Greenwashing concerns continue: National Environmental Services Survey 2024

The National Environmental Services Survey 2024, conducted by the Environmental Services & Solutions Expo (ESS), has unveiled the ongoing challenges of greenwashing in the environmental services industry.

This survey gathered responses from nearly 1,500 professionals, revealing the industry's struggle to uphold genuine sustainability practices. In the 2023 ESS survey, around 25% of respondents expressed a strong desire to combat greenwashing.

However, just a year later, over 40% of respondents now believe that greenwashing remains "very prevalent" across various industries. This significant increase highlights the growing awareness and frustration within the sector regarding misleading environmental claims.

Last year, nearly 47 new greenwashing cases were filed against corporations and governments.

Of the 140 cases reviewed between 2016 and 2023, 54 were decided in favour of the claimant, underscoring the legal repercussions for entities that fail to uphold truthful sustainability practices.

Approximately 66% of respondents feel that their organisations do not have strict environmental criteria for suppliers.

Read the full report here.

SURI wins Startup of the Year

Congratulations to Mark, Gyve and the team at SURI after they were announced as Startup of the Year at the Grocer Awards.

The awards look to recognise the levels of service, initiative, and commitment to the FMCG sector.

Other category winners include Sainsbury's, Tesco, Waitrose & Partners and my favourite brand, DASH Water.

Paris 2024 models a new sustainable edition of the Olympic Games

The Olympic Agenda 2020 is the IOC’s strategic roadmap that requires organisers to maximise the use of existing and temporary venues, minimise the environmental impact and use the games as a catalyst to create long-term benefits for local populations.

This summer’s Paris Olympics is the first games to be fully aligned with Olympic Agenda 2020 requirements, with 95 percent of venues being existing venues that have been upgraded and modernised. But not just for the games but to ensure long-term opportunities for local communities to practise sport.

The French government has pledged to build 5,000 “proximity” sports grounds across the country, ensuring easier access to sport for everyone, closer to their homes.

The ‘reduce, repurpose and reuse’ strategy for venues is set to provide a springboard for the decarbonisation of France’s construction industry.

“We are collectively creating a new model for the Games to ensure they reduce their footprint, while maximising the positive impacts on the lives of local people. Paris 2024 puts that model into action in a spectacular way, and the venues are the most visible example of this” - Marie Sallois IOC Director for Sustainability.

The opening ceremony is on Friday 26 July.

Read more here.

CorpCare partnership in TechTimes

Our partnership with CorpCare has been featured in TechTimes. The strategic partnership will bolster CorpCare’s sustainability offering in the Caribbean, a region acutely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

"This partnership reflects our commitment to support private sector organisations in addressing the pressing challenges faced by climate change. The Caribbean is confronted by the dual challenge of curbing industrialisation efforts while addressing the historical burden of the developed world's industrial advances. It is our job to support companies to grow in a sustainable way for a just future. FuturePlus understands the urgency of these challenges and is dedicated to creating sustainable pathways for businesses in the Caribbean. Together, we will set a new standard for sustainability reporting in the region." - Ali Matalon, CEO and Founder of CorpCare.

Read the full article here.

Lidl and WWF Partner to Promote Sustainability and Biodiversity

Lidl has recently announced an exciting new partnership with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), aiming to enhance sustainability practices across its value chain.

This collaboration will focus on promoting biodiversity, responsible water management, and the sustainable sourcing of essential materials like palm oil, soy, cocoa, tea, coffee, wood, and paper products.

A key aspect of this partnership is improving supply chain traceability. Lidl and WWF are determined to eliminate deforestation and safeguard depleted fishing grounds. They will also work closely with suppliers to ensure they set and achieve science-based targets and minimise environmental impact throughout the supply chain.

“In our role as one of the largest food retailers, we are aware of our responsibility and our influence. We take responsibility with the aim of doing business within planetary boundaries. For Lidl, sustainable management is not only a question of attitude but also the basis for the future viability of our business model.” - Christoph Pohl, Lidl International’s Chief Purchasing Officer

“With the support and expertise of WWF, we will now take our commitment to sustainability to the next level. We can only overcome major global challenges such as climate change and nature loss by working together. That’s why we believe in strong partnerships to work together to provide more sustainable choices.”