Month: October 2022

Asda expands trial of UK’s-first indoor navigation tool for blind and partially sighted people

Stuart Mitchell

Asda is expanding its trial of new technology which will make it easier for blind and partially sighted customers to navigate their way through the store whilst they do their shopping. Following an initial trial at Asda’s designated Technology-Innovation store in Stevenage, the supermarket is integrating a further 10 stores into the GoodMaps smartphone app. The app can pinpoint the user’s location within one metre of accuracy and then communicate directions to product groups or areas via audio, enlarged visual, and touch commands. Shoppers using the app will be able…

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Share your feedback on the draft of the new standards for B Corp Certification

Stuart Mitchell

The B Corp standards are at the heart of the B Corp movement and our Theory of Change, defining social, environmental, and governance best practices for businesses. Our standards serve as the foundation for all our global network does to drive economic systems change — from B Corp Certification to our impact management products to our policy work worldwide.  Continuous improvement is one of the foundational principles of B Lab. As the B Corp community and our global movement grow, we must uphold this commitment by continually evolving the tools…

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New poll indicates strong business appetite for net zero regulation

Stuart Mitchell

An overwhelming majority of business leaders surveyed in seven major economies agree government policies are necessary to deliver the net zero transition.   A new YouGov poll commissioned by the University of Cambridge institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) finds eight in 10 leaders of large businesses across five continents say they believe regulation is needed for their net zero ambitions and for economy-wide decarbonisation.   In the wake of this year’s IPCC mitigation report which suggested progress in policies, regulations and market mechanisms could be scaled up and applied widely to produce…

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Microsoft, Planet and The Nature Conservancy launch the Global Renewables Watch

Stuart Mitchell

Microsoft Corp., Planet Labs PBC and The Nature Conservancy recently announced its plans to launch the Global Renewables Watch (GRW), a first-of-its-kind living atlas intended to map and measure all utility-scale solar and wind installations on Earth using artificial intelligence (AI) and satellite imagery, allowing users to evaluate clean energy transition progress and track trends over time. With initial mapping of solar and wind energy installations in Germany and India, as well as solar installations in Brazil and Egypt completed, the GRW is being built to serve as a publicly…

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ICO sets out revised approach to public sector enforcement

Stuart Mitchell

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has set out a revised approach to working more effectively with public authorities. This approach, which is outlined in an open letter from the UK Information Commissioner John Edwards to public authorities, will see use of the Commissioner’s discretion to reduce the impact of fines on the public sector, coupled with better engagement including publicising lessons learned and sharing good practice. It will be trialled over the next two years. In practice, this will mean an increased use of the ICO’s wider powers, including warnings,…

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