Stories from Akhila Vijayaraghavan
Finance
Belgian Company Leads the Way in Landfill Mining
Landfill mining is a rapidly growing area of waste management that is proving to be extremely profitable. About 50 miles […]
September 16, 2011
Energy
San Francisco Processes 600 Tons of Compost Daily
San Francisco, the gleaming city by the sea that houses the Golden Gate Bridge and unnatural amounts of fog also […]
September 15, 2011
Energy
The Gates Foundation Invests in GMO Research in Africa
The Gates Foundation is normally known for its work eradicating malaria and polio through innovative methods. Recently however, it has […]
September 14, 2011
Voices for Change
Hair Scare: FDA Issues Warning Against Brazilian Blowouts
The quest for shiny, straight hair has taken on a dangerous curl with the FDA’s first official warning against the […]
September 14, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
Despite CSR Weaknesses, H&M is Biggest Buyer of Organic Cotton
H&M has recently overtaken Walmart as the biggest buyer of organic cotton. The global market for organic cotton grew by […]
September 13, 2011
Energy
Bon Appétit Management Company Reduces GHG Emissions from Food Waste
The Bon Appétit Management Company is the nation’s leading sustainable dining services. They are an onsite restaurant company that provides café and […]
September 12, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
Molson Coors Launches Water Stewardship Campaign
Water stewardship has become an important CSR focus for many companies. Good water stewardship is especially important to beverage companies […]
September 9, 2011
Finance
RainSaucers Make Rainwater Harvesting More Accessible
I love reading about little innovations that make life easier for so many people with eco-friendly solutions. In the realm […]
September 9, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
Puma, Nike and Adidas Run Towards Toxin-Free Products With Greenpeace
Did you know that your running shoes contains hazardous chemicals, some that get released every time you go out for […]
September 7, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
Hotel Chains Standardize Carbon Accounting
Everybody travels and everybody stays at hotels one time or another but travelling comes with a steep carbon as well […]
September 6, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
Subway Introduces Eco-Restaurants
Subway has long been touted as the ‘healthier’ fast food option due to its comparatively higher use of fresh ingredients. They have […]
September 6, 2011
Energy
Nestle's Anti-Organic Stance is Disappointing, but Expected
Nestle has a very pro-GMO policy and has invested in GM-coffee research, so its vocal anti-organic stance is to be […]
September 6, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
ConAgra Anti-GMO Lawsuit Has Big Implications for Food Labeling
Product labeling is an area where loopholes and CSR seem to converge. It is precisely these loopholes that make it […]
September 2, 2011
Finance
World Leaders Launch 'OceanElders' to Preserve Marine Biodiversity
So what happens when you put together Sylvia Earle, Jean-Michel Cousteau, Richard Branson, Neil Young and Ted Turner? Apart from […]
August 31, 2011
Finance
Sweet Beginnings: Creating a Buzz with Honey and Green Jobs
You don’t often think of airports and honeybees together in the same context. And you never think of airports, honeybees […]
August 30, 2011
Finance
Green Scissors Report Suggests $380 Billion in Savings by Killing Subsidies and Spending
Sometimes, changing current methods of doing things has an economic gain. In a groundbreaking report released by Green Scissors, a […]
August 30, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
Major Retailers Show that Disaster Management is an Integral Part of CSR
Disaster management is rapidly becoming a very important area of CSR. Although some natural disasters strike very suddenly and the […]
August 29, 2011
Energy
How Listia's Online Trading Is Helping to Reduce Landfill Waste
We all have things to give away, sell or get rid of but with no clear-cut method of actually doing […]
August 26, 2011
Energy
Ocean Acidification Devastates Oyster Farms in the Pacific NorthWest
This is World Water Week and I have been writing a lot of water-related posts lately. Water is a resource […]
August 25, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
Shell's Response to Recent Oil Spill Lacks Transparency
You would think that after the BP Deepwater Horizon Spill last year, oil companies would have learned to deal with […]
August 24, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
The Plastic Disclosure Project
Everybody is familiar with ‘The Great Pacific Garbage Patch’ which is present in the North Pacific gyre, one of the […]
August 23, 2011
Energy
Coffee's Grande Water Footprint
