Tag: 3BL

The Beverage Industry Environmental Roundtable (BIER)’s Water Replenishment Insights document was developed through a collaborative effort of BIER, Antea Group and Bluerisk in response to the increasing adoption and deployment of corporate water replenishment initiatives.

Leveraging BIER’s 10 years of experience and leadership in water replenishment, the document was developed to share, in a clear and concise format, insights BIER has accumulated from developing corporate water replenishment initiatives in ways that deliver business, environmental and social value with the hope that other companies pursuing water replenishment may benefit.

The Water Replenishment Insights Document is designed to be relevant to any company or facility, in any industry, in any location in the world, and is intended to accelerate internal conversations and decisions at the regional and facility level with regard to investments in corporate water replenishment initiatives.

The guide addresses 8 areas of insight, including:

What is water replenishment?How does water replenishment relate to water stewardship?Insights related to What worked, Key Barriers, and Opportunities moving forwardHelpful resources

“Water replenishment is a key pillar of beverage company water stewardship strategy, and the efforts of BIER members over the past 10 years provide critical insights into the practical challenges and opportunities they have encountered. BIER’s Water Replenishment Insights coalesce this experience in a single document that we hope will benefit the beverage sector at large and accelerate the adoption and impact of replenishment efforts across the sector and beyond.” Daniel Pierce, Executive Director, BIER

The desired use of the Water Replenishment Insights Document is for companies to be better positioned to establish impactful collaborations and make meaningful investments in water replenishment initiatives that result in measurable impacts at the catchment level.

The guide is available for complimentary download at

For more information, please contact: 
Daniel Pierce 
BIER Executive Director 
Daniel.Pierce@anteagroup.us

ABOUT BIER 
BIER is a technical coalition of leading global beverage companies working together to advance environmental sustainability within the beverage sector. Formed in 2006, BIER is a common voice across the beverage sector, speaking to influence global standards on environmental sustainability aspects most relevant to the sector, affect change both up and down the supply chain, and share best practices that raise the bar for environmental performance of the industry. By doing so, BIER is able to monitor data and trends, engage with key stakeholders, develop best practices, and guide a course of action for the future. BIER members include, Anheuser-Busch InBev, Bacardi, Beam Suntory, Brown-Forman, Carlsberg Group, The Coca-Cola Company, Constellation Brands, Diageo, Heineken, Keurig Dr Pepper, LION, Molson Coors, Ocean Spray Cranberries, PepsiCo, and Pernod Ricard. For more information, visit www.bieroundtable.com.

Synopsys released its annual Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Report highlighting environment, social, and governance performance. Our 2022 ESG Report details the progress and performance of our Smart Future Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy, which is our framework for how we create a smart future that is sustainable, just, and secure. Our framework provides a structure for how we address our own operational impact as well as how we use our ability to influence others around us to create a better world. This year, we moved from a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report to a designated ESG Report to better align with stakeholder reporting expectations.

Read on for key highlights from our 2022 ESG Report. Also, check out an infographic that summarizes the report.

Environment

From our innovative products to driving down our own environmental impacts, we support key environmental advances for people, communities, and the planet.

Enabled our customers to achieve an additional 25% power reduction for their systems-on-chip (SoCs) through our low-power electronic design automation (EDA) solutions.Developed new Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets for review and validation by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).Achieved CarbonNeutral® company certification for the fourth consecutive year.Mitigated approximately 50% of our 2022 North America energy demand through the Azure Sky Wind Farm, which came online in 2022.

Social

We focus on our people and our ability to recruit, support, and retain the most talented and diverse teams, while our Synopsys for Good program generates positive community impact.

Increased total representation of women globally to 24.9%.Increased representation of Black, Latinx, and Indigenous (BLI) individuals in our U.S. workforce.Launched NEX-GEN, a new ERG for young professionals in Synopsys South Asia.Employee engagement score remained strong, as indicated per our semi-annual SHAPE employee survey.Donated $4.7M total in charitable giving through The Synopsys Foundation and Synopsys India.Celebrated Synopsys’ 35th anniversary through a special 2:1 employee matching gift campaign to 35 charities around the world.Conducted a global Season of Service volunteer program with 52 projects, at 24 offices, in 11 countries.

Governance

We focus on the resiliency of our business and leverage our governance practices to drive business success and make meaningful progress on our ESG strategy.

