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Larger Cargo Bikes in NYC Transport More Goods

Posted on December 6, 2023 by dishanth

City is considering larger cargo bikes in NYC to transport more goods in more places.

New York City may soon permit larger cargo bikes in NYC to legally operate on its streets in a move that could substantially grow urban freight delivery by cycling. The NYC Department of Transportation proposed new rules that would legalize pedal-assisted electric cargo trikes up to 10 feet long and 10 feet high.

If adopted, the larger trike dimensions would enable more goods to be transported by bikes rather than vans and trucks. Advocates say embracing cargo bikes tailored for commercial uses can reduce traffic, pollution, noise, and curbside congestion caused by urban delivery vehicles.

Under current regulations, only smaller cargo bikes meeting dimensions for standard bicycles are street-legal in NYC. Larger cargo bikes in NYC are all but inevitable; cargo trikes exceeding those size limits have become popular for urban logistics in other US and European cities.

The proposed guidelines for larger cargo bikes in NYC would align with size allowances for cargo trikes in cities like Seattle, Detroit, and Philadelphia. The NYC DOT stressed cycling freight remains supplementary to traditional truck delivery but offers environmental benefits.

Larger cargo bikes in NYC can “provide increased hauling capacity compared to smaller bicycles…potentially reducing reliance on truck trips and promoting a more sustainable city,” the agency stated.

Expanding cargo bike delivery supports sustainability goals in New York City’s 25-year master plan released in 2021 aimed at equitable climate action. The plan’s transportation section calls for transitioning to cleaner freight options to reach carbon neutrality.

Advocates say allowing larger cargo bikes in NYC tailored for commercial uses would align with the master plan’s priorities. They argue substituting just one fossil fuel-powered delivery truck or van with an electric-assisted cargo trike prevents significant emissions over time. Each trike potentially displaces those larger, polluting vehicles that are worsening both congestion and air quality on NYC streets.

Wider cargo bike adoption can make a meaningful dent in transportation emissions, accounting for nearly 30% of New York City’s total carbon footprint. Cargo bikes also alleviate other pressures urban delivery vehicles create, such as noise, parking limitations, road safety concerns, and decreased public space. Unlocking the potential of micro-mobility freight options like cargo trikes is key to reaching the sustainability vision outlined in the 25-year plan.

The larger cargo bikes in NYC would utilize electric assist motors to haul substantial loads up to 500 pounds with minimal strain compared to pedaling those heavy full loads. Their three-wheeled stable design and sturdy hauling strengths make these cargo trikes ideal urban delivery vehicles for short distances or last-mile trips from distribution hubs. Cargo bikes’ small size, maneuverability, and zero direct emissions also let them nip through urban traffic easily for swift point-to-point goods movement.

Commercial cargo trike models can have front buckets or storage bins to securely transport goods, food orders, packages and more. Some designs allow custom boxes or refrigerated containers to be attached.

Logistics companies like Amazon, UPS, and FedEx already use cargo trikes in a few American cities to shortcut traffic in dense areas. Smaller NYC firms have recognized their benefits as well. For example, Gotham Greens, an urban produce grower, relies on a fleet of cargo bikes to distribute fresh salad greens to local restaurants and stores from their rooftop greenhouses. Beer distributor TriBeca deployed heavy-duty e-trikes last year capable of carrying 800 lbs of beer kegs to pubs and restaurants. They aim to replace several delivery vans to cut diesel emissions.

Experts say each switched delivery from vans to bikes eliminates, on average, about 7 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually. Less truck traffic and parking also create safer, quieter streets.

But despite their promise, cargo bikes presently make up a tiny fraction of urban goods movement. Questions remain over whether larger cargo bikes in NYC could substantially dent air pollution and congestion woes created by the over 65,000 daily truck trips.

The NYC DOT will collect public feedback on proposed cargo trike regulations this spring before finalizing new rules. Customized trike manufacturers and logistics firms will be watching closely.

Larger cargo bikes have carved growing niches abroad in Amsterdam and London. For cycling advocates, allowing them in New York City could be a critical step to build momentum for sustainable urban freight.

Source Happy Eco News

Sustainable procurement doesn’t have to be a headache – here’s how your business can benefit

Posted on November 6, 2023November 6, 2023 by dishanth

For business leaders, environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals are very much front of mind. More than 70 countries, including China, the US and the European Union, now have firm pledges to reach Net Zero, and the UK is committed to hitting this by 2050. Businesses of all sizes are increasingly aware that they have to be part of the solution, rather than add to the problem.

Procurement leaders are uniquely positioned to drive positive change and broader business impacts on ESG goals. While organisational sustainability efforts have historically been grounded in ensuring compliance with regulations, a comprehensive, proactive approach to sustainable procurement can reduce risk exposure (such as reputational, brand safety or regulatory), create savings, and improve brand value for the enterprise.

Procurement departments are certainly aware of the need to thoroughly assess the provenance of the products they purchase. But while this may be possible with core purchases – usually involving large amounts of money where there is a direct relationship with the supplier – it is simply not possible to vet every single product, particularly in categories such as IT purchases, catering items and health products, where the overall spend may be lower but individual purchase volumes are higher.

A trusted smart business buying solution, such as Amazon Business, can help operationalise and scale a responsible purchasing program. As well as other benefits, including access to business-only pricing, a familiar user interface, and Amazon’s reliable delivery network, buyers can select more sustainable products across business-relevant categories, specifying from over 40 certifications covering a wide range of credentials.

This allows businesses to set specific requirements, and even set preferences, ahead of employee product searches. These out-of-the-box buying policies can direct your team to products and sellers that can help satisfy your organisation’s purchasing goals, and would make products with certain sustainability certifications the preferred product in a buyer’s search results.

