Day: April 14, 2022

Whether it’s the billions of dollars being invested in green and sustainable instruments, serious institutional efforts to address ESG as a risk factor in lending and investing, big banks restructuring themselves to adopt net zero pledges, or fintechs developing new solutions to address climate-related issues, all these efforts point to recognition that the financial services industry can play a major role in addressing ESG objectives.  ESG-focused fintechs have a unique ability to achieve rapid growth, deliver ESG-focused innovation, and attract investment capital to support their efforts to improve the environment and society while generating substantial returns.

Climate change expected to intensify the demands of water use in agriculture as climate is the major driving force for crop production and water use. Studies on climate change have indicated the variation in temperature and precipitation patterns globally due to increased concentration of greenhouse gases. Global warming and its consequences have shown remarkable impacts on regional hydrologic cycle.  Temperature and precipitation are two important climate parameters and plays a vital role in crop production system. The rise in air temperature and varying precipitation pattern may affect the crop yield and water use efficiency. Rise in temperature is likely to increase the evapotranspiration demand and water requirement for agriculture.

The themes of social justice and gender inclusion dominated discussions at the premiere of “Earth Women”, a poignant documentary that explores the plight of women living in areas impacted by extractive activities, including oil and gas exploration and mining.  Earth Women is an initiative of CSR-in-Action Advocacy, the development-focused arm of the CSR-in-Action Group and primarily funded by Ford Foundation.  The grand premiere, which was sponsored by Access Bank, had in attendance prominent personalities from business, entertainment, the media, public sector, and the international community.

Cisco has joined SVG Europe as a Gold sponsor. The company’s sports and entertainment solutions have helped hundreds of venues, teams and leagues around the world better engage fans and solve real business challenges, with everything from the Super Bowl and the Olympic Games, to the US Open and League of Legends World Championships relying on Cisco solutions.  Last month, Cisco and Real Madrid announced a multi-year global partnership during which they will deploy the largest WiFi 6 stadium network in Europe to date, making Santiago Bernabéu Stadium one of the most technologically advanced sporting venues in the world.

With the 22-23 Federal Budget soon to be released, the UN Global Compact Network Australia (UNGCNA) urges the Morrison government to prioritise ‘building back better’ to ensure a resilient economy in line with the key principles of sustainability such as climate action, human rights and bribery and corruption prevention.  As Australia rebuilds its economy after two pandemic-induced years, the Budget must be reflective of the geopolitical landscape and its knock-on effects. With the imminent fuel crisis, anticipated rising interest rates and looming inflation, Australians and businesses are bracing for another challenging year.  This year’s Budget provides an opportunity for the Federal Government to prioritise economic growth in alignment with the United Nation’s (UN) 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The finance and sustainability worlds are converging faster than ever before. For investors and companies, that means having a clear understanding of the key issues, both now and in the coming months, from setting targets and timetables to learning the language of Wall Street. It means having a shared understanding with internal stakeholders: the risk department, government relations, investor relations and those overseeing energy, emissions reductions, water use and more.  All of this has been taking place for years, never more so than in the past 24 months. So, where are we? What are the emerging issues? What are the changing expectations of investors, regulators and financial institutions around the world? And, perhaps most important: Are we even making progress?

This course on school gardens will provide students with interdisciplinary approaches on how to make our food system more sustainable and just by connecting students to local elementary schools. Through the school garden, Lab students will support an elementary school’s environmental and nutritional education curriculum. Lab students will use their experiences to create a model for state policy on gardens in school. As part of our intellectual scaffolding for understanding the importance of school gardens at the intersection of food justice, environmental justice, and climate justice, students will investigate the problems with the modern food system and how it exacerbates inequalities, for example, health outcomes and children’s performance in school. In this Lab, we will look at food and food systems to get at some of the fundamental justice questions raised and then how school gardens might be part of the solution to those inequities. Fulfills (HU or SB) general studies requirements.

