the list. More
Information. FedEx Corp. also announced
the addition of 92 hybrid-electric trucks to its delivery
fleet; the first standard FedEx delivery trucks converted
to hybrid-electric systems. The addition of the 92 trucks
increases the FedEx fleet of hybrid-electric vehicles by
more than 50 percent, from 172 to 264. More
Information.
Johnson
Controls announced their enhanced Energy and Emissions
Management System which provides global organizations with
the capability to analyze energy trends and calculate greenhouse
gas levels. It measures, manages and forecasts activities
related to energy cost, consumption, energy efficiency projects,
fleet emissions, and waste. The Energy and Emissions Management
System is Web-based and incorporates one of the most advanced
management software programs available to meet greenhouse
gas emission reporting standards. More
Information. In addition, Johnson Controls
and The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation are joining
forces to address the issues of energy efficiency and climate
change throughout Europe and the Mediterranean. Both parties
have agreed to explore a range of possible projects, events
and other areas of collaboration to elevate awareness and
action on the topic of energy efficiency and its positive
impact on global climate change. More
Information. Also this month, Johnson Controls
was recognized by Jantzi Research and Maclean's magazine
as one of Canada's Top 50 Most Responsible Corporations
based on environmental, social and governance practices.
The list of the 50 Most Responsible Corporations is included
in Maclean's June 22nd issue. Maclean's is Canada's largest-circulation
current affairs magazine, with 2.4 million readers. More
Information.
JohnsonDiversey,
Inc. reported improvements across all environmental
metrics in 2008 and provided details of its participation
in the World Wildlife Fund Climate Savers initiative in
its 2008 Global Responsibility Report, released in both
print and online editions. The company’s report provides
a summary of its 2008 accomplishments toward creating a
cleaner, healthier future for communities in the more-than
175 countries where it does business. More
Information.
Johnson
& Johnson announced availability of the Johnson
& Johnson 2008 Sustainability Report, which discusses
sustainability activities and progress as of December 2008.
It is the Company’s sixth annual Sustainability Report
and the 12th year of reporting on environmental progress.
The report provides a summary of the Company’s sustainability
strategy and highlights. More
Information.
The
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation announced a new partnership
with Perdue to help restore the Chesapeake
Bay. Perdue has committed a total of $35,000 to the Foundation’s
Chesapeake Bay Stewardship Fund to support habitat restoration
and water quality improvement projects on the Delmarva Peninsula.
More
Information.
Southern
Company subsidiary Gulf Power announced its agreement
to build a facility to convert landfill gas to energy at
the Perdido Landfill has been approved by the Escambia County
Commission. Initially, landfill gas generators will produce
3,200 kilowatts of renewable energy — enough to power
about 1,500 homes. More
Information. At a Senate Roundtable discussion on July
15, Chris Hobson, Senior Vice President, Research and Environmental
Affairs for Southern Company, detailed
steps under way to preserve coal as an important part of
the future U.S. energy mix through the development and deployment
of cleaner coal technologies such as carbon capture and
storage (CCS). The roundtable discussion, "What is
the Future of Coal in the Context of HR 2454, The American
Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009?," was hosted
by U.S. Sens. Tom Carper, (D-Del.), and George Voinovich,
(R-Ohio). More
Information.
If you have news and notes you would like to
share with the GEMI members, please email them to Kellen
Mahoney.
• On July 29, Amy Goldman,
GEMI, attended a meeting in Washington,
DC hosted by the Women's Council on Energy & Environment
(WCEE) with guest speaker White House Council on
Environmental Quality (CEQ) Chair Nancy Sutley.
Ms. Goldman had the opportunity to speak with Ms. Sutley,
who is familiar with GEMI, and shared with her a few of
the recent GEMI tools.
Ms.
Sutley provided an overview and history of CEQ and current
initiatives, TARP, the President's strong commitment to
renewables, the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force and
the Updated Principles and Guidelines for Water and Land
Related Resources Implementation Studies (P&G) and President
Obama's June 12 memorandum which was sent to the heads of
executive departments and federal agencies establishing
an Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force, which is charged
with developing a recommendation for a national policy that
ensures protection, maintenance, and restoration of oceans,
our coasts and the Great Lakes as well as recommending a
framework for improved stewardship, and effective coastal
and marine spatial planning.
She noted that the Administration is considering developing
uniform planning standards for the development of water
resources that would apply government-wide, including agencies
other than the traditional water resources development agencies
covered under the current Principles and Guidelines. CEQ,
in coordination with the Office of Management and Budget,
is facilitating interagency drafting of a revision to the
1983 P&G to potentially expand the scope of the P&G
to cover all federal agencies that undertake water resource
projects.
• EPA announced the National Top
50 largest purchasers participating in its Green Power Partnership,
including GEMI member companies Johnson & Johnson
(#11) and DuPont (#21). The top 50 largest
purchases amount to nearly a combined 12.3 billion kilowatt-hours
annually, which represents more than 70 percent of the green
power commitments made by all EPA Green Power Partners.
More
Information.
• Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)
and Restaurant Associates (RA) unveiled their Green
Dining Best Practices – a comprehensive set of
science-based recommendations for environmentally friendly
foodservice. The practices have been tested by two RA clients
– Random House and Hearst Corporation – early
results will save over $85,000 each year at the two sites,
cut 275 tons of carbon pollution and reduce landfill waste
by 60 tons annually, among other environmental benefits.
Please note: GEMI will be doing an informational webinar
on this topic in mid-September. Details will be sent out
via meeting request soon. More
Information.
• The Corporate Philanthropist,
Spring/Summer 2009 issue: The Global Water Crisis. The shortage
of clean drinking water and lack of access to sanitation
in areas of the developing world requires the involvement
of all sectors of society, including business. This edition
of The Corporate Philanthropist focuses on the global water
crisis, exploring how companies can partner and collaborate
with multilateral organizations, governments, local enterprises,
and nonprofit organizations in order to work towards innovative,
sustainable solutions, while reinforcing business strategies.
Articles highlight the philanthropic strategies at Coca-Cola,
Dow Chemical, GlaxoSmithKline, ITT, and Pepsi, among many
other companies. Water
Advocates, as The Corporate Philanthropist indicates,
is standing by as a pro bono CSR and corporate citizenship
advisor/consultant for those companies looking to engage
in - or increase their support for – the global water
sector. More
Information.
CLIMATE
Source: EnvironmentalLeader
The global community is hoping for cooperation on climate
change, particularly from developing countries including China
and India that have been hesitant to agree to carbon emission
caps due to economic reasons.
Source: Bloomberg
Fewer clouds dot the Pacific skies than a half-century ago,
allowing the sun to beat down on the sea and raise temperatures,
according to scientists who say the discovery means our planet
may heat up more than forecast.
Source: EnvironmentalLeader
The United Nations recently approved the broad application
of the first agricultural methodology, or biological approach,
for Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions. The UN’s announcement coincides with
the USDA’s analysis report that shows the economic benefits
to agriculture from the U.S. cap-and-trade legislation.
Source: GreenBiz
Upcoming legislation has the potential to reshape the way
U.S. businesses use energy resources, both at home and abroad.
Two key issues will determine whether China and the U.S. move
toward meaningful cooperation on climate issues in the near
future. The first is whether China accepts emissions-reductions
targets; the second is whether the U.S. Senate passes a Waxman-Markey
bill that China does not perceive as overly restricting Chinese
imports.
Source: Environment News Service
When proposing actions to limit greenhouse gas emissions,
the world's major economies "ignored" the findings
of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning United Nations scientific
body that assesses climate change, says that body's top official.
SUPPLY
CHAIN
Source: GreenBiz
A new 90-page report and survey findings detailing the forces
and factors driving supply chain executives towards greater
levels of environmental responsibility, visibility, collaboration
and accountability.
Source: EnvironmentalLeader
In a move with supply chain implications, the International
Association of Outsourcing Professionals (IAOP) is conducting
a study to determine the importance of corporate social responsibility
in outsourcing.
Source: Treehugger
The only way a consumer-oriented company can become more sustainable
is by engaging its direct suppliers, encouraging them to do
the same for their suppliers, and so on up the chain. The
bigger the company, the more powerful this effect can be.
SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT
Source: SustainableLifeMedia
The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) announced that the number
of companies disclosing their performance against key sustainability
indicators in 2008 has reached its highest level to date -
over 1000. This marks a 46% increase in reporting from 2007,
just one year earlier.
Source: SustainableLifeMedia
Miller Zell, a retail and strategy design firm, finds that
lower income shoppers are driving the sustainable product
marketplace, not the higher income, lifestyle consumers many
think of as supporting sustainability.
Source: Environmental Leader
As twitter, Facebook and other social networks continue to
grab share of consumers’ time spent online - whether
at a computer or via mobilephone - companies would do well
to consider how to tap into the broad reach of these platforms
in communicating their progress on sustainability and the
environment.
Source: Environmental Leader
As more companies face the daunting task of reporting on a
variety of environmental performance criteria, they will be
getting a helping hand thanks to a host of new sustainability
software offerings.
Source: Environmental Leader
Aimed at saving energy and reducing pollution runoff, the
U.S. Postal Service has unveiled its first and New York City’s
largest green roof on top of the Morgan mail processing facility.
WATER
Source: Environmental Leader
Food and beverage items deserve a special label that indicates
their “water footprint,” two food and health
groups in the UK say. The Food Ethics Council and Sustain
have released a joint report that lobbies the UK government
for action on creating such a label.
Source: GreenBiz
A report released by the Pacific Institute highlights the
ways that efficiency on California's farms can take much
of the pressure of the state's water crisis.
Source: msnbc
There's a one-in-two chance that the water reservoirs of
the Colorado River will dry up by 2050 if water management
practices remain unchanged in our warming world, a new study
finds.
Source: GreenBiz
In Las Vegas, the second-biggest desert city in the U.S.,
and still one of the fastest-growing regions in the nation,
the local water utility is offering cash incentives to replace
water-sucking lawns with drought-resistant landscapes.
Source: Green Inc.
The process of making textiles can require several dozen
gallons of water for each pound of clothing, especially
during the dyeing process. Amid tightening environmental
regulations and a push to save money, companies are working
to reduce the waste.
