Green sponsors, BAT bribes, US glass recycling and more RE100 pledges
Greenwashing by corporate sponsors at COP21
Research by the Bureau for the Appraisal of Societal Impacts for Citizen Information (Basic) and the Multinationals Observatory has revealed greenwashing by corporate sponsors of the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP21).
The survey assessed the greenhouse gas reduction policies implemented by 10 major French sponsors at COP21. Results indicate that the majority of the companies do not publish data on CO2 emissions, half do not consider their lifecycle carbon footprint, and only one, Électricité de France, is reducing emissions in line with EU targets of 20% by 2020, 40% by 2030, and 80% by 2050.
Of the 10 corporations analysed, none met all three criteria of assessment data trans-parency, accounting of emissions across the value chain, and emissions reductions meeting EU objectives. Five firms Accor, Kering, L’Oréal, Michelin and Renault were unable to demonstrate emissions cuts of the scale needed to avoid dangerous global warming.
BAT sabotaging anti-smoking laws
British American Tobacco (BAT) is being accused of bribery in several African countries, in a bid to undermine anti-smoking laws.
Among the allegations made by former employees and lobbyists in the tobacco industry are claims that BAT bribed government officials and spied on anti-smoking activists in efforts to push the company’s own agenda.
BAT said the allegations were from “former employees with a clear vendetta against us, and who present a completely false picture of the way BAT does business”, adding that the company did not tolerate corruption in its business and that any proven transgression resulted in disciplinary action with potential of dismissal.
Anti-smoking campaigners are demanding the UK’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) launch a criminal investigation into BAT, while under the UK Bribery Act, British companies can be prosecuted for bribery overseas.
Heineken first mover on kerbside recycling
Heineken USA has become the first alcoholic drinks company to join the Recycling Partnership, an American non-profit group committed to improving kerbside residential recycling.
As a major user of glass, Heineken hopes to improve glass recycling rates across the country. “We want to ensure that our products are consumed responsibly throughout their entire life cycle. That includes the consistent and efficient recycling of our bottles and cans,” says Tara Rush, chief corporate relations officer at Heineken USA.
The Recycling Partnership’s impact in its first six grantee communities translates to 10-year savings of 485,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions, equating to the annual energy use of more than 44,000 homes, Heineken says.
Through the collaboration, the brewer will provide industry expertise to help boost con-sumer awareness of kerbside recycling, and will improve and increase the recovery of re-cyclable glass in communities nationwide.
BMW, Coca-Cola and Pearson in renewable power pledge
BMW, Coca-Cola, Pearson and Swiss Post are among the latest brands to join the RE100 Initiative, a campaign encouraging businesses to source 100% of their electricity from re-newable sources.
The latest pledgers join the likes of Nike, Microsoft, Google, and Marks & Spencer, taking number of companies signed up to 53.
The time frames for achieving the target vary from company to company. However, analy-sis by the Climate Group and environmental data provider CDP estimates that when today’s group of 53 companies are 100% powered by renewables, they will create demand for 90.1TWh of renewable electricity per year. That equates 0.4% of global electricity or 1% of electricity used by industry more than enough to power Hong Kong and Singa-pore combined.
The switch would also save around 56m tonnes of CO2 each year roughly the same as Morocco’s emissions.