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Earnings for the world's largest technology services company, IBM, slumped in the fourth quarter as it shed its unprofitable businesses.

The tech giant's revenue fell almost 12% from a year earlier to $24.1bn (£15.9bn) from October to December.

Its net income also declined 11% to $5.5bn in the same time period.

The company's earnings were impacted by the strong US dollar and its decision to move away from its hardware business to focus on higher-margin operations.

"We are making significant progress in our transformation, continuing to shift IBM's business to higher value, and investing and positioning ourselves for the longer term," said chief executive Ginni Rometty in a statement on Tuesday.

The company has been facing declining demand for servers and storage products.

In October, the firm said it would pay $1.5bn in cash to offload its loss-making chip manufacturing division to Abu Dhabi owned Global Foundries.

News of the earnings report sent the New York listed shares of the firm down 1.8% in after hours trading. Its shares were down more than 17% in the past year.

The company's forecast for earnings this year also missed market expectations.

It expects operating earnings of $15.75 to $16.50 per share, just below a Reuter's poll figure of $16.53.

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Earnings for the world's largest technology services company, IBM, slumped in the fourth quarter as it shed its unprofitable businesses. The tech giant's revenue fell almost 12% from a year earlier to $24.1bn (£15.9bn) from October to December. Its net income also declined 11% to $5.5bn in the same time period.

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By Will Smale
BBC News business reporter

Mr Clooney would not confirm if he will play the lead in MBO II

Management buy-outs are one sector of business life that could make a particularly good movie.
After all, in many cases they include the drama of tough and tense negotiations, the stress of trying to raise a great deal of money, and a nerve-wracking race to meet a seemingly unachievable deadline.

Add a philanthropic desire to save a long established business and the livelihoods of its loyal staff, and all you'd need is a good scriptwriter. And maybe some added love interest.

But firmly back in the real world, management buy-outs (MBOs) are a daily occurrence in the UK.

According to figures from the Centre for Management Buy-Out Research at Nottingham University Business School, 314 MBOs were completed in the first half of 2004 - the equivalent of 12 a week - at a total value of £7.6bn.

But exactly how do MBOs take place, and what are the potential pitfalls both during the process and after one has been successful?

Main opportunities

"Typically there are two scenarios," says John Cole, a management buyout specialist at Ernst & Young.

Some MBO teams are staggered by the level of questioning and detailing

"Number one is when a corporation wishes to divest a certain manufacturing plant or other facility, and the second is when the owner of a small or medium-sized firm wants out."

In both cases the management team running either the facility or company in question can consider going forward with an MBO to take over the business.

ClarityBlue is one such firm that was founded by an MBO.

A hi-tech company, its software systems allow a number of blue chip firms - from Lloyds TSB to Vodafone - to monitor and develop their interactions with their customers.

Before its successful MBO in 1993, it was part of a US company, but today it is wholly UK owned.

"Basically it got to the stage where we outgrew our American parent company," says ClarityBlue chief executive Duncan Painter.

"We were by then representing 80% of the business, and it became obvious that it was no longer sensible for them to keep control of us. We needed a lot more investment than was possible to continue to grow and develop."

Market pressures

With ClarityBlue's then parent prepared to let the business go, Mr Painter and his fellow directors immediately faced one of the first hurdles that can scupper even the best potential MBO - tough competition. No fewer than three outside companies expressed an interest in buying the firm.

Ms Zellweger could play a hard-hitting venture capitalist

With sentiment being a very low business priority, the US parent firm simply choosing Mr Painter's team out of loyalty was out of the question.

"Our proposal had to be competitive, the best possible," says Mr Painter. "We had to pay a fair price."

"In the end I think the company went with us - both because we offered a very good financial deal, but also because we would continue to be one of their main customers. That was the balance they decided to take."

Raising money

Once a management team has its first inclination that an MBO might be possible, its next thoughts will turn to trying to raise the finance.

This can include going to its bank manager, but in many cases, it will need to turn to a venture capitalist or private equity firm to raise the funds it requires.

In simple terms, the two types of firm perform a similar role. They work by lending the MBO the cash it needs and by taking a stake in the MBO company for a return of typically between 25% to 30% on their investment over three to five years.

It would be madness to exaggerate in your business plan, as this will immediately backfire as soon as you start to fail to hit your targets

Duncan Painter, ClarityBlue

And if you think your bank manager can be a tough operator, you have never met a venture capitalist. These people do not so much "not suffer fools gladly", as attack them before throwing them out of their office.

To avoid any such embarrassment, an MBO team needs to have a business plan more watertight than a nuclear submarine.

Vital accuracy

"Some MBO teams are staggered by the level of questioning and detailing," says Mr Cole.

"A venture capitalist will want to know absolutely everything."

"Do not exaggerate" is the simple advice of Mr Painter.

Suddenly the managers have to immediately learn a whole range of new skills

"We were extremely honest with our private equity firm about our business plan and where any potential problems could be," he says. "We wanted them to come in with their eyes fully open.
"It would be madness to exaggerate though, as this will immediately backfire as soon as you start to fail to hit your targets. Then you would be in trouble."

New pressures

Thankfully for Mr Painter, ClarityBlue continues to be a success. He says it expanded by 35% in its first year and he is targeting 55% for the second.

Yet while ClarityBlue is now firmly established, other successful MBOs can go on to fail for a number of reasons, as Mr Cole explains.

"Suddenly the managers have to immediately learn a whole range of new skills, particularly if they have bought out from a large company.

"They may be excellent at managing what their company produces or supplies, but suddenly they have to also do everything that before they took for granted, such as looking after the IT infrastructure, human resources, payroll etcetera."

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BBC NEWS | Business | The management buy-out minefield

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By Will Smale BBC News business reporter Mr Clooney would not confirm if he will play the lead in MBO II Management buy-outs are one sector of business life that could make a particularly good movie.

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A hardware store in San Jose has a new star employee. It can speak English and Spanish, recognise any part at sight, and knows what the shop has in stock on a second by second basis.

And it's also a robot.

OSHbot, as it is called, measures roughly 5ft, and boasts a 3D scanner and touchscreen.

"It's not just robots for robots' sake, or a marketing gimmick," insists Kyl Nel, executive director of Lowe's Innovation Labs.

Lowe's is an American DIY chain, and the robot's ultimate employer.

A store associate, no matter how talented, couldn't know the real-time location and current stock levels of all of a shop's wares, according to Mr Nel.

The 3D scanner connects with a database of thousands of small screws and hinges.

Typical customers entering the store with a small part, he says, "don't know what it's called - all they know is they need 20 of them."

Much of this could be done with a smartphone, although the scanner is more powerful than a mobile phone camera.

But it is more natural to have someone to ask.

"It's another barrier if you have to download something. If you come into a store you're there for a reason, and you typically want it right away," Mr Nel says.

At the moment there are only two of the robots, with variations being field tested.

This includes whether the robots' voices should be male or female, electronic or human; whether they should have a face or not; and how fast they should move.

"But we didn't go to all that trouble to do one store in the Bay area," adds Mr Nel.

Plays well with others

OSHbot is "a great example of where robotics are today in terms of their usefulness," says Rob Nail, chief executive of Singularity University, located in Nasa's Silicon Valley research park.

They are built to perform very specific, fairly limited tasks.

The key to a robot-to-human interface is that it is embodied, suggests Philip Solis, a robotics expert at ABI Research. "You're moving towards something you can interact with more - you can ask it information, and it can respond to you."

As an example he points to Jibo, which is being developed by MIT professor Cynthia Breazeal, and billed as the "world's first family robot".

Jibo does not move around, but can swivel, answer questions, read stories, and take group photographs.

"It's another form of user interface to the internet," says Mr Solis.

Human interaction is likely to prove the most difficult thing to do well, argues Mr Nail, "since we haven't had a lot of robots interacting with consumers."

OSHbot costs roughly $150,000 (£95,319, €120,200), Mr Solis estimates, though this unit cost would decrease as the market matures. By contrast, Jibo will enter the marketplace at the end of 2015 for $499 (£317, €400).

Robotics components are becoming cheaper, and instead of the full onboard computer previously required to provide processing speed, personal robots now "really just need smartphone guts", says Mr Solis.

The cost of robotics has moved from accessible only to big business, to affordable for small enterprise, meaning much more experimentation will take place, says Andra Keay, head of Silicon Valley Robotics, a non-profit industry group.

She predicts gradual improvements to things we already have based on robotics technology.

Help with the heavy lifting

In this way Budgee, a robotic shopping trolley developed by Five Elements Robotics, might just become what we expect every shopping trolley to do.

This robot is purely functional. Rather than replicating a human shop assistant, it follows shoppers with their goods in tow - particularly helpful for the elderly or those with limited mobility.

On similar lines are the K5 and K10 robotic security guards being field tested by Knightscope - and in passing, possibly resembling a Dalek.

They use similar technology to the Google self-driving car, can read 300 vehicle registration plates a minute, and summon police or security guards when they encounter evidence of intruders.

