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HSBC wins ethical business award

Sunday, 25 January 2009 20:15 By Chris Innis

HSBC has come top in the second annual ethical reputation rankings published by Geneva-based consultancy Covalence. HSBC was the best performing bank, achieving a clean sweep in the three categories: 'Best Ethical Quote Score', 'Best Ethical Quote Progress', and 'Best Reported Performance'. Overall, it placed sixth across all sectors in the survey of over 200 multi national corporations.

Francis Sullivan, HSBC's Adviser on the Environment, commented: "The Covalence report is an important barometer of how multinationals are perceived in the ethical field and HSBC is delighted to have been recognised in this way."

A new report finds that clean technology is not flowing to the developing world

Sunday, 18 January 2009 01:50 By Chris Innis

A report from the CERNA Research Programme on Technology Transfer and Climate Change has found that climate related technologies are not being transferred to the developing nations.

The report, Invention and Transfer of Climate Change Mitigation Technologies on a Global Scale, looked at the development of clean technologies, including carbon capture and storage, over a 25 year period, and found that those countries that ratified the Kyoto protocol saw an acceleration in patent filings over the period 1998-2003.

Computing now rivals aviation in emissions but is growing faster

Saturday, 17 January 2009 00:44 By Chris Innis

The computing industry now contributes two per cent to global carbon emissions, the same as the aviation industry but while the aviation industry is growing at three per cent this year, computing will grow at six per cent and its growth is forecast to out pace aviation. The two per cent calculation is a global average, in developed countries carbon emissions from computing may be as high as four per cent according to some industy analysts. A study in the Neterlands puts carbon emissions at three per cent of total emissions.

Computing, which encompasses professional and personal usage of computers, data centres and data processing, has long ignored running costs and in particular energy costs. As computers have becaome more power and as information is processed continually, energy use has soared.

Directors 'ignorant' of power-saving technology

Friday, 09 January 2009 15:39 By Mark Williams

A leading energy efficiency specialist has defended industry finance managers after a recent report accused them of being naïve in the face of electricity price rises.
The research by engineering firm ABB highlighted that, although most FD’s view reducing electricity costs as a priority, very few understand how best to tackle the problem. More than half thought the most effective way was to switch suppliers, whilst investing in products to improve efficiency – often the most prudent way to reduce factory energy bills – was ranked bottom of the list.

Environmental Industries Commission issues its Guide to the UK Environmental Industry with warnings

Thursday, 08 January 2009 22:50 By Chris Innis

The Environmental Industries Commission ("EIC"), has published a guide to the UK's environmental industry which is critical of the Labour Government's policies to promote the future growth of the environmental industry in the UK.

The report found that only seven per cent of companies surveyed believed that the Government had the best policies for promoting industry growth. This contrasted with 33 per cent for Conservative opposition's policies and 19 per centfor the Liberal Democrats’ policies. Furthermore, some 84% of respondents said the Labour Government is not doing enough to support the environmental industry.

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