Socially Responsible Investing : News brief

US manufacturing executives have had a road to Damascus-style conversion when it comes to their environmental strategies, according to a recent report from Eye For Transport (EFT).

EFT Research surveyed more than 300 North American manufacturing, operations and supply chain managers to establish where their green efforts are focused, how they are managed and financed, and to predict the outlook for eco-products.

Despite overwhelming support for green IT initiatives, more than half of IT managers say the costs of implementation are still too high.

A new survey by CDW Corporation finds that while 80% of decisionmakers in corporate and government sectors feel implementing green IT solutions in their organization is important, 51% say they will not adopt such programs because of cost. A quarter of respondents say that "complexity" also prevents them from implementing and maintaining green IT solutions.

Fresh from announcing the launch of its new clean tech investment arm IKEA GreenTech, the Swedish retail giant has revealed it is already in talks with a number of firms and will aim to unveil its first deal before the end of the year.

Speaking to BusinessGreen.com, IKEA GreenTech managing director Johan Stenebo revealed that discussions with potential partners have been progressing for months and that the company was hoping to unveil its first investment soon.

Dell said this morning that it has achieved its “carbon neutral” goal in less than a year’s time — about five months ahead of the computing giant’s previous schedule — through a combination of energy efficiency, voluntary green power purchases and carbon offsets from rainforest preservation in Madagascar. The program aimed to eliminate or offset 475,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions from Dell’s operations in its first year.

Strict corporate policies governing the length of return on investment periods are hampering the adoption of energy-saving and renewable energy technologies, according to a new survey from consultancy EnergyTeam.

The survey of more than 110 UK bosses found that 81 per cent would demand a return on investment on new technologies, regardless of the potential long-term cost and carbon savings.

A group of leading environmental and economic experts have today called for the launch of a "Green New Deal" capable of steadying the listing global economy and accelerating the development of a low-carbon economy.

Call it a do-it-yourself electric car. Do-it-yourself if you are steel magnate Barry D. Bernsten, who is investing his own millions in BG Automotive Group with the intention of bringing affordable electric cars to the American market. Bernsten's production plan is to bring 3-4000 units to market in 2008 and over 20,000 in 2009. Is Bernsten for real? And can he realize his goal to beat the major auto manufacturers to the market and put affordable electric cars on American highways?