In announcing the winners of the 11th annual Premier’s Food Awards, South Australian Premier Mike Rann said it was outstanding that more than half of the winners maintain a strong connection to the environment and the production of clean, green produce. He believes food producers in the state are leading the way by promoting healthy choices, organic produce and sustainable farming. “Our winners are innovative and forward thinking businesses who have done a lot of hard work to... ...Read more »

Recently released research by KPMG International and CIES reveals that, far from regarding corporate responsibility as a cost, many leading retailers and manufacturers see sustainability as: • a driver of innovation that can help build growth and profitability • integrated into the core business • driven by business need rather than formal requirements • having a neutral or positive impact on the bottom line • playing a crucial role in recruitment and retention The report, ‘KPMG/CIES... ...Read more »

Victorian-based Cool Change Natural Spring Water has launched Australia’s first beverage (spring water) packaged in a bottle made from plants, as they seek to “go green” in an industry often criticised for a lack of sustainability. Rather than packaging a drink in PET, a polymer (plastic) derived from crude oil, Cool Change Natural Spring Water bottles are made using Ingeo PLA, derived from annually renewable sources - plants. This new material is derived from plant sugars and requires... ...Read more »

A rapidly changing climate, increasingly expensive oil, and declining land and river health threaten to undo Victoria’s impressive food productivity and prosperity, according to the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF). A new report released on Monday by the ACF - Paddock to Plate: Food, Farming & Victoria’s Progress to Sustainability - suggests a re-think on not just the way we produce food, but also the way it is hauled, stored, processed and consumed, if we are to avoid a serious... ...Read more »

Restaurant and Catering Australia (R&CA) announced the launch of the Green Table Australia initiative on Monday night, which will encourage restaurants to reduce their impact on the environment. Restaurants that adhere to the “best practice” suggestions of the program will be awarded with a Green Table logo that they can proudly put on display at their restaurant. The initiative is based on the Green Table scheme successfully set-up in Canada and was officially launched at the Savour... ...Read more »

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. has taken the unprecedented next step of hosting a gathering of more than 1,000 leading suppliers, Chinese officials and NGOs in Beijing where they outlined a series of aggressive goals and expectations to build a more environmentally and socially responsible global supply chain. “I firmly believe that a company that cheats on overtime and on the age of its labour, that dumps its scraps and chemicals in our rivers, that does not pay its taxes or honour its contracts —... ...Read more »

The UK’s leading food and consumer goods companies reported last week that an initiative to reduce the environmental impact of transporting food and groceries has removed the equivalent of 53 million journey miles from UK roads. Over the course of the last year, many household brands have been working together through IGD’s Efficient Consumer Response (ECR UK) initiative on the Sustainable Distribution project. ECR UK announced that, through measures such as sharing vehicles and more... ...Read more »

Acting South Australian Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries Jane Lomax-Smith has announced this year’s finalists for the Premier’s Food Awards.Finalists from the city, Adelaide Hills, Limestone Coast, Eyre Peninsula and Riverland - have been recognised for outstanding achievement and excellence in categories ranging from new products, innovation, export, workforce and environmental sustainability. The 11th Awards will culminate with a green themed gala dinner and presentation... ...Read more »

Sainsbury’s has opened its flagship “green” store, built with consideration for the use of energy, water, waste, timber and land. The store is aiming to be one of the first supermarkets to achieve a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating for its commitment to sustainable construction, and has been specifically designed to reduce the amount of CO2 emitted into the atmosphere. The pioneering store will save 40% of its overall CO2 emissions. This will be achieved by using cutting edge technology... ...Read more »

Improving the environmental performance and, in particular, the energy efficiency of products and stimulating their market uptake are the core objectives of a package put forward by the European Commission. It sets out a series of voluntary and obligatory actions to support a coherent and dynamic policy in the EU and internationally, helping to define eco-friendly products, informing the consumer through improved labelling and supporting their purchase through public procurement and fiscal incentives. Commission... ...Read more »