Much of the biggest retail impact of robotics technologies will in fact be out of customers' eye.

Amazon purchased Kiva Systems - which makes warehouse robots - in March 2012 for $775 million (£493 million, €620 million), and is using them in its warehouses. They're not alone - robotic pickers and packers are becoming a common sight in retail distribution centres.

It's a very different approach to that of Aldebaran Robotics. Their humanoid Pepper robot was created for Japanese company Softbank, and it's more like the robot companions of science fiction.

Pepper is designed to recognise human emotions, and to react to its environment based on information held in a continually evolving cloud database. It will go on sale in Japan in February 2015 for ¥198,000 ($1,900, £1,064, €1,434).

Miss Keay thinks this is a difficult price point for its makers to pull off.

"When we're going for robots that are cheaper than $20,000-$50,000 (£12,700-31,777, €16,000-40,050), you're going to have a lot of tradeoffs in either durability, size, or functionality."

This is droid you're looking for

How a robot looks could guide how we interact with technology in coming years.

"A voice in a headset saying turn left, now turn right feels a little too intimate, I think," says Mr Nail.

"But," he adds, "it's not going to be humanoid, really it's not - when people try to make them look too human, it kind of creeps us out."

We're more likely to see robots like Jibo at the moment, thinks Miss Keay.

"You've basically taken out all the hardware problems, and made a physically embodied social interaction in a not very difficult piece of hardware," she says,

"Whereas producing a small humanoid that was affordable, it's just a little too complex for where we're at."

"I really hope the novelty of the robot wears off quickly," says Singularity University's Rob Nail.

He thinks robots with access to customer databases could recreate a time "when the shopkeeper would know your name and preferences, and you'd have a tab with him."

In other words, rather than the sterile high tech environment often seen in science fiction, robots on the shop floor could bring back the personal service while shopping we associate more with the past, than the future.

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A hardware store in San Jose has a new star employee. It can speak English and Spanish, recognise any part at sight, and knows what the shop has in stock on a second by second basis. And it's also a robot. OSHbot, as it is called, measures roughly 5ft, and boasts a 3D scanner and touchscreen.

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Sarah

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Amway - Meeting customers' needs through the Internet - Amway | Amway case studies and information | Business Case Studies

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Most operate their business part time from home, as many have full time jobs and want a flexible working pattern with Amway. They want to work at a time convenient for them, which can be any hour of the day or night, with an organisation they can rely on.

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Albert

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Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.

Kodak has filed for bankruptcy to the sadness of many but to nobody's surprise:

The New York Stock Exchange today said that trading in Eastman Kodak shares "should be suspended immediately." And in fact trading in the stock on the NYSE was halted earlier this morning.

The statement follows Kodak's announcement early this morning that it has filed for protection from creditors under Chapter 11 of the U.S. bankruptcy code.

"NYSE Regulation has determined that the Company is no longer suitable for listing," the exchange said. "This decision was reached in view of the company's January 19, 2012 announcement that it and its U.S. subsidiaries have filed voluntary petitions for Chapter 11 business reorganization in the U.S Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. NYSE Regulation noted the uncertainty as to the timing and outcome of the bankruptcy process, as well as the ultimate effect of this process on the Company's common stockholders."

This is just evolution, of course, though it's a sad day for workers and others effected by the announcement. It's never fun to see an icon of American enterprise fade or file bankruptcy.

Of course it's not really technology that killed Kodak. We killed the film manufacturer. We chose to use digital cameras instead of film. We found the SD cards and USB cables far more convenient. And so we killed the company through our neglect and Kodak didn't know how to respond or how to respond in time. Maybe they can restructure and return once again to some new days of glory.

Meanwhile, with SOPA in the news, it's interesting to think about how other legacy industries and companies are attempting to prevent the inevitable. When a business model is threatened you can adapt, use the force of law and protectionism to save you, or fail. Kodak couldn't adapt. The entertainment industry is attempting to use government regulations to their advantage.

Such is the economy in an age of such rapidly changing technology. It's important to remember, though, that you and I are the driving force of this change. There is nothing nefarious about it. It's the death of a thousand paper cuts.

Update: Yes, I'm being very "meta" here, talking about how you either adapt to technological change or you fail. I absolutely agree, and thought I'd made it clear, that Kodak failed to adapt. That should be laid at the feet of its management and their poor decisions.

Follow me on Twitter or Facebook. Read my Forbes blog here.

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united states district court for the southern district of new york

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Kodak filed for banktrupcy Thursday. Image via Wikipedia Kodak has filed for bankruptcy to the sadness of many but to nobody's surprise: The New York Stock Exchange today said that trading in Eastman Kodak shares "should be suspended immediately." And in fact trading in the stock on the NYSE was halted [...]

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Blockbuster V Netflix

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(Ongoing live-blogging my new book in progress.)
Ask anyone you know why the Blockbuster empire collapsed and they'll tell you in one word: Netflix. Blockbuster, with its thousands of stores was a dinosaur that was unable to adapt to changing technologies and market dynamics. But the truth is very different. And this is the untold true story of what really happened to one of America's most beloved brands and why it's a lesson every business leader should read.

Here's the real story: in 2006 and 2007, Blockbuster had Netflix on the ropes and Netflix CEO Reed Hastings was asking them to acquire his company. No, Blockbuster didn't fail because of the competition; it failed because of boardroom infighting and one of the most disastrous CEO changes in American business history. At a conference call with analysts in 2007, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings mentioned Blockbuster 22 times. He admitted they had not yet formulated a plan to stop Blockbuster stealing their customers at the rate of a million a year. He said Blockbuster had thrown everything at them but the kitchen sink. The next day a large box arrived in Hasting's office: a kitchen sink with a note from Blockbuster COO Nick Shepherd: "Here's your sink."

By 2007, unable to fight any longer, Hastings received permission from his board to begin merger talks with Blockbuster. In the end, Blockbuster decided they didn't need Netflix, their growth was that strong. Netflix was on their way down. They had nowhere left to go.

And then something astonishing happened. Blockbuster blinked. A boardroom dispute resulted in a change of CEO. The new man didn't understand what business Blockbuster was really in. He started changing the game plan, including pulling out of their Internet efforts. Within 18 months, he had lost 85% of the capital value of the company. Within two years, he lost it all.

When a once successful company loses touch with the purpose that made it great, disaster follows. if you want a proof that purpose matters, look at what happened to Apple between 1985 and 1997. Jobs and Wozniak had built Apple up as a company that made super high quality, high margin products noted for their elegant design and noted for their ability to help normal people like me do elegant work. But after the board booted Jobs out of the company in '85, Apple went through a series of CEOs who really didn't get it. They lost sight of the purpose of the company.

John Sculley was a very smart man, no doubt. And he seems to have been inspired by Jobs' call to spend his life doing more than selling "sugared water." But he brought the same consumer product marketing mind to Apple that he had used at Pepsi. He began to commoditize Apple products, and Apple's loyal brand fanatics left them in droves. When that didn't work out, he was replaced by a new CEO, Michael Spindler, who continued to find a way to restore Apple's sales and even began takeover talks with IBM, Sun, and Phillips. When that didn't work either, he was replaced by a third CEO, Dr. Gil Amelio. Amelio had been successful at cost-cutting and restoring National Semiconductor to profitability. But he didn't understand the purpose of Apple, either.

Apple didn't exist to sell commodity products that were just as good as or slightly better than PC clones. Apple existed to provide "the creative class" with elegantly designed tools that would help them become "insanely great." Like Nike's "Just Do It" challenge, Apple's purpose was customer-focused: it was focused on what the customers needed Apple to be. And what is today one of the world's most valuable companies was practically insolvent because they lost sight of their purpose. It got so bad that Amelio lasted only 500 days on the job. And in his last gasp, he was running a company that was just one quarter away from total insolvency.

Jobs came back, reestablished the sense of purpose with the Apple team, and the company took off again. Customers flocked back because they were drawn by the clarity of the brand purpose.

The story at Blockbuster was very similar. In its 20 year blaze of glory, from the time Wayne Huizenga took control of the tiny Dallas chain to the 3 year death spiral that lead to bankruptcy and the sale of assets, Blockbuster essentially had six CEOs. Three insisted Blockbuster was an entertainment company, three insisted it was a retail company. The retailers all failed, each in less than two years, each bringing the company to its knees and, finally, its death. Each of the failed "retail" CEOs presented the same business plan, virtually word for word, that had failed the company before. And each was entirely ignorant of their plan's prior history of failure, as was the Board.

At its height in 2007, Blockbuster had more than 50 million members worldwide, people who had turned over their credit card information for the privilege of renting a movie in their local store or on line. 50 million people who wonder what happened. Millions of older people who saw their lives change when they walked into their first Blockbuster and found they had access to an entire library of movies to take home and watch. Millions of younger people who came into this life with Blockbuster as the brand that meant family fun, that meant movie night, that meant their first journey into the world of the story. Millions of people for whom the words "Make it a Blockbuster Night" still ring with profound resonance. Or would, if the company was still around.

