Month: September 2023

There is no denying the fact we are all climate influencers in some way and how we purchase, cook and eat food has an immense impact on the planet.

With the triple challenge of limiting global warming to 1.5°C (in line with the Paris Agreement), securing enough nutritious, good quality food and reversing nature loss, it is no secret that the global population is facing a food crisis.

The effects of climate change have impacted areas such as crop production and now consumers are no longer seeing an abundance of fruit and vegetables on the shelves, as some supermarkets were forced to resort to rationing supplies for reasons that include poor weather conditions and Brexit.

New research revelations

Now a WWF study has reiterated the reality that the UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world – but while we may not be able to mitigate the damage already caused, we hold the key to improving and safeguarding nature – one of the most important stakeholders for preserving the planet.

WWF has released a new report to further explore this and has highlighted actions in which we can make changes to our diets to make way for a nature positive net zero transition.

The NHS spends a whopping £6bn on diet-related illness each year, a cost which is predicted to soar to more than £9.7bn each year by 2050, with such illnesses being responsible for about 10 percent of morbidity and mortality in the UK.

This is evidence that the food crisis will not be solved by simply producing more food to keep up with demand but requires a sharper focus on sustainable food production to ensure there is enough healthy and nutritious food for all, without detrimental effects on the planet and people.

Feeding the masses for a more prosperous, healthy future

The report believes a huge shift in transforming our food systems for healthier and more environmentally-friendly diets can be achieved by using a ‘farm to fork’ approach (eating local produce) to help meet climate and nature targets – and the best news is meat and treats can still feature.

WWF recommends aligning the current national diet with Livewell, a sustainable diet modelled by Blonk Sustainability Tools, a Netherlands-based leading international expert in food system sustainability. WWF claims Livewell could reduce emissions by 36 percent and lessen biodiversity loss (a 20 percent reduction) compared to an average diet today. If scaled up and rolled out, it could lessen the burden on the over-stretched NHS and help protect the planet and its inhabitants.

Livewell incorporates every food group, with a focus on fruits, vegetables, wholegrains and pulses, with everything else in moderation for health improvements.

Securing nature’s destiny, through food

In addition to information on its Livewell recommendations, WWF’s report also outlines seven key steps that governments and businesses should ensure their action is aligned to, to reach a nature-positive, net zero transition in the UK: 

1. Dietary guidelines (government recommendations for a healthy balanced meal) 

2. Public food procurement (government to improve quality of food in public institutions such as schools and hospitals) 

3. Safety nets and targeted support (improve nutrition security for the vulnerable, many of those hit harder by cost-of-living crisis) 

4. Food environments (holding businesses accountable to encourage plant-rich foods to be more readily available in supermarkets and restaurants) 

5. Transparency and accountability (improved monitoring of sustainability and health impacts to enable and encourage businesses to source healthy and sustainable food) 

6. Education and information (supporting key industry players such as chefs, local authority staff and healthcare practitioners) 

7. Investment in sustainable production (to enable diverse, nutritious food to be brought to scale to boost the economy and support farmers and growers)

Tanya Steele, CEO, WWF-UK, said: “The most effective policies and actions are those that will improve the accessibility, affordability, availability and desirability of healthy, sustainable food, making it the easy choice.

“In this report we outline seven key areas for implementation by government and businesses. We need an urgent focus on healthy, sustainable diets. Without such concerted action, we will not bring our food system within the boundaries of what the planet can sustain.”

Ruth Smith, Senior Consultant – Consumer Goods and Retail at Acre, said: “Food, sustainability, and health are three intrinsically linked elements, that as humans we should all be taking care of as much as we can. It’s essential to monitor the impact that one may have on the other and reflect it in our daily lives to help not just ourselves but also the environment.

“Relying on one approach or one specific diet style may not work – as we all have different consumption patterns and lifestyles, but effort is key in reducing our impact on the planet and improving our health correspondingly.”

About Acre

At Acre, we work with the most aspirational businesses with potential to make real change; from those who are just starting out to those who are well on the journey to crafting a legacy.

Our 18 years’ experience in sustainability recruitment, combined with our extensive global network, enables us to provide talent solutions that are designed to deliver this change.

