Retailers are missing out on gaining full control of their supply chain, according to new research released on Feb. 13 from Gravity Supply Chain Solutions. Eighty-five of U.S. retailers haven’t completed the digitization processes (using a cloud-based platform with real time visibility, and automation capabilities). “Clearly, the supply chain is the final frontier of retail digitization, and while retailers are anxious about the cost, not moving from manual spreadsheet-based supply chain management towards digitized processes could cost them a whole lot more.” says Graham Parker, CEO of Gravity Supply Chain Solutions.

Sustainalytics has placed Rabobank at the top of the sustainability rankings for major banks. This means the bank received the highest score for how it applies Environmental Social Governance (ESG) data in its services and approach to risk. Sustainalytics has concluded that the risk of Rabobank incurring financial damage due to environmental and social policy is negligible.

Athens is planning a pilot procurement scheme that aims to ensure all goods and services bought by the local government are free of forced labour. Mayor of Athens Georgios Kaminis said a plan would be developed including concrete steps such as grievance mechanisms, capacity building, mapping of suppliers, and risk assessment and management to eliminate human trafficking from government supply chains. A pilot project will then take place from January 2020 to December 2021. The plan, which will involve consulting procurement experts, suppliers and law enforcement, was announced during a conference in the city focused on the prevention of human trafficking in supply chains.

As reported by German newspaper TAZ (“Die Tageszeitung”) on 10 February 2019, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) has drafted an as of yet unpublished law on mandatory human rights due diligence for German companies and their supply chains. According to TAZ, the draft text dated 1 February 2019 lays out in detail the human rights responsibilities of German companies with regard to subsidiaries and contractors abroad as well as containing proposed changes to the Commercial Code.

A blockchain platform has been launched by WWF-Australia to trace products throughout supply chains. WWF-Australia has partnered with BCG Digital Ventures (BCGDV) to create OpenSC, which tracks food and products and enables businesses and consumers to avoid produce linked to environmental damage and unethical practices such as slavery.

The European Union produced 17.5 percent of its power needs from renewable sources in 2017, while 11 of the bloc's 28 members had already achieved a 2020 goal of 20 percent or more, the latest data released by Eurostat showed.

Ford is preparing to use blockchain technology to trace supplies of cobalt — a key ingredient for electric car batteries — in a bid to clamp down on labour exploitation. The US carmaker has teamed up with Korean battery company, LG Chem, and China’s largest cobalt producer, Hayou Cobalt, for the pilot. The project will be conducted at Huayou’s industrial mine site in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and will ensure that the in-demand mineral has been ethically sourced.

The report, Cascading commitments: Driving upstream action through supply chain engagement, is based on data disclosed through CDP by 5,562 suppliers. It also reveals a 35% growth in targets for water use among suppliers, compared to 2017, while the number of companies disclosing information to their customers on their forests-related impacts has more than tripled, from 88 in 2017 to 305 in 2018. 

Pope Francis urged governments on Sunday to take decisive action against the $150 billion-a-year human trafficking business and the plight of millions of modern-day slaves. An estimated 45.8 million people live in some form of slavery across the world, according to the 2016 Global Slavery Index by human rights group Walk Free Foundation. Migration has become a dominant and highly-politicised issue in Europe, though the peak of more than 1 million asylum seekers arriving in 2015 has tapered off since then. Many migrants arrive via traffickers, often in dire conditions and for large sums of money.

Carbios — a French sustainable chemistry company specializing in technologies enabling recovery of plastic waste and the production of bio-polymers — has embarked on a joint development agreement between itself, leading enzymes producer Novozymes, and Carbios subsidiary Carbiolice. Under the terms of this multi-year agreement, Novozymes will upscale and produce Carbios’ proprietary enzymes — which will produce and commercialize a new generation of products enabling single-use plastics to be fully biodegradable in any environmental condition — and become the long-term exclusive supplier of plastics degrading enzymes to Carbiolice. According to Carbios, the collaboration is an industry first in the field of bioplastics that aims to catalyze the production of single-use plastics that are environmentally friendly and cost competitive.

The influential Canadian Supply Chain Food Safety Coalition hailed the new Safe Food For Canadians Act regulations that began to take effect across Canada Tuesday, promising to continue work to make them “world class.” The Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR) replaced 14 sets of regulations as of Jan. 15 this year. The new single regulatory framework allows the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to enforce Canada’s new Safe Food for Canadians Act (SFCA). The new regulatory system shifts Canada’s food safety enforcement to prevention with a rigorous risk management and traceability focus.

