Here is today’s sustainability news, research and analysis for technology partners, renewable energy and green IT services companies, management consultants, CIOs, chief sustainability officers (CSOs) and c-suite members.
A. Sustainable Technology, Talent, Partnerships and Green IT Alliances
1. Corporate Sustainability Reports: Our database of corporate sustainability reports now spans 310 companies. The latest addition is Ormat Technologies.
2. Green Energy: Microsoft signed its first-ever long-term deal to procure renewable energy in Japan, as the tech giant rushes to meet ambitious green goals for its data-centers and operations, Bloomberg reported.
3. Enterprise and Cloud Software: The Sustainability Funding Round, hosted by SAP Chief Sustainability Office Daniel Schmid, united sustainability leaders from over 60 SAP sites worldwide to "promote and finance sustainability initiatives brought forward by the SAP sustainability champions and environmental management system lead," the company said. This year’s funding round was dedicated to supporting SAP’s transition to a low-carbon, circular business and saw record-breaking participation.
4. Amazon: A Seattle Amazon Fresh location received a Zero Carbon Certification from the International Living Future Institute (ILFI), becoming the world’s first grocery store—and Amazon’s first building—to receive the certification, the e-commerce giant asserted.
5. Partnership - Software: Aquitas Solutions, a provider of asset management and IoT solutions, has added IBM Envizi to their product offering. The IBM software "enables customers to effectively measure, manage, and report on their sustainability initiatives, fostering a culture of transparency and accountability," the two companies said.
6. Talent - Private Equity: Trivest Partners has hired Allison Gracer as its first director of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG).
B. Sustainability M&A, Investments, Funding and Green IT Business Launches
1. Funding - Electric Vehicle (EV) Charing Stations: EVgo will receive more than $12.7 million funding to deploy more than 150 fast-charting stations in California, Colorado and Pennsylvania. The projects and associated funding involve utilities, air districts, state energy offices and state departments. The funding news surfaced ahead of an EVgo CEO transition that's scheduled for November 2023.
2. Funding: Skyven Technologies and Kyotherm have "demonstrated public-private funding to decarbonize America's industrial manufacturing sector." The financial approach was used to "successfully implement the six decarbonization projects recently announced by Skyven and California Dairies Inc (CDI)," the companies said.
3. Funding: Scope3, a collaborative sustainability platform decarbonizing media and advertising, raised $20 million in Series B funding led by GV. Scope3's business valuation was not disclosed.
4. M&A - IT Asset Disposition (ITAD): Full Circle Electronics (FCE), backed by private equity firm Tide Rock, has acquired the ITAD assets from SIPI Asset Recovery. Full Circle gains ITAD geographic reach across Northern California, Illinois, Texas, Mexico and Columbia, the buyer said. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
5. All M&A Deals: Our list of M&A deals focused on sustainability tracks hundreds of buyers, sellers and private equity investors who focus on green IT services, renewable energy & more.
C. Regional and Global Sustainability Policies and News
1. United States - Electric Vehicle Factory Fines?: U.S. investigators proposed $270,000 in fines for a General Motors and LG Energy Solution joint venture battery plant in Ohio for safety and health violations.
2. United States - New York Wind Power Challenges: New York regulators denied requests by developers of offshore wind projects and dozens of land-based renewable projects seeking billions of dollars in additional funding for existing contracts to sell power, Reuters reported.
3. France - Electric Use Fines: France unveiled a series of measures, including subsidies for home thermostats and restrictions on store lighting hours, to ensure energy consumption maintains its downward trend, Bloomberg reported.
4. United Kingdom Climate Policy Concerns: The UK’s green policy retreat will make net zero targets harder to reach and risks sapping enthusiasm at UN climate talks, the Climate Change Committee has said, Reuters reported.
5. European Union - Green Tech: The European Union will be much more “assertive” in touting a “made in Europe” approach to ensure that green industries like hydrogen and wind stay on the continent, Bloomberg reported.
D. Sustainability and Green Technology Conference Calendar
- Sustainable Brands 2023 (October 16-19, San Diego, California)
- Sustainable Retail Summit 2023 (October 18-20, Copenhagen, Denmark)
- The Political Economics of Environmental Sustainability Conference 2023 (October 23-24, Stanford University)
- VERGE 23 Climate Tech Event (October 24-26, San Jose, California)
- NAEM's EHS & Sustainability Management Forum 2023 (October 24-27, Cleveland, Ohio)
- 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.
