Day: 11 January 2025

Transformation of UN SDGs only way forward for sustainable development

Stuart Mitchell

Climate change is the single biggest threat to the global environment and socio-economic development – demanding an urgent transformation of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), according to a new study.  The UN SDGs were created to end poverty, build social-economic-health protection and enhance education and job opportunities, while tackling climate change and providing environmental protection.   Following the recent COP29 environmental summit in Baku, University of Birmingham experts say that, as climate action is linked to sustainable development, systematic integration of climate resilience into every aspect of the SDGs…

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Sodexo advocates for cross industry collaboration to increase green skills

Stuart Mitchell

Sodexo UK and Ireland is advocating for cross industry collaboration to advance green skills1, enabling organisations, including its own, to meet net zero commitments.  Recognising that every role in its organisation must adapt to meet the challenges posed by climate change, Sodexo is embedding green skills within its workforce, providing training and learning opportunities for its people at all stages of their career journey through a dedicated training centre which it has partnered with the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) to establish.  Green skills are vital for businesses…

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72 Nations Lead Global Recycling Momentum for UNEP-Recognized Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) Transport Packaging

Stuart Mitchell

The Global EPS Sustainability Alliance (GESA) has confirmed that 72 countries engaged in varying levels of recycling EPS Transport Packaging in 2023, with many achieving recycling rates above 30%. The data summary comes ahead of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) INC-5 negotiations taking place next week, where UN Member States will continue to negotiate policy considerations to address global plastic pollution. Of the 72 countries engaged in EPS sustainability efforts, 54% have reported their respective recycling rates. A significant portion achieved rates exceeding 30%, including the regions of North America and Europe, and countries like…

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Fairtrade sales outperformed the market during its annual flagship campaign

Stuart Mitchell

The Fairtrade Foundation has reported a strong uplift in retail sales of Fairtrade products driven by its annual flagship campaign Fairtrade Fortnight which ran for the first time in September. According to data from Kantar’s Worldpanel 2024 – which consists of real data scanned in by panelists – Fairtrade sales of confectionery, hot drinks and bananas outperformed that of total volumes versus the 2 weeks prior to the campaign (2 w/e 8th September 2024). Many farmers overseas are under pressure to respond to risks such as poor working conditions, climate…

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Barnardo’s Issues Plea For New Adopters In Scotland As Register Reveals 20% Fall In Numbers

Stuart Mitchell

The country’s leading children’s charity is today issuing a plea for more people to consider adoption after figures revealed that the number of adopters on the national register had dropped by almost 20% in the space of a year. Ahead of last month’s Adoption Week, Barnardo’s Scotland has pointed to Scottish Adoption Register (SAR) figures that show the number of registered adopters has fallen from 209 at the end of March 2023 to 169 on the corresponding date this year. That is a decrease of 19%. What’s more, in the…

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