As consumers begrudgingly pat their empty pockets at the pump, businesses, particularly in the shipping sector, also are wondering how best to adapt.

Some are trying to lay blame or even pass the buck by forcing additional surcharges and costs. Others are taking a more proactive approach, advocating for alternative energy fixes or other innovative technology solutions.

In his recent blog post Three Strategies for Reducing Fuel Costs in 2012, Derek Singleton outlines a handful of these new ideas. As Singleton points out, even though rising fuel costs have caused more that a few headaches for shippers and carriers, these problems also have inspired valuable scrutiny of processes and procedures. As a result, shippers are learning that careful planning and the use of predictive technologies–such as distribution business software–can minimize the impact fuel costs have on the bottom line.

If you’re managing a fleet, Singleton suggests you cope with rising fuel costs by using three general strategies. He advises you:

• streamline fuel procurement,
• improve operations and fleet management and
• optimize delivery routes and shipment loads.

That’s a sensible approach –and one that has been shown to improve efficiencies, cut costs and reduce environmental impacts, as well. (For example, see this earlier post about how UPS used technology to reduce fuel consumption. Other methods, such as traffic management, can help, too. )

“Companies that put these strategies to use will be prepared to deal with the high fuel prices of today and tomorrow. By reducing the impact of rising fuel prices, companies with fleet operations can maintain competitiveness without sacrificing their bottom line,” Singleton concludes.

In a recent survey conducted by global research company Ipsos, more than 11,000 online connected employees from 24 countries were questioned on the pros and cons of telecommuting and its further potential growth as a global business practice.

The data revealed several interesting trends. For example, Ipsos found that:

• One in five (17 percent) employees who can be connected online to their workplace now ‘telecommute’ on a ‘frequent basis.’ Seven percent said they work every day from home, while another 10 percent said they do so ‘on a very consistent and constant basis like evenings and weekends.’

• Telecommuting is most popular in emerging markets. Those working in the Middle East and Africa (27 percent), Latin America (25 percent) and Asia-Pacific (24 percent) are considerably more likely than those in North America (9 percent) and Europe (9 percent) to telecommute ‘on a frequent basis.’
• Educated (25 percent), under the age of 35 (20 percent) and those with a high household income (20 percent) are more likely to telecommute on a frequent basis.
• And, men are more likely than women to telecommute.

In addition, a strong majority of those polled agreed on two general assessments of telecommuting: 1) It reduces stress due to less commuting, and 2) It helps keep talented women in the workforce instead of having them leave to raise children.

When asked the big question then, 34 percent of connected employees agreed they would be very likely to take the option to telecommute on a full time basis if their employer offered them the opportunity.

Interestingly, though, when Ipsos dug deeper, they survey uncovered somewhat of a mixed bag when respondents were asked about productivity and social interaction:

• 65 percent of those polled agreed the flexibility of telecommunication allows for maximum control over the work environment and schedule. But, the remaining 35 percent believed less supervision and the possibility of family/social distractions inhibit productivity.
• 62 percent agreed that not seeing colleagues face-to-face makes telecommuters feel socially isolated.
• 50 percent believed working remotely damages the chances for promotion and creates more family conflict due to the reduction of boundaries between work and family life.

Organizations need to address these concerns because, as other studies have shown, telecommuting can have offer significant benefits for employers.

For example, as I discussed in an earlier post, a study of Sun Microsystem’s “Open Work” platform revealed a strong connection between telecommunication and sustainability, and other research by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) reached a similar conclusion. In fact, CEA found that a single day of telecommuting saves between 16 and 23-kilowatt hours of electricity or the equivalent of up to 12 hours of an average household’s electricity use. In addition, one day of telework eliminates the need for 1.4 gallons of gasoline and reduces CO2 emissions 17 to 23 kilograms, and a worker with a one-way commute of 22 miles, commuting five days a week, can save about 50 percent of the annual electricity consumption of the average household by working from home one day each week.

The first consumer packaged goods company to launch a smartphone application for ingredient disclosure, Clorox is offering the app initially to iPhone users, enabling them to scan a product UPC code and be taken instantly to that product’s ingredient listing.

The free application can be found in the iPhone App Store by typing in “Clorox ingredients,” and the company says the Ingredients Inside app will be available for other mobile devices soon.

In addition to the app, a new mobile website, which is available for all mobile platforms, gives easier, on-the-go access to the company’s Ingredients Inside program by offering content and functionality optimized for mobile device use.

Clearly, Clorox is responding to two emerging consumer trends: the proliferation of mobile devices and increasing pressure for transparency regarding product ingredients.

As Clorox points out in its press release, a recent Nielsen Mobile Media report found that 44 percent of all Americans own a smartphone, and 49 percent of mobile consumers say they frequently use their smartphones while shopping. In addition, a recent Clorox survey of 1,006 adults, 62 percent of Americans believe it’s important to know what goes into their household cleaning products, and 60 percent who own smartphones say a mobile app would make them more likely to read a household cleaning product’s ingredient information.