The story is worth telling here and in the following sections because there are so many wonderful lessons to be learned. But let's not start at the end or at the beginning: let's start in the middle when the second of Blockbuster's three failed CEO's had just resigned in disgrace.

Read the next segment here.

If you've got a story of a company that's branded to the bone, let me know!

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When Blockbuster Forgot What Business They Were In

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(Ongoing live-blogging my new book in progress.) Ask anyone you know why the Blockbuster empire collapsed and they'll tell you in one word: Netflix. Blockbuster, with its thousands of stores was a dinosaur that was unable to adapt to changing technologies and market dynamics. But the

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Sarah

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No reports of any accidents or injuries relating to this issue Customers registration look-up function on www.toyota.co.uk
Toyota has announced a recall today for some of its current, third-generation Prius models to correct a potential problem with the hybrid system's boost converter software.

The recall affects 30,790 UK-registered Prius cars. Worldwide, there have been no reports of any accidents or injuries relating to this issue. In Europe Toyota has recorded 11 field reports of the issue occurring.
The issue
Toyota has identified through its stringent quality reporting programme that there may be an issue concerning the software used to control the boost converter in the Intelligent Power Module, part of the hybrid system's inverter assembly. The boost converter is required when driving with a high system load, for example when accelerating hard from standstill.

Toyota has identified that the software setting could lead to higher thermal stress occurring in certain insulated-gate bipolar transistors in the boost converter which may lead to them deforming or being damaged.

Should this happen, warning lights may be illuminated and the car is likely to switch to "failsafe" operation - it can still be driven, but with reduced power. In limited cases the hybrid system may shut down, causing the vehicle to stop. The driver will not experience any change in the vehicle's behaviour or performance prior to the problem occurring.

Toyota can confirm that this issue will not occur in other Toyota hybrid vehicles, as these use different transistor structures and control logic.
The recall
All the vehicles affected by this issue are being recalled so that the control software can be updated.

Vehicle owners will be contacted by Toyota within the coming weeks by post or telephone and asked to make an appointment to bring their car to their nearest Toyota centre, in accordance with Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) guidelines.

The software update will take about 40 minutes to complete; the work will be carried out free of charge.

Customers can check whether their vehicle is affected using a registration look-up function in the owners section of the main Toyota website.

If owners require additional information they can contact Toyota Recall Helpline on 0800 1388744.

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No reports of any accidents or injuries relating to this issue Customers registration look-up function on www.toyota.co.uk Toyota has announced a recall today for some of its current, third-generation Prius models to correct a potential problem with the hybrid system's boost converter software. The recall affects 30,790 UK-registered Prius cars.

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The era of the self-scanning checkout could be slowly coming to an end - at least for some Waitrose customers.

The supermarket chain has decided to remove self-scanning kiosks from its Oakgrove store in Milton Keynes and replace them with more manned tills - in part to help speed up transactions.

It comes as some other retailers are said to be reviewing the future of self-service checkouts. Although they were meant to speed up shopping as well as cutting costs, some research indicates that they can actually increase queues.

A spokeswoman for Waitrose said that the two self-service tills had been dropped from its Oakgrove store to "help meet demand in store, and benefit our customers by reducing their waiting time".

The company added it may consider similar moves in other stores, depending on demand and on a case-by-case basis.

Waitrose's decision comes a week after a survey revealed that one in five shoppers admitted to stealing produce when using self-service tills because of the lack of staff monitoring the area.

According to the British Retail Consortium, thefts from retailers were up 48 per cent on the year and sources suggest self-service checkouts were partly to blame. The Walmart-owned Asda has arguably been at the forefront of introducing the new technology and last year revealed the first 360-degree scanner which worked as a fully-automated checkout, with customers no longer needing to present the barcode.

The scanner is being trialled at Asda's York store and, if successful, could be rolled out nationwide, scanning up to 100 products a minute, making it three times faster than manual scanning.

Tesco has also been keen to offer self-scanning far and wide and launched the UK's first self-scan only store in 2009 in Kingsley Park, Northampton. The trial is proving successful and Tesco is considering other small stores with the services, however, bosses are keen to offer the choice of both machines and actual staff.

Some analysts have suggested that the British may be particularly keen on self-service checkouts because it means shoppers no longer need to interact with staff.

However, the self-scanners are just as popular across Europe and the US. McDonalds is eyeing up rolling out the self-service machines in its European stores, with the technology already installed across parts of France.

Some retailers have gone in the opposite direction, with Albertsons, which has stores across the southern and western states in America, removing self-scanners so the company can feel like it has a closer bond with its customers.

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Could this be the end for those bleeping self-service tills?

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The era of the self-scanning checkout could be slowly coming to an end - at least for some Waitrose customers. The supermarket chain has decided to remove self-scanning kiosks from its Oakgrove store in Milton Keynes and replace them with more manned tills - in part to help speed up transactions.

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BMW EfficientDynamics | BMW Technology | BMW UK

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Minimise your fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions while increasing dynamics and driving pleasure with BMW EfficientDynamics.

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Click on the circle links below.  The Body Shop

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Enrich Not Exploit™ Commitment | It's In Your Hands | The Body Shop

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Find out more about The Body Shop's commitments towards diversity of people, enrich products, that are not tested on animals, enrich planet and more.

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http://www.pepsico.com/Company/Global-Code-Of-Conduct

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Eco-friendliness is more than just a trend. What started as hype in the business world about a decade ago is now a standard parameter to measure a company's performance, success and value. Twenty years ago, most companies didn't make much effort to jump on the green bandwagon; economic success was too important and needed too much focus to spend extra money on protecting the environment. At least, this was the general way of thinking. But some businesses were different at the time and put early eco-friendly measures in place. It is certainly no surprise that those companies are the winners in today's race to be green. Much has changed recently, above all consumer's awareness and mentality, and nowadays a company has to be eco-friendly in order to be taken seriously.

The battle to be the most eco-friendly company is, after all, not hard to understand. Eco-friendliness pays off in many ways: maybe investments and hurdles appeared on the way to becoming a green company, but in the long run not only the company's reputation benefits - a truly green company needs less energy, which in turn leads to lower business energy bills and extra money that can be invested in other projects. Whilst it is true that today's winners of the green race are the companies that took initiative a long time ago (a company simply doesn't become green overnight) it is also a fact that every company, small or large, can make changes and adjustments and become more eco-friendly with some simple steps. So let's have a look at the 5 famous examples of the green winners and see what we, as companies, can learn from them.

1) IBM

IBM is the absolute winner of the green race. Already back in 1971 they were an avid champion of implementing eco-friendly measures at corporate level and they have been following this trend ever since. In 2012 they received the European Union Code of Conduct for Data Centers Award, a recognition for their long term efforts. In fact, they have been one of the first eco-friendly companies back in a time when the concept of climate change was something too vague to be concerned about.

Additionally their Smarter Planet Initiative has successfully engaged consumer to get involved and lead a greener and more sustainable life. Education and innovation within the digital and social media space is their key to success.

Lesson 1: Don't be afraid of doing things no one else does. Be innovative and include your customers in your efforts.

2) Volkswagen

Volkswagen is famous for many things: safe and elegant cars, high quality products, top engineering and eco-friendliness. Volkswagen cars always lead the top 10 lists of the most eco-friendly cars in the world thanks to their holistic approach to producing high-efficient, eco-conscious cars, fueled by TDI clean diesel gas. The company went a step further and invented the concept of "thinking blue," which stands for saving energy and living more efficiently. A wealth of tips and advice can be found on their 'Think Blue Blog."

Lesson 2: Don't be just eco-friendly. Don't make choices between eco-friendliness and other values. Opt for a holistic approach and promote it.

3) Sony

A more holistic approach is also followed by Sony. They don't just focus on being energy efficient, but they shine when it comes to social responsibility and sustainability. They put their values into practice through volunteerism and are well known leaders in this field. Over 20,000 Sony employees have gathered food for the hungry, built homes for people who couldn't afford it, cleaned polluted water resources, and done so much more to help disadvantaged people and protect the environment.

Lesson 3: Volunteer for important things - it will certainly not harm you.

4) Samsung

Samsung Electronics also leads the green wave but with a different approach. They are dedicated to the greening of its management, products, processes, workplace, and communities - a holistic approach to become green within the company. However, they didn't stop there, they also put a take-back and recycle program into place: old products can be given back in stores, and are recycled in the most efficient way possible. The volume of unrecoverable material is minimized which does make a big difference given the amount of old electronic devices our planet has to deal with.

Lesson 4: Make changes from the inside out and stick to simple but efficient measures.

5) Walt Disney

Walt Disney has been a symbol of childhood memories for decades but they also pride themselves on spreading three core values of citizenship and sustainability throughout the world: Act, Champion and Inspire. Act ethically and consider the consequences your decisions have on other people and the planet. Champion happiness and well-being of kids and families. Inspire kids and families to make positive changes in the world that last.

