With so much happening in the world of corporate sustainability, SustainabilityOnline has introduced The Sustainability Brief – a regular round-up of some of the top stories making headlines around the world.
In other words, we scour the world for the most important sustainability news, so you don’t have to. Please also check out our homepage for today’s top stories. If you have a news story you’d like to send us, you can contact us here.
Over 300 organisations call for energy efficiency to be prioritised at COP31
More than 300 businesses and organisations from 39 countries and territories have called on the COP31 Presidency to make energy efficiency a central part of the conference’s Action Agenda. The groups set out five principles for accelerating action: strengthening energy security, improving affordability and competitiveness, reducing energy waste, investing in resilient infrastructure, and creating jobs through a just transition. The initiative is convened by the Alliance to Save Energy, the Association of Energy Engineers, the Business Council for Sustainable Energy, Efficiency Canada and the European Alliance to Save Energy.
Mars invests in UK pet food factory to reduce production waste and introduce recyclable packaging
Mars is investing £161m in its pet nutrition factory in Melton Mowbray, England, to modernise production and introduce new manufacturing technologies. The investment includes high-speed production lines for fully recyclable mono-polypropylene pouches and smart optical sorting technology intended to reduce production waste by more than 50%. The project will also include upgrades to utilities and create more than 30 technical and engineering positions during its first year. “By equipping our teams with world-class technology and sustainable manufacturing capabilities, we are strengthening the site’s role within our regional supply network and ensuring we can continue to meet the needs of British pet owners for years to come,” said Nick Foster, general manager for Mars Pet Nutrition, Northern Europe.
Toyota reports 42% reduction in operational emissions across North American operations
Toyota’s 2026 North American Environmental Sustainability Report records a 42% reduction in combined Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions across its regional operations since fiscal year 2021. Renewable electricity accounted for 68% of electricity purchased or matched by the company by the end of March 2026, exceeding its five-year target of 45%. Toyota also reported a 36% reduction in single-use packaging materials against its 2018 baseline, with 92% of waste at its North American facilities reused or recycled. “Over the past five years, Toyota has set and achieved ambitious targets, continuing our more than 30-year-dedication to sustainable practices,” said Liz Gibson, chief sustainability officer, Toyota Motor North America.
HELLENiQ ENERGY plans more than €1bn investment in Romanian renewables and storage
HELLENiQ ENERGY plans to invest more than €1bn in renewable energy and storage projects in Romania by 2030. Through its subsidiary HELLENiQ Renewables, the company has developed a Romanian portfolio exceeding 800MW of renewable energy capacity and 500MW of battery storage. The portfolio includes four solar parks with a combined capacity of 211MW and a 96MW wind farm in Galați County, scheduled for completion in the second quarter of 2027. The company is targeting a Romanian portfolio of up to 1.3GW by 2030, including 1GW of renewables and 500MW of operational battery storage.
RWE starts construction of its first battery storage project in Italy
RWE has started construction of its first battery energy storage system in Italy, a 62.5MW/262.5MWh facility in Ragusa, Sicily. The lithium-ion installation will comprise 42 battery containers and will be capable of delivering its maximum output for four hours. It will provide balancing services to the electricity grid, including grid-forming capabilities. Commissioning is scheduled for the end of 2027. RWE says the battery could cover the evening electricity demand of approximately 21,000 households for four hours.
BASF to switch European polyisobutene production to renewable electricity
BASF will move its eligible European polyisobutene production for external customers to 100% renewable electricity from January 2027. The change will apply to selected Oppanol B and Glissopal products manufactured at its European sites, including Ludwigshafen and Antwerp. The company says the transition will combine renewable electricity already used at its sites with additional volumes attributed through a mass-balance chain-of-custody approach. “By lowering the carbon footprint of Oppanol B and Glissopal, we are taking another concrete step to support our customers in achieving their sustainability ambitions,” said Sabrina Platzek, senior vice president, Fuel and Lubricant Solutions at BASF.
Turbo Energy secures additional €6.83m orders for Spanish industrial battery storage
Spanish energy technology company Turbo Energy has secured additional orders worth €6.83m to expand its battery storage and energy management installations at facilities operated by ceramic tile manufacturer Pamesa Group. The orders add 51MWh of contracted storage capacity across two new industrial sites and existing installations. The programme combines battery systems, inverters and AI-based software to coordinate solar generation, electricity purchases, storage and industrial consumption. Equipment deliveries for the latest phase are expected in the first half of 2027.
Mercedes-Benz sets out new supply-chain decarbonisation measures, including low-carbon aluminium agreement
Mercedes-Benz has outlined a revised emissions reduction pathway and announced measures to decarbonise its supply chain. The company is targeting a 70% reduction in emissions across relevant value-chain stages by 2039, compared with 2019. It has joined the First Movers Coalition, committing to source at least 10% of its annual primary aluminium requirements in line with the coalition’s criteria. A long-term agreement with Hydro will progressively reduce the carbon footprint of aluminium supplied to Mercedes-Benz to 3.5kg CO₂e per kg by 2028 and 3kg from 2030. The company also plans to introduce Hydro CIRCAL recycled aluminium into production from 2027 and is piloting lower-emissions steel production using hydrogen-based direct reduced iron.