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.
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A. Sustainable Technology, Talent, Partnerships and Alliances
1. Chief Sustainability Officers: Our database of chief sustainability officers now spans 364 CSOs. The latest additions include:
- Rohit Aggarwala, the commissioner, Department of Environmental Protection and chief climate officer, City of New York.
- Kate Beddoe, chief sustainability officer, Silver Fern Farms Ltd.
- Karine Hirn, chief sustainability officer, East Capital Asia Limited
- Jim Mallory, chief sustainability officer, Mag Silver
2. Annual ESG Reports: Our global database of annual sustainability and ESG reports now spans 298 companies. The latest additions include EHS consulting company Antea Group and mining company MAG Silver.
3. Managed Cloud Services: Intermax is striving to become carbon neutral in 2027 and carbon negative by 2030. Notably, all five of the company’s data centers are already 100% powered by Dutch solar and wind sources, CIO reported.
4. Software Partnership - Supply Chains: iFoodDS and IBM launched a software solution to address the FDA's Food Traceability Rule, FSMA 204(d). The new solution is called iFoodDS Trace Exchange. According to Christina Shim, global head of product management & strategy, IBM Sustainability Software: "By collaborating with iFoodDS, we can provide even more help to enterprise clients and their trading partners as they work to become FSMA compliant and can take a major step toward the industry's goal of creating a safer, transparent, and sustainable food supply chain."
5. Partnership - AWS Cloud Services and Renewable Energy: Abdul Latif Jameel, an internationally diversified business, has selected Amazon Web Services (AWS) as its preferred cloud provider to "power its digital transformation and drive innovation across its core sectors—mobility, energy, health, and financial services." On the flip side, Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV) -- part of Abdul Latif Jameel Energy -- will provide clean energy capacity to power Amazon’s operations, the companies said.
6. Partnership - Fujitsu and SAP: Fujitsu plans to develop and launch a cloud ERP solution that supports sustainable transformation of enterprises. On a related note, Fujitsu becomes the first first SAP partner from Japan to offer business transformation, technical managed services, and infrastructure in connection with RISE with SAP.
7. Partner Program: Â Watershed, which positions itself as an enterprise climate platform, launched the Watershed Ecosystem, an expanded network of partners and advisors.
8. ESG and Financial IT Services: Synesgy from CRIF, a provider of digital transformation solutions for the European financial services industry, will allow business to "easily audit suppliers, enabling them to collect and view ESG reports, and view the sustainability ratings of the other businesses" with whom they work, the company said.
9. AI Training: Â IBM committed to train two million learners in AI by the end of 2026, with a focus on underrepresented communities.Â
10. AI Software: Sustain360 has launched an "AI-driven platform aimed at accelerating net-zero decarbonization, the software company said.
11. Consulting Engagement - Sustainable Mobility: The Regional Transportation District (RTD) of Denver has selected WSP to evaluate the feasibility of transitioning the agency's facilities and fixed-route fleet to low/no-emission operations.
12. Samsung: Key an eye on Samsung's Partners in Sustainability series, which touts partnerships that drive energy efficiency and more.
13. Executive Leadership - Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Technology: Blink Charging announced multiple executive updates. Chief operations officer Mark Pastrone is exiting the company. Multiple promotions also surfaced. They include:
- Chief Revenue Officer Michael Battaglia becomes chief operations officer;
- VP of Sales and Business Development Jim Nemec becomes chief revenue officer;
- Senior Director of Operations Siddhartha Kodgi becomes VP of operations.
14. Executive Leadership - Financial Services: JTC Group has hired Ed Smith as a director in its sustainability services for the United States. Smith will work to broaden to scope of JTC and its impact and sustainable solutions for fund, corporate, and private clients, Private Banker International reported.
15. COP28: Dr. Sultan Al Jaber vowed that COP28 will "put health at the center of climate discussions and mobilize investment for equitable, climate-resilient health systems," according to a statement from COP28 organizers.Â
16. Energy Transition - Fossil Fuel Executive Perspectives: Government policy isn’t enough to reduce emissions and accelerate the world’s transition to cleaner energy sources and a market for carbon-emission reductions is needed, Exxon Mobil CEO Darren Woods said, according to Bloomberg.
B. Sustainability M&A, Investments and Funding
1. Funding - Italy ESG and Private Equity: FIEE Sgr SpA, a private equity company in Italy focused on ESG, raised about $100 million for a new long-short fund that bets on the equity and debt of companies involved in the transition to a lower carbon economy.
2. Green Bonds: South Korea's LG Energy Solution raised $1 billion in its first global green bond issuance, Reuters reported.
3. M&A - Consulting and Energy Transitions: E Source, backed by private equity firm Align Capital Partners, has acquired Utilligent to help utilities accelerate their transition to a sustainable future, the companies said. The deal expands E Source's employee base by about 30%. This is E Source's tenth acquisition. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
4. All M&A Activity: Our M&A database has now tracked 131 mergers and acquisitions so far in 2023. See all M&A deals involving sustainability listed here.
C. Regional and Global Sustainability Policies and News
No updates today.
D. Sustainability and Green Technology Conference Calendar
- TechCrunch Disrupt 2023: Sustainability Stage (September 19-21, San Francisco, California)
- Sustainable Investment Forum North America 2023 (September 19, New York)
- Caron Smart Summit 2023 (September 19, New York)
- Workiva Amplify 2023 (September 19-21, Nashville, Tennessee)
- CEM Emissions Monitoring Conference 2023 (September 20-22, Barcelona, Spain)
- 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.