Clear labelling of products with sustainability certifications frees up time spent finding, validating and growing a base of suppliers that can help you meet your organisation’s responsible purchasing criteria, using an interface with which employees may already be familiar. In turn, business leaders can access pre-built reports (for example, orders, shipments, returns, refunds, reconciliation, related offers and the credentials report which contains product sustainability details), or build custom reports to identify purchasing patterns and track spend toward more sustainable products that meet ESG goals.

One example of a supplier that offer products with sustainability certifications is UK firm Portus Digital, which helps to repurpose or recycle redundant computer equipment. “Our aim is to be a frontrunner in the industry and set an example of how it is possible to combine technology and sustainability,” explains Tash Clementis, Director of Marketing. “People are more likely to choose a greener option when it’s easier and more accessible.”

Amazon Business also works with suppliers to help them become certified, ensuring they can benefit from organisations looking to make more sustainable and responsible purchases. “We launched on Amazon to help more businesses make sustainable IT decisions,” says Rob Judd, Director of Sales at Portus Digital. “We’re pleased by the response we’ve managed to generate so far – it’s exceeded our expectations.”

Research from McKinsey shows that organisations that embrace a comprehensive ESG strategy can enhance investment returns, increase top-line growth and keep and attract quality talent. Further, improvements on reporting can help businesses demonstrate their progress towards ESG goals more broadly, providing specific metrics to proactively measure against social responsibility and sustainability goals.

Amazon Business can also partner with organisations as they look to improve sustainability in other ways. Amazon Business Prime members can choose to consolidate their deliveries using Amazon Day, which gives them the choice of two days each week during which they can receive their orders. On, average, this reduces the number of packages. For larger orders, it’s also possible to receive bulk deliveries by the pallet, meaning organisations can stock up on items while minimising delivery journeys, where available.

Amazon Business, as part of Amazon, is committed to adopting sustainable practises, including reducing packaging and making use of electric delivery vehicles. It has also committed to power its operations with 100 percent renewable energy by 2025.

With sustainability and responsible business rising up the agenda for organisations, investors and consumers, it’s vital companies take steps – and can demonstrate those steps – to source responsibly. This is an issue that all businesses must embrace, and one they cannot afford to ignore.

Source Independent

The Power of Responsible Sourcing

Posted on October 5, 2023 by dishanth

Climate change, circular economies, ESG and sustainability have all become business priorities over the past few years, with global supply chains sitting right in the middle of these issues – both as a major contributor to the problem and as an area of focus for improvements. Businesses must, therefore, purchase materials and products from companies that can show that they have good sustainability practices, from both a labour and manufacturing point of view.

The benefits of responsible sourcing and sustainable packaging

Responsible sourcing has been shown to influence consumers buying decisions, with studies suggesting that up to 70% of consumers would pay more for sustainably-produced goods. Businesses must therefore meet the increasing demand from consumers for products that are both environmentally and socially responsible.

Yet businesses are still learning when it comes to improving their responsible sourcing process, with Richard Howells, Vice President of Solution Management for Digital Supply Chain at SAP, describing it as an “evolving landscape,” allowing businesses the opportunity to combine sustainability initiatives with efficiency efforts and customer demand.

“While the ‘Amazon Effect’ has led to heightened consumer expectations for quick delivery, there is a similar demand for eco-friendly products,” Howell says. “In fact, 90% of Gen X consumers say they’d be willing to pay more for sustainable items – compared to 34% just a couple of years ago.

“In today’s market, for businesses to prosper and expand they must discover novel approaches to meet rising demands for ESG standards, placing greater emphasis on responsible sourcing.”

Responsible sourcing within procurement

For businesses to build a responsible and resilient supply chain, leaders need to acknowledge that procurement is the first step. “The procurement team begins the sourcing process by evaluating potential goods and materials that would make up the products made and distributed in the supply chain,” says Etosha Thurman, Chief Marketing & Solutions Officer, of Intelligent Spend and Business Network at SAP.

“In their evaluation, they are considering the environmental, societal, and economic impact of sourcing the materials. For example, potential risks with energy efficiency, water and land usage, and hazardous materials.”

To ensure businesses adopt responsible sourcing, leadership needs to set out clear definitions which align with the ESG goals of the organisation. Procurement professionals must also be educated about the necessary steps to ensure the goods and services under consideration meet the criteria.

Technologies role in responsible sourcing

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, technology stands as a pivotal ally in driving sustainability across the source-to-pay (S2P) and procure-to-pay (P2P) processes. By seamlessly integrating innovative solutions, organisations can navigate strategic sourcing, procurement, and supplier relationships while adhering to responsible and ethical practices.

“Technology can help organisations follow sustainable practices at every stage of the S2P and P2P process,” Thurman says. “In strategic sourcing, the right solutions can help analyse current and future spending, find and source from suppliers, ensure compliance and reduce risk with sustainability in mind. SAP Ariba Sourcing is a good example of a solution that enables users to prioritise suppliers that align with ESG goals.”

During the P2P process, Thurman reminds organisations that it is important to use solutions that help guide business users to make risk-aware and sustainable purchases, ensuring contract compliance with sustainable procurement policies. “The guided buying capability in SAP Ariba Procurement solutions can help guide employees to purchase from sustainable suppliers,” she adds. “Technology can also be a valuable tool in nurturing relationships with sustainable suppliers. Taulia’s Sustainable Supplier Finance solution allows users to reward suppliers that share their ESG qualifications with early payment incentives.

What’s more, to build a sustainable and risk-resilient supply chain, businesses need to establish strong relationships with key suppliers, which must be diverse. The supply chain data then needs to be monitored and analysed in real time, and investment needs to be made in technologies that can enhance supply chain visibility and agility.

