DEI, Taylor Swift, Debate, Royal Mail, Tempeh

1. DEI or I&D

Why DEI can’t drop the E

The US election race appears to be accelerating the bubbling criticism of corporate DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) activity, which has been under the spotlight since last year’s Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action. Loud voices, particularly, on the conservative right, are contributing to the “anti-DEI” movement. Elon Musk has got in on the act as well, pressing his preferred acronym of MEI – merit, excellence and intelligence. One which really couldn’t miss the point more if it tried, as this article cogently argues.

And elsewhere, rather than outright opposition, there are moves to modify traditional approaches to DEI. SHRM , a leading HR firm, has taking the “equity” out of DEI, to create “I&D”, claiming equity is too confusing a concept even for DEI experts. Where does the equity come in – outcomes or opportunity? They claim a move to bring inclusion to the front and remove the contentious term equity makes I&D training more unifying. SHRM suggests that while they have removed the word, their “commitment to equity remains steadfast”.

This move has – rightly to our minds – received backlash from others in the DEI world who ask how can you effectively fulfil diversity and inclusion without equity?? You can’t! Amidst all this noise, and jockeying for political positioning, we also think it’s important to look at the overall picture. USA Today found that three-quarters of executives surveyed by Bridge Partners expect to grow DEI programmes and only 4% say they will cut back and eliminate them, not least because of the positive impact they can have on companies’ bottom lines.

2. Taylor-made generosity

How Taylor Swift is encouraging social impact amid her Eras Tour

Taylor Swift, whose earnings have soared amid her blockbuster Eras tour, is making a significant impact offstage: donating to food banks in each city she performs in. Despite the substantial environmental impact of the tour, down to huge convoys and jet-setting around the globe and extortionate ticket prices making the shows inaccessible, it’s encouraging to see a significant social impact being made.

In Cardiff, a donation enabled Cardiff Foodbank to supplement emergency food parcels. Rachel Biggs, the charity’s chief executive, revealed that Swift’s contribution, the largest individual donation they've ever received, provided breathing space to buy an articulated lorry full of food and essentials. The donation equated to 10,800 meals, feeding 1,200 people three meals a day for three days and covering two and a half weeks of their typical distribution.

In Liverpool, Swift’s donation to St Andrew’s Community Network , which manages 11 food banks, was described by chief executive Rich Jones as “the most incredible gift.” The funds will cover food donations for a year, easing financial pressures and enabling a focus on fundraising and long-term solutions.

Swift’s generosity not only reduces the burden on these organisations but also boosts morale.

When you’re a star with the astonishing power of Swift you become a brand, and when the financial impact of your tours is so significant as to have an actual impact on inflation you are undoubtedly a business. So it makes sense to us that she should manage her social – and environmental impact – as systematically as any commercial entity. On that front there is a lot more to do, but this feels like a meaningful step in the right direction.

3. Sustainable debate

Why we need to stop denying climate change and start debating solutions

It’s hard to believe that people are still climate sceptics in the face of unequivocal evidence . It sounds even more implausible that such people are given a platform without being challenged. But not so in France where TV channel CNEWS has been fined for broadcasting climate scepticism unchallenged.

During the programme, economist Philippe Herlin stated that anthropogenic global warming is a “conspiracy” to “justify the intervention of the State in our lives” but was not contradicted by anybody else in the TV studio, including the hosts. Concerning that this could happen on the second most watched news channel in France. But the €20,000 marks a significant point in time - the first time in France and internationally that Arcom or a regulatory authority has issued a financial sanction for a breach concerning an environmental subject.

This is less likely to happen in the US, where Trump’s choice for Vice President, JD Vance seems likely to create similar challenges. As a senator, he blocked several Biden climate-tackling policies in his state, including one in favour of electric cars, and has said he is “sceptical of the idea that climate change is caused purely by man”.

An issue as complex as climate change requires fruitful, constructive discussions to weigh the pros and cons of the proposed solutions, and a recognition that even among climate scientists there is disagreement on some elements of climate change, its impacts and causes. But questioning the reality of climate change harks back to a time we really thought was behind us. With the pressure of elections raising the stakes in France and US and elsewhere – this is after all the year when more people on Earth will vote than ever before - making sure that we are having the right discussions feels more important than ever.

4. Carbon dispatched

How Royal Mail is lightening the carbon load of parcels

The fact you can send a parcel to any of the UK’s 32 million homes and have it arrive the following day is, when you stop and think about it, something of a minor miracle.

Royal Mail, the biggest company in the UK’s postal market, processes around eight billion letters and around four billion parcels a year. Inevitably, the complex logistics that underpin this requires many vehicles, which consequently produce a large amount of GHG emissions. Royal Mail contributed 1.1 million tonnes of CO2e in FY22-23.

So decarbonisation is a priority, but one factor that makes it a little trickier is the Universal Service Obligation, which requires Royal Mail to deliver letters six days a week throughout the country for the same price, wherever they are going. With seas to overcome and remote inland areas to cover, Royal Mail has been using air transport to meet its obligations for daily and timely deliveries. These obligations are a current topic of discussion particularly given the pending sale of Royal Mail to Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky, though he maintains he’ll keep them, initially at least.

But in the meantime, the company has announced that it is dropping half of its domestic flight routes , largely in favour of road transport. This is estimated to reduce emissions by 30,000 tCO2e per year, as well as improve reliability where air deliveries are physically smaller and more affected by bad weather.

There’s a long way to go to meet Royal Mail’s target of reducing emissions per parcel from 218 gCO2e to 50gCO2e while meeting its service requirements. But this logistical decision is a positive step for delivering essential emissions reductions.

The Goods: Tempeh your cravings

How to unlock the power of the fermented soybean

Better Nature is making waves in the plant-based food industry with its nutritious and delicious tempeh (fermented soybean) products. Boasting high protein content, gut health benefits, a low carbon footprint and 100% natural ingredients – tempeh ticks a lot of boxes. As a proud B Corp, Better Nature is doing its part on the social front too - actively supporting fair trade practices and ensures ethical sourcing of its ingredients.

For those looking to explore new culinary horizons, the Better Nature website features some great recipes that showcase the versatility of tempeh - from stir-fries to tacos, there’s something to inspire every cook. It even passed the Good Business taste test with flying colours! Tempehted?