In a world of depleting resources, the onus to think about consumption is not just on the manufacturer but also the consumer. […]
August 22, 2011
Technology
Dutch Company Uses Liquid CO2 in Dyeing Process to Reduce Water Use
Fabric dyeing is one of the most environmentally harmful processes in textile manufacturing. Effluent from dyes are often released into […]
August 22, 2011
Energy
Wello WaterWheel Helps Ensure Safe Potable Water for Rural Indians
Along with peak oil, peak water is a phenomenon that is affecting the lives of millions of people worldwide. Water […]
August 20, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
Cognitive Dissonance in Luxury Brand CSR
A forthcoming Journal of Consumer Research study claims that when brands exhibit inconsistencies, consumers find it hard to swallow proclamations of social responsibility. […]
August 19, 2011
Energy
World Bank Reports that Food Prices are Higher than Ever
A new report from the World Bank reveals that food prices are approaching the peak levels achieved in 2008. Global food […]
August 19, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
HopStop Includes a Carbon Calculator to its Services
I always thought that GoogleMaps was one of the coolest things when it came to finding your way. As a […]
August 19, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
Walmart Donates $500,000 Towards Urban Wildlife Protection
Urban wildlife conservation is a growing branch of conservation ecology with good reason. Due to increase in human encroachment on […]
August 12, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
Award Winning Advertising for Burt's Bees Makes CSR Cool
Burt’s Bees started off as a company that uses all natural, organic products and has long been identified as a […]
August 11, 2011
Energy
Canadian Cod Fisheries Show Signs of Recovery
Last week science journal Nature published a study that brought some good news for fisherman in Newfoundland (and cod lovers […]
August 11, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
Conflict Mineral Legislation Sends Mining Companies into Overdrive
Mining is incredibly harmful from both an environmental and social stance. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, rebel groups and government […]
August 10, 2011
Energy
Mojave Desert Grown Shrimp Could Be on Your Next Vegas Surf n' Turf
Did you ever think that shrimp grown in the desert would be possible? Everybody talks about declining fish stocks but […]
August 5, 2011
Energy
Boosting Organic Food in Indonesia
Indonesia Organic is a business based on social and non-profit entrepreneurship. The idea behind it is to centralize agriculture sales for small farmers, […]
August 5, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
Karmayog Releases India's Fourth Annual CSR List
There are not many watchdog organizations in India that look specifically at CSR. In America and the rest of the […]
August 4, 2011
Technology
GRI and CDP Increase Their Services
Environmental Leader recently held a webinar, The Business Case for Sustainability Disclosure with speakers from the Carbon Development Project’s (CDP) development […]
August 3, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
LG Products Get CarbonFree Certification
LG Electronics has partnered with Carbonfund to improve the carbon rating of their products. Their electronic goods from TVs, fridges and […]
August 3, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
Stakeholder Engagement in Mining Operations
This post is part of a series on Stakeholder Engagement sponsored by Jurat Software. Stakeholder Engagement can actually be worth […]
August 1, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
One Retailer's Stand Against Sandblasted Denim
It is a well-known fact that manufacturing denim is an energy and water intensive process. For example it takes 1,800 […]
August 1, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
Backlash Against Cigarette Manufacturer's "Green" Marketing Campaign
The Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company has come under fire for the introduction of its ‘eco-friendly’ cigarettes. Beyond questioning whether […]
August 1, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
Airbrushing, CSR and False Advertising: L’Oreal Ad Banned
At first glance, the connection between photo editing and CSR may seem weak. But responsible advertising is a key tenet […]
July 29, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
John West and Greenpeace Set Sustainable Fishing Targets
I have a special affection for tuna. I wrote my thesis on how to legally protect the Bluefin. Overfishing is […]
July 29, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
Making CSR Mandatory in India
Making Mandatory CSR reporting in India has been an ongoing debate for almost a year now. With the recent cabinet […]
July 26, 2011
Energy
Can the Local Food Movement Go Mainstream?
