SustainabilityHQ.com Weekly Highlights May 29, 2014

Each week we bring you the highlights of our continuous monitoring of the global scene for news, commentary, research and other sustainability-related content that informs and educates.  It's part of our mission of sharing.  And we are busy - there is a lot going on in sustainability affairs!  In this issue we have some news about companies and their sustainability journeys (Volkswagen, Wal-Mart, McDonald's); commentary about industries (US automotive manufacturers); views on some about key issues (water!); some advice on best practices...and so on.

In our top story we focus on the critical issues surrounding supply chain management.  The news out of Africa is that the top officers at 12 of the world's largest chocolate & cocoa companies reached an agreement with the Government of Ghana to help make the cocoa farming in that country more sustainable.  This is the Cocoa Action program, which places emphasis on productivity and community development actions.

Some 100,000 farmers in Ghana are expecting to achieve a 100% productivity increase and see their communities improve by year 2020.  Hats off to the Ghana Cocoa Board and its CEO - Dr. Stephen Kwabena Opuni.  And to the leaders of the companies voluntarily committing to the Cocoa Action program:  ADM; Armajaro; Barry Callebaut; Blommer Chocolate Company; Cargill; Ecom; Ferrero; The Hershey Company; Mars Incorporated; Mondelez International; Nestle; and Olam International. 

Each week the Highlights newsletter has news about supply chain management - stay tuned to the newsletter coming to your email box!

Top Story of the Week

Ghana: Global Chocolate and Cocoa Companies Announce Unprecedented Sustainability Strategy in Ghana      
(Sunday - May 25, 2014)
Source: All Africa - Accra, Ghana — Senior executives from 12 of the world's largest chocolate and cocoa companies are signing a joint agreement with the Government of Ghana as part of an unprecedented strategy to accelerate actions to make cocoa...

This is just a sample of some of the articles from this weeks SustainabilityHQ Highlights.  You can view the full Highlights by using the following links. Sustainability | ESG, Highlights for the Week of May 29, 2014