A recent announcement by Cadbury, the chocolate making giants, means that we'll be eating Cadbury's Dairy Milk with a clearer conscience. Cadbury are going Fairtrade and have chosen its biggest brand as their first Fairtrade bar. UK Fairtrade sales reached nearly 720 million pounds last year and with Dairy Milk onboard this should increase by around 25%. That means 300 million more bars reaching conscientious consumers. In Ghana, the world's second biggest producer and exporter of cocoa, this is great news for the farmers. It will triple the amount of Fairtrade cocoa sold. To find out more about Cadbury chosing SustainIT Solutions to help develop and enhance their Enablon environmental management and sustainability reporting system or how we can assist in CSR data collection please get in contact with Anthony Peake on 01275 774168 or email a.peake@sustainitsolutions.co.uk.

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Hundreds and thousands of computers, monitors televisions and other electronic items are replaced in the UK every year. This "e-waste" contains valuable materials and can be hazardous if not disposed of properly. When you "e-recycle" you're helping to protect our environment and create new jobs in the UK. Working TVs, monitors, computers and other consumer electronics can be sold or donated thereby prolonging their useful life. Non-functioning TVs, computer monitors and other obsolete electronics should be recycled by an organisation equipped to handle them. If using an electrical waste management company its always best to check that they guarentee none of the waste they dispose of will end its life on landfill sites in the UK, or abroad. Its also recommended thatyou check the company ensures full data destruction and documentation is supplied to support the organisation in demonstrating compliance with the law. If you own a business you will be affected by the WEEE directive and which states that you have a duty of care over IT and electrical equipment in your business. However, under the WEEE regulations, if you have purchased a replacement PC from one of the high street stores they have a legal obligation to recycle your old equipment. There are also local recycling schemes in most cities who will take old equipment and refurbish it and pass it on to charities.

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With freshwater supplies tightening due to overuse and more extreme weather patterns, business is coming under increased pressure to measure and cut water use. The water footprint of a business, its 'corporate water footprint', refers to the total volume of fresh water that is used directly and indirectly to run and support the business. It consists of two components: the operational water footprint, i.e. the direct water use by the business in its own operations; and, the supply-chain water footprint, i.e. the water use in the business's supply chain. Many businesses have a supply-chain water footprint that is much larger than the operational water footprint. This is particularly the case when a company does not have agricultural activity itself but is partly based on the intake of agricultural products (crop products, meat, milk, eggs, leather, cotton, wood/paper). When consumers use the products from a business, there can also be a water footprint in the end-use stage. There is water pollution resulting from the use of soaps in the household. In this case one can speak about the end-use water footprint of a product. This footprint is not part of a business's water footprint, but it is part of the consumer's water footprint. That does not mean that the business can withdraw from some responsibility about what happens in the end-use stage. Water Footprinting outlines the risks and opportunities water poses to business and offers practical advice on mapping and reducing water consumption in products and across the supply chain. New methodologies and standards for water footprinting are evolving and how companies are addressing water issues at a strategic level is being discussed. These include: corporate engagement on water policy, collective action on water issues, unravelling the water-energy nexus, the development of water policy and regulation, the growing interest of water to the investment community and corporate engagement with NGOs and activists on water issues. Water footprint accounting is relevant for any sort of business, private or public, it can be applied for any entity producing goods and/or services that are supplied to consumers or other businesses. It can be applied to various levels of scale, for instance a specific division of a company, an entire company or a whole business sector. Water footprint accounting can also be done for a project (e.g. construction of a piece of infrastructure) or activity (e.g. the organization of a large sports event). SustainIT Solutions offers a window into the next level of response for businesses committed to becoming sustainable and reducing their climate impact. If you think this subject will impact your business please get in contact with Anthony Peake on 01275 774168 or email a.peake@sustainitsolutions.co.uk.

