Trust

72% of Americans want changes to produce safety activities

18th Nov 2008 by Alex Briggs

72% of Americans want the federal government to establish new safety standards for the growing, harvesting, processing and distribution of fresh fruits and vegetables even if they increase costs, according to a national survey commissioned by the Produce Safety Project (PSP).
“Consumers don’t want the produce section of their grocery stores to be casinos where they roll the dice on their family’s health and safety,” said Jim O’Hara, PSP director.

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TNT cites ISO 14001 as key to Environmental Performance

12th Nov 2008 by Alex Briggs

TNT UK/Ireland and their use of ISO 14001 as the key to their overall environmental strategy was the focus of a Sustainable Business Magazine article in the October edition.
TNT uses management systems to underpin their business, currently holding four certifications in the UK/Ireland: ISO 9001 (Quality Management Systems), ISO 14001 (Environmental Management Systems) OHSAS 18001 (Occupational Health and Safety Management System) and Investors in People. TNT has reported significant competitive advantage from the achievement of verifiable environmental performance.

Neil Griffiths, director of health, safety and environment at TNT Express Services says: “In terms of business assurance, this is not just a tick in the box.”

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Ethical Supply Chain Video Podcast Series Episode 2, Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) Interview

11th Nov 2008 by Alex Briggs

Frances Way, Supply Chain Project Director for the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), talked to us about the CDP’s Supply Chain Project. This is the second episode in a four part series. The interviews for this video podcast series were conducted at the Ethical Supply Chain Summit in Berlin.
Frances shared some of the key supplier insights that the CDP have gathered in their work with the world’s leading global brands, as well as the role that verification plays in the data that the CDP collect on global supply chains.
The video can also be found here via link.

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Milk Scandal Spills over to Food Safety and Consumer Trust

14th Oct 2008 by Alex Briggs

This New York Times Media Group article raises the question “Is there more tainted food out there?”

The melamine scandal has heightened fears that the food business is racing ahead of the ability of governments to detect health-threatening contamination, whether accidental or deliberate.

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US Food + Drug Administration moves to reduce “Port Shopping”

22nd Sep 2008 by Alex Briggs

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a proposed rule to reduce the practice called “port shopping,” or trying to gain entry at different ports when a potential import has already been rejected. The F.D.A. requires such foods must be exported or destroyed.

The rule would require denied imports to bear a label that would read, “United States: Refused Entry.” The rule would also implement a provision of the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002.

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Clarity and Transparency Needed for Green Claims

18th Sep 2008 by Alex Briggs

Brands making green claims about their products need clarity on what they can and cannot say. This Ethical Corp. article highlights the difficulty for corporations in proving their green claims. The use of language, including sustainability and “low-carbon” were highlighted as terms that are difficult to prove and could potentially leave global brands open to criticism.

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Are Standards helping or hurting workers rights?

17th Sep 2008 by Alex Briggs

Two workers rights experts have held an insightful debate into Supply Chain standards and human rights for workers. Jeff Ballinger, academic, former union and NGO activist is clearly against standards as the end all solution for factory abuses, while Doug Cahn, consultant and formerly of Reebok, is in favour of standards and audits in bringing about change in supply chain factories around the globe.
This Ethical Corporation article features the full debate.

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High levels of lead in Chocolate cause Supply Chain concern

8th Aug 2008 by Alex Briggs

This Food Navigator article highlights the continued problems in global food supply chains.

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Waste Reduction through Innovation

11th Jul 2008 by Alex Briggs

UK’s Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) have invited food manufacturers to take part in a project aimed at waste reduction through innovation in food packaging technology.

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Compliance driving Global Supply Chains?

8th Jul 2008 by Alex Briggs

This Retail Bulletin article discusses the results of a recently published survey on supply chain issues. According to the 100 UK supply chain professionals surveyed, supply chain managers spend up to 52 days a year keeping abreast of, and complying with regulation and legislation relating to the supply chain.
The research found 84 per cent spend up to 52 days a year on compliance while 16 per cent claim even more time. More than half (58 per cent) claim to be either concerned or very concerned about operating in an increasingly regulated environment.

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