AFP - Conservationists warned Wednesday that Malaysians' voracious appetite for turtle eggs could drive the marine creatures to extinction on its shores.

AP - The government sent investigators Tuesday to examine a Prius that sped out of control on a California freeway, and Toyota said it wanted to interview the driver as the besieged automaker dealt with a high-profile new headache that raised questions about the safety of its beloved hybrid.

Reuters - U.S. safety regulators and Toyota dispatched teams on Tuesday to inspect a Prius that sped out of control on a California freeway a day earlier, as the automaker struggled to reassure consumers shaken by its recall crisis.

AP - An 800-foot tanker struggling with poor visibility and strong winds apparently failed to center itself in a narrow waterway off the Gulf of Mexico, possibly contributing to a collision with a tugboat that caused the largest oil spill in Texas in 15 years, according to testimony and evidence presented at a Coast Guard hearing on Tuesday.

AP - A Toyota Prius that sped out of control on a California freeway was towed to a dealership Tuesday while federal and company inspectors converged on the car to determine whether a stuck gas pedal was to blame.

AP - Models in head-to-toe yeti suits picked their way around towering but quickly melting icebergs, sloshing through a deep puddle of Arctic melt in their shaggy fake fur.

Deal with resources group Hargreaves Services would transform coal industry

UK Coal and resources group Hargreaves Services are weighing up a £350m merger which would transform the coal industry, the Guardian has learned.

UK Coal, the UK's last major coal producer, announced today that it had received a merger approach from an unnamed third party. The company is keen to reduce its reliance on its deep mines, which are expensive to maintain and have suffered production problems leading to large losses. UK Coal shares closed up more than 12% today.

It is understood that property and transport firm Peel Group, which owns 28% of UK Coal, is being kept fully informed of developments. The merger plan is still tentative and even if both sides proceed with the plan, they are understood to be some way from putting a formal agreement to shareholders. Neither company commented last night.

Hargreaves Services owns a deep mine in Maltby, South Yorkshire, which it bought from UK Coal, and is soon to start open cast mining. It also manufactures metallurgical coke and solid fuel such as briquettes used in barbecues. The company also runs a transport division and an industrial services division mainly handling fuel on behalf of power station owners in the UK. With a market value about a quarter more than UK Coal, it is likely that Hargreaves Services would be the senior partner in any merger.

UK Coal has embarked on an expensive project to upgrade its coal mines. But it has struggled in recent years because of the fall in coal prices following the economic slowdown and writedowns in its property portfolio. Its 43,000 acre portfolio is mainly located around disused collieries which have been earmarked for housing and light industrial redevelopment schemes and is a significant source of potential income. It reported losses of £80m in the first six months of last year, including a near £60m writedown in the value of its property portfolio. It also reported a rise in net debt to £191m, prompting urgent talks with its lenders.

In September UK Coal raised £100m via a rights issue to see it through the next couple of years. Next year, it should start to see the benefits of higher production rates from its mines and higher property values. The company has also struggled for some years with long term supply contracts which have forced it to sell coal below market rates to large customers such as Drax. The last of these contracts will expire next year.

UK Coal is Britain's largest producer of coal, supplying around 6% of the country's energy needs for electricity generation. It has four deep mines in operation, employing 3,100 people. Eight years ago it owned 13. It is looking to expand its surface mines, which produced around 1.7m tonnes of coal a year in 2008. They are cheaper to run but are opposed by many local communities.

• UK Coal
• Mining
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Coal
• Energy industry
• Energy

Chief executive Carolyn McCall explains why GMG is committed to making a difference

Reuters - U.S. safety regulators and Toyota Motor Corp dispatched investigators to San Diego on Tuesday to inspect a Prius that sped out of control on a California freeway a day earlier.

The development of Guardian Media Group's 'Power of 10' sustainability vision and strategy has been the culmination of a two-year process of change.

Each business within the group had already been developing its own individual sustainability programme but these were in some cases ad hoc, were not co-ordinated across the group and a lack of reporting made it difficult to measure progress.

There were areas of excellence such as the integrated sustainability drive at Guardian News & Media (GNM), publisher of the Guardian and Observer, and the environmental management of Trader Media Group's print sites. But within some businesses there had been limited progress in areas such as carbon footprinting or ethical procurement.

At group level, the concentration had been on improving the responsible purchasing of newsprint and magazine grade paper, a key part of our supply chain, but while sustainability-related issues were discussed at the board this was not part of the group's regular formal reporting.

A number of factors have helped to transform this situation. First and foremost was the commitment to improvement by GMG senior management. For example, GMG chief executive Carolyn McCall had championed sustainability issues while heading GNM. Having been promoted to the group role, she wanted the whole of GMG to adopt a similar approach.

This is not the first example of a parent company within the media sector being inspired by one of its businesses. Sky's innovative sustainability strategy was key in leveraging the development of a climate change strategy at News Corporation.

In a video to launch the Power of 10 McCall explains the reasons for GMG's commitment and describes how she was inspired by attending the Prince of Wales May Day Summit on climate change, after which GMG pledged to measure and report carbon emissions publicly, set reduction targets, encourage employees to reduce their carbon emissions at home and at work and encourage customers to take action on climate change.

In fact, most corporate responsibility executives describe the breakthrough moment in their own companies is when a senior director starts to really understand the implications of key issues such as climate change, resource degradation, species decline and human rights. A business can have the most effective corporate responsibility team, but their work is likely to remain on the periphery unless someone in authority takes a leadership position.