We obtained our ISO 22301 certification, the international standard for Business Continuity Management Systems to help safeguard our business operations from disruptions including natural disasters, cyberattacks, and more.One-third of our governing Board of Directors are women.Deployed new security operations automation to achieve more proactive incident response with our 24/7 Security Operations Center (SOC).All employees continue to take the required annual Ethics and Compliance Training during Integrity Awareness Month.

These highlights capture only a portion of our overall ESG efforts. We invite you to read the report for the full story of what we accomplished in 2022. We’re excited to continue building on our Smart Future strategy by creating a Smart Future that is sustainable, just, and secure.

We welcome feedback on this report and our performance. Please send comments and suggestions to ESG at Synopsys.

Synopsys, Inc. (Nasdaq: SNPS) is the Silicon to Software™ partner for innovative companies developing the electronic products and software applications we rely on every day. As an S&P 500 company, Synopsys has a long history of being a global leader in electronic design automation (EDA) and semiconductor IP and offers the industry’s broadest portfolio of application security testing tools and services. Whether you’re a system-on-chip (SoC) designer creating advanced semiconductors, or a software developer writing more secure, high-quality code, Synopsys has the solutions needed to deliver innovative products. Learn more at www.synopsys.com.

Editorial Contact:
Kelli Wheeler
Synopsys, Inc.

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Eelco van der Enden, CEO of GRI, the global standard for Impact Reporting, recently completed a series of trips to the US where he met with key partners and investors and was a keynote speaker at several high profile conferences.

During the months of April and May, van der Enden was a keynote speaker at events held by BCCCC (Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship) and TCPI (Tax Council Policy Institute).

In addition, meetings were held in Boston, New York, and Washington DC with key policy, research, data science, consulting, and corporate leadership partners to strengthen the ties and put emphasis on the investment and commitment to the North American markets, laying the foundation for initiatives and cooperation with the GRI North American team.

Special attention was paid to the re-establishment of the relationship between GRI and CERES which, through collaboration with investors, companies, and non- profits, drive market-based and policy solutions. GRI and CERES were originally the same organization when, in 1997- along with the Tellus Institute- the organization was formed to create the first accountability mechanism to ensure companies adhere to responsible environmental conduct principles, which was then broadened to include social, economic and governance issues. GRI and CERES eventually separated to focus on their respective missions.

While in the US, van der Enden was interviewed by Time Magazine, The Financial Times, Reuters, and The Wall Street Journal.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has proposed rule changes that would require companies to disclose certain climate-related information in their registration statements and periodic reports. The proposed rules aim to provide investors with consistent and comparable information for making investment decisions and to address the demand for disclosure of climate risks and impacts.

With the finalization of these rules projected to occur sometime in 2023 smaller organizations are learning the ropes of environmental reporting for the very first time, with SMBs (small and medium businesses) working to ensure they meet the Scope 3 requirements of their larger customers.

This blog answers the biggest questions and offers best practices for businesses on their first foray into greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting.

Emissions Scopes and ESG Defined 

Before we can discuss the nuances of GHG reporting, it’s important to be familiar with some industry terms.

Scope 1 emissions: These are direct GHG emissions that occur from sources that are owned or controlled by a company. Examples include emissions from onsite combustion of fossil fuels, emissions from company-owned vehicles, and emissions from industrial processes.

Scope 2 emissions: These are indirect GHG emissions associated with the consumption of purchased electricity, heat, or steam by a company. These emissions occur as a result of activities that are not directly owned or controlled by the company but are related to its operations. Scope 2 emissions are typically generated by the utility companies that produce the purchased energy.

Scope 3 emissions: These are indirect GHG emissions that occur as a result of a company’s activities but are outside its direct control or ownership. Scope 3 emissions include emissions from sources such as business travel, employee commuting, upstream and downstream supply chain activities, and the use of products sold or services provided by the company. These emissions are often the largest and most challenging to measure and manage, as they involve a wide range of activities across the value chain.

ESG: ESG (environmental, social, and governance) is a framework used to assess the sustainability and ethical impact of a company or investment. Environmental factors consider a company’s impact on the environment, such as its carbon emissions or resource usage. Social factors evaluate the company’s relationships with stakeholders, including employees, customers, and communities. Governance focuses on the company’s internal structure, accountability, and adherence to ethical business practices. ESG criteria are used to measure the company’s overall sustainability and responsible business practices.

What Are the New SEC Greenhouse Gas Disclosure Rules? 

