Here is today’s sustainability news, research and analysis for technology partners, renewable energy and green IT companies, management consultants, CIOs, chief sustainability officers (CSOs) and c-suite members.
Got News to Share? Email me the details.
A. Sustainable Technology, Talent, Partnerships and Alliances
1. AI Software and Sustainability: Schneider Electric has launched EcoStruxure Resource Advisor Copilot, a conversational AI tool designed to help business leaders interact with their enterprise energy and sustainability data at even greater speed, the company said.
2. Google Sustainability APIs: At the Google Cloud Next 2023 event, the company will officially unveil a suite of new sustainability APIs to provide developers with real-time solar potential, air quality and pollen level information, Engaget reported. Ahead of the event, Google inked cloud sustainability partnerships with Deloitte and Hitachi Energy. Also, Google hired AWS sustainability veteran Chris Vonderhaar as VP of demand and supply management in July 2023. Stay tuned for more updates this week.
3. EV Charging Service: Duke Energy, General Motors, Ford Motor Company and BMW of North America are teaming up to launch a new electric vehicle (EV) pilot program in the state aimed at bringing certainty to the cost of EV charging, the companies said.
4. Semiconductors - Net-Zero Target: ASM International N.V. is the first semiconductor company to receive SBTi’s verification of its net-zero target, ASM asserted.
5. Research - Sustainability ROI: Large enterprises investing in social sustainability see an average increase in revenue of $710 million according to a new study commissioned by NTT Corporation. The study, conducted in collaboration with ThoughtLab, also reveals that leading firms in social sustainability see an 11.4% increase in employee productivity and unlock approximately $675 billion in gross domestic product (GDP) across eight countries and five industries.
6. Executive Transition: Charge Enterprises CEO Andrew Fox has resigned roughly one week after activist firm Arena Investors demanded changes to address the EV charging company's weak stock price.
7. PCs - Supply Chain: Lenovo is offering a Reduced Carbon Transport Service, which gives enterprises the option to lower their carbon impact when IT devices are air shipped. Through Reduced Carbon Transport Service, customers can purchase Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) credits and attribute the resulting emissions reduction benefit to their IT purchase, achieving a minimum of 70 percent CO2 emissions reduction, the company said.
B. Sustainability M&A, Investments and Funding
1. Wind Energy Investments: Morgan Stanley Investment Management, through Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners, and U.S. maritime, energy and logistics solutions company Crowley formed a new joint venture to advance offshore wind energy solutions in the U.S., Monitor Daily reported.
2. Investing - ESG Shareholder Resolutions: Vanguard supported just 2% of shareholder resolutions on environmental and social issues at U.S. companies this year, down from 12% last year, Reuters reported.
3. Green Bonds: South Korea's LG Energy Solution is aiming to raise about $1 billion from the sale of two, dollar-denominated green bonds, Reuters reported.
4. Investing - ESG Shareholder Resolutions: Vanguard supported just 2% of shareholder resolutions on environmental and social issues at U.S. companies this year, down from 12% last year, Reuters reported.
5. M&A - Caron Credits: Karbon-X Corp, a carbon credit project development company, plans to acquire 80% of Silviculture Systems Corp (SCS) for $7.3 million. Karbon-X will initially own 32% of SCS, with the remaining ownership being acquired in tranches over the next 14 months. SCS is a proponent for reforestation and environmental conservation in South America, with a current focus on a reforestation project in Bolivia, the companies said.
7. All M&A Activity: Our M&A database has now tracked 124 mergers and acquisitions so far in 2023. See all M&A deals involving sustainability listed here.
C. Regional and Global Sustainability Policies and News
1. Germany - Energy Transition Concerns: German companies see the energy transition bringing more risks than opportunities for their competitiveness, the DIHK Chambers of Commerce and Industry said, according to Reuters.
D. Sustainability and Green Technology Conference Calendar
- Sustainability Live 2023 (Sept. 6-7, London, United Kingdom)
- ICSD 2023 Sustainability Conference (September 6-7, Rome, Italy)
- Sustainability Reporting Europe 2023 (September 6-7, London, United Kingdom)
- Reuters Impact 2023 (September 6-7, London, United Kingdom)
- RE+ (September 11-14, Las Vegas)
- Complete Calendar of Sustainability Conferences
E. Previous Updates & Future News
1. Did You Miss Yesterday's Daily Update?: Here is our previous sustainability, green IT and renewable energy news for technology partners.
2. Future Updates: Send Us Your News Tips. Please email me the details.
