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ainforest Action Network (RAN) claims it has found many Japanese companies are either 'systematically misreporting compliance' under Japan's Corporate Governance Code, or have a 'fundamental lack of understanding as to what constitutes meaningful sustainability reporting.' RAN evaluated ten major Japanese companies' Code reports and asserts that none of the companies are sufficiently disclosing their risks. The NGO advises shareholders take heed.

activists with Rainforest Action Network (RAN) delivered a set of demands to local food giant PepsiCo, Inc. regarding the company's use of the controversial food additive palm oil in its products. RAN recently announced a new national campaign to remove "Conflict Palm Oil" responsible for rainforest destruction, human rights violations and carbon pollution from America's snack foods.

The world's largest publishing companies have adopted policies that significantly curtail use of paper sourced from rainforest destruction and social conflict, finds a new assessment published by the Rainforest Action Network (RAN).  Read more at http://news.mongabay.com/2014/0518-ran-publishing-industry.html#20O30qvTrE8O6zAr.99

The latest effort, the Out of Fashion campaign for forest-friendly fabrics - led by the Rainforest Action Network (RAN) - is calling on the "Fashion 15" group of companies - Ralph Lauren, Prada, LVMH, Tory Burch, Michael Kors, Vince, Guess, Velvet, L Brands, Forever 21, Under Armour, Footlocker, Abercrombie and Fitch, GAIAM and Beyond Yoga - to take responsibility for their supply chains and develop strong, time bound commitments to protect forests and human rights. With proven connections from human rights violations and forest destruction all the way to our store shelves, fashion companies can no longer ignore this critical issue.

The Rainforest Action Network claims that PepsiCo's Palm Oil Action Plan Progress Report, released last week, is basically a sham. PepsiCo must begin enforcing environmental violations throughout its supply chain, or RAN intends to continue negative PR efforts against the company and its financial supporters.

Every Fall, college and universities across the country welcome companies on their campuses to provide networking opportunities for students. These events can include career fairs, interviews, and industry specific networking gatherings. One such company is PepsiCo, major user of Conflict Palm Oil and top corporate laggard in Rainforest Action Network's Snack Food 20. "Pepsi's palm oil supply chain is saturated with rainforest destruction, human rights and labor abuses, and species extinction," said Adam Stackable, an Oklahoma student, "I won't work for a company that uses Conflict Palm Oil." Adam and several other students confronted a Pepsi recruiter at Oklahoma State University and delivered a letter urging the company to take action to address the egregious practices in its supply chain.

news broke of a pending decision by the RSPO Complaints Panel to lift the suspension of IOI Group's certification under the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil certification system. If successful this move would do irreparable harm to the RSPO's credibility. Less than five months after the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) suspended Malaysian palm oil producer IOI Group's certification, that suspension has been lifted - much to the dismay of NGO campaigners. While the RSPO's Complaints Panel has said it is "satisfied that IOI has met the conditions set out in its letter to IOI," Greenpeace Indonesia and the Center for International Policy says they have yet to see any real action on the ground. This was the second time a suspension has been placed on an IOI subsidiary. A coalition of NGOs has rapidly issued an appeal, urging the RSPO to maintain its suspension of IOI Group stating that it is far too premature to lift the suspension given that the company has not come into full compliance with the RSPO Certification Systems nor resolved outstanding complaints. There are fears that any change at this stage would seriously hinder the resolution process between the complainant and the company.

Out of Fashion campaign for forest-friendly fabrics - led by the Rainforest Action Network (RAN) - is calling on the "Fashion 15" group of companies - to take responsibility for their supply chains and develop strong, time bound commitments to protect forests and human rights.

Ralph Lauren Corporation has developed sustainable sourcing guidelines on wood-based fabrics to ensure its raw materials are not connected to deforestation or human rights abuses. The guidelines were developed in collaboration with the Rainforest Action Network.

The Palm Oil Innovation Group (POIG), as the group is known, unveiled its standards during the annual meeting of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), the industry's main certification body. The standards build on criteria set by the RSPO by adding stricter requirements "to ensure that there is a supply of traceable palm oil free from forest and peatland destruction and human rights abuses," according to a statement from Greenpeace, one of POIG's charter members.  Read more at http://news.mongabay.com/2013/1118-poig-palm-oil.html#wlI8Y8ZEEyKQzKTU.99

US commercial buildings can collectively save up to 28 billion gallons of water annually by using a suit of tools produced by AT&T and Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), the organizations say.

Today, Rainforest Action Network released a new progress report ranking the relative strength of palm oil commitments made since the launch of its Snack Food 20 campaign two years ago. The 2015 progress report shines a spotlight on the laggards in the Snack Food 20 and outlines the actions that these companies - as well as the frontrunners who are pushing ahead on their commitments - can and must take to rapidly cut Conflict Palm Oil from our food system.

This week, stakeholders continued to take action to pressure companies into turning over a new leaf when it comes to their sourcing practices - around what has become known as Conflict Palm Oil.