Registrants would be required to disclose their direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (Scope 1) and indirect emissions from purchased electricity or other forms of energy (Scope 2). If material or if the registrant has set a GHG emissions target that includes Scope 3 emissions, they would also need to disclose GHG emissions from upstream and downstream activities in their value chain (Scope 3). The proposed rules offer a safe harbor for liability from Scope 3 emissions disclosure and exempt smaller reporting companies from the Scope 3 emissions disclosure requirement.

These proposed rules do also provide for a phase-in period based on a registrant’s filer status and an additional phase-in period for Scope 3 emissions disclosure. The disclosure requirements align with widely accepted frameworks such as the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.

FAQ: Greenhouse Gas Reporting for First-timers 

Our company doesn’t have a carbon reduction strategy in place. Do we still need to disclose Scope 1 & 2 emissions?

Now is the best time to prepare your organization for emissions reporting.

With the SEC rules change, ESG reporting is becoming an even greater priority for companies that wish to attract investor interest. ESG reporting enables stakeholders to assess a company’s sustainability performance, its alignment with environmental and social goals, and the effectiveness of its governance practices.

Companies that have not yet entered the ESG arena should take immediate action and conduct a full emissions inventory. This inventory will help companies identify key emissions sources and enable the development of a reduction strategy, as well as inform Scope 1 and 2 emissions reporting.

When should our business consider Scope 3 reporting?

There are several nuances around Scope 3 emissions reporting that require careful consideration on the part of the reporting organization.

The SEC reporting requirements for Scope 3 emissions include a phased approach with a compliance timeline dependent on the registrant’s filer status. They also carve out reporting exemptions for small organizations. However, customers and investors may still ask for Scope 3 reporting from these exempted organizations.

Taking proactive action on Scope 3 reporting is the best way to ensure your organization is prepared for future industry demand and regulatory changes. There are also differences between common reporting frameworks, such as those offered by GHG Protocol and SBTi. That’s why consulting directly with others in your industry can help shape your organization’s Scope 3 reporting targets.

What role should CDP reporting play in our disclosure strategy?

Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) reporting is a critical priority for organizations whose investors and customers require it, though voluntarily participating in CDP reporting has its own benefits. [Text Wrapping Break][Text Wrapping Break]This reporting provides an opportunity for companies to differentiate themselves from their competitors. CDP reporting is highly regarded by investors as it provides standardized and credible information on a company’s environmental performance. By participating in CDP reporting, companies can demonstrate their commitment to sustainability, attract responsible investors, and potentially improve their access to capital.

How do we turn disclosed targets into action?

Setting targets is the easy part, knowing how you will achieve targets is the challenge. A Net Zero Transition Plan can map emissions sources to decarbonization measures and help a company plan for the capital expenditure required to meet their goals.

A Net Zero Transition Plan provides a roadmap for a systematic and structured approach to decarbonization. The plan typically includes a comprehensive assessment of the organization’s current emissions profile, setting specific targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions over a defined timeframe. It outlines the initiatives, actions, and investments that will be undertaken to transition to cleaner and more sustainable practices across various operational areas.

With new regulations looming, how do I measure my GHG emissions in line with regulatory standards?

The following considerations can help ensure your GHG emission measurements are in line with regulatory standards.

1. Utilize the GHG Protocol: The GHG Protocol is the most widely recognized standard for GHG accounting and reporting. It provides comprehensive guidelines and methodologies for measuring and reporting emissions. By aligning your measurement practices with the GHG Protocol, you can ensure compliance with major legislation in the USA and EU.

2. Consider Financial Control Boundaries: The SEC rule has indicated a preference for financial control boundaries over operational control boundaries. However, since most companies currently use operational control boundaries, it is advisable to wait for the final rule before making any changes. Keep an eye on updates and guidance from the SEC to understand their stance on this matter.

3. Assess Material Scope 3 Categories: The SEC rule, as currently written, requires reporting of material Scope 3 emissions. Conduct a Scope 3 screening to identify the areas within your value chain that have the most significant emissions impact and are material for disclosure purposes. This screening will help you pinpoint the relevant Scope 3 categories that need to be addressed to meet the disclosure requirements.

Start building your GHG reporting strategy with Antea Group’s Climate Change Advisory

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. Learn more at us.anteagroup.com. 