“Efficient, effective technology can help businesses acquire and manage the data and information they need to measure compliance, minimise risk and boost sustainability,” Howells says. “Businesses must examine their value chains comprehensively, from sourcing raw materials to understanding the end product’s lifecycle. By adopting technology-driven solutions like blockchain and IoT, companies can ensure that their sustainability efforts extend beyond the surface level to every aspect of their operations.”

What’s more, SAP works with its partners to provide efficient solutions to business operations, while recognising the importance of monitoring and measuring not only cost, speed, profitability and customer service, but increasingly, emissions, waste, inequality and other sustainability and risk KPIs across the supply chain. This can be accomplished by connecting every process, contextualising every decision and collaborating with partners without obstacles. However, there is no one-size-fits-all solution for supply chain complexities.

Howell explains: “Buyers on SAP Business Network can choose vendors based not only on price and availability but also on human rights records and third-party sustainability ratings. Suppliers share human rights questionnaires to their profiles on SAP Business Network, where buyers can access them. Buyers are automatically notified any time a supplier they are doing business with updates their questionnaire. This saves suppliers time and helps buyers easily prepare for due diligence processes.”

Final thoughts

Embracing responsible sourcing is paramount for businesses aiming to navigate the evolving landscape of sustainability, satisfy consumer demands and enhance their growth prospects. Through integrating technology, fostering diverse supplier relationships and monitoring supply chain data, organisations can achieve a holistic approach to ESG standards, ensuring lasting positive impacts on both their operations and the wider world.

In a rapidly changing business environment, responsible sourcing stands as a gateway to sustainable success. By aligning with ESG goals, leveraging technology-driven solutions, and nurturing supplier relationships, businesses can forge resilient supply chains that not only meet current demands but also pave the way for a more environmentally and socially conscious future.

Source Sustainability

Amazon Invests in Windfarm based Seaweed Aquaculture

Posted on March 22, 2023 by dishanth

The farm Amazon is investing in is the first-ever commercial-scale seaweed farm situated between existing offshore wind turbines. The experimental project, known as North Sea Farm 1, is being established off the Dutch coast and aims to advance seaweed farming practices and study its ability to sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

The project can expand seaweed cultivation in the otherwise heavily used North Sea by locating the farm in previously empty space between turbines. Seaweed farming could reduce millions of tonnes of CO2 each year if it were to occupy the entire space occupied by wind farms by 2040, estimated to be approximately 1 million hectares.

Seaweed has been identified as a potential method of reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels and is already farmed on a limited scale in Europe. Non-profit North Sea Farmers (NSF) is heading up a project monitored by researchers and industry specialists. This venture will provide an example of worldwide offshore seaweed farming.

The investment will provide the funds needed to build a 10-hectare seaweed farm that will produce at least 6,000kg of fresh seaweed in its first year. The Dutch government wants to build 21 gigawatts of offshore wind power by 2030 and has set aside hundreds of thousands of hectares (acres) of the Dutch North Sea for wind parks. There are also plans to operate floating solar panels between the turbines in other projects.

This particular round of funding will support North Sea Farmers by assisting them in evaluating their production and allowing researchers to examine the potential for seaweed farms to reduce atmospheric carbon. The organization aims to use these discoveries to expedite industry growth. Furthermore, North Sea Farm 1 and others like it will generate work opportunities by cultivating and fabricating seaweed-based items.

With a consortium of organizations involved in the entire seaweed production supply chain, North Sea Farmers (NSF) will lead the project. The non-profit has championed the seaweed sector in Europe since 2014. Researchers at Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Deltares and Silvestrum Climate Associates are among the participants, as are seaweed extract manufacturers Algaia and marine contractors Van Oord.

Replicas of North Sea Farm 1 across the North Sea, repurposing the space between wind farms, could create up to 85,000 full-time jobs in the European seaweed industry, according to Eef Brouwers, NSF Manager of Farming and Technology. In addition to the farming process, these jobs would be in producing and selling seaweed products.”

Amazon has invested in European communities through the Right Now Climate Fund, supporting nature and wildlife restoration programmes in France, Italy and Germany, and a rewilding and forestry project in the UK. Amazon is also providing funds for the conservation and restoration of forests in the Appalachian Mountains of the US, an Agroforestry Accelerator programme in the Brazilian Amazon rainforest, and is a key member of the LEAF Coalition, a global public-private organization aiming to raise $1 billion to protect tropical rainforests around the world.

Source Happy Eco News

Amazon Web Services pledges to reach water positivity by 2030

Posted on December 1, 2022December 1, 2022 by dishanth

The cloud provider has also announced its 2021 global water use efficiency (WUE) metric of 0.25 litres of water per kilowatt-hour.

As part of the new commitment, AWS will report annually on its WUE metric, as well as its new water reuse and recycling efforts. It will also report on new activities to reduce water consumption in its facilities and advancements in new and existing replenishment projects.

AWS chief executive Adam Selipsky said: “Water scarcity is a major issue around the world and with today’s water-positive announcement we are committing to do our part to help solve this rapidly growing challenge.

“In just a few years, half of the world’s population is projected to live in water-stressed areas, so to ensure all people have access to water, we all need to innovate new ways to help conserve and reuse this precious resource.

“While we are proud of the progress we have made, we know there is more we can do. We are committed to leading on water stewardship in our cloud operations and returning more water than we use in the communities where we operate. We know this is the right thing to do for the environment and our customers.”

The announcement today adds to Amazon’s commitment of $10m to Water.org to support the launch of the Water & Climate Fund, which will deliver climate-resilient water and sanitation solutions to 100 million people across Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

This donation will directly empower one million people with water access by 2025, providing three billion litres of water each year to people in water-scarce areas.

Water.org chief executive and co-founder Gary White said, “Our collaboration with Amazon and AWS already brings over 805 million litres of safe water to communities around the world every year, and we are excited to continue to work with Amazon to bring even more safe water to families in need.”