Through our unique behavioural assessment technology, we understand the types of people, skills and behaviours required to create impact. We can develop these qualities within your existing teams too.

We find talented people and develop their skills to ensure they make a true impact in ambitious, progressive organisations.

Acre. Making companies ready for tomorrow.

For the 27th consecutive year, thousands of Paramount employees gathered across the globe to create impact in their communities by contributing to a magnitude of social and environmental causes. This year’s theme was TOGETHER FOR GOOD, which underscores Paramount’s collective commitment of giving back. Employees joined volunteer events in-person and virtually maximizing participation across the globe. 

Thousands of Paramount employees participated in 2023 Paramount Community Day. Additionally, 170+ volunteer projects were organized and curated across the following focus areas: education & mentorship, environmental & animal care, Health & Well-Being Care, Skills-Based Volunteering, and Kits/Resource supplies assembling. Paramount Community Day showcased 155 community partners participating in events across 43 markets globally. This resulted in close to 19K volunteer hours logged on this single day alone, which is truly a testament to the values of our culture. 

A few highlights from communities around the world include:

Making fruit marmalade from scratch to donate to local orphanages in partnership with Beautiful Store, a community organization that supports senior homes and childcare in South KoreaPacked and delivered over 100 Paramount Boxes of Hope filled w/ essentials for undernourished families in partnership with the Lagos Food Bank in NigeriaAssembled and donated over 20 wheelchairs for the elderly in partnership with Fundación Bertha de Osete in Mexico CityEmpowered young filmmakers through networking, film screenings and creative feedback in partnership with Reel Works in New York CityMentored HBCU students virtually from across the US in partnership with HBCU Heroes, a digital-first organization set-out to empower the next generation of big-tech and entertainment professionals  

Check out the video above for a snapshot of a tradition now 27 years strong!

ST. PAUL, Minn., September 6, 2023 /3BL/ - Following a published article earlier in the year regarding PFAS and Product Liability, Antea Group consultants Caron Koll and Jack Sheldon collaborated for a second time on a new article with the American Bar Association (ABA).

In this article, titled “PFAS toxicological risk status–A topic of much debate,” published in the ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources (SEER) September/October issue of Trends, Koll and Sheldon give their insights on evolving and uncertain PFAS toxicological risk status and how that has affected potential PFAS regulations at both the federal and state levels.

Koll and Sheldon write in the article that, “While there are thousands of toxicological studies on PFAS, many of these have low levels of confidence or are based on animal, not human, studies. Although perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) are by far the most studied PFAS compounds, the strength of evidence for their health effects varies.” 

While there is some consensus by the scientific community on certain PFAS health outcomes, they also note that, “There appears to be significant miscommunication by government health agencies that minimizes or over-generalizes health risks of PFAS to affected communities, medical practitioners, and the judicial system. The miscommunications stem from one big data gap—PFAS in mixtures.”

To learn more about PFAS in mixtures and what that means for the toxicology risk of PFAS, read the full article written by Caron Koll and Jack Sheldon on the American Bar Association website. 

Learn More About Our PFAS Management Services

About the American Bar Association  

The ABA was founded in 1878 on a commitment to set the legal and ethical foundation for the American nation. Today, it exists as a membership organization and stands committed to its mission of defending liberty and pursuing justice. They work tirelessly to uphold the ideals of liberty and justice #ForAll, and to promote the best quality legal education, competence, ethical conduct and professionalism, and pro bono and public service work in the legal profession. They aim to eliminate bias and enhance diversity, serve their members, and increase public understanding of and respect for the rule of law, the legal process, and the role of the legal profession at home and throughout the world.

About Antea Group

Antea®Group is an environment, health, safety, and sustainability consulting firm. By combining strategic thinking with technical expertise, we do more than effectively solve client challenges; we deliver sustainable results for a better future. We work in partnership with and advise many of the world’s most sustainable companies to address ESG-business challenges in a way that fits their pace and unique objectives. Our consultants equip organizations to better understand threats, capture opportunities and find their position of strength. Lastly, we maintain a global perspective on ESG issues through not only our work with multinational clients, but also through our sister organizations in Europe, Asia, and Latin America and as a founding member of the Inogen Alliance.