ST. LOUIS, June 8, 2023 /3BL Media/ – During its June Plenary and General Assembly Meeting, Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture™ announced a commitment for the Fieldprint Platform™ to meet the requirements of the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Land Sector and Removals Guidance (LSRG) based on its assessment of the draft guidance. This announcement enhances the value delivered to Field to Market members and further assists them in setting and measuring progress toward their sustainability goals.

Many Field to Market members have near-term or net-zero targets in accordance with the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) and plan to set Forest, Land and Agriculture (FLAG) science-based targets. Many are using, or plan to use, the GHG Protocol LSRG to account for and report GHG emissions and removals to reach their climate goals. As a member-led organization committed to continuous improvement, Field to Market recognizes the importance of the GHG Protocol’s guidance and how it impacts sustainability commitments among members.

Following finalization of the LSRG, expected in June 2024, and thorough review by its membership, Field to Market commits to taking the necessary steps to meet the requirements of the LSRG through enhancements to its Fieldprint Platform and revisions to its sustainability metrics.

“This is an exciting time for the agricultural value chain and for Field to Market. We look forward to enhancing membership value by coordinating member feedback and providing input on the development of the GHG Protocol Land Sector Removals Guidance,” highlights Field to Market President Scott Herndon. “While we await the finalized Guidance, Field to Market members can continue to use our comprehensive Fieldprint Platform to track their sustainable, regenerative, climate-smart, and Scope 3 goals.”

To simplify and streamline Scope 3 GHG reporting, Field to Market is currently revising its Soil Carbon metric in the Fieldprint Platform to quantify carbon removals through land management and agronomic practices.

“Once the Soil Carbon metric is revised and meets the requirements of the GHG Protocol, ESG reporters will be able to quantify both greenhouse gas emissions and removals using the Fieldprint Platform,” says Paul Hishmeh, Field to Market Vice President of Science and Technology. “Coupled with updates to the existing GHG metric used by members to account for key land management emissions, these upgrades will provide a robust platform for GHG accounting.”

Earlier this week, Field to Market also announced their Gold Level Equivalence against SAI Platform’s new FSA 3.0, which is the highest possible rating available. Organizations interested in learning how Field to Market can assist with tracking and meeting sustainability goals can contact Coralie Pierre, Senior Manager of Programs and Partnerships.

ABOUT FIELD TO MARKET

Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture™ brings together a diverse group of grower organizations; agribusinesses; food, feed, beverage, restaurant and retail companies; conservation groups; universities and public sector partners to focus on defining, measuring and advancing the sustainability of food, feed, fiber and fuel production. Field to Market is comprised of over 170 members representing all facets of the U.S. agricultural supply chain, with members employing more than 5 million people and representing combined revenues totaling over $1.5 trillion. Learn more at https://fieldtomarket.org.

WILDLIGHT, Fla., June 8, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Rayonier is pleased to announce that Dan Roach, director of public affairs, recently received a 2021-2022 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regional Director’s Honor Award for his work with the Southeast Forest Landowner Group. The group was named Private Landowner of the Year (Group) for their significant contribution to gopher tortoise conservation.

“This category of awards is especially meaningful here in the Southeast region for it recognizes a category of people without whom it would not be possible for us to pursue a vision of connecting lands and water to conserve wildlife resources,” said Daffny Pitchford, the Service’s acting deputy regional director. “The stewardship of private landowners is crucial to the future of wildlife. We in turn are committed to accomplishing our mission while keeping working lands working.”

The Regional Director’s Honor Awards are given to the Service’s volunteers, partners and employees who have contributed to the accomplishments of their mission and vision in the Southeast Region through extraordinary performance in a job or volunteer assignment in which they have demonstrated exceptional innovation or ability. The awards ceremony was held in Atlanta and virtually on June 1.

Roach recently retired after 44 years at Rayonier. As director of public affairs, he was an active member of numerous state forestry associations, the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement (NCASI), the National Alliance of Forest Owners (NAFO) and the Society of American Foresters (SAF).

“During Dan’s accomplished career at Rayonier, his dedicated efforts included wildlife conservation and promoting forest management practices,” said Mike Bell, vice president of public affairs and communications, Rayonier. “He worked with other landowners and forestry organization members to help forge a successful partnership with USFWS, and as a result of intensive conservation work, it was determined that gopher tortoises in the eastern range didn’t warrant a federal listing.”