The local food movement has has been gathering steam for the last few years. Time magazine put local food on […]
July 26, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
CSR in the Media: Fall-out From News of the World "Hackgate"
The scandal that is currently rocking the media world puts Rupert Murdoch clearly in the epicenter of the storm. News […]
July 26, 2011
Energy
Should Taxes be Imposed on Junk Food?
Last August, the UK proposed introducing a ‘fat tax’ to combat the increase in obesity. Researchers at Oxford University and Nottingham […]
July 26, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
Lessons on Stakeholder Engagement from "Anonymous"
This post is part of a series on Stakeholder Engagement sponsored by Jurat Software. Stakeholder engagement is the next big […]
July 25, 2011
Energy
Fast Food Alliance Puts the Squeeze on Unhealthy Children's Menus
Last month First Lady, Michelle Obama played an instrumental role in launching a revamped ‘food plate’ system to replace the […]
July 19, 2011
Technology
Green Algae Meets Dirty Coal for Carbon Capture
An unlikely marriage of algae and coal-plants could become a reality through a company called OriginOil. The company helps algae growers with […]
July 19, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
Greening Urban Landscapes With "Eco-Friendly" Billboards
Vertical greenery is moving to new heights. Recently, Coca-Cola has pushed the envelope by introducing a “green” billboard as part […]
July 15, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
British PM Announces That All Ministers Have to Fly Coach
One of the perks of working as a high level civil servant is getting to fly first class and stay […]
July 12, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
How GRI Incorporates Stakeholder Engagement into Framework Development
This post is part of a series on Stakeholder Engagement sponsored by Jurat Software. The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) is probably […]
July 11, 2011
Energy
In.gredients Aims to Become First Package-Free and Zero Waste Store
Sometimes it seems the world is going around in circles trying to catch its own tail. Today I read that […]
July 11, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
Introduction of the Safe Cosmetics Act Means that the Beauty Industry Must Shape Up
The policies for ingredient use in cosmetics have not been updated since 1938. Now with the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011 the House […]
July 7, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
Toyota Production System Will Boost CSR Efficiency
The principles of effective car manufacturing are now being used in New Orleans to effectively rebuild homes ravaged by Hurricane […]
July 7, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
CSR With Hotel Soap and "Clean the World"
Have you ever given much thought to what happens to those little bars of soap that you come across in […]
July 5, 2011
Energy
Using Stakeholder Engagement to Boost Fisheries in Scotland
This post is part of a series on Stakeholder Engagement sponsored by Jurat Software. The fate of the world’s oceans […]
June 30, 2011
Energy
Old Office Equipment Finds New Uses in London
London businesses hoping to fit their offices with new equipment need look no further than Ourgreendistrict for their needs. Ourgreendistrict was […]
June 30, 2011
Energy
Silk Soymilk Makes a Move Towards GMO Labeling
Two years ago, Dean Foods, owner of Silk Soymilk, was heavily criticized for switching from organic to conventional soy beans without […]
June 29, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
Chipotle Moves Toward Local Sourcing
Fast food chains are rather notorious for their use of elaborate energy-intensive supply chain processes. Chipotle however, seems to be focused on […]
June 28, 2011
Finance
Creating Hybrid Value Chains with the Ashoka Foundation
The Ashoka Foundation is the largest association of leading social entrepreneurs in the world. They work on three simple levels: […]
June 28, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
The Importance of Stakeholder Engagement
This post is part of a series on Stakeholder Engagement sponsored by Jurat Software. Keeping your stakeholders “engaged” is not […]
June 21, 2011
Energy
McDonald's Releases TV Campaign to Boost CSR
Last month McDonald’s was under fire for advertising to children. Campaign group Corporate Accountability International wrote an open letter signed by […]
June 17, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
Asbestos: Common Roofing Supply in India
Asbestos pollution may be a waning issue in Europe and the US but it still remains a big problem in […]
June 17, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
CSR Not Mandatory in India, Govt Rules
India Inc. can finally breathe a sigh of relief because the government has ruled that CSR will not be made […]
June 16, 2011
Technology
Greening the Military
Its not very often that you think of the military being green. However according to a latest report by the […]
June 16, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
How to Incorporate Emerging Markets into Socially Responsible Investment Funds
CSR and socially responsible investing (SRI) have made large improvements in the environmental and social performances of corporations. SRI is a […]
June 15, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
Mattel CSR: Is it Over for Barbie?