Back in September, I also reported on a study that found consumers would be willing to pay 15 to 20 percent more for “eco-friendly” products–if they could verify companies’ claims of transparency and sustainability. With the new Clorox app, ingredient information can be as close as the palm of your hand, allowing the consumer to make an educated purchase decision quickly and efficiently.

For a demonstration of the Ingredients Inside app and more information on the Clorox Company’s other corporate responsibility programs, visit www.thecloroxcompany.com/corporate-responsibility. The company’s Ingredients Inside program also outlines the company’s product stewardship principles and practices, providing information on safety processes and guidelines on how the company screens ingredients, including fragrance components, for new products.

For years now, consumers, investors, advocacy groups and other stakeholders have been pressing for improved transparency in business practices, and in line with appeals like these, California legislators passed the Transparency in Supply Chain Act (SB 657), effective as of January 1, 2012.

Simply put, The Transparency in Supply Chain Act requires retailers and manufacturers to publicly disclose their efforts to eradicate slavery and human trafficking from their supply chains. The law applies to all corporations doing business in California with more than $100 million in worldwide gross receipts, and as a result, it’s estimated to affect some 3,200 companies.

Not surprisingly, the new regulations have been the subject of much debate. At a Bay Area Council roundtable in San Francisco last month, advocacy organizations, attorneys, state representatives and corporate executives discussed the possible impact of this newly required transparency.  (Corporations in attendance included Hewlett-Packard, McKesson, PG&E, Levi Strauss, Gap Inc. and Safeway.)

As Responsible Sourcing Network Responsible Sourcing Network (RSN) Director Patricia Jurewicz pointed out following the discussion, a improving supply chain transparency makes good business sense, as today’s investors are looking for assurances that companies have processes in place to monitor practices, minimize risk, assure compliance and address operational shortcomings associated with labor and human rights issues in their supplier networks.

“Investors are looking for more than just the transparency this statute requires. Even more important to investors will be seeing the new steps companies are taking to minimize reputational risks and be proactive in eliminating slavery from the products they sell,” she said. “For example, we are tracking for the investment community if companies have signed our pledge and are participating in our initiative to stop forced child labor in the cotton fields of Uzbekistan.”

It appears the initial, and crucial, test cases for compliance with the new law will be restricted to the chocolate, cotton and palm oil industries, three of the most controversial in terms of human rights violation.

For more information on the Transparency in Supply Chains Act and related topics, you may be interested in The US Dept. of Labor 2011 List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor, Effective Supply Chain Accountability: Investor Guidance on Implementation of The California Transparency in Supply Chains Act and Beyond, and the white paper Compliance is Not Enough: Best Practices in Responding to The California Transparency in Supply Chains Act.

New research from the UK’s Sky provides some intriguing insights and suggests that future leaders are ready to embrace the challenge of integrating sustainability into business best practices.

In its recently released report The Sustainable Generation: The Sky Future Leaders Study, Sky, a television service from the UK and Ireland, examines the attitudes and ambitions of more than 750 corporate graduate trainees, high-potential middle-managers and MBA students.

Among the highlights:

• 34 percent of the survey respondents see creating social and environmental value as an overall career goal, and a whopping 96 percent said they plan on being involved with sustainability in their careers.
• 79 percent said the vision and values of a company are an important factor when looking at potential employers.
• 70 percent agreed that sustainability can create new opportunities for businesses, and just 21 percent said sustainability has to come at the expense of profit.

However, the study also revealed that these future leaders sense a disconnect between corporate words and actions with regard to sustainability:

• 78 percent of those polled leaders believe the UK businesses are making a genuine effort to fully integrate sustainability into operations, however only 3 percent believe they are truly succeeding.
• 35 percent believe employers are not providing adequate levels of training or education on sustainability.

How will they close the gap? According to Sky, the sustainable generation will turn to a five-point plan to improve the way sustainability is integrated with strategic business goals. This plan includes:

• Increasing employee engagement to harness the workforce creativity.
• Collaborating across industry to share best practices.
• Taking more responsibility for supply chain sustainability credentials.
• Integrating sustainability into values and decisions.
• Using new technology to improve business performance on sustainability.

I look forward to seeing this kind of progress. As Jeremy Darroch, Sky Chief Executive, said, these future leaders appear determined to put their positive mark on the business landscape.

“While sustainability has become part of everyday business language, little has been known until now about the views of future leaders. This study shows that tomorrow’s business leaders are already engaged with sustainability and see it as an important part of their future careers,” he concluded. “In their own words, this is ‘the sustainable generation’ and there is much we can all learn from them.”