About Rayonier
Rayonier (NYSE:RYN) is a leading timberland real estate investment trust with assets located in some of the most productive softwood timber growing regions in the United States and New Zealand. We own or lease under long-term agreements approximately 2.8 million acres of timberlands located in the U.S. South, U.S. Pacific Northwest and New Zealand. We are More than trees because we recognize that our 90+ years of success in the timberland industry comes from our people, an empowering culture and the courage to constantly challenge “the way it’s always been done.” Get to know us at www.rayonier.com.

About U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
The mission of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service is to work with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The vision for the Southeast Region is as follows: “Together we will connect lands and waters to sustain fish, wildlife and plants by being visionary leaders, bold innovators and trusted partners, working with and for people.”

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Ron Janvier’s story, and that of many more inspiring Indigenous People from northern Alberta to St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador and places in between, can be found in the 2022 edition of Suncor’s Pathways magazine. Our Pathways magazine is a representation of our ongoing commitment to the Journey of Reconciliation. Visit Suncor.com to read more stories.

A welder by vocation, Ron Janvier was always more comfortable working with metal than words.

“As my career progressed, I began to take on new roles in planning, business analysis and reliability that required me to write more reports, which was a challenge for me,” says Ron, who worked for Syncrude for 33 years before retiring in 2012. “But I had several good mentors and one of them, Colleen Kearney, encouraged me with writing. She told me, ‘Use words to your advantage and paint a picture. That’s how you will get results.’ Those were wise words.”

Ron has continued to follow that advice in retirement, though his focus now is on retelling the stories of his childhood rather than building business cases. The Chipewyan Prairie First Nation Elder published his first children’s book, Sakisak and the Squirrel, last year. It was something of an accident as Ron didn’t start out wanting to author a book.

“My wife, Shelly, was developing curriculum for Head Start, a program to help children living on First Nations get ready for school, in the Treaty 8 territory. She had found many Cree children’s stories, and stories from other regions, but nothing from the Dene in the Wood Buffalo region,” says Ron. “So, she asked me to write down some of the tales that I learned growing up. Stories were very important for us as youngsters—it’s a big part of how we learned. These stories were shared from generation to generation by knowledge keepers, who always told us to carry the stories down.”

Ron wrote down 10 of his favourite stories from childhood, which involved Sakisak, a mythical character who created animals and would change their colours to protect them.

“An archeologist who has studied the history of the Prairie Chipewyan First Nation really liked the stories and suggested I turn them into the book,” he says. “It was the right time for me to take something like that on. I started writing during the pandemic when I was stuck at home and could concentrate without any distractions.”

Working with illustrator Terresa Dersch, Ron finished the story. Calgary-based publisher Joey Podlubny released the book in April 2021.

“I’ve done a lot of public readings, including the recent Athabasca Tribal Council festival in Fort McMurray,” he says. “I’ve decided I’m going to write another book about Sakisak and a weasel. I’ve learned so much from this experience. My son Ryan, who is a graphic artist, will illustrate the next book, so it is a real family affair.”

And Ron hopes the books, with their lessons about animals and their behaviours, will help children of all ages better understand the natural world as well as Dene storytelling. “It’s important to preserve these stories and the wisdom within them for future generations.”

Ron Janvier’s story, and that of many more inspiring Indigenous People from northern Alberta to St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador and places in between, can be found in the 2022 edition of Pathways magazine. Visit our Pathways magazine page to read more.

By Liam Goldsworthy

​Recent news highlighting a bird species struck down by the first classified plastic contamination disease is another reason to collectively work harder and faster to fight against pollution.

Plasticosis, believed to be the first illness of its kind, is currently affecting the flesh-footed Shearwater, a seabird living on an island off the coast of Australia. It affects the species by scarring its digestive tract, caused by plastic eaten during food searches.

Despite living on Lord Howe Island in the Tasman Sea, with a population of just over 400 people, the Shearwater is now known to be one of the most plastic-contaminated birds in the world.

While this issue may seem hundreds or even thousands of miles away from the birds we are more familiar with, experts believe the problem could become more widespread as plastic pollution continues to take hold of the planet. It is estimated that 99 per cent of seabirds will have ingested plastic waste by 2050 and nearly half of the world’s seabird species are already in decline.

The study of the bird colony has been a work in progress for the past 15 years, conducted by the Natural History Museum. The Museum has a team of 350 scientists looking for solutions to the planetary crisis from biodiversity loss to the sustainable extraction of natural resources.

