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2012 Insider Knowledge Report Shares Lessons from McDonald’s, Unilever, 130 Others - 4 March 2012.

Cargill is continuing its sponsorship of the Antinea Foundation and their project - The Changing Oceans Expedition.  Antinea, a Geneva-based foundation registered in 2007, operates as an international non-profit organisation which aims to reconcile the health of the global marine environment with the practicalities of human activities in relation to the world’s oceans.

The foundation focuses its efforts on three fields of activity: science, communication and outreach. The Changing Oceans Expedition aims to visit up to 100 of the most important marine eco-regions around the globe over a 10-year timeframe. As part of its core scientific mission the expedition brings together a team of leading international scientists who are conducting a research programme designed to validate and build upon “a global map of human impact on marine ecosystems” (B.S. Halpern et al. Science 2008).  In addition, The Changing Oceans Expedition provides a compelling communications platform to engage with both an international audience – raising awareness of the vital role that oceans play for humanity – and with the wide range of local and regional communities and stakeholders who take part in the missions conducted onboard.  

“We are almost three years into The Changing Oceans Expedition”, says David French, head of strategic partnerships at the Antinea Foundation.  “This year, we expect the release and publication of several important scientific reports linked both directly and indirectly to our work. We look forward to returning to some of the communities with which we have already worked, from Morocco to the Red Sea, to explore what can be done on a local and international level to implement the recommendations contained in these reports. We will also be extending our mission to new regions, from the Canary Islands to the west coast of Africa. Cargill has been instrumental in contributing to the success of our scientific mission, and we have benefited not just from their financial support but also from the engagement and support of its employees who have volunteered with us.”

“We are delighted to continue our support of The Antinea Foundation’s Changing Oceans Expedition”, says Roger Janson, head of Cargill’s Ocean Transportation business.  “The world’s oceans play a vital role in global trade and in connecting products from areas of surplus to areas where they are most needed.  However, it is critical that the shipping industry operates as efficiently, responsibly and sustainably as possible in order to minimize its impact on the environment and protect the ocean’s ecosystems, some of which are coming under increasing pressure.”   

Cargill’s Ocean Transportation business is part of the company’s Energy Transportation and Metals group of businesses and is a global leader in ocean freight chartering, trading, logistics, operations and risk management. Environmental Leader has launched its 2012 Insider Knowledge Report, sharing lessons learned from 132 corporate environmental, energy and sustainability decision-makers.

The second annual report gives real-world examples of how sustainability initiatives are making a difference at companies including 3M, Diageo, Duke Energy, Fujitsu, GM, IBM, Intel, McDonald’s, Marriott, Nike, Staples, Unilever, Walmart and Yahoo!. Topics covered include energy management, auditing and reporting, strategy and leadership, supply chain, water management and waste and recycling.

Environmental Leader released the report at an EL webinar yesterday, which featured Matthew Littlefield, president and principal analyst at LNS Research; Rick Swionteck, senior energy manager at Johnson Controls; and Michael D. Smith, senior vice president of green initiatives at report sponsorConstellation Energy.

In the webinar, Littlefield advised companies to establish sustainability as a key strategic objective at a corporate level and to start their initiatives with the biggest opportunity for impact – which most often means cutting energy use in industrial settings.

But contributions to the report reveal that companies are often not just driving sustainability from the top, but also looking for innovation from employees. A sampling of their findings:

Duke Energy cautions that sustainability is not a synonym for employee-numbing directives to “cut their budgets” and “do more with less,” especially during tough economic times. Sustainability and innovation are more creative and positive approaches, the utility says.

Shari’s restaurant chain allowed its managers to calculate bonuses related to utility expense savings. The results included $750,000 in saving from a temporary adjustment of the menu that did not require the use of gas broilers. Redesigning the heated water dipperwell for ice cream scoops is expected to save $200,000 annually.

Intel calls on companies to heed the “fourth stakeholder,” saying that there is business risk that comes from disregarding the greater community needs related to the supply chain, human rights, and environmental causes.

UL Environment, after a two-year process to publish its UL 880: Sustainability for Manufacturing Organizations, says that corporate sustainability standards nowadays are like safety testing and standardization a hundred years ago. “It makes sense, and it’s the wave of the future, but the way in which individual companies begin the implementation will vary.”

Diageo installed a “liquid ring and chiller” system in its bottle filling systems at its Huntingwood, Australia facility, to save 36,000,000 liters of water a year.

Walmart recommends setting challenging goals, because, “even if you are not sure how or when you will achieve them, you will usually accomplish more than you ever thought possible.”

Lotic Water Marketing sends a reminder that the message is as important as the means, advising: “Tell your story. Simply.”

 

Source: www.environmentalleader.com

March 4, 2012.