Collectively, the five stores will total approximately 20,400 panels, 4.8 megawatts (MW) of solar generating capacity and an annual output of 5.62 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity –that’s the equivalent to reducing 4,273 tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and  equal to eliminating the emissions of 760 cars or providing electricity for 484 homes yearly (calculating clean energy equivalents at www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-resources/calculator.html).

This investment by IKEA reinforces the company’s long-term commitment to sustainability and confidence in photovoltaic (PV) technology, and it’s worth noting that IKEA will own and operate each of its solar PV energy systems atop its buildings, as opposed to a solar lease or PPA (power purchase agreement).

If you’re curious about more details, here are a few of the locations, along with approximate system statistics and corresponding clean energy equivalents:

• Bloomington, MN. Store size:  336,000 SF on 15 acres. Solar Program: 142,000 SF at 1,136 kW; 4,834 panels generating 1,300,700 kWh/yr. Equivalent to reducing 989 tons of CO₂, 176 cars’ emissions or powering 112 homes.
• Bolingbrook, IL. Store size:  310,000 SF on 23 acres. Solar Program:  140,300 SF at 1,122 kW; 4,774 panels generating 1,298,200 kWh/yr. Equivalent to reducing 987 tons of CO₂, 176 cars’ emissions or powering 112 homes
• Canton, MI. Store size:  311,000 SF on 33 acres. Solar Program:  122,200 SF at 977 kW; 4,157 panels generating 1,138,200 kWh/yr. Equivalent to reducing 865 tons of CO₂, 154 cars’ emissions or powering 98 homes.

(The other two locations are Pittsburgh, PA and Schaumburg, IL.)

IKEA already has 12 US solar energy systems operational with 20 more underway.  Installing solar panels atop these additional locations will result in a total generating capacity of 31.6 MW in the US.

The company says it draws on its Swedish heritage and a respect of nature to form the foundation of a belief that it can be a good business while doing good business.  In short, IKEA’s US sustainability efforts reflect a business and operating model designed to minimize impacts on the environment, and in addition to the solar initiative, the company is committed to:  recycling waste material, incorporating environmental measures into the construction of buildings, such as energy-efficient HVAC and lighting systems, phasing out the sale of incandescent light bulbs and facilitating recycling of customers’ compact fluorescent bulbs. IKEA also offers EV charging stations at nine western stores.

“We are pleased that solar energy systems already have proven successful at IKEA locations and are thrilled we now can complete the solar coverage of all our Midwestern stores,” said Mike Ward, IKEA US president.  “With only 44 locations nationwide, we try to contribute whenever and wherever possible to creating a better everyday life for the many.  So – from a sustainability perspective – we are open to ideas for incorporating key environmental technologies and look forward to considering other opportunities as they arise, too.”

In particular, I was pleased to see that the report includes the incredibly forward-thinking declaration that what GM needs to grow its business is aligned with the needs of society –namely, energy alternatives and advanced technologies to help reduce dependency on petroleum, improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions, as well as bold thinking about personal mobility in the 21st century.

Looking back over the past year, GM says it has made marked progress in water conservation, renewable energy use, wildlife habitat preservation, recycling waste and material repurposing. Plus, the company is expanding its Greening Supply Chain Initiative to additional suppliers and joint ventures in China, its largest national market. In 2010, GM also earned the title clean-tech patent leader by the Clean Energy Patent Growth Index for the advanced technology, fuel efficiency and overall sustainability-related aspects of its products.

Looking ahead to the next decade, GM plans to achieve even more. The company says it will:

1. Reduce energy intensity from facilities by 20 percent.
2. Promote use of 125MW of renewable energy by 2020.
3. Reduce carbon intensity from facilities by 20 percent.
4. Reduce volatile organic compound emissions from assembly painting operations by 10 percent kg per vehicle.
5. Protect water quality and reduce water intensity by 15 percent.
6. Reduce total waste from facilities by 10 percent.
7. Promote existing landfill-free facilities while working to achieve 100 landfill-free manufacturing sites and 25 non-manufacturing sites.
8. Promote and engage in community outreach on environmental and energy issues by completing one outreach activity per plant on an annual basis.
9. Secure Wildlife Habitat Certification (or equivalent) at each GM manufacturing site where feasible by 2020.

“Sustainability feeds our bottom line and sustaining a profitable business is our ultimate responsibility,” said GM Chairman and CEO Dan Akerson. “Profits enable reinvestment – in R&D to reimagine a car’s DNA; in cleaner, more fuel-efficient technologies; in plants that better conserve resources; in improved vehicle safety; in job creation and stability; and in the communities in which we live and work.”

More on GM’s environmental commitment, including a topical conversation with GM Vice President of Sustainability and Global Regulatory Affairs Mike Robinson, can be found here.