Uncovering the disease

Scientists involved in the research examined the first part of the Shearwater’s stomach (the proventriculus organ) and the levels of ingested plastic. While proventriculus scarring was widespread, the scientists discovered the birds that had eaten more plastic had higher levels of scarring, which led to the identification of the new disease.

Plasticosis is caused by pieces of plastic inflaming the digestive tract, causing it to become scarred over time. Issues arising from this include digestion, growth and survival hazards. Experts believe the Shearwater colony is inadvertently fed the plastic pollution by their parents bringing them food.

Eventually, the disease could cause a breakdown of tubular glands in the proventriculus which would expose the birds to infection, parasites and affect their ability to digest food and absorb the vitamins they rely on.
Dr Alex Bond, co-author of the study and Principal Curator and Curator in Charge of Birds at the Natural History Museum, said: “While these birds can look healthy on the outside, they’re not doing well on the inside.

“This study is the first time that stomach tissue has been investigated in this way and shows that plastic consumption can cause serious damage to these birds’ digestive system.”

Working to protect wildlife in the ocean

Liam Goldsworthy, Head of Consumer Goods & Retail – Sustainable Business at Acre UK, said: “Whilst in recent years it has been well documented that plastic waste ingested by birds and other wildlife can have an adverse impact on the health of these species, particularly in the ground-breaking ‘A Plastic Ocean’ documentary, the Natural History Museum study is the first of its kind to identify and name a disease associated with this.

“There are many fantastic charities, innovators and social enterprises that are working to address plastic pollution throughout the value chain during Ocean Decade. One of which is Ocean Generation, Acre’s charity partner, which seeks to activate youth globally through science and storytelling to create a movement of change, raising awareness of our impacts on the Ocean, its importance, and how current and the next generation can address these issues”.

Ocean Generation

Ocean Generation are experts in ocean plastic pollution, having launched numerous education programmes to highlight the issues and prevent plastic from reaching the ocean within a generation.

Jo Ruxton, marine conservationist and founder of the organisation (formerly Plastic Oceans UK) produced the inspirational, award-winning documentary ‘A Plastic Ocean’, which was hailed by Sir David Attenborough as “one of the most important films of our time”.

Speaking about the Shearwater birds, Jo told Acre: “The studies that have been carried out on seabirds really are just the tip of the iceberg when we consider the extent of the damage plastic has wreaked on the health of our ocean, the wildlife it supports and even our own health.

“I have witnessed plastic being removed from living animals but sadly witnessed more of the incidences where it has caused death. In those cases, the internal damage has been clear, the lesions on the stomach and gut linings are obvious but we cannot see what is happening at a cellular level with the naked eye. We know plastic breaks up beyond microplastics, nano plastics have been found in our lungs and in our blood – the more scientists reveal, the more our long-standing concerns are proven.

“What can we do? We can’t filter it all out but – we can stop it getting worse. Prevent it from happening in the future. Life in the ocean carries on, and that is where the hope lies. We know all about the mistakes we’ve made assuming plastic is ‘disposable’, we know what we must do now to stop it reaching the environment, we know the stupidity of some of those single-use items we threw away time and time again, so let’s simply stop and give the ocean a chance to recover.”

Supporting the charity

Acre recently organised its 2023 Sustainable Drinks event, hosting leaders in sustainability from around the world. This year the event, in its sixth year, was held at the Sky Garden in London where 150 of the industry changemakers gathered to connect around sustainability and visions/solutions for a better future, raising funds for Ocean Generation.

As a purposeful business itself, Acre through its Foundation, B-Corp commitments and internal sustainability initiatives seeks to address its own impacts on our environment and society, whilst seeking to create systemic change by activating people’s potential through the services it provides to clients.

If you would like to understand more about Ocean Generation’s work and help support the charity in its mission, please contact Ocean Generation directly.

If you would like to donate to Ocean Generation, please click here.

Liam Goldsworthy heads up Acre’s consumer goods and retail practice in the UK. Since 2016, he’s been partnering on senior sustainability mandates and building teams for companies across consumer goods and retail, with a particular on the fashion and luxury goods industry. Beyond his core role, Liam also leads Acre’s internal sustainability and charitable initiatives through the Acre Foundation; including B-Corp, net-zero, employee engagement and charitable work with aligned social and environmental causes.

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.