AWS has four key strategies to help it achieve its objective: improving water efficiency, using sustainable water sources, returning water for community reuse, and supporting water replenishment projects.

Water efficiency

AWS said it is “constantly” innovating across its infrastructure to reduce water consumption. It achieves its industry-leading water efficiency by using advanced cloud services, such as Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, to analyse real-time water use and identify and fix leaks.

The firm further improves operational efficiency by eliminating cooling water use in many of its facilities for most of the year, instead relying on outside air.

For example, in Ireland and Sweden, AWS uses no water to cool its data centres for 95% of the year.

It also invests in on-site water-treatment systems that allow it to reuse water multiple times, minimising water consumed for cooling.

Sustainable sources

AWS uses sustainable water sources, such as recycled water and rainwater harvesting, wherever possible.

Using recycled water – which is only suitable for a limited set of applications such as irrigation and industrial use – preserves valuable drinking water for communities.

In Northern Virginia, the provider worked with Loudoun Water to become the first data centre operator in the state approved to use recycled water in direct evaporative cooling systems.

AWS already uses recycled water for cooling in 20 data centres around the world and has plans to expand recycled water use in more facilities as it works toward becoming water positive.

Community water reuse

After maximising the use of water in its data centres, the spent liquid is still safe for many other uses, and AWS is exploring more ways to return it to communities.

In Oregon, for example, AWS provides up to 96% of the cooling water from its data centres to local farmers at no charge for use in irrigating crops like corn, soybeans and wheat.

Water replenishment

To meet its water-positive commitment, AWS is investing in water replenishment projects in the communities where it operates. Replenishment projects expand water access, availability, and quality by restoring watersheds and bringing clean water, sanitation, and hygiene services to water-stressed communities.

To date, AWS has completed replenishment projects in Brazil, India, Indonesia, and South Africa, providing 1.6 billion litres of freshwater each year to people in those communities.

For example, in regions like Maharashtra and Hyderabad, India, and West Java, Indonesia, AWS is partnering with global clean water non-profit Water.org to provide 250,000 people with access to safe water and sanitation.

Building on its existing portfolio of water replenishment programs, AWS this week announced several new projects, which, once completed, will provide more than 823 million litres of water to communities each year.

Source edie

Amazon launches e-cargo bike delivery hub in London

Posted on July 5, 2022 by dishanth

The e-commerce giant is aiming to deliver 50% of its shipments using net-zero carbon methods by 2030. As international shipping and aviation are more challenging to decarbonise than road transport, Amazon has been investing in electric road transport for short-term emissions reductions while backing longer term R&D on aviation and maritime. Earlier this year, Amazon launched its first five pure electric HGVs in the UK

Within cities like London, electric micromobility is particularly important, given the Capital’s 2030 net-zero target and its clean air targets. Businesses also see electric mobility as a way to minimise costs by avoiding Ultra-Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) costs. Around 2,000 e-cargo bikes were sold in the UK for commercial use by the Bicycle Association’s figures.

Amazon’s new e-cargo bikes will be kept at a dedicated micromobility hub in Shoreditch. edie inquired as to how many bikes will operate out of this hub but this information is not being made public. Amazon will be using learnings from this hub to launch other locations in other UK cities in the near future.

With the first e-cargo bike hub, plus its existing fleet of electric delivery vans and on-foot delivery workers, Amazon estimates that it will make more than five million zero-emission last-mile deliveries in central London each year from 2023.

Hackney Council’s cabinet member for the environment and transport, Cllr Mete Coban, said: “Tackling transport emissions is key if we’re to reach net-zero. We’re really pleased to have worked with Amazon to support them to take traditional vans off the streets and replace them with e-cargo bikes. This will help to reduce emissions and improve air quality for people in Hackney and beyond.”

Spotlight on solar

To coincide with the e-cargo bike announcement, Amazon has also confirmed plans to add utility-scale solar panel projects at its facilities in Manchester, Coalville, Haydock, Bristol and Milton Keynes by the end of the year. It has not disclosed the capacity of each project. Amazon is notably aiming to reach 100% renewable electricity for operations by 2025.

This move has been welcomed by Energy Minister Greg Hands who called it a “fantastic vote of confidence in British energy security”, which can be boosted by businesses “taking the lead in moving away from expensive fossil fuels”.

But the UK Government’s Energy Security Strategy notably includes new supporting measures for expanding North Sea fossil fuel production as well as for low-carbon sectors like nuclear and offshore wind. We will find out this month whether the Strategy will also serve as a means for the Government to lift a ban on fracking, which it has said it will do if there is new scientific evidence on preventing tremors.

Source Edie

M&S adds 20 biomethane trucks to fleet through DHL partnership

Posted on June 16, 2022June 15, 2022 by dishanth

DHL Supply Chain announced the launch of the 20 vehicles, which are Volvo’s FH Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) tractor unit models with Globetrotter cabs, on Monday morning (13 June). They will be used to transport M&S products across the retailer’s routes in Peterborough, Swindon and Castle Donington, replacing pure diesel models.

An 80% reduction in tailpipe emissions is expected to be delivered through the introduction of the trucks, which will be powered using bio-based LNG. DHL last year began sourcing bio-LNG from Shell, which produces the fuel from agricultural waste, to power trucks for Danish pump manufacturer Grundfos. edie has requested information on the source of the bio-LNG for M&S.

Should non-renewable LNG need to be used to power the trucks at any point, they will still generate 10-20% less tailpipe emissions than their diesel predecessor, DHL said in a statement.

DHL is notably aiming to operate more than 500 LNG-powered heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) in Europe by 2025, as it works towards net-zero by 2050. The company promised to set verified 2030 emissions reduction targets through the Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) last year to support this long-term vision, and pledged €7bn to deliver decarbonisation. It is yet to gain SBTi approval for these targets.