Some might argue that Walt Disney's efforts are not tangible enough but their positivity and vast reach of people can't be denied and will certainly make up for it. After all they successfully inspire the next generation on a daily basis.

Lesson 5: You don't have to be extremely serious and formal to make a difference. Creativity and an optimistic approach can go a long way.
This article is written by Bea, freelance writer on behalf of British Gas Business.

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World's Greenest Companies and What We Can Learn from Them - Environmental Leader

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Eco-friendliness is more than just a trend. What started as hype in the business world about a decade ago is now a standard parameter to measure a company's performance, success and value. Twenty years ago, most companies didn't make much effort to jump on the green bandwagon; economic success was ...

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Company behaving unethically.

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Nestlé-free zone

Nestlé is the target of a boycott because it contributes to the unnecessary death and suffering of infants around the world by aggressively marketing baby foods in breach of international marketing standards.

If you want to know why there is a boycott and how you can get involved, read our Boycott overview.

It's Nestlé-Free Week from 30 October - 5 November 2017. Click here for some specific campaign activities.

On this page:

Latest news:

It's Nestlé-Free Week from 30 October - 5 November 2017. Click here for some specific campaign activities.

Nestlé practices exposed in new Breaking the Rules, Stretching the Rules 2014 monitoring report.

Order our Nestlé-Free Kit to promote the boycott.

UPDATED Nestlé formula labels poster 2016: Nestlé claims to believe breastfeeding is the best start in life for a child, but promotes its infant formula around the world with claims such as it "protects" babies and is the "gentle start" (click on the poster, left, for examples). Nestlé promised to its "natural start" claim drop in 14 October 2014 following a campaign during its Creating Shared Value Forum in Mexico. But Nestlé Chairman, Peter Brabeck-Letmathé, refused to drop the other claims when these were raised at several shareholder meetings. With a change to the top management in 2017, IBFAN raised this and other action required by Nestlé again at the shareholder meeting.

Tigers feature film based on a former Nestlé baby milk salesman taking on the industry with the help of IBFAN: In cinemas soon - sign up for information on screening dates.

Update 46 and Boycott News newsletter: Nestlé's Creative Storytelling Venture exposed and other news.

Nestlé-Free Zone stickers - click here. Mugs: Give Nescafé the Boot mugs are back - Nestlé-Free Zone mugs now in.

Nestlé Boycott page on Facebook - click here to become a fan and invite your friends.

As well as boycott materials, our online Virtual Shop has resources for health workers and mother-support groups to provide independent and accurate information. Check out the IBFAN Breastfeeding Calendar and the Infant Formula Explained DVD.

Boycott overview

Nestlé, the maker of Nescafé, is the target of a boycott because it aggressively markets baby foods around the world in breach of international marketing standards, contributing to the unnecessary death and suffering of infants. Baby Milk Action and its partners in the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) monitor what companies are actually doing on the ground.

Nestlé promotes its baby milk around the world with the claim such as it is the 'natural start', 'gentle start' and 'protects' babies. In truth, babies fed on formula are more likely to become sick than breastfed babies and, in conditions of poverty, more likely to die. Nestlé has promised to drop the 'natural start' claim by mid-2015 following pressure from the campaign, but not the others.

The World Health Organisation says: "Globally, breastfeeding has the potential to prevent about 800,000 deaths among children under five each year if all children 0-23 months were optimally breastfed." That is 11.6% of all deaths amongst children under five years old could be prevented by breastfeeding.

Expensive baby foods can also increase family poverty. Poverty is a major cause of malnutrition.

Nestlé targets pregnant women, mothers of babies and young children and health workers to promote its products and boost its sales.

Nestlé also puts babies who need to be fed on formula at risk. It refuses to warn on labels that powdered formula is not sterile and may contain harmful bacteria and does not give correct instructions on how to reduce the risks - unless forced to by law (as in the UK, where it markets the SMA brand).

The boycott holds Nestlé to account and forces it to make changes, while also keeping the issue in the public eye (see Nestlé boycott successes). However, Nestlé continues systematic violations in those countries which have not yet brought in independently monitored and enforced legislation implementing the marketing requirements, which is another part of our strategy for protecting infant health and mothers' rights.

The boycott will continue until Nestlé accepts and complies with Baby Milk Action's four-point plan for saving infant lives and ultimately ending the boycott.

As the largest company, Nestlé sets trends others follow. It also takes the lead in undermining regulations implementing the marketing standards. It is now rivalled by Danone, the second biggest company, as a source of violations. Danone is targeted with the DanoNO campaign.

See our briefing on Nestlé for examples of Nestlé marketing practices, with images, links and references.

Register with Baby Milk Action to receive email alerts.

Evidence of Nestlé malpractice

If you doubt that Nestlé is doing anything wrong, see the monitoring evidence in our Campaign for Ethical Marketing section.

Reports from Save the Children (February 2013) and UNICEF Lao (released April 2013) also highlight violations by companies, with Nestlé being prominently criticised.

We have responded to some of the misinformation given out by Nestlé Public Relations Machine in the report Nestlé's Creative Storytelling Initiative.

Supporting the boycott

You can register your support for the boycott via our contact page.

You can encourage organisations to endorse the Nestlé boycott. See our sample resolution.

You can find a list of Nestlé's principal products in the UK by clicking here.

It is important to tell Nestlé you are supporting the boycott - even if only for Nestlé-Free Week.

Materials for promoting the boycott

You can download a Nestlé-Free Zone poster and other posters from our archive site to promote the boycott in your locality.

If you would like to hold a meeting, why not order one of the films in our on-line Virtual Shop?

Download our leaflet on why to boycott Fairtrade KitKat.

Very useful items for your campaigning are the product list cards, giving Nestlé's principal brands.

You could ask people to send letters to Nestlé as part of our Campaign for Ethical Marketing.

If you would like to give a talk yourself you might like to download a powerpoint presentation and a short presentation to adapt for your own use (the text has been checked to be legally accurate - please take care if adding information of your own).

If you like role playing, you could try doing something like the Nestlé challenge stunt Baby Milk Action did at Nestlé (UK) HQ at a past demonstration. Click here for details.

Keep us informed of your activities. It can help to generate international media coverage.

Nestlé-free zone banners and logos

If you have a website, why not place this banner advertisement there?

For the image to automatically update on your site, don't copy it, but link to it using :

http://www.babymilkaction.org/flash/nestlefreebanner.gif

For simplicity, you can copy the code below into the html source code of your web page or add it to your blog when in 'edit html' mode. With a myspace blog, you can add the code directly. With some blogs, you will have to add the link as a separate line. Simply add the URL:

Alternatively use the following image to link to this page.The image address is:

http://www.babymilkaction.org/flash/nestlefreezone.gif

If you use a service such as blogger, you can go to the 'settings' control panel and add an html page element. Cut and paste the text below into the field for the html and the image will appear with a link to this page! Click here for an example.

Alternatively use the following image to link to this page. The image address is:

http://www.babymilkaction.org/flash/nestflown.gif

Email Nestlé and your friends

If you are supporting the boycott, please send an email to Nestlé.

To tell people about the boycott by email, you could cut and paste the following text and adapt it to send to your friends, family and colleagues.

As you probably know, I support the boycott of Nestlé products.

According the the World Health Organisation (WHO) improving breastfeeding practices could prevent 800,000 child deaths every year. Despite this Nestlé continues to push its baby milks in breach of international standards.

Nestlé is the largest of the baby milk companies. Monitoring by groups on the ground around the world shows Nestlé systematically violates the marketing requirements and drives down standards for the industry as a whole. That's why it is singled out for boycott action.

If you don't boycott Nestlé already, I ask that you consider looking at the evidence and giving up Nestlé products, or at least its principal brand, Nescafé coffee.

The boycott has forced some changes from the company, but it is still a long way from complying. Campaigners are also working for laws. Nestlé can comply when it is given no choice. It is not being asked to do something that is impossible, but without pressure it continues to put its own profits before infant health and mothers' rights.

You can find out more information and look at the evidence yourself on the Baby Milk Action website at:
http://www.babymilkaction.org/nestle-boycott
You can sign up there to support the boycott.

It is important to tell Nestlé you will be boycotting it until it accepts and acts on the plan put to it by boycott groups for saving infant lives.

You can telephone Nestlé on the (UK) freephone number 0800 00 00 30 or send a message via its website http://www.nestle.com/

For further information on what has been achieved thanks to pressure from the boycott and why it continues to be important, click here.

Contact us

If you have suggestions or designs you would like us to add to this page, please email mikebrady<AT>babymilkaction.org

If you would like leaflets and petition sheets in quantity, contact us.

The boycott is just one part of Baby Milk Action's strategy to hold the baby food industry to account. Find out more by reading our year report. You can help this work further by becoming a member of Baby Milk Action. If you are outside the UK, contact our partners in the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN).

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Nestlé is the target of a boycott because it contributes to the unnecessary death and suffering of infants around the world by aggressively marketing baby foods in breach of international marketing standards. If you want to know why there is a boycott and how you can get involved, read our Boycott overview.

