Inspiring Inclusion - Business of Sustainability podcast special

In a very special episode of the Business of Sustainability podcast, we celebrate International Women's Day 2024, by showcasing the excellent work being done by the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to inspire inclusion.

Tessa Whieldon, Head of Female Participation and Growth at the England and Wales Cricket Board, joins Alexandra Smith and Polly Milne to discuss the ECB’s strategies and policies, which aim to make cricket the most inclusive sport in the country.

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Spring Budget 2024

The UK’s Spring Budget 2024 was announced yesterday by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, with headline initiatives including further reductions to National Insurance, an increase to the VAT registration threshold and investment in upskilling in AI technology. All in all, an uninspiring Budget for many, including small businesses, and those in the sustainability sector- with Hunt failing to mention the climate even once in his address to Parliament.

While the Spring Budget has fallen short of what many were hoping for, a silver lining buried deep on page 81 of the Budget documentation hints at interesting developments in the ESG rating space. The Government has outlined its intention to regulate providers of ESG ratings to users within the UK. It looks like the Finance Conduct Authority will be given the lead to regulate the industry, as has been done with Sustainable Disclosure Requirements. The Treasury consulted on this last year, with a full response and policy and legislative steps due to take place later this year.

With increasing challenges around methodologies, objectives and transparency in the ESG ratings space, the regulations will seek to improve the governance, processes and transparency of the sector. As one of the world’s leading sustainability management and improvement platforms, looking beyond just traditional ESG topics and metrics, the FuturePlus team looks forward to developments in this space.

EU agrees on single-use plastic ban

In a move to tackle packaging waste, European Union negotiators have agreed on a ban on single-use plastics in cafes and restaurants from 2030.

The single-use plastic packaging ban will also apply to unprocessed fresh fruit and vegetables, individual portions of products such as condiments and sugar, and miniature toiletries and shrink-wraps for suitcases in airports.

The new regulation is a key part of the EU's Green Deal - a set of laws designed to help the EU achieve its climate targets, and is part of a wider effort to reduce packaging waste across the bloc. The EU also aims for additional reductions of 10% by 2035 and 15% by 2040.

"For the first time in an environmental law, the EU is setting targets to reduce packaging consumption, regardless of the material used." - Frederique Ries, Belgian EU lawmaker.

"We call on all industrial sectors, EU countries, and consumers to play their part in the fight against excess packaging.”

Who Gives A Crap moves to electric for London deliveries

Who Gives A Crap, the producer of recycled and bamboo toilet paper, has made the move to electric couriers in London to provide carbon neutral deliveries.

Every order within the M25 ring road around London will be delivered by an electric courier, and London-based customers will get free delivery with orders that exceed £20.

“We’re delighted to be partnering with Packfleet, a company who really shares our values for sustainability and mission-led business, as well as our relentless focus on customer service.” - Emily Kraftman, managing director UK & Europe at Who Gives A Crap.

A total of 315,000 battery electric vehicles were registered in the UK in 2023, the vast majority of which (242,235) were attributed to the fleet sector.

Diode specialises in electric vehicle suitability assessments, home and workplace charging infrastructure recommendations, and charge point procurement.

Food wholesaler Sysco GB introduces carbon labelling

Restaurant food wholesaler, Sysco GB, is introducing carbon labelling in partnership with food technology company Nutritics.

The carbon labelling system, called ‘Foodprint’, will allow Sysco’s customers to track, manage and publish their menus' water and carbon impact.

“Over 90% of our carbon footprint is the food that we sell, so educating our team and supporting customers on the design and development of menus and the products they are sourcing is vital to us playing our part in tackling climate change.” - Paul Nieduszynski, Sysco GB Chief Executive.

The labelling system uses data available across agriculture, processing, packaging, and transportation, which is linked to peer-reviewed academic research.

Evolve Organic Beauty scoops 9 Beauty Shortlist Awards

FuturePlus member Evolve Organic Beauty is celebrating after scooping 9 Beauty Shortlist Awards 2024. The awards celebrate the best in natural beauty and wellness.

Evolve uses organic ingredients to create a range of beauty products including skincare, shampoo, body washes and scrubs. Winning categories included Best Skincare Brand (Age 30+) and Best Moisturiser For Sensitive Skin.

Huge congratulations to the team at Evolve!

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FuturePlus empowers companies, investors, and asset managers of all sizes to understand, measure, evidence, improve, and report on their sustainability impact and goals.

We adopt a future-focused view of what makes a sustainable business, assessing sustainability across five key themes: Climate, Environment, Social, Economic, and Diversity and Inclusion.

We measure your current impact and what you want to achieve in the future. Most importantly, we help you get there.

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