GreenBiz - Marketing & Communications
Energy Efficiency Still the Primary Focus of Green-Minded Firms
A new report from Deloitte surveys sustainability leaders at 48 large U.S. firms to take the pulse of green business practices, and finds widely varying definitions, levels of commitment and areas of focus for firms looking to go green.
Lessons for the CSR Industry from the Deepwater Horizon Spill
Before the Deepwater Horizon crisis, the now-shamed oil giant had been repeatedly held up as a shining example of successful sustainability reporting -- how can the business world rebuild trust in CSR reports?
Direct Marketers Get a Green Makeover in the U.K.
The new Code of Practice from the U.K.'s Direct Marketing Association for the first time includes guidelines on green marketing and corporate environmental initiatives.
Brands Matter for Green Products
In discussions and theories about why consumers choose green products, there's little talk of brand. There is, in fact, a big correlation. And new research is showing a triumph of brand over initial gut-reaction.
Getting Up to Speed on Triple Bottom Line Reporting
A two-day workshop on the ins and outs of sustainability reporting offered tips for companies small and large that are just starting to measure and manage their environmental impacts.
Great Recession Doesn't Slow the Greening of GE
The company's sixth annual corporate citizenship report shows that, despite a 14 percent drop in revenue due to the Great Recession, GE has cut its water, energy and emissions intensity by more than 30 percent each.
Navigating the Laws and Ecolabels for Energy Efficiency
To be successful in the marketplace, manufacturers of any product using energy must be current on efficiency standards. And to be competitive, those companies should also consider third-party certification that their goods meet or exceed efficiency requirements. Experts provide their tips on strategies to do both in a webinar presented by UL Environment, the U.S. Department of Commerce and GreenBiz.com.
Utilities Learn the Politics Behind 'Nudging' Consumers
Democrats are more likely to lower their energy consumption in response to energy reports sent by their utilities, while conservative households may actually increase energy use, according to research from two UCLA professors.
U.S. Government to Ask 600K Suppliers for Greenhouse Gas Data
The U.S. government is going to ask its suppliers to disclose their greenhouse gas emissions. It’s not going to require it. It won’t happen right away. But this is a big deal.
Natural Gas Company to Voluntarily Disclose Chemical Use
Gas company Range Resources is voluntarily disclosing information on chemicals it's using to harvest natural gas from the Marcellus Shale rock formation to allay concerns about contamination.
10 Tips for Savvy Shopping in the Certification Marketplace
In the face of surging skepticism around social and environmental claims, sellers and buyers alike are demanding verification. Sustainability certification has become a booming industry. The net result has been mounting confusion and uncertainty about what particular certifications deliver and their relative value. Here are 10 tips for navigating the sea of certifications
Linking Up GRI and CDP
This linkage document from GRI and CDP outlines the two reporting schemes' similarities and differences, and is part of a wider collaboration between the two organizations as they seek greater alignment of their guidelines and surveys in a bid to improve the quality of sustainability reporting
Aligning the CDP and GRI Guidelines
The Carbon Disclosure Project and Global Reporting Initiative are working together to harmonize their respective reporting guidelines, with plans for greater alignment on industry-specific sector questionnaires.
Building a Green Brand by Creating Attraction to Your Products
Using feelings to guide purchasing is a surprisingly rapid and consistently more effective to rely on the gut than on the gray matter when shopping.
Harness the Power of the Web for Stakeholder Dialogues
Just as a wave of companies have begun measuring and reporting their environmental impacts, the next big wave will be firms shifting their stakeholder engagement efforts to ongoing, interactive online efforts.
Why All Companies Should Track Sustainability Metrics
Companies need to provide evidence of how their key sustainability impacts are addressed in operations. Without hard data being provided on a consistent basis, it's no wonder that there's an emerging business in validating green marketing claims.
Interface Raises the Curtain on Its Carpets' Impacts
InterfaceFLOR has released Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for three of its modular carpet tile lines, sharing the details of the lifecycle impacts of those products.
Across Sectors, Companies Report Big Savings from Sustainability
We've seen a flurry of CSR reports released over the last week from high-profile companies touting their social and environmental achievements, including AT&T, Ball, Baxter, EMC and SABMiller. Though they hail from a wide variety of sectors, the metrics used to report environmental performance fall along familiar lines, includes carbon footprint, energy use, water, waste and packaging.
Americans Edge Closer to Energy Awareness in Wake of Disasters
In spring, about the time the press coverage of the Gulf oil spill cranked into high gear, Shelton Group conducted a poll to see whether the event was affecting mindset of Americans on energy. The result may be one of the rare bits of "good news" to surface since the disaster.
FTC's 'Lighting Facts' Label Highlights Bulbs' Energy Efficiency
A new rule from the Federal Trade Commission aims to make it easier for consumers to compare types of bulbs by making lumens, not watts, the most prominent figure on packaging.