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See more from our special feature on Canada's top 50 socially responsible corporations:
Risk and reputation: What the Rana Plaza collapse has taught companies in all industries about managing their supply chains

Unloading on fossil fuels: Universities and other institutions are taking steps to rid their investment portfolios of companies that contribute to climate change

BANKS
PERSONAL, COMMERCIAL, CORPORATE, INVESTMENT BANKING, AND CREDIT UNIONS
In recent years, banks have been at the centre of a global economic upheaval that has changed the financial industry. As they continue to face scrutiny for their lending and investment activities, some banks are now using their market power to back high-impact sustainable projects and develop sustainability-related financial products and services, such as green mortgages and green bonds. Credit unions and co-operatives maintain their influence, thanks to prudent lending practices and their unique focus on local communities.
Bank of Montreal
* First Canadian bank to be awarded gold level for progressive Aboriginal relations by the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business.

* One of the few banks to state it will not finance companies that produce weapons subject to bans by Canada or the U.S.
Royal Bank of Canada
* Created the "RBC generator" fund, a $10-million pool of capital for investment in new business models that tackle social and environmental challenges, while generating long-term financial returns.

* In 2013, announced a $100-million "believe in kids" pledge dedicated to supporting children's growth through a range of arts, sports, mental health and education programs.
Toronto-Dominion Bank
* First commercial bank in Canada to offer its own bond for funding green initiatives. The three-year, $500-million bond will be used solely for Canadian projects that contribute to a low-carbon economy.

* First of its kind among Canadian banks, TD's new "sustainable energy-efﬁcient design" concept branch is expected to be 45 per cent more energy-efficient than a traditional branch of its size, and includes sustainably sourced wood, a public garden and solar power.

Vancouver City Savings
Credit Union (Vancity)

* Canada's first financial institution to determine its impact on "people, planet and profit" via non-financial metrics, such as membership resilience and client well-being, alongside financial metrics.

* In 2013, Vancity supported 23 farmers' markets through its granting program, "Growing farmers' markets," which aims to bring local and organic food to communities throughout Metro Vancouver and surrounding areas.
The Co-operators Group Ltd.
* In 2014, it began supplying six of its offices with 100 per cent renewable energy purchased through Bullfrog Power, a Canadian clean-energy provider.

* Initiated a study with the University of Waterloo to survey the leaders at Canadian insurance companies about the risks and challenges related to extreme weather events. Through the study, the Co-operators Group aims to improve Canadians' access to insurance against overland flooding.
Desjardins Group
* In 2013, Desjardins Financial Security, the Desjardins Group Pension Plan and Desjardins General Insurance Group teamed up to invest more than $60 million in the construction of Ontario's Grand Renewable Solar Project, the largest solar farm in Canada.

* Desjardins and Visa Desjardins Affinity credit cards allow cardholders to donate a portion of every purchase to social or environmental organizations, such as Amnesty International and Oxfam-Quebec, through their purchases.

ENERGY & UTILITIES
OIL & GAS EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION, POWER GENERATORS
As major producers of carbon-based products, energy and utility companies are significant emitters of air pollutants that contribute to climate change, acid rain and smog. Leading companies are reducing their environmental impact by implementing company-wide, time-bound reduction targets that go beyond existing regulatory obligations. As these companies expand their operations to higher-risk and remote areas, health and safety issues and community relations present ongoing challenges.
TransAlta Corp.
* After a major investment in mercury-capture technology, TransAlta is implementing a mercury-optimization plan for its Alberta coal operations to increase its mercury capture rate from 70 to 80 per cent. From 2011 to 2012, the company reduced its mercury emissions by over one-third.

* Due in part to the retirement of its older coal-fired plants, TransAlta has reduced its total greenhouse gas emissions by 36 per cent, and its CO ₂-emissions intensity by 10.5 per cent, from 2005 to 2012.
Cenovus Energy Inc.
* As part of an effort to restore 4,500 hectares of caribou habitat by 2015, Cenovus installed cameras surrounding three Alberta operations to monitor caribou habitat and to limit its activities during sensitive migration and mating periods.

* At its Weyburn oilfield, CO ₂ that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere is sequestered underground. This "CO ₂ flooding" initiative serves as the world's largest geological CO ₂-storage project, with more than 20 million tonnes of CO ₂ stored between 2000 and 2012.
Talisman Energy Inc.
* Aligns its global community-relations policy with principles of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights, and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

* Adopted a "publish what you pay" approach to tax reporting that includes a breakdown of all payments made by the company to governments around the world. This is of particular importance, given Talisman's operations in high-risk countries.
Suncor Energy Inc.
* As of 2012, spent more than $1.3 billion on the development and implementation of a new tailings-reclamation management process, whereby mine tailings are dried into a soil-like deposit that can be re-vegetated, helping to speed the pace of land reclamation.

* As a member of the Boreal Leadership Council and a signatory to the Boreal Forest Conservation Framework, Suncor's boreal-forest action plan recognizes the need to balance its business development with best-practice land management techniques within the boreal zone.

FOOD AND BEVERAGE
SOFT DRINKS, PACKAGED FOODS, RESTAURANTS
Driven by evolving demographics, consumer preferences and regulatory environments, food and beverage companies are focusing on product innovation and education to launch healthier and more sustainable foods. As demand increases in emerging markets, leading companies aim to provide greater access to healthy food, at affordable prices. Natural resource shortages, supply- chain safety and waste management remain critical issues.

PepsiCo Inc.

* Met its target to provide access to safe water to three million people in developing countries via its partnerships-three years ahead of its 2015 goal.

* PepsiCo's Sustainable Farming Initiative provides a robust framework to measure its environmental and local economic impacts across its agricultural supply chain, in developed and emerging markets.
Molson Coors Brewing Co.
* Partnered with 12 major beer and spirits companies to reduce harmful drinking around the world. The group's global commitments will be implemented over a five-year period, focusing on underage drinking, responsible marketing and reduced drinking and driving.

* One of only a few Canadian companies to be featured on the Carbon Disclosure Project's leadership index, indicating the company's transparency, examination of risks related to climate change and good internal data practices for understanding its emissions.
Danone
* As part of its core business, Danone commits to making its healthy products easily accessible to low-income consumers, while developing and distributing nutritionally fortiﬁed foods to regions suffering from under-nutrition.

* Supporting research aimed at reducing the amount of CO ₂ emissions from cattle by introducing flax seed in their diets. Through this project, Danone Canada hopes to create milk that reduces CO 2 emissions while ensuring product quality and animal welfare.
Kellogg Co.
* In 2014, it announced a global commitment to use only palm oil that is fully traceable through its supply chain to ensure it is sourced from plantations that uphold the company's commitment to protect natural resources and human and community rights.

* Since 2009, it has ensured its products advertised to children under 12 meet the Kellogg Global Nutrient Criteria, containing no more than 200 calories and 12 grams of sugar. The company does not market any products to children under six years.
Tim Hortons Inc.
* Hosted an industry-wide animal welfare summit, sharing new research on animal welfare, alternative animal housing systems, and consumer expectations. Tim Hortons has set a goal to source all its pork from suppliers who use alternative group housing by 2022.

* Registered three Tim Hortons restaurants for LEED certification in 2013, bringing its total to 17 registered restaurants, with a goal to have 30 new restaurants registered to LEED standards by the end of 2016.
Starbucks
* Starbucks' reclamation drive-through pilot project converts end-of-life shipping containers to small drive-through and walk-up stores, featuring rainwater collection and low-impact assembly.

* Awarded an initial $1-million grant for the development of LeadersUp, a new non-profit group that will harness community resources to create employment opportunities for job-ready, disengaged youth.

INDUSTRIALS
INDUSTRIAL CONGLOMERATES, MACHINERY, AEROSPACE AND DEFENCE
Many industrial companies are involved in intensive manufacturing processes where employee health and safety is paramount. Additionally, the manufacturing supply chain involves chemical coatings, heavy metals and volatile organic compounds resulting in intensive greenhouse gas emissions and hazardous waste generation. Across the sector, companies are increasingly devoting research and development resources to industrial water-saving technologies and sustainable urban infrastructure projects.
Bombardier Inc.
* Developed the aerospace industry's first environmental product declaration (EPD) to publicly disclose the environmental profile of its CSeries commercial aircraft. Bombardier plans to release EPDs for all new products by 2020.

* With its consortium partners, it designed Portugal's Metro do Porto light-rail system, a 2013 winner of the Veronica Rudge Green Prize in Urban Design from Harvard University. Among other issues, the prize recognizes the quality-of-life improvements made by connecting previously segregated communities.
3M Co.
* As part of its company-wide life-cycle management assessment, 3M conducts an evaluation of environmental and energy impacts across the entire value chain of many of its products, from raw-material acquisition through manufacturing, use and disposal.