Join us on our journey towards a sustainable future! We recently organized a Fleet Transformation Workshop where our colleagues had the chance to discover, experience and test drive the latest electric vehicles on the market. Our EV pilot program is expanding rapidly, with EVs now deployed in 14 countries. By adopting electric vehicles, we are making a significant contribution towards achieving our company goal of reducing Scope 1 & 2 emissions by 50% by 2030. To learn more about our environmental, social and governance (#ESG) objectives, click here.

To make progress on our mission and successfully deliver on our strategy and business model to build access to medicine and create long-term value, we continually work to advance sustainable operations and responsible practices. At Viatris, we are committed to addressing key environmental, social and governance matters by leveraging the collective expertise within Viatris and in our partnerships, recognizing that our actions affect the stakeholders and communities we serve.

We are a signatory to the UN Global Compact and committed to its 10 principles on human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption. In 2022, this work was as important as ever, as the world was trying to build back economies and healthcare systems amid the COVID pandemic, facing growing health disparities and inflation, as well as the growing impact on and from climate change, including immediate human health impact. The war in Ukraine created urgent needs and for Viatris, ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our colleagues and their families was our immediate priority as well as providing essential medicines to those in need. Thanks to our interconnected global supply chain, we were able to mitigate disruptions and maintain supply of critical medicines as well as participate in and donate to emergency response and relief efforts.

We continue our work to be a trusted partner of key stakeholders to help close gaps to equal access to care, build more resilient healthcare systems, uphold a reliable global supply of medicines, curb climate change and protect the environment, on which human health largely depends. Providing a diverse, equal, and inclusive workplace where colleagues feel engaged, empowered and safe, and upholding ethical practices and a holistic approach to enterprise risk management are foundational for our continued success. Further scaling sustainable practices together with our partners across the value chain helps to protect the global and diverse supply chain on which reliable access for patients across the world hinges.

In 2022, we communicated Viatris’ initial company-wide sustainability goals in the areas of access and health; diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI); and the environment. The work to progress on our goals and priority areas serves the resilience of our operations and supply of medicine, helps us anticipate key stakeholder expectations and support global progress on the UN Sustainable Development Goals for 2030. While there are no easy fixes to many of the world’s challenges, there are significant opportunities for meaningful advancement through diligent and systematic efforts and long-term perspectives. And further, partnerships are essential for scalable and lasting progress. In this report, we are sharing just some of the examples of the hard work being done by colleagues across Viatris and in external collaborations to do our part.

This includes the ongoing work to build access to HIV prevention and treatment, with 65% of children on treatment in 2022 being treated with a Viatris product, and the NCD academy launching new courses available to HCPs across the world – now impacting approximately 48.6 million patients. As part of stimulating DEI and engagement, we conducted our initial employee Voice Survey in 2022, hosted voluntary educational events and will soon introduce required DEI training. We made real progress in pursuit of our environmental goals in climate, water and waste. And we are pleased that the SBTi validated and approved our scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets, while also determining that Viatris’ scope 1 and 2 target ambition is in line with the 1.5°C trajectory.

We can’t underscore enough how everyone at Viatris is part of the journey to build more sustainable access to medicine. And we thank them all for their continuing passion and impact as we work to empower people worldwide to live healthier at every stage of life.

— Lara Ramsburg Head of Corporate Affairs, Viatris

“Addressing key sustainability matters truly is foundational for our relevance and our future success as an employer and as a partner, to our operations and ultimately our ability to advance on our mission. And this work truly involves everyone at Viatris in different ways. It is multifunctional, it happens across geographies, and it goes on all year round.” — Lina Andersson Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, Viatris

CSR Governance 

Viatris’ Board of Directors oversees management’s efforts with respect to corporate environmental and social responsibility matters through its Risk Oversight Committee. The CSR function operates as a center of excellence within the Corporate Affairs leadership team. The Head of Corporate Affairs reports directly to the CEO and communicates quarterly with the Viatris Board through the Risk Oversight Committee together with the Head of Corporate Social Responsibility. The Head of Corporate Social Responsibility drives the strategic and operational development of CSR across the company together with key partners.

A multifunctional CSR Advisory Committee comprised of global leaders with a monthly meeting cadence monitors the external landscape, company progress and supports the integration of corporate environmental and social responsibility activities across the organization. Progress on strategic focus areas and execution of relevant tasks rely on a broad and engaged network of functional leaders across the company.

View the full 2022 Sustainability Report here.