Last year it was decided by popular vote that Barbie made a better journalist than an environmental activist. Probably just […]
June 10, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
India-Netherlands CSR Linkup
Earlier this month, the Netherlands along with Iceland were hailed as great models of CSR. Co-Founder of cleaning company Method, Adam […]
June 10, 2011
Energy
Calculating Water Footprints: How Much Water in Your Food?
The environmental impact of food production in terms of contribution to climate change is well documented. Fertilizer use, soil degradation, […]
June 10, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
Integrating CSR and Sustainability in the Indian Banking Sector
Sustainability, CSR and banks are often not thought of in the same context. This is especially true in developing countries […]
June 8, 2011
Energy
World Environment Day – Stories From India
India for the first time hosted World Environment Day this year and in keeping with the International Year of Forests, […]
June 6, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
Tackling E-Waste With NASSCOM Foundation in India
NASSCOM Foundation is the social development arm of the internationally recognized trade body of the Indian IT outsourcing industry (IT-BPO). […]
June 4, 2011
Energy
Reducing Food Waste Throughout Grocery Supply Chains
Even a casual flick through news articles concerning food brings to light many different problems associated with a basic commodity […]
June 3, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
Anti-Tobacco Campaign Heats Up in China Despite Conflict of Interest Among Administrators
China is on a severe tobacco crackdown to show that they are taking World No Tobacco Day seriously. Industry figures show that […]
June 2, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
In Search of Fairness: CSR and Advertising
Advertising has the power not just to sell a product but also to make an impression on how we view […]
June 1, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
Tools for Incorporating Human Rights into CSR Reporting
Many adopters of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) see human rights as one area within the CSR construct – just like […]
June 1, 2011
Energy
Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg Kills His Own Food
Mark Zuckerberg is making waves lately. He was named TIME magazine person of the year and he has managed to […]
May 28, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
First Dubai Chamber CSR Label Conferred
In September of last year, the Dubai Chamber of Commerce launched a CSR label to increase the profile of responsible […]
May 27, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
Marketing Green and the Rise of Greenwashing
There are reports of greenwashing in the news pretty much constantly. However when TIME reports that “nearly all products’ eco-friendly […]
May 26, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
Mandatory CSR in India: Not the Way Forward
The latest in the long debate about mandatory CSR in India comes from the Corporate Affairs Minister Murli Deora. He, […]
May 25, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
New Sustainability Standard Heralded by UK Film Industry
It is often very difficult to think of corporate responsibility beyond the realm of corporations. However when you really do […]
May 24, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
Puma Puts Financial Value on Environmental Impact
Puma is the first company in the world to put a value on the ecosystem services it uses to produce its […]
May 19, 2011
Corporate Responsibility
Ernst & Young Puts Up Cash to Help Community Activists
What if you had $10,000 dollars to implement an idea of your choice that made a difference to communities? This […]
May 19, 2011
Technology
UK Collaborations in Sustainability: Clarks Originals Goes Fair Trade
Earlier this month, Clarks’ Originals (a shoe company) and Thistle & Broom (a luxury fair trade retailer) released a limited […]
May 18, 2011