The Trump administration’s sustained attacks on conservation areas in the USA has mobilised the outdoor industry in unprecedented ways. Now the key forces in the outdoor and snow sports industries – the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA), the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) and Snowsports Industries America (SIA) have joined forces to step up action on climate change solutions.

More than 110 of the world's largest companies are now requesting sustainability data from their suppliers, up from just 14 in 2008, new research from the CDP has found. Released today, the non-profit’s ‘cascading commitments’ report reveals that more than 5,500 large suppliers disclosed information regarding their carbon, water and waste footprints to key corporate clients in 2018.

Mislabelling of fish is taking place throughout the supply chain in Canada, according to a report. Researchers at the University of Guelph in Canada found that almost a third (32%) of fish samples analysed were mislabelled. Using DNA barcoding, researchers examined over 200 fish samples, collected from various retailers, processing plants and importers throughout Ontario to analyse where mislabelling of fish is most commonly happening within the supply chain.

Accused of being complicit in not only deforestation but also related human right abuses, the EU and its members are keen to reduce the impact of their commercial activities. The aim of France’s new strategy, announced in November, is stated on the French government’s official website as, “To encourage every actor (producers, businesses, investors and consumers), to change their practices in order to reduce deforestation.” A handful of planned measures are listed, too, including 60 million euros ($69 million) per year in “development aid” to help exporting countries and regions offer more sustainable produce, tackle deforestation and implement reforestation projects.

Applying sensor technology to the food supply chain to increase traceability could reduce food waste by between 5% and 7%, according to a new report from the World Economic Forum (WEF). WEF said 35% of fruits and vegetables are lost or wasted in post-harvest, processing or distribution in  Sub-Saharan Africa. That number goes down to 15% in Europe, highlighting differences around the world. Enhanced food supply chain traceability will make it easier to identify where losses are occurring, so the issues can more quickly be addressed. "Once the primary causes of food loss and waste have been identified ... the appropriate stakeholder can better address the problem," the report said.

One of Australia’s fastest growing food delivery service companies has implemented key cloud technology to revolutionise its delivery service visibility and gain greater control over its supply chain and financial processes.

Britain's Drax has started capturing carbon dioxide at its wood-burning power plant in North Yorkshire, a world first in technology it hopes could lead to carbon negative power plants in the future. Energy companies are seeking ways to reduce carbon dioxide emissions while also providing constant supplies of electricity when renewable power sources, such as wind and solar are limited by the weather. The pilot bioenergy carbon capture and storage project is expected to capture a tonne of carbon dioxide a day and Drax will also seek to find ways to store and use the CO2 captured.

Less than 1 percent of United States farms had an organic certification in 2017, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Due to its environmental and health benefits, organic agriculture is one sustainable agriculture method many farmers are hoping to adopt. Many companies have begun encouraging, requiring or changing their suppliers towards more sustainable methods. For example, four of the largest food companies in the United States, Danone North America, Mars, Nestle USA, and Unilever United States, came together in 2018 to form the Sustainable Food Policy Alliance. This response to consumer demands for more organic products is being seen across the industry.

Unilever published a list of tea plantations supplying to its brands including Lipton, PG Tips and Tazo, according to a press release from Freedom United, an advocacy group seeking to end human trafficking. "As a next step in our journey to become more transparent, we are happy to share this information with all of you who drink and love our tea," Unilever said.

The global battery market is surging. By 2040 the global energy storage market is projected to attract $620 billion of investment. Over the past decade, the rechargeable lithium-ion battery market doubled on average every three years. To cope with this growth, we need the development of a sustainable and low-carbon value chain for batteries in order to contribute to the implementation of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, says Martin Brudermüller, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors and Chief Technology Officer, BASF and Benedikt Sobotka, CEO of Eurasian Resources Group.

Cargill seeks to address key sustainability challenges for the harvesting and cultivation of red seaweed through a new programme. Called the Red Seaweed Promise, the initiative sees Cargill aim to enhance producer livelihoods and conserve the marine environment.  Cargill said the programme also answers food industry and consumer needs for more sustainable food ingredients, with a commitment to source 60% sustainable red seaweed by 2025.