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Safeway (NYSE: SWY), the third largest supermarket chain in the U.S., has seen Whole Foods Market (WFMI) move into many of its key markets. Since the two chains attract a similar demographic, Safeway decided to compete head to head by introducing organic foods that are competitively priced with conventional foods. Safeway has introduced “O Organics”, its own private label line of 150 organic products that run the gamut – beverages, bakery goods, cereals, canned and frozen foods, dairy products and snack items. Prices are comparable or, in some cases, less expensive than even conventional products. This month, O Organics was introduced throughout Safeway’s chain of 1,775 stores in the United States and Canada. In an interview with Reuters, James White, Safeway’s senior vice president of corporate brands, said O Organics is the broadest range of organic products offered by a major retailer other than Whole Foods Market. Some products are sourced from outside suppliers, while others are manufactured by Safeway. The goal is to make it possible for shoppers to “avoid additional shopping trips” by buying conventional and organic products in one place. Organics are now big business – annual sales in the US stand at $20 billion as of […]
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Compass Group USA, the largest contract food service company in the US, announced a major policy change – it will shift purchases away from threatened fish species and toward sustainably sourced supplies. The new policy will impact about one million pounds of fish a year. The company has $7.5 billion in revenues and more than 152,000 employees throughout the US, Canada and Latin America. Under the policy, scheduled to begin implementation on March 1, 2006, Compass Group will replace Atlantic cod, a species which leading conservationists recommend people avoid, with the more environmentally-safe Pacific cod, Pollock and other alternatives. The company also plans to decrease its use of shrimp and salmon that are farmed in unsustainably. It will eliminate all other ‘Avoid’ species from the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch list, and increase its use of ‘Best Choices.’ The policy is expected to be fully implemented within three years. “Compass Group is proud to embrace a sustainable seafood policy that will support the health of our oceans. When we learned about the significant impact that our purchasing shift could make, it was clear that this was the right thing to do,” said Gary Green, CEO of Compass Group – The […]
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The green building trend is beginning to catch on with hospitals - here are the Top 10.
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Companies can do far more for sustainability, while enhancing their reputation in lasting ways, if they drop some stereotypes and take on new roles.
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News and Events Alexander Karsner Sworn in as Assistant Secretary for EERE Trade Group Says U.S. Geothermal Power Production Growing Fast Texas Rivals California for Wind Power in Latest AWEA Rankings ADM and Metabolix to Build Biobased Plastics Plant in Iowa States Offer Cash Prizes for Clean Energy Business Proposals Energy ConnectionsCompany Proposes to Build a Coal-to-Liquids Plant in Wyoming News and EventsAlexander Karsner Sworn in as Assistant Secretary for EEREEnergy Secretary Samuel Bodman swore in Alexander “Andy” Karsner as Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) on March 23rd. Assistant Secretary Karsner was confirmed by unanimous consent of the U.S. Senate on March 16th. He previously served as managing director of Enercorp LLC, which was known for international project development, management, and financing of renewable energy infrastructure. Karsner’s global energy experience has encompassed a wide range of technologies, including biomass, wind energy, and distributed generation based upon renewable technologies. His international experience includes living and working in Pakistan and Hong Kong and working throughout Asia. See the DOE press release and Karsner’s testimony before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.Trade Group Says U.S. Geothermal Power Production Growing FastNew geothermal power projects in seven western states […]
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News and Events DOE and EPA Honor Energy Star Partners Low Premiums Increase Sales for Utility Green Power Leaders New Wisconsin Energy Act Boosts Efficiency and Renewable Power World’s Largest Biodiesel Plant Slated for Indiana Hydrogen Fueling Stations Moving Ahead in California New Lexus Hybrid Sedan Emphasizes Performance Over Efficiency Energy ConnectionsDOE Report Raises Concerns About China’s Energy Needs News and EventsDOE and EPA Honor Energy Star PartnersEnergy Secretary Samuel Bodman and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Stephen Johnson honored 67 businesses, groups, and government entities last night for their accomplishments and leadership in the Energy Star program. The 67 organizations have achieved major energy savings or are helping consumers to save energy, and the top awardees include the Whirlpool Corporation, General Electric Company, Osram Sylvania, Gorell Windows and Doors, Precision Entry Inc., The Home Depot, the Maytag Corporation, Lowe’s Corporation, the Sierra Pacific Power Company, and Sears, Roebuck and Company. See the DOE and EPA press releases and the full list of awardees.The Energy Star program was formed in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce air pollution through increased energy efficiency. In partnership with DOE, EPA works to offer businesses and consumers new ways to save energy […]
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The latest global data on organic farming shows that more than 31 million hectares of farmland are under organic management worldwide, a gain of around five million hectares in a single year. A major increase of organic land has taken place in China, where nearly three million hectares of pastoral land were recently certified. In terms of organic land, excluding wild collection, Australia leads with 12.1 million hectares, followed by China (3.5 million hectares) and Argentina (2.8 million hectares). Most of the world’s organic land is in Australia / Oceania (39%), followed by Europe (21%), Latin America (20%), Asia (13%), North America (4%) and Africa (3%). Regarding the share of organic farmland in comparison with the total agricultural area, Austria, Switzerland and Scandinavian countries lead the way. In Switzerland, for example, more than 10% of the agricultural land is managed organically. The editors of the study note that “the continued increase in the organic land area over the last years is not just due to the ever greater interest in organic farming, but also a result of improved access to information and data collection each time the study is updated.” In 2004, the market value of organic products worldwide reached […]
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Institutional investors are the latest wave of mainstream investors to jump on the social investing bandwagon. After years of hesitancy about including environmental and social performance (SRI) in company evaluations for fiduciary reasons, a new survey shows that 75% of US institutional investors believe SRI factors can affect investment performance. The survey, conducted by Mercer Investment Consulting represents the views of 183 US institutional investors responsible for over US$500 billion in assets under management. Individual funds represented in the survey ranged from less than US$250 million to more than US$5 billion in assets. According to the survey, 22% of respondent currently use social/ environmental investing criteria. Over the next two years, that number is expected to rise to 28%. 80% of investors that pursue an SRI approach do it because they want to align investments with their underlying mission, while 61% believe pursuing this approach reduces risk or improves returns. Corporate governance was most commonly cited as the most important SRI issue for investors – climate change ranked last. About a quarter of respondents plan to step up their proxy voting and shareholder engagement activity over the coming two years. “Corporate governance, the environment, human rights, and other global issues […]
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It's no utopian vision. We can have a peaceful, healthy, prosperous world through renewable energy.
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The world's largest company produces .2% of all U.S. emissions! As a start to facing its mammoth environmental footprint, it's focusing on products, energy efficiency and waste.
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