* Developed the first "clean" fire-suppression agent, Novec 1230, which ensures highly effective fire-extinguishing performance with zero ozone-depletion potential and a large margin of safety around people.
General Electric Co.
* Through its Ecomagination initiative, GE has invested $12 billion since 2005 in clean technologies, on track with its goal to invest $25 billion by 2020.

* Developed a new membrane to purify and reuse tough-to-treat water in industries and in water-scarce regions throughout the world. The new membrane can reduce the time between water treatments by as much as 50 per cent.
Philips Electronics
* Received the 2013 responsible supply-chain management award from VBDO, a Dutch association of sustainable investors. The company was recognized for its extensive and transparent reporting and its dedication to improving its suppliers' sustainability performance.

* The first patron sponsor of International Year of Light, a 2015 UNESCO initiative to raise awareness of sustainable light-based technologies and solutions to global energy challenges.
Siemens AG
* A signatory to the United Nations CEO Water Mandate, Siemens has developed different water-related goals, depending on the water risks in a given region. In doing so, the company is adapting its approach to unique local risks, such as flooding, drought or poor infrastructure.

* In partnership with NB Power, Siemens's facility in Fredericton houses a smart-grid "centre of competence" that offers Canadian businesses and residents more control over their energy consumption.

MATERIALS
GOLD, PRECIOUS AND DIVERSIFIED METALS, MINING, PACKAGING
Mining and materials companies continue to face considerable exposure to a broad scope of environmental issues, including greenhouse gas emissions, hazardous waste, biodiversity and land protection. To avoid reputational and financial losses, these companies must also work closely with local communities by adopting comprehensive community consultation mechanisms throughout the life cycle of a project.
Teck Resources
* The company's mine smelter in Trail, B.C., recycles electronic waste such as batteries, televisions and stereos, and reuses the gas produced from the waste for fuel.

* Embedding its core sustainability principles throughout the company by integrating social and environmental considerations into employee-training programs and employee goal-setting.
Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan Inc.
* One of few companies to have members of its executive team, including its chief financial officer and chief operating officer, participate in its sustainability committee.

* To minimize the impact of its phosphate operations, the company restores up to two acres of wetlands for every acre disturbed at its Aurora mine, and a minimum of one acre restored per acre mined at its White Springs operation.
IamGold Corp.
* Unlike many of its peers, IamGold is not involved in any significant community relations controversies, despite operating in high-risk countries. This favourable track record is largely due to the company's strong community consultation and human rights programs.

* At its Rosebel mine in Suriname, the company is engaging community members to participate in its environmental monitoring processes. Two local representatives accompany IamGold's team for quarterly environmental assessments to identify non-compliance and corrective actions.
Yamana Gold Inc.
* Yamana's Supplier Development Program helps local suppliers understand the company's health and safety requirements and works with them to harness clean technologies that maximize environmental protection.

* Yamana's "citizen meetings" provide community members an opportunity to voice concerns relating to the mine and its surrounding area. Approximately 55 meetings were held across the company's operation in 2012, attracting close to 950 participants.
New Gold
* New Gold's mines operate in a closed circuit, with no water discharges to the surrounding environment. In 2012, the company recycled 27.3 million cubic metres of water-almost five times the amount of raw water the company withdrew from natural sources.

* Has strong participation and exploration agreements in place with First Nations communities. At its New Afton mine and its Blackwater exploration project, New Gold's workforce is almost one-quarter Aboriginal.

RETAILING
FOOD, SPECIALTY, GENERAL MERCHANDISE, HOME IMPROVEMENT
Across a variety of sectors, retailers continue to face significant exposure to employee rights and supply chain issues. Companies effectively managing these aspects are extending sustainability programs and goals throughout their network of contract workers and suppliers. Greenhouse gas emissions from retail facilities, transportation and logistics and waste management are key environmental challenges.
Loblaw Cos. Ltd.
* In response to the Rana Plaza factory collapse, Loblaw become the only Canadian company to sign on to the Bangladesh accord on fire and safety, a program to protect Bangladeshi workers from accidents and building collapses.

* With the support of its customers, Loblaw has reduced the number of plastic shopping bags in its stores nationally by more than six billion since 2008.
Best Buy Co. Inc.
* Best Buy's in-store recycling program gives customers the ability to safely recycle their end-of-life electronic products. In the last year, this program has kept more than 2,700 tonnes of waste electronics out of Canadian landfills.

* Best Buy's community-investment programs focus on connecting youth with technology, for education. In the last three years, Best Buy has donated more than $1 million in grants and technology to organizations that support youth education and development in Canada.
Canadian Tire Corp. Ltd.
* By the end of 2013, 32 Canadian Tire stores had rooftop solar systems installed, with two more to be completed in 2014. The total renewable energy generated will produce enough electricity to power 1,000 average-sized Canadian homes each year.

* From 2010 to 2013, it has eliminated or recycled more than 6,600 tonnes of waste, in addition to roughly 16,300 tonnes of lead-acid batteries, in 2013 alone.
Rona Inc.
* Member of the Boreal Business Forum, a roundtable composed of Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement (CBFA) signatories, leading corporations and investors tasked with monitoring and progressing the CBFA in an effort to protect the boreal forest.

* Offers its own Rona Eco line of products, which include an algae-based fertilizer, a rainwater collector and reconditioned tools. All Rona Eco products have undergone extensive life-cycle assessments and have features that reduce the impact of key environmental problems.

TECHNOLOGY
HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, SOFTWARE SERVICES, SEMICONDUCTORS
As consumers continue to demand improved digital connectivity and mobility, technology companies are under increasing pressure to innovate quickly. In turn, these companies are exposed to major supply chain risks, including worker safety, serious environmental impacts and human rights violations relating to conflict mineral sourcing and freedom of expression. Leading companies involve their suppliers throughout the value chain to minimize negative impacts over the course of a product's life cycle.
SAP
* To support social investment, SAP's social sabbatical program encourages high-potential employees to participate in development projects with NGOs to build capacity and solve new challenges.

* Strongly advocates for women in leadership positions. Roughly 25 per cent of its supervisory board positions are held by women-a leading figure for its industry.
Accenture plc
* In 2012, Accenture directed almost one-third of its procurement spending to small, minority- and women-owned businesses, as part of its diverse supplier development program.

* Launched My Travel Summary, a dashboard on the personal Accenture portal home page of every travelling employee, detailing the employee's travel-related carbon output.
Cisco Systems Inc.
* Working with USAID's Global Broadband and Innovations Alliance to implement DadaabNet, a high-speed, reliable Internet network to connect NGO agencies, refugees and communities throughout Dadaab, Kenya, at dramatically lower costs.

* One of the few companies to disclose a conflict minerals policy. Among other commitments, the policy states that Cisco suppliers must commit to the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition's code of conduct, requiring reasonable assurance that tantalum, tin, tungsten and gold used in manufacturing are sourced from conflict-free mines.
Intel Corp.
* Launched the She Will Connect digital literacy program, focused on women throughout Africa, India and Latin America. Working with NGOs throughout these regions, Intel aims to reach five million women.

* By 2020, Intel aims to reduce water used in its operations, on a per chip basis, below its 2010 levels. To date, the company has invested more than $100 million in water conservation programs throughout its facilities, saving more than 170 billion litres of water.
Oracle Corp.
* Developed the Oracle Environmental Accounting and Reporting tool, which enables organizations to track and assess their environmental data against reduction targets. The tool can also generate on-the-spot environmental reporting for both voluntary and legislated emissions-reporting schemes.

* Many of Oracle's European facilities are powered entirely by renewable energy sources, including those in Norway, Sweden, Italy and the Netherlands.
International Business Machines Corp. (IBM)
* IBM's $50-million "smarter cities challenge" deploys teams of IBM experts across 100 cities around the world, to gather and assess key data and then advise city leaders on strategies to improve health care, education, public safety, education and energy efficiency.

* IBM's "on-demand community" is an online tool allowing employees to match local volunteer opportunities with their unique professional skills. Since 2003, more than 235,000 IBM employees and retirees have registered at the site and logged 15 million hours of service.

TELECOM/ELECTRONICS
TELEPHONY SERVICES, ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT, COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT, CONSUMER ELECTRONICS
Similar to the technology industry, complex supply-chain risks present challenges to telecom and electronics companies, particularly the sourcing of conflict minerals. Water use, emissions and waste generation account for much of the industry's environmental footprint. Today, many companies are participating in multi-stakeholder initiatives to encourage the responsible disposal of e-waste.
Manitoba Telecom Services Inc.
* Encourages year-round green commuting via the ride-exchange carpool program, and by offering subsidized public transit passes to employees. Last year, 6,000 company-subsidized public transit passes were issued.

* The MTS wireless-devices recycling program allows MTS customers to responsibly dispose of their wireless products at all MTS Connect Manitoba stores. Collected devices are recycled or refurbished, with all proceeds channelled to the MTS Future First community investment program focused on bettering the lives of youth in Manitoba.
Bell Canada
* Joining with Canadian Olympian Clara Hughes on her 110-day bike tour to increase awareness of, and eliminate the stigma associated with mental illness.

