US retailers stocking APP paper, companies contributing to climate database and environmental worse offender awards

WWF links US paper with APP

WWF estimates that APP and its affiliates have cleared about 2m hectares of tropical forest on the island of Sumatra since 1984, equal to the size of 4m American football fields.

WWF identified two brands in the US – Paseo and a sister brand called Livi – that use APP paper. WWF subsequently identified and contacted 20 of the largest American grocery chains carrying Paseo products in 2011 to educate them about APP and urge them to stop carrying these brands until APP changes its practices.

Thus far, nine retailers including BI-LO, Brookshire Grocery Company, Delhaize Group, Harris Teeter, the Independent Grocers Alliance, Kmart, Kroger, Supervalu and Weis Markets have stopped carrying paper products that use APP fibre. Twelve other grocers did not respond to WWF or continued selling Paseo products.

In the Public Eye

In its eighth year, the Public Eye Awards, organised by Swiss non-profit group the Berne Declaration and Greenpeace Switzerland, bestowed this year’s award for the worst environmental and human rights offender to Vale, the world’s second largest mining company.

Out of 40 cases nominated by participating NGOs, six were shortlisted by Public Eye’s expert panel, comprising five representatives from the organisers’ respective boards and management, plus Greenpeace International’s executive director, Kumi Naidoo.

This year’s bad guy shortlist included UK banking and financial services company Barclays, American mining corporation Freeport McMoRan, South Korea’s largest conglomerate, Samsung, Japanese energy company Tepco, Swiss agrochemicals corporation Syngenta, and Brazilian mining firm Vale.

With more than 25,000 online votes, the people’s choice award for the worst company went to Vale. This is a company that, Public Eye says, “has a 60-year history tarnished by repeated human rights abuses, inhumane working conditions and the ruthless exploitation of nature”, including the construction of the Belo Monte Dam in the Amazon, which could result in the relocation of 40,000 people and cause damage in a globally important environment. 

The panel conferred this year’s global award to UK banking giant Barclays, which Public Eye calls the world’s fastest-growing food speculator that “drives up food prices at the expense of the poorest”.

The mock awards have certainly ruffled corporate feathers. In a written response Vale says: “Those who have chosen to misrepresent Vale’s record cite our participation on the Belo Monte Project, where we hold a 9% share. Clearly, we are a minority shareholder.”

But according to the Berne Declaration’s François Meienberg, the size of Vale’s interest in the project is irrelevant. “The company is involved in 151 criminal and labour investigations in over 38 countries around the world. Even a 9% share in the Belo Monte dam should cause great public concern.  Corporate responsibility does not stop with a share under 50% – it starts with any involvement.”

The Public Eye Awards ceremony was intentionally orchestrated around the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos. According to Michael Baumgartner, Public Eye project manager at Greenpeace, the awards are intended to draw public attention to corporate bad behaviour and “counter the endless greenwashing done by the companies at Davos”.

Corporations contribute to UN climate database

A host of big name companies such as Ericsson, Nestlé, Intel, Microsoft, Mars, Starbucks and Levi Strauss have contributed to the UN’s Adaptation Private Sector Initiative database. This features more than 80 best practice case studies illustrating how companies have altered their operations to tackle climate change issues such as food security, water resources, energy use and human health.  

The cases outline how each policy has helped reduce waste, cut costs and, in some instances, turn a profit.  They also show how these new, more sustainable practices have helped the vulnerable regions in which many of these multinational corporations operate.

Water management was a particularly hot topic. For example, Levi Strauss featured its WaterLess process, which has cut water use by 156m litres globally since its launch in January 2011, and has generated water and energy savings for both the company and its laundry suppliers.

“It isn’t just about mitigation any more,” says Anna Walker, Levi’s senior manager for government affairs. “Efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and maximise energy efficiency are essential for business. But companies, large and small, and from a broad range of industries, are also changing business processes to benefit the environment and adapt to a changing climate.”