Walmart Begins Testing Its WAVE Environment-Friendly Trucks

Walmart began testing its Walmart Advanced Vehicle Experience, or WAVE, cargo truck whichs is built from carbon fiber and is 20 percent more aerodynamic than existing trucks. Part of the retailer’s sustainability efforts, the truck will also feature a micro-turbine hybrid engine that can run on many types of fuel. WAVE trucks will also have an electric motor and a battery system for storing electric power. With its emissions reportedly still growing, Walmart aims to double the fuel efficiency of its trucks by 2015.

"Walmart rolls out testing of radical carbon fiber truck", GreenBiz, March 13, 2014

Unilever CEO Rewarded For Progress Toward Sustainability Goals

According to Unilever’s annual report to stockholders, CEO Paul Polman was given a $722,230 bonus for work that led to the creation of the company's sustainable-living plan, which sets targets for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, water use, and waste creation. A Unilever spokeswoman said the bonus was calculated using a “personal performance multiplier” that took into account  Polman’s job performance, leadership, delivery of sustainability goals, and “overall contribution” to the plan, which calls for halving the environmental footprint by 2020 and sustainably sourcing all agricultural raw materials.

"Unilever Hands CEO Polman $722,000 Bonus for Sustainability Work", Bloomberg Businessweek, March 07, 2014

Greenpeace Protest Against P&G Spreads To London

The Greenpeace protest against Procter & Gamble’s use of palm oil sourced from a questionable Indonesian supplier spread to London on March 7, when a P&G ad agency (Saatchi & Saatchi) was targeted. The company’s headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio, was the first facility besieged recently when protesters entered the buildings surreptitiously and unfurled huge banners from 12 floors up. The London protest involved counting the number of people who entered agency doors marked with either “Protect Forests” or “Destroy Forests”. Greenpeace says the palm oil used in P&G brands comes from deforested areas of Indonesia that are home to Sumatran orangutans and tigers.

"Greenpeace protest against P&G goes global", Cincinnati Business Courier (Ohio), March 07, 2014

Henkel Honored For Sustainability, Ethics Policies

Sustainability investment specialist RobecoSAM has awarded household products company Henkel its Gold Class ranking in sustainability practices. RobecoSAM, in collaboration with KPMG, publishes the Sustainability Yearbook listing 3,000 global companies whose sustainability agendas and practices are voluntarily assessed annually. Henkel was also named one of the “World’s Most Ethical Companies” by the Ethisphere Institute, an independent organization promoting best practices in corporate ethics and governance. Henkel was one of only nine companies in the consumer products manufacturing industry to be recognized for its ethical leadership and behavior.

"Henkel named one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies", News release, Henkel, March 25, 2014

Passion For Locally-Sourced, Organic Ingredients Drives Mich. Doughnut Entrepreneur

The owner of newly-opened Propaganda Doughnuts in Grand Rapids, Mich., believes whole-heartedly in his vision of what a progressive doughnut shop should be. A major part of that vision is using locally and organically sourced ingredients that are trans fat-free and low in saturated fat. Tory O’haire always offers the familiar varieties of doughnuts, but mixes in a constantly changing menu of avant-garde offerings, all made from scratch each day: e.g., the Corsican (vanilla cake with lavender-lemon icing), the Posterboy (salted caramel), the Smooth Criminal (chocolate cake & coffee ganache) and Nutella. O'Haire is passionate about sustainable, organic, and local sourcing, and he says in his town, locally sourced is more than just a buzzword, “it’s an expectation”.

"New shop brings specialty doughnuts to a hungry city", The Collegiate Live , February 12, 2014