* Partnered with Écotech Québec, a clean-tech cluster focused on accelerating Quebec's green economy. Through the partnership, Bell aims to support local innovation and liaise with clean-tech entrepreneurs to improve its environmental performance.
Telus Corp.
* A strict animal-advertising code requires that Telus only work with reputable owners, accredited zoos and sanctuaries when filming animals for its advertisements. Telus also requires that a professional advocacy representative oversee the ethical treatment of animals during its productions.

* Telus's new data centres in Rimouski, Que., and Kamloops, B.C., are built to LEED Gold standards and will consume 80 per cent less power than a typical data centre of the same size.
Sony Corp.
* Set an ambitious goal to achieve zero greenhouse gas emissions throughout its plants, offices and the life cycle of its products, by 2050. Sony aims to do this by continuing to reduce its energy consumption while drawing on greater renewable sources.

* To help relief efforts in communities affected by typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, the company donated roughly $150,000, in addition to matching employee contributions and delivering 400 emergency radios for aid efforts.

TEXTILES, FOOTWEAR & APPAREL
APPAREL, ACCESSORIES, FOOTWEAR, SPORTSWEAR
Apparel and footwear companies remain under close scrutiny following several high-profile controversies surrounding supplier working conditions. Throughout the supply chain, poor labour conditions threaten basic human rights and present reputational risks to consumer-sensitive companies. The sector is also known for its high levels of water consumption and wastewater discharge. Increasingly, companies are integrating sustainable design elements and processes into their core product offerings.
(Zara) Industria de Diseño Textil S.A.
* Since 2008, has worked with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), providing more than $16 million in funding to support MSF's projects across developing countries. Most recently, the partnership has worked to provide urgent medical and humanitarian aid to Syrian refugees.

* Initiated a project with the Textile Exchange to support agricultural co-operatives in Odisha, India, by training female farmers to build and conserve organic cotton-seed banks, thereby reducing farm operating costs and improving profitability.
Hennes & Mauritz AB (H&M)
* Strongly committed to animal welfare, H&M is a Fur Free Alliance retailer, banning the use of real fur in any of its products. Its own-brand cosmetics are made without animal testing.

* The ﬁrst fashion company to launch a global garment collection initiative, allowing customers to hand in unwanted garments-from any brand and in any condition-to be recycled. As of 2013, H&M stores have collected 3,047 tonnes of garments, the equivalent of 15 million T-shirts.
Adidas AG
* To ensure the environmental stewardship practices of its leather manufacturers, Adidas sources 96 per cent of its non-European leather from tanneries that are either silver- or gold-certiﬁed by the Leather Working Group, a multi-stakeholder group that promotes environmental business practices within the leather industry.

* Adidas's GreenEnergy Fund is an internal sustainability venture capital fund, invested strictly in the company's global energy projects, with the intent to accelerate companywide carbon reduction while realizing a return on investment.
Gildan Activewear Inc.
* Provides health care to all of its employees in Central America, the Dominican Republic and Bangladesh through medical clinics at each of its manufacturing facilities. Gildan's 24-hour medical team provides basic on-site services, such as prenatal care and vaccinations.

* To decrease its reliance on fossil fuels, Gildan transitioned its manufacturing plants in Central America and in the Caribbean basin from fossil-fuel-generated steam to biomass-generated steam. In 2013, 52 per cent of Gildan's total energy was powered by renewable sources.
Nike Inc.
* Opened its first ColorDry facility, featuring an innovative process that eliminates the use of water and process chemicals from fabric dyeing. Compared to traditional dyeing methods, the ColorDry process reduces dyeing time by 40 per cent and energy use by around 60 per cent.

* Nike's Materials Sustainability Index is a publicly available database of fabric and material assessments, allowing apparel-industry designers to select materials with improved energy, chemical, water and waste profiles.

TRANSPORTATION & LOGISTICS
AUTOMOBILES, RAILROADS, SHIPPING
High fuel costs and increasingly stringent emission regulations are driving some companies to make important improvements in vehicle fuel efficiency and to pursue innovative design. Social concerns such as employee safety and union relations remain highly relevant.
Volkswagen
* As part of its ecological restructuring, committed $52 billion, by 2016, to energy-efficient vehicles, powertrains and environmentally compatible production facilities. Every new generation of vehicle will be 10 to 15 per cent more efficient than its predecessor.

* VW's "Think Blue. Nature" allocates more than $350,000 to protect Mexico's eastern Sierra Madre ecological corridor, a four-million-hectare area that provides habitat for roughly 650 endangered species. The company will also train 300 youth as local ambassadors of the "Think Blue. Nature" program.
BMW
* BMW's i8 plug-in hybrid will be the first vehicle to incorporate laser-light technology, an improved vehicle headlight that contributes to better nighttime visibility and 30 per cent greater energy efficiency, compared to already highly efficient LED headlights.

* Signatory to the Automotive Industry Action Group's 2014 guiding principles to enhance sustainability performance in the supply chain. The guidelines set minimum industry standards for business ethics, working conditions, human rights and environmental impact throughout a company's entire supply chain.
Ford Motor Co.
* Having cut its global water use by 62 per cent from 2000 to 2010, Ford now aims to further reduce the amount of water it takes to build a car by another 30 per cent by 2015.

* A principal investor in the International Finance Corp.'s $1-billion green bond, launched in 2013, to support "climate smart" investments in emerging markets.
Canadian National Railway Co.
* Conducts a range of measures to protect and stimulate regional ecosystems, including monitoring and assessment programs for new and existing track developments to gauge the impact of its projects on surrounding fish, wildlife and vegetation.

* Surveyed more than 250 of its stakeholders, including employees, government officials and Aboriginal communities, to gain insight into its critical sustainability impacts. The results of this survey are now being used to shape the company's sustainability initiatives.
United Parcel Service Inc.
* Rolled out a new software system, ORION, to optimize its delivery routes and fuel efficiency. By the end of 2013, ORION was deployed on 10,000 routes, saving more than 1.5 million gallons of fuel, and 14,000 tonnes of CO ₂ emissions.

* Operates a ﬂeet with more than 3,150 alternative-fuel vehicles. By the end of 2017, UPS aims to have 1.6 billion km driven in alternative-fuel vehicles.
2014 Methodology: The Top 50 Socially Responsible Companies in Canada were selected on the basis of their performance across a broad range of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) indicators tracked by Sustainalytics. The companies selected rank at the top of their respective industries in Sustainalytics' Global Platform. These companies have demonstrated strong performance in areas such as environmental initiatives, impact on local communities, treatment of employees and supply chain management. Some are notable for their development of products or services that contribute directly to sustainability. Companies must also demonstrate strong public disclosure on ESG management and performance. Using Sustainalytics' rigorous controversy-assessment framework, the companies have also been screened for their level of complicity in major controversies to determine their degree of severity and accountability. Each of the companies featured is either Canadian-listed or a wholly owned subsidiary of a foreign-listed company with significant operations or brand presence in Canada. Each of the companies has a significant market capitalization or brand presence in Canada and is featured on at least one of the following lists: the ROB Top 1000, the ROB Top 350, Globe and Mail's 20 Largest Co-Ops and Credit Unions or Interbrand's Best Canadian or Best Global Brands lists. Given that Canadian subsidiaries of foreign companies are inextricably linked to their parent companies, the evaluation is based on the performance of the foreign corporate entities. The Top 50 Socially Responsible Companies are categorized across 10 diverse industries, distinguished as consumer-facing, garnering significant public interest and demonstrating a diversity of sustainability challenges and approaches. Sustainalytics' research process includes a thorough examination of company documents, media sources, online databases, government sources and NGO research, as well as direct communication with key stakeholders. Analysts use a Best-of-Sector™ methodology to compare companies within a given peer group to industry best practices. Sustainalytics' research is used by some of the world's largest institutional and individual investors who consider environmental, social and governance performance, in addition to financial performance, in the management of their investments. By Sustainalytics analysts Alberto Serna Martin, Alina Huza, Annie White, Arne Klug, Bobby Chiu, Bowen Gu, Esther Tsang, Florentina Onisor, Hardik Sanjay Shah, Heather Lang, Irene Sosa, Jennifer Penikett, Jungho Park, Kate Marshall, Kyuwon Kim, Luke Raftis, Matthew Barg, Melissa Chase, Philip MacKellar, Roxana Dobre, Sheila Oviedo, Sophia Burress

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Top 50 socially responsible corporations: 2014 - Macleans.ca

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See more from our special feature on Canada's top 50 socially responsible corporations: Risk and reputation: What the Rana Plaza collapse has taught companies in all industries about managing their supply chains Unloading on fossil fuels: Universities and other institutions are taking steps to rid their investment portfolios of companies that contribute to climate change PERSONAL, COMMERCIAL, CORPORATE, INVESTMENT BANKING, AND CREDIT UNIONS In recent years, banks have been at the centre of a global economic upheaval that has changed the financial industry.

