First Takes: Dunkin's First CSR Report, China's Car Market Booms, and More…
The donut-and-ice-cream retailer publishes its first CSR report, Chinese car buyers took home 14 million cars in 2010 -- but just one Prius -- and more in our morning roundup. Read More
• China Becomes the World’s Largest Car Market: Chinese shoppers took home nearly 14 million new cars last year, making the country the world’s largest car market. But that boom has all but completely ignored green vehicles: In all of China, Toyota sold just one Prius last year, despite ambitious government plans to push more fuel-efficient vehicles.
• EVs Find a Place to Stay at Marriott: In the U.S., meanwhile, electric vehicles continue to gain in prominence, and yesterday Hertz rental cars announced that it is bringing EV rentals to San Francisco hotels in a partnership with Marriott to rent EVs on an hourly or daily basis from locations near the San Francisco Airport or in the city’s downtown.
• Dunkin’ Brands Publishes First CSR Report: For anyone hoping to see mouth-watering close-up photos of donuts as a morning pick-me-up, let me save you some trouble: Dunkin’ Brands’ first CSR report has very, very few donut photos (and you’re welcome for the one above). But the company’s report, which follows GRI reporting standards to Level C requirements, does include a number of details about how the eponymous donut chain, as well as Dunkin’s other brand, Baskin Robbins, is working to reduce its environmental footprint. Among the details in the report are its purchase of 100 percent Fair Trade certified espresso for its inexplicably popular coffee, its first LEED certified store, in St. Petersberg, Florida, and its ongoing quest to find a green alternative to its styrofoam coffee cup and pink polystyrene ice cream spoon.
• White House Proposes Streamlining 500 Business Rules: The White House yesterday unveiled 500 changes to various regulations that the Obama administration says will save businesses $10 billion in the next five years. The Los Angeles Times reports: “The plan includes about 500 changes aimed at saving businesses money in a variety of ways, such as consolidating their IRS paperwork, simplifying hazard warnings they must post for workers, and expediting payment to government contractors.” Of course, those changes won’t appease members of the business community that want nothing less than the repeal of Obama’s new laws, including Wall Street reform, the Consumer Protection Agency and healthcare reform.
Photo CC-licensed by Jack Lyons.