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As part of the obligations under the Climate Change Act, the Government will be reviewing how organisations reporting on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions will help the UK to meet its climate change objectives. Businesses produce a significant proportion of the UK's GHG emissions and therefore have a direct role to play in helping the UK meet its climate change commitments. In light of this, new guidance to measure and tackle greenhouse gas emissions for business and organisations has been published by Defra and DECC. The guidance helps businesses and organisations to measure and report their current emissions and set reduction targets. Environment Secretary Hilary Benn said "... (By reducing GHG emissions) organisations can save money on energy costs and resource efficiencies - as well as maintaining a competitive edge through strengthening their green credentials". This was echoed by Energy Minister Joan Ruddock, she stated that "Measuring emissions is fundamental to our understanding of climate change and a vital first step towards managing carbon impacts. Businesses will play a vital part in the UK's move to a low carbon future and this guidance will enable organisations to identify their emissions and work towards reducing them, saving energy and money". Complementing the GHG guidance, further guidance has been published on how businesses can be carbon neutral by following a three-stage process of calculating, reducing and offsetting emissions. The DECC will consider wider options for the treatment of low carbon electricity under the guidance, this will include reviewing how the purchase of electricity by businesses can stimulate increased low carbon generation and help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. DECC will report on this review no later than December 2010. SustainIT Solutions specialise in helping companies and organisations of all sizes to measure, manage, report and reduce their Carbon Footprint and manage their wider Corporate Social Responsibility programmes. We have developed specialist support services and training to help companies to prepare for the new CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme (formerly known as the Carbon Reduction Commitment). If you think you are affected by the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme, or would like more information on this scheme, courses and events we are running, and how SustainIT Solutions can help you please get in contact with Anthony Peake on 01275 774168 or email a.peake@sustainitsolutions.co.uk.

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The CBI, the UK's leading business organisation, believes that the EU-Emissions Trading Scheme (EU-ETS) is a core driver of the transition to a low carbon economy. However, they believe that small emitters are too problematic to include in the EU-ETS and Emissions trading is therefore best suited to large emitters. The CBI say that the largest 7% of installations represent 60% of total emissions, whilst the smallest 14% of installations only account for 0.14% of emissions (EC, 2008). The EU-ETS Phase 3 agreement will exclude installations with emissions less than 25,000 tonnes/year, but the CBI believes that a higher threshold (50,000 tonnes/year) is warranted to exclude about 5% of the emissions covered by the ETS, while reducing the number of installations by 70-75%. However, small emitters must still be subject to equivalent carbon regulations such as Climate Change Agreements. Distortion and extra costs may be created as the lower threshold causing some sectors to be split, with some installations subject to the ETS and others to Climate Change Agreements. Furthermore, it is likely that the transaction costs - the administrative cost of the ETS to participants - has been underestimated and this reduces the benefits for including small emitters. The UK ETG estimated the administrative costs to the UK industry of Phase 1 of the EU-ETS to be £68m while the Government estimate was £175,000. The CBI calls for any opportunity to reduce administrative costs to be taken and policy makers to keep the issue of small emitters under review.

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This month the Government has approved 10 sites in England and Wales for new nuclear power stations. It is hoped that a new planning commission will make decisions on the proposals within a year of receiving them. To avoid a repeat of previous lengthy inquiries ministers hope to fast-track the construction of the new plants so that some can be producing energy as early as 2018. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband told MPs that nuclear was a "proven and reliable" energy source. However, he insisted that people living close to the proposed sites would have plenty of opportunities to make their views known. Here in the South West, there are 2 proposed sites; at Hinckley Point in Somerset and Oldbury in South Gloucestershire. So, what are the consequences for local residents? The Government says that it is a way of tackling climate change and giving the country 'security of supply' and making Britain more energy sufficient. Anti nuclear groups are protesting strongly against the plans on grounds that it is not cheap and that it is unsafe by potentially increasing cancer deaths in the local area. They are also highlighting the fact that nuclear waste will be stored on site for an unknown period of time until a permanent repository is found. These concerns are echoed by the local councils who are keen to know how the energy companies plan to minimise the risks and how the power stations will benefit the local communities. It is believed that the councils could receive a pay-off in the region of £10m, as well as £1.5m a year for incurring the risks of having a nuclear power station in their county. EDF energy, referring to the proposed station at Hinckley Point suggests that, if built, it will create up to 4,000 jobs during the construction and then up to 700 jobs for the next 60 years while the station is in operation. In response to the concerns raised by the protest groups and local council, EDF, state that they are confident that technology can be put in place to store any spent fuel safely for a extended period until a national underground repository is available.

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