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Remember to post the link into the link symnbol box...the one on the left at the bottom. 

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Sarah C

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The four English locations picked to test driverless cars have been named.

Greenwich, in south-east London, and Bristol will each host a project of their own, while Coventry and Milton Keynes will share a third.

The decision was announced by the quango Innovate UK, after George Osborne's Autumn Statement.

The chancellor also announced an additional £9m in funding for the work, adding to the £10m that had been announced in July.

The businesses involved will add further funds.

Bristol will host the Venturer consortium, which aims to investigate whether driverless cars can reduce congestion and make roads safer.

Its members include the insurance group Axa, and much of its focus will be on the public's reaction to the tech as well as the legal and insurance implications of its introduction.

Greenwich is set to run the Gateway scheme. This will be led by the Transport Research Laboratory consultancy and also involves General Motors, and the AA and RAC motoring associations. It plans to carry out tests of automated passenger shuttle vehicles as well as autonomous valet parking for adapted cars.

In addition, a self-drive car simulator will make use of a photorealistic 3D model of the area to study how people react to sharing the driving of a vehicle with its computer.

"The combination of TRL's independent expertise; robust, reliable testing protocols and driving simulation facilities alongside the diverse and high calibre qualities of our consortium means we can safely demonstrate automated vehicles to build acceptance and trust in this revolutionary technology," said the firm's chief executive Rob Wallis.

Milton Keynes and Coventry will host the UK Autodrive programme.

This involves Ford, Jaguar Land Rover and the engineering consultancy Arup among others, and will test both self-drive cars on the road as well as self-driving pods designed for pedestrianised areas.

Part of this group's work will be to develop the technologies that will need to be built into roads and the surrounding infrastructure to aid vehicle navigation.

"Our plan with the practical demonstration phases is to start testing with single vehicles on closed roads, and to build up to a point where all road users, as well as legislators, the police and insurance companies, are confident about how driverless pods and fully and partially autonomous cars can operate safely on UK roads," said Tim Armitage from Arup.

The tests will last from between 18 to 36 months and begin on 1 January.

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The four English locations picked to test driverless cars have been named. Greenwich, in south-east London, and Bristol will each host a project of their own, while Coventry and Milton Keynes will share a third. The decision was announced by the quango Innovate UK, after George Osborne's Autumn Statement.

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George Osborne has said stamp duty will be cut for 98% of homebuyers in his Autumn Statement to the Commons.

The chancellor said that from midnight the current system, where the amount owed jumps at certain price levels, would be replaced by a graduated rate, working in a similar way to income tax.

He admitted borrowing would be higher than forecast but claimed the UK would be "into the black" by 2019/20.

Labour said his deficit reduction targets were "all in tatters".

BBC political editor Nick Robinson said the headline announcements were "real electioneering" by the Conservative chancellor.

The new rates will apply in Scotland until 1 April next year, when the Land and Buildings Transaction Tax replaces stamp duty there.

The Autumn Statement - which was called the pre-Budget report under the previous Labour government - is a chance to flag future tax and spending plans as well as set out the state of the nation's finances.

In other measures:

A 25% "diverted profits" tax - often called a "Google tax" - would be aimed at multinational companies

Air Passenger Duty for children under 12 would be abolished next year, and under-16s from the following year

Bank profits which can be offset by losses for tax purposes would be limited to 50%

An extra £2bn would be put into health services across the UK

VAT for hospices and air ambulances would be refunded

Fuel duty would be frozen

The UK would play a "lead role" in a European mission to Mars

Investment in businesses, academies, research and culture to create a "northern powerhouse" in England

There would be a review of business rates to help High Street stores take on internet firms

People will be able to pass on their tax-free ISA allowances to spouses when they die

There would be a new £90,000 charge for people who are non-domiciled in the UK for tax purposes but have lived there for 17 of the past 20 years

The higher rate income tax threshold would rise to £42,385 next year

In its report accompanying the statement, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) said the government's overall plan was to reduce public spending from £5,650 per head in 2009-10 to £3,880 in 2019-20.

Some 60% of this reduction was still to come in the next parliament, it said.

OBR chairman Robert Chote predicted a "very sharp squeeze" on public service spending in the next parliament based on the figures available.

The new stamp duty rates at different band levels will only apply to the part of the property price that falls within that band, so there will no longer be a huge jump in stamp duty, for instance, on a property costing £500,001.

Under the new rules, no tax will be paid on the first £125,000 of a property, followed by 2% on the portion up to £250,000, 5% on the portion between £250,000 and £925,000, 10% on the next bit up to £1.5 million and 12% on everything over that.

People currently in the process of purchasing a home could choose which regime to operate under, Mr Osborne said.

The Treasury said someone buying a property at the average family home price of £275,000 would save £4,500, while a £2.1m purchase would carry £18,750 more stamp duty compared with the old system.

Mr Chote said the reform could put up house prices in some areas, predicting prices would rise where the tax had fallen, and fall where it had risen.

Mr Osborne said the tax cut, which is UK-wide until April when stamp duty is devolved to Scotland, was worth £800m a year.
Analysis: By Nick Robinson, BBC political editor
In all but name this was a pre-election Budget.
Read more from Nick In quotes: A round-up of reaction to the Autumn Statement
From his first to his last sentence - from boasting about Britain's growth to unveiling the Coalition's version of the mansion tax - Chancellor George Osborne delivered his Autumn Statement with not just one eye but both fixed firmly on polling day.

Earlier, MPs were told UK growth was set to be 3% this year, higher than Germany, but falling to 2.3% by 2019.

The chancellor said the measures he was announcing in the statement were "not a giveaway", saying overall they would tighten the public finances but warning "substantial savings" in public spending were still needed.

Mr Osborne said the government had inherited an economy "on the brink" but said the deficit was half what the government had taken on.

Government borrowing is forecast at £91.3bn this year, then £75.9bn, MPs were told. In March the forecast for this year was for borrowing of almost £87bn.

"The deficit is falling this year and every year," Mr Osborne said, although he added that "warning lights are flashing over the global economy".

Labour said the chancellor had failed to keep his 2010 general election promise to balance the books.

Shadow chancellor Ed Balls said the increase in borrowing was in "black and white, hard evidence", saying Mr Osborne had questions to answer about living standards, wages and tax receipts.

He said: "People are worse off and the fact is he has failed to balance the books in this parliament".

Only Labour could "balance the books in a fair way", he added.

Lib Dem Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg was absent from the Commons for the Autumn Statement, as he was on a regional visit to Cornwall.

Sources close to Mr Clegg have dismissed suggestions he missed it because he no longer wants to be seen sitting next to David Cameron or George Osborne in Parliament.
'A different view'
A Lib Dem Treasury source said it was "nonsense", saying the deputy prime minister was "out in the country, meeting people who will benefit from the Autumn Statement".

Although the measures announced in the Autumn Statement are coalition government policy, it emerged that Lib Dem Business Secretary Vince Cable had written to the OBR expressing "growing concern" that the difference between forecasts based on coalition policies and projections for future years - where spending decisions had not yet been made - was not being made clear.

In its response to the letter, the OBR said the distinction was made "very clear", saying it based its forecasts on current government policy.

Speaking to Sky News, Mr Cable said he had no reservations about the Autumn Statement but emphasised that the Lib Dems had a "different approach" from that of their Conservative coalition colleagues on how to proceed with deficit reduction in the next parliament.

"They are making claims about tax cuts we have said are simply not realisable. There will be an argument about the different mix of public spending and taxation," he said.

He added: "It's very difficult to see how the Conservatives can achieve their objectives of protecting those core services and their policies on tax. They don't add up, there is a different view and we should be expressing it."

The Lib Dem business secretary has told his officials not to engage "at this stage in rounds of negotiation on public spending cuts which are the proper responsibility of the next government".

Lib Dem Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander told the BBC's Daily Politics borrowing was falling "less fast than expected in March", putting this down to "weaker than expected tax receipts".

However, he said the UK was doing "far, far better" than almost any other major economy.

The Institute of Directors said it was a "disciplined, long-term" statement from Mr Osborne, while the CBI said "real challenges" lay ahead to reduce public spending.

UKIP economic spokesman Patrick O'Flynn said: "The brutal truth is that the government has comprehensively failed in its central mission to wipe out the deficit."

Green Party leader Natalie Bennett said Mr Osborne was "continuing the demonstrably false claim that our deficit problems can be blamed on government spending and welfare".

The Scottish National Party's deputy leader Stewart Hosie said the statement was the "continuation of a failed austerity programme", adding: "We saw today the consequences of London taking economic decisions for Scotland."

Plaid Cymru's Treasury spokesperson, Jonathan Edwards, welcomed agreement to devolve control over business rates to the Welsh government, but said there was "little here on offer to our nation".

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George Osborne has said stamp duty will be cut for 98% of homebuyers in his Autumn Statement to the Commons. The chancellor said that from midnight the current system, where the amount owed jumps at certain price levels, would be replaced by a graduated rate, working in a similar way to income tax.