New survey results from corporate sustainability research and advisory firm Green Research show that, looking ahead to 2012, the majority of the businesses polled have decided to devote significant time and financial resources on two initiatives above all others: employee engagement and supplier sustainability performance.

The in-depth survey of nearly 50 top North American and European senior sustainability executives found that:

• 88 percent of companies plan to invest in employee engagement in 2012.
• 73 percent said they will focus on improving sustainability performance of their suppliers.

In addition, Green Research discovered that sustainability spending will rise significantly in 2012.

• 50 percent of those polled said their firms will increase spending on sustainability initiatives.
• 33 percent plan to add staff to their sustainability departments.
• 25 percent reported they will increase budgets of sustainability departments.

The report also includes insights regarding:

• Carbon accounting
• Ecolabels
• Life cycle assessment
• Corporate reputation
• Sustainability reporting
• Environmental credits and offsets

And interestingly, Green Research found that, despite there being several ranking systems available, the majority of sustainability executives rely on only two ranking indexes for measuring corporate sustainability: the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) and Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes.

As David Schatsky, author of the report, concludes, it makes sense for companies to concentrate their efforts on employee engagement and especially, supplier sustainability performance. A decade ago, concerns like these may not have been high on the corporate agenda. But now, in light of factors such as the volatile economic environment, increased supplier risk, globalization and climate change concerns, companies need to rethink their sourcing strategies to ensure continued success.

“Companies have good reason to focus on employee engagement and supply chain,” Schatsky said. “Engaged employees make things happen. And the supply chain is where the bulk of the environmental impact is for many companies.”

Environmental benefits of the expanded production facility include:

• An aggressive recycling program almost eliminating waste paper, plastics, cardboard and packaging.
• A 30 percent reduction in energy use due to the production line’s new proprietary high-efficiency oven.
• A 30 percent reduction in indoor water use with the installation of high-efficiency faucets and low-flow plumbing.
• A 70 percent reduction in irrigation water with the use of native vegetation for landscaping.

The following commitments also contributed to the plant’s certification:

• Alternative transportation. A bicycle loan program and convenient location within a half mile of commuter railway and city bus lines provide “green” commute options for employees.
• Brownfield redevelopment. The expansion was developed on property already requiring remediation, eliminating the need to clear virgin land.
• Construction waste management. Nearly 80 percent of the project construction waste—471 tons of waste—was diverted from landfills by the repurposing of materials.

“Albuquerque is proud to be General Mills’ first production facility to earn this internationally recognized distinction for sustainable design and construction,” said General Mills Plant Manager Keith Bone. “This milestone underscores our efforts to continuously improve our environmental performance and steward the natural resource base on which our business depends.”

The other three General Mills buildings awarded the LEED certification are the Swiss Innovation Center in Switzerland, a distribution center in Social Circles, Georgia and a building adjacent to company headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Developed in 2000 and now an internationally recognized building certification system, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) extends an independent, third-party verification identifying the integration of environmental sustainability into a building’s design, construction, operation and maintenance. The growth of this program and subsequent worldwide certifications display how integral sustainability is becoming in terms of business perception and success.

It’s also worth noting that among the 8,000 LEED-certified projects in the world, fewer than 10 are certified food production facilities.

TRI data is submitted annually to EPA and states by multiple industry sectors including manufacturing, metal mining, electric utilities and commercial hazardous waste facilities. Facilities must report their toxic chemical releases to EPA under the federal Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) by July 1st of each year. In addition, the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 requires information on waste management activities related to TRI chemicals.

EPA’s analysis for the latest reporting year, 2010, concluded that disposals are higher than the previous two years, but lower than 2007 and prior year totals.

The 2010 TRI data showed that since 2009 there has been:

• A 16 percent increase in total releases, amounting to 3.93 billion pounds of toxics entering the environment nationwide, primarily due to changes in the metal mining sector.
• A 9 percent increase in surface water releases.
• A 28 percent increase in land releases.
• A 6 percent decrease in total air releases, a continuing trend seen over recent years.

EPA improved the TRI report from previous years by adding new information on facility efforts to reduce pollution and by including ever-fluxing economic factors that may have affected TRI data.

Since its inception 25 years ago, the TRI program has assisted citizens, emergency planners and public health officials in protecting human health and the environment by supplying information to help affect decisions concerning the safety and welfare of communities throughout the nation. Undoubtedly, this program has enhanced efforts to refine the balance of business demands with public health and environmental stewardship.

“We will continue to put accessible, meaningful information in the hands of the American people. Widespread public access to environmental information is fundamental to the work EPA does every day,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “TRI is a cornerstone of EPA’s community-right-to-know programs and has played a significant role in protecting people’s health and the environment by providing communities with valuable information on toxic chemical releases.”

More on the 2010 TRI analysis and TRI Web-based tools is available at http://www.epa.gov/tri.