Other low-carbon transport commitments already unveiled by DHL include operating more than 80,000 electric and hybrid vehicles globally by 2030. The firm confirmed in March that it will add at least 270 new electric vans to its UK fleet by September, following the launch of 100 in 2021.

As for M&S, the retailer updated its flagship ‘Plan A’ sustainability strategy last September, with major commitments to net-zero operations by 2035 and a net-zero supply chain by 2040 among the new additions. Plan A’s webpage lists ‘zero-emissions transport’ as a priority through to 2025 – but M&S is yet to set new targets for sourcing a certain number of certain vehicles within set timeframes.

M&S’s head of transport Tim Greenwood said: “We are committed to reducing our environmental impact in line with our Plan A sustainability action plan. It’s important to us that our partners’ values and ambitions align with ours and that’s one of the reasons we have a long-standing relationship with DHL. Replacing diesel trucks for brand new bio-LNG vehicles is a good step forward in reducing our carbon emissions.”

Biogas backers

Other businesses investing in biogas trucks to reduce transport emissions include brewer Anheuser-Busch, Evri (formerly Hermes) Royal Mail and M&S competitor John Lewis Partnership, which owns Waitrose & Partners.

To date, it has been easier for many businesses to replace diesel HGVs with those powered by alternative fuels such as bio-LNG than with electric alternatives. The larger and heavier a vehicle is, the more challenging it is to electrify while retaining the same performance.

However, a new generation of electric HGVs is beginning to emerge. Sainsbury’s trialled fully electric refrigerated trailer lorries last year, integrated them into its fleet this year, and is now developing smart charging solutions for them.

Aldi UK is also trialling similar vehicles, assessing their performance in comparison to those powered with alternative fuels – as are Amazon and Carlsberg Group.

Source edie

These people lead sustainability within Big Tech. Here’s how much power they actually have

Posted on April 4, 2022 by dishanth

Chief sustainability officers are all the rage. Tech companies are hiring them left and right and holding them up as the human talismans of their commitment to fighting climate change, one (sometimes dubious) net zero goal at a time.

In some cases, CSOs have real power to bring companies in line with their climate ambitions. But in others, they are window dressing. To get at where CSOs are able to exact real change, we looked at eight major tech companies’ reporting structures and whether or not executive compensation is tied to meeting sustainability goals.

Giving a CSO a direct line to the CEO not only empowers them to actually make real changes to the way a business operates, it also sends a clear signal to the rest of the company that sustainability is a central part of the business plan and not an afterthought. According to a survey of CSOs by Deloitte and the Institute of International Finance, 32% report directly to the CEO, and 13% report to the head of marketing.

“If you’re reporting to the head of marketing and you’re trying to influence someone in risk, you’re pushing a boulder uphill. They’re going to perceive what you do as a marketing campaign, when really you’re aiming for strategic transformation,” one of the surveyed CSOs told Deloitte.

In Tim Mohin’s view, the role of the CSO is “changing rapidly.” In the past, corporate sustainability used to be much more of a marketing issue, and now it sits more in the financial risk and business strategy side of things, according to Mohin, the CSO at carbon management startup Persefoni who has literally written the book on corporate sustainability. For a company to have a true commitment to sustainability, its CSO needs to understand how the business operates from a corporate risk and finance perspective, so that they can have the authority and credibility to make real change. Mohin believes it’s better for a CSO to start off with a solid background in business or product area expertise, then build in the ESG knowledge rather than working the other way around.

Kentaro Kawamori, Persefoni’s CEO, agrees with his CSO’s assessment. Questions to ask of companies to really ascertain the strength of their commitments include whether or not they’re linking executive pay to decarbonization, if they’re hiring people with the right sustainability credentials or if, in Kawamori’s words, they’re “just putting a PR person into the job.”

Here are the chief sustainability officers at some of the biggest tech companies we’re watching here at Protocol.

Google

Who: Kate Brandt, chief sustainability officer

Background and responsibilities: Brandt leads sustainability across Google’s worldwide operations, products and supply chain. According to a Google blog post, that means she coordinates with data centers, real estate and product teams “to ensure the company capitalizes on opportunities to strategically advance sustainability.” Before starting at Google in 2015, she was appointed by former President Barack Obama as the Federal Environmental Executive and was the U.S.’s first Federal Chief Sustainability Officer, responsible for promoting sustainability across the federal government.

Reporting structure: Brandt reports to Ellen West, Google’s vice president of Engagement within the office of the CFO, who in turn reports to CFO Ruth Porat. Brandt also reports in a dotted line to Urs Hölzle, Google’s senior vice president for Technical Infrastructure.

Compensation: Google announced in a public disclosure that it is introducing a bonus program for members of its senior executive team that will be determined in part by performance supporting the company’s ESG goals beginning this year.

Microsoft

Who: Lucas Joppa, chief environmental officer

Background and responsibilities: Joppa leads the development and execution of Microsoft’s sustainability strategy across its worldwide business. He has a Ph.D. in ecology and is a highly cited researcher. (He has an h-index of 45 for those of you academic nerds keeping count.) Before this position, he was Microsoft’s first chief environmental scientist, founding the AI for Earth program.

Reporting structure: Joppa reports to Brad Smith, president and vice chair of Microsoft.

Compensation: Microsoft announced in 2021 that progress on sustainability goals is part of executive compensation. This is adding onto the practice the company’s had since 2016 to tie a portion of executive pay to ESG measures, starting with diversity representation gains. This applies to members of the senior leadership team, including CEO Satya Nadella.

Amazon

Who: Kara Hurst, vice president and head of Worldwide Sustainability

Background and responsibilities: Hurst is responsible for executing the work of the Climate Pledge, sustainable operations and responsible supply chain management, among other things. Prior to Amazon, she was the CEO of the Sustainability Consortium, a nonprofit focused on making the consumer goods industry more sustainable. Before that, she was a vice president at BSR, a sustainable consulting firm.