A trash bag is a disposable bag used to hold solid waste. It is also known as a garbage bag, a bin liner, or a refuse sack. These bags can be used to line the insides of garbage cans to prevent them from becoming clogged with trash. The majority of trash bags are black, white, or green in colour and are constructed of plastic.  Plastic bags are a convenient and sanitary way to dispose of rubbish that is widely used. Plastic garbage bags are lightweight and ideal for waste that is sloppy or moist, such as food scraps. They can also be used to wrap garbage to keep it from smelling bad. Litter, waste, and recycling containers and bins are typically lined with plastic bags. By preventing the container from coming into contact with the garbage, this helps to keep it clean. Trash bags are a need in today’s world. According to Reports and Data, the garbage bag market is predicted to develop significantly in the future years.
Read the full article at: www.reportsanddata.com

Enterprise Europe Network supports small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on their path to green business models and sustainable initiatives. The Danish SME Nortech Solutions is a case in point. With the Network’s aid, Nortech teamed up with a Czech company to launch a successful green business in 2019. Fast-forward to today, the Network’s sustainability advisers are helping small businesses develop strategies that build long-term value and reduce risk.  As the severe effects of climate change are becoming increasingly apparent, entrepreneurs have to quickly adapt to new challenges and opportunities. Building international partnerships is one way for SMEs to pivot to new markets, accelerate innovation and rethink their strategies. Enterprise Europe Network’s advisers are here to help.
Read the full article at: een.ec.europa.eu

The fashion label Stella McCartney sources its materials from sustainably-managed forests. Miyoko’s Creamery, the vegan cheese brand, launched a program to help struggling dairy farmers transition to plant-based alternatives. Elate Beauty, the ethically-made cosmetics company, has diverted more than 10,000 kgs of waste from landfills—so far.  In recent years, brands have stepped up and committed to more sustainable practices. In honor of Earth Day 2022, we wanted to take a closer look at what commercial photographers can do to help raise awareness about climate change and the protection of our environment, while also helping companies and consumers realize their goals.

The European Green Deal outlines ambitions to build a more sustainable, climate neutral, and circular economy by 2050. To achieve this, the European Commission has published the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability: Towards a Toxic-Free Environment, which provides targets for innovation to better protect human and environmental health, including challenges posed by hazardous chemicals and animal testing. The European project PATROLS (Physiologically Anchored Tools for Realistic nanOmateriaL hazard aSsessment) has addressed multiple aspects of the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability by establishing a battery of new approach methodologies, including physiologically anchored human and environmental hazard assessment tools to evaluate the safety of engineered nanomaterials.

ESG/Sustainability continues to grow in importance to landlords and occupiers every day, not purely from a legislative perspective, for example ensuring compliance with EPC ratings or ESG reporting, but also as part of attracting investors, employees, and customers.  Our ESG/Sustainability service is focused on helping our clients develop and achieve tangible, sustainable outcomes to fulfil environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) aims across their assets.  We support our clients from a broad platform of property management, facilities management, business continuity, development and agency. From our vast experience in Property when it comes to ESG/Sustainability, we have first-hand experience of an assets needs and requirements from both stakeholders and their customers.

TC Transcontinental (TSX: TCL.A TCL.B), owner of the Publisac, reacts today to the City of Montreal’s announcement of its intention to implement an opt-in system for the distribution of flyers beginning in May 2023, that would lead to the end of the distribution of the Publisac on its territory. As already indicated by TC Transcontinental, an opt-in model is unsustainable because of its complexity and the prohibitive costs it would generate.
“In the current inflationary context, and at a time when the population is facing an unprecedented rise in prices, the social and economic relevance of the Publisac is greater than ever,” said Patrick Brayley, Senior Vice-President of the Distribution Group of TC Transcontinental. Indeed, the Publisac, in addition to giving consumers access to discounts, distributes local newspapers at an advantageous cost, helps merchants to attract customers and compete against the giants of e-commerce, and supports thousands of direct and indirect jobs. We intend to assert our rights and those of our customers if necessary.”