Reporting structure: Hurst reports to Alicia Boler Davis, Amazon’s senior vice president of global customer fulfillment.

Compensation: Amazon does not explicitly link senior executive compensation to sustainability goals. In a 2021 proxy statement, the company explained that it does not tie cash or equity compensation to performance goals, stating, “A performance goal assumes some level of success by a prescribed measure. But to have a culture that relentlessly pursues invention and is focused on building shareholder value, not just for the current year, but five, ten, or even twenty years from now, we must encourage experimentation and long-term thinking, which, by definition, means we do not know in advance what will work. We do not want employees to focus solely on short-term returns at the expense of long-term growth and innovation.” That doesn’t mean that shareholders haven’t tried to make the company tie compensation to climate targets. They just haven’t been successful.

Netflix

Who: Emma Stewart, sustainability officer

Background and responsibilities: Stewart, who holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Science and Management, is Netflix’s first sustainability officer and is responsible for the company’s climate and environmental strategy and execution. She oversees decarbonization efforts across Netflix’s corporate and film and TV production operations, the latter which account for the majority of the company’s direct emissions. Content and its data centers account for 55% of the company’s carbon footprint, while corporate emissions stand at 45%, according to its 2020 ESG report. (Other parts of Netflix’s Scope 3 emissions tied to energy used by its viewers dwarf these other sources.) Prior to Netflix, Stewart led World Resources Institute’s work on urban efficiency, climate and finance.

Reporting structure: Stewart reports to Netflix’s CFO Spencer Neumann.

Compensation: Stewart’s compensation is not tied to sustainability goals, according to a spokesperson, and executive pay at Netflix in general is designed to attract and retain “outstanding performers,” according to a company proxy statement.

Apple

Who: Lisa Jackson, vice president of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives

Background and responsibilities: Jackson oversees the company’s efforts to minimize its impact on the environment “through renewable energy and energy efficiency, using greener materials, and inventing new ways to conserve precious resources,” according to Apple. She also leads its $100 million Racial Equity and Justice initiative and is responsible for Apple’s education policy programs, product accessibility work and worldwide government affairs. Prior to Apple, she was the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Reporting structure: Jackson reports to Apple CEO Tim Cook.

Compensation: Apple’s 2021 proxy statement confirmed that annual bonus payments for execs will increase or decrease by up to 10% depending on whether they meet so-called “Apple Values.” One of those values is a commitment to environmental protection.

Salesforce

Who: Suzanne DiBianca, chief impact officer and executive vice president of Corporate Relations

Background and responsibilities: DiBianca leads Salesforce’s “stakeholder capitalism strategy,” which includes the company’s sustainability efforts, ESG strategy and reporting. She’s been at Salesforce for more than 20 years and was previously the co-founder and president of the Salesforce Foundation and Salesforce.org, which provides free or discounted licenses to Salesforce software for nonprofits, educational institutions and philanthropies.

Reporting structure: DiBianca reports to Salesforce co-CEO Marc Benioff.

Compensation: Salesforce recently announced that a portion of executive variable pay for executive vice presidents and above will be determined by four ESG measures, which for this fiscal year will focus on equality and sustainability. The sustainability measures are tied to reducing air travel emissions, as well as increasing spend with suppliers that have signed the company’s Sustainability Exhibit, a procurement contract that aims to reduce its suppliers’ carbon emissions and align them with the 1.5-degree-Celsius target.

Intel

Who: Todd Brady, vice president of Global Public Affairs and chief sustainability officer

Background and responsibilities: The company created the CSO role within the past year. Brady sits within the manufacturing and supply chain organization of Intel. He’s an Intel lifer and has held a variety of leadership roles at the company, including environmental health and safety and product ecology and stewardship, as well as public affairs.

Reporting structure: Brady reports to Keyvan Esfarjani, the Executive Vice President and Chief Global Operations Officer at Intel.

Compensation: Since 2008, Intel has linked a portion of executive and employee compensation to corporate responsibility factors such as sustainability. In 2020, those operational goals included climate change and water stewardship. The company said it got 82% of its energy from “green” sources and reduced emissions 39% per unit that year. (That last metric is different from reducing overall emissions, though.) In 2021, the company set out new metrics, according to a spokesperson.

Source Protocol

Unilever, Google and Amazon among new Business Alliance to Scale Climate Solutions

Posted on June 7, 2021June 7, 2021 by dishanth

Humanity is falling short of its climate goals. More investment is urgently needed—especially in the next decade—to transition to a low-carbon economy. The IPCC estimates that achieving a low-carbon transition will require US$1.6-$3.8 trillion annually between 2016 and 2050 for the supply-side energy system alone. Alongside ambitious emissions reductions from their own carbon footprints, funding from businesses—including carbon credit purchases, philanthropy, and impact capital—can be catalytic in scaling investment in the climate solutions necessary to achieve a just and sustainable 1.5°C future. The impact in play is enormous. For example, natural climate solutions have the potential for capital flows greater than $100 billion annually, with opportunity across the world and especially in the Global South.

Led by founding businesses Amazon, Disney, Google, Microsoft Corp., Netflix, Salesforce, Unilever, and Workday, and partners Environmental Defense Fund, United Nations Environment Programme, and World Wildlife Fund (WWF-US), with global sustainable business organization BSR serving as Secretariat, BASCS aims to gather and disseminate information and opportunities for and from peers, practitioners, and experts, including sharing best practices, funding opportunities, and research and insights to scale and improve climate solutions.

Significant momentum exists: Many organizations and initiatives are already working with funding from businesses to deploy climate solutions. The BASCS offers an opportunity to help connect and support these initiatives and the surrounding community of practice by providing a central, neutral platform for businesses and experts to meet, learn, discuss, and act together.

The work will be grounded in core principles:

Emissions Reduction: BASCS members prioritize work to reduce their own emissions in line with a science-based target (e.g., through the SBTi) and pursue high impact climate investments that go even further to curb climate change. Members will seek scalable solutions to help make hard-to-achieve reductions feasible in the future. Climate solutions funding is a complement rather than a substitute for science-based emissions reductions.

Ambition to Action: BASCS members work to catalyze and deepen investments in global emissions reductions, avoided emissions and removals across and beyond value chains (e.g., mobilizing others in the corporate sector to invest alongside us).

Measurable Impacts: BASCS members support applying sound and verified methodologies to ensure high social and environmental integrity of investments. Carbon credits claimed by companies must represent additional, real, quantifiable, and verifiable emissions reductions or removals, and must not be double counted.

Co-Benefits: BASCS members support investments that deliver environmental and social integrity and co-benefits and have strong safeguards, in addition to driving real greenhouse gas emissions reductions. Members will seek investments that quantify these co-benefits when possible.

BASCS seeks to serve and engage all organizations working to scale and improve climate solutions opportunities for business investment. To learn more and engage with the Business Alliance to Scale Climate Solutions, please visit scalingclimatesolutions.org

Founder Commentary

Amazon “As part of our commitment to The Climate Pledge, Amazon is on our way to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, which is good for the planet, people and our business. We remain focused on driving decarbonization strategies throughout our business, as well as investing in additional and quantifiable natural climate solutions to remove carbon and tackle climate change. We look forward to continuing to work across sectors with BASCS to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy.” – Kara Hurst, Vice President, Worldwide Sustainability

BSR “In this Decisive Decade, we need urgent climate action to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement and achieve an inclusive net zero economy. BSR is proud to serve as the secretariat for the Business Alliance to Scale Climate Solutions, advising the initiative in its effort to unlock finance for much needed climate solutions. We believe collaborations such as BASCS are key to transforming climate ambition into meaningful action and scaling impact.” – Aron Cramer, President and CEO

Disney “The Walt Disney Company is committed to protecting the planet and delivering a positive environmental legacy for future generations as we operate and grow our business. Transitioning to a low carbon economy demands fundamental changes in the way society, including the private sector, operates and innovates. Collaborating with other members of BASCS will create opportunity to scale high quality climate solutions necessary to drive a more sustainable future.” – Vijay Sudan, Executive Director, Enterprise Social Responsibility, The Walt Disney Company

EDF “The time is now for companies to take bold action on climate change. We have 10 years to dramatically reduce emissions and there is no way we can achieve a stable climate without stopping deforestation. The Business Alliance to Scale Climate Solutions can help close the climate funding gap and speed resources to protect what is most valuable. It is the kind of visionary leadership and action we need from the world’s biggest and most influential companies.” – Elizabeth Sturcken, Managing Director, EDF+Business

Google “At Google, we were the first major company to become carbon neutral in 2007 and we’ve met this commitment for over a decade. We look forward to working with the BASCS to share our learnings and accelerate our collective work to decarbonize.” – Kate Brandt, Google Sustainability Officer

Microsoft “The climate crisis is the defining challenge of our lifetimes. If we are to achieve a 1.5-degree Celsius future, we will all need to work together. Today, we are joining the Business Alliance to Scale Climate Solutions, working with other members to accelerate the maturation and scale of a range of climate solutions.” – Elizabeth Willmott, Carbon Program Manager, Microsoft.

Netflix “Netflix has committed to achieve Net Zero emissions by 2022. We will get there by reducing our internal emissions in line with climate science and by investing in the power of nature to retain and reduce emissions from the atmosphere, starting with natural ecosystems like forests above-and-below water. Scaling up the highest quality projects to “retain” and “reduce” emissions is best done collaboratively, which is why we look forward to this timely collective effort taking flight.” – Emma Stewart, Netflix Sustainability Officer

Salesforce “The time for climate action is now. Every business, government and individual must step up to the urgent challenge of climate change and to create an inclusive and sustainable future for all. At Salesforce we believe that business can be one of the greatest platforms for change. That is why we are proud to be a founding member of BASCS, an initiative to rapidly scale and improve climate solutions funding from businesses.” – Patrick Flynn, Head of Sustainability at Salesforce

UNEP “Drastically reducing deforestation and simultaneously restoring forests is the single largest nature-based opportunity for climate mitigation. UNEP is therefore proud to be a co-founder of the Business Alliance to Scale Climate Solutions, supporting the private sector’s climate ambitions for deep cuts in their own emissions – working towards high-integrity outcomes for carbon neutrality by 2050 or sooner.” – Susan Gardner, Director of the Ecosystems Division

Workday “We are committed to a 1.5 degrees Celsius science-based target, but we know there is still much more work to be done, and one of the most powerful ways we can accelerate climate action is by coming together with other organizations. This alliance is an opportunity to collaborate with others who share our vision to increase the scale and impact of climate solutions funding, so we can achieve a zero-carbon future.” – Erik Hansen, Senior Director, Environmental Sustainability, Workday

WWF “To tackle the climate crisis, we need to act immediately to drive climate emissions down. BASCS highlights that business must set science-based targets for their own emissions while bringing the investment in solutions to scale. WWF is excited to help found this clearing house for collaborative learning and support companies to make impactful investments to tackle the climate crisis.” – Marcene Mitchell, Senior Vice President for Climate Change

SOURCE The Business Alliance for Scaling Climate Solutions (BASCS)

Source PR Newswire

Amazon signs big allies in pledge to be carbon neutral

Posted on June 28, 2020June 28, 2020 by dishanth

SEATTLE—Amazon has attracted new allies for The Climate Pledge that founder and CEO Jeff Bezos announced last September.

Indian information technology consulting giant Infosys, U.S. wireless market share leader Verizon and U.K. consumer goods manufacturer Reckitt Benckiser Group (RB) signed the pledge, which calls on companies to eliminate or offset all greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.

The three large companies, based on three continents and in three very different industries, illustrate the range of challenges and corporate approaches to the climate emergency, which continues amid widespread protests against systemic racism and a global pandemic — both adding urgency and complexity to the climate response.

Through these unprecedented challenges, Amazon has “stayed the course” on the pledge, according to Kara Hurst, Amazon vice-president and head of worldwide sustainability. Each Amazon business unit is developing internal goals to decarbonize, she said via email. Business leaders are given emissions information “so they can incorporate that into their decision-making.”

The addition of new signatories to The Climate Pledge “will drive a new wave of investments and development of innovative low carbon products and services that will be required to meet their commitments,” Hurst said in a corporate blog post.

But even as more companies join — Amazon says several more announcements are in the offing — activists question the adequacy of The Climate Pledge target, touted by Bezos as a decade earlier than the Paris Agreement’s emission reductions that scientists say preserve a chance of limiting global warming to 2 C (3.6 F) above pre-industrial levels.

“Amazon’s Climate Pledge raises more questions than it answers about how major companies will successfully decarbonize their operations. Science has shown the next ten years matter the most to slow the climate emergency — 2040 may be too late,” Elizabeth Jardim, senior corporate campaigner with Greenpeace USA, said in a statement after Amazon announced the new signatories to The Climate Pledge.

Amazon Employees for Climate Justice, whose pressure campaign in late 2018 and 2019 preceded Bezos’ Climate Pledge announcement, want the company to reach zero emissions by 2030.

Each of the three companies comes to The Climate Pledge with some goals already in place — including some surpassing the pledge targets — and challenges and opportunities specific to their businesses.

Infosys, for example, began reporting its greenhouse gas emissions, largely from diesel generators at corporate campuses, electricity use and business travel, in 2008 — a step Amazon took for the first time last year, disclosing 2018 emissions of 44.4 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e)

Infosys pledged in 2011 to be carbon neutral in 2018, and set an internal price on carbon emissions in 2017. It pushed the carbon neutral goal back to 2020 and has again delayed it, until 2021, citing in its latest corporate sustainability report “the unprecedented COVID-19 scenario and the resulting uncertainties.”

Infosys reported fiscal year 2020 direct and indirect emissions (such as fuel combustion for operations and emissions from purchased electricity) of 139,407 tons of CO2e. The company reported an additional 151,502 tons of CO2e from emissions generated by activities up and down the supply chain but outside of a company’s direct control.

In addition to focusing on its own operations, Infosys has invested heavily in emissions offsets — payments to third parties for practices expected to avoid emissions or remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, such as switching to more efficient cook stoves or planting trees. The company reports a portfolio of offset credits sufficient to cancel out 461,626 tons of CO2e, from projects to bring biogas systems and stoves that don’t use firewood to people in rural villages.

Verizon has, in the last 18 months, accelerated efforts to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, said James Gowen, the company’s chief sustainability officer and vice-president of supply chain operations.

“Earlier this year, our CEO reiterated our commitment to the Paris Agreement,” Gowen said in an email. “So when Jeff and his team reached out about The Climate Pledge, we saw this as the perfect way to continue to expand the breadth and boldness of our program.”

In 2018, Verizon’s direct and indirect emissions were just over 4.4 million tons of CO2e. It also accounted for 98,188 tons of CO2e from business travel.

Some 91 per cent of the company’s direct and indirect emissions came from electricity used to power its networks, providing a relatively straightforward pathway to decarbonization through improving cooling systems and testing higher operating temperatures in network facilities, and purchases of wind and solar energy. The company last year pledged to be carbon neutral by 2035.

Verizon in February announced plans to purchase more renewable energy, drawing on a $1 billion (U.S.) bond issue devoted to emissions reductions, but it ranks last among the four largest U.S. wireless providers in clean energy usage, according to a report released Tuesday by Green America, a non-profit pursuing social justice and environmental health through consumer-driven economic changes, and based on corporate disclosures of 2018 energy use.

T-Mobile ranked first with a commitment to reach 100 per cent renewable energy next year.

RB, which makes a range of consumer products under brand names including Lysol, Clearasil and Woolite, announced it was accelerating its climate mitigation plans earlier this month.

The company reports emissions in 2019 totalled 36.4 million tons of CO2e. More than three-quarters of its reported emissions are related to consumer use. In addition to moving to 100 per cent renewable energy by 2030 and investing in efficiency improvements at its factories, the company is trying to drive changes in consumer behaviour.

Critics of corporate climate pronouncements call out their reliance on emissions offsets to reach the goal.

There is broad agreement that it’s important to incentivize these practices, including the natural climate solutions such as reforestation and wetlands preservation that one widely cited study estimates could account for more than a third of emissions reductions needed by 2030. But their use to balance out ongoing corporate emissions from things with no immediate zero-carbon alternative, such as air transportation and steel production, continues to draw skepticism.

Amazon declined to say how much of its 2040 greenhouse-gas footprint it anticipates “neutralizing” through the use of offset credits, nor would it specify requirements, if any, embedded in The Climate Pledge.

Each company that signs the pledge “will have its own needs and will map out its own journey to become net zero, and offsets should only be the last piece of the puzzle for any remaining emissions,” Hurst said, adding that offsets must be “additional, quantifiable, real, permanent, and socially beneficial.”

“For Amazon’s Climate Pledge to be a credible effort we need far more transparency than simply reporting emissions data,” Greenpeace’s Jardim said. “We need concrete plans for how companies will transition off fossil fuels in the next decade, as well as commitments to prioritize deep decarbonization pathways over carbon offsetting.”

By Benjamin Roma – The Seattle Times