The second critical ingredient was committing specific resource to the project. Along with the creation of a sustainability champion on the GMG board, senior non-executive director John Bartle, came the appointment of one of the group's strategists to develop the programme, with the support of the sustainable development team at Guardian News & Media (GNM), one of five businesses within the GMG family.

After gaining the full support of GMG's board and sole shareholder, the Scott Trust, the group joined forces with the Carbon Trust to employ a consultancy to carry out a carbon management project, not only helping to measure the carbon footprint of the group but also advising on ways to reduce it.

While it was deemed important to start taking practical steps, there was also a recognition that the group needed to develop a broader vision and strategy to provide a cohesive framework within which each business could develolp its activity.

To help with this, it formed a partnership with Forum for the Future, the sustainable development organisation, headed by Jonathon Porritt. GNM had already worked successfully with Forum to develop its own sustainability vision and strategy.

There were four keys to the success of the vision and strategy development. One was setting the correct framing. Many companies still tend to act on sustainability either from a position of risk management or compliance or alternatively out of a sense of guilt or obligation.

But in similar fashion to the work at GNM, the framing at GMG was set around how sustainability could support the long-term success of the group. By putting it in a positive context, it changed the whole dynamic of the conversations, unleashing creative thinking rather than the limiting it to a feeling of obligation.

The second key was recognising that a generic one-size-fits-all approach to managing change would not work at GMG, given the broad and varied nature of the group.

This is in part due to the culture of the organisation but also because two of the largest businesses in the portfolio, Emap and Trader Media Group, are co-owned with the private equity company Apax.

The solution was to develop a matrix structure that sets minimum standards across the group but allows each business to become a centre of excellence in particular areas, as well as giving them the ability to translate the strategy to fit within its own cultural and business context. For example, what is right for Emap is not necessarily right for the Guardian.

Forum had already successfully developed a similar model with Balfour Beatty, the infrastructure services group, which also operated a devolved system of management for its various businesses.

Also critical was not to attempt a top down approach but to fully involve key directors and staff from all businesses in developing the matrix, ensuring the final strategy already had buy-in from the boards of all the businesses. The added advantage of this approach was that where issues were identified during the process, work started immediately on addressing them.

The fourth key was to recognise from the beginning that there is far more to sustainability than just climate change and to develop a vision that incorporated the social, environmental and economic impacts of the company.

While climate change is recognised in the vision as being of critical importance, the group also wanted to incorporate other areas such as community and promoting and developing products and services that support a more sustainable way of life.

GMG has given itself five years to meet its vision, but to ensure steady progress has developed a set of aims to be met by 2012 in each of 10 categories, which range from influencing audiences and customers and environmental management to procurement and employee engagement.

Each business within GMG has been putting in place effective governance structures and reports will go quarterly to the group board so that progress can be monitored.

As I have discussed in a recent blog, change in companies does not come only from management recognising the problems and developing plans for addressing them.

Also critical is to engage employees in the process, given that the thousands of small and large decisions they take every day have a major effect on any company's impacts. This is why a core part of the Power of 10 sustainability strategy is to engage staff in focusing on achieving the ambitious targets that have been set.

• Guardian Media Group
• Corporate social responsibility

Owner of Guardian and Observer to tackle 10 issues ranging from environmental management and ethical procurement to employee and community engagement

Guardian Media Group, the multimedia business whose diverse portfolio includes the Guardian and Observer, today launches an integrated sustainability vision and strategy to address issues ranging from climate change to ethical procurement.

The 'Power of 10' vision is based on the belief that the group, which also includes radio stations, magazines and business to business media, can have a multiplier effect by educating and influencing its millions of readers, web users, and listeners as well as working with its thousands of staff, suppliers and advertisers to work towards a more sustainable future.

GMG has committed to 10 areas of change, ranging from environmental management and ethical procurement to employee and community engagement.

The sustainability drive links in with the core values of GMG's sole shareholder, the Scott Trust, which were first laid down by the great Manchester Guardian editor C P Scott in a leader column celebrating the centenary of the paper in 1921: Honesty, integrity, courage, fairness and duty to our readers and communities.

The programme, which has been developed in partnership with Forum for the Future, the sustainable development organisation, is the culmination of a two-year process of change. David Bent, Forum's head of business strategies, said: "We've been impressed by Guardian Media Group. In a busy and difficult time for the business, senior executives have taken the time to develop and commit to an ambitious vision. The inheritance of the Scott values, the key brands and the trust structure means GMG is well positioned to be a leader in the media sector."

The Power of 10 vision states: "We commit to play our part as a leading media organisation in creating a fair society that lives within the means of our planet. Driven by our unique ownership structure and values, we will enable our audiences, customers, employees, advertisers and suppliers to build a more sustainable future.

"Sustainability has many interlinked strands but the dangers of climate change are so great immediate that we will pay particular attention to highlighting its hazards and exploring ways of combating it."

Given the diverse nature of the group, which includes the Guardian and Observer, GMG Radio, Emap, Trader Media Group (TMG) and Property Services Group, the vision recognises that "while all our businesses share this common goal, we recognise that each has its own specific contribution to make."

This means that while common minimum targets have been set in each of the 10 areas over the next two years, each of the businesses will develop its own centres of excellence. For example, GMG radio will direct its resources in four areas; employee engagement, working with its audience and customers and carbon management, including a commitment to reduce its carbon footprint by 5% in the first year.

TMG will be sharing the Power of 10 vision with all employees through informal 'town hall meetings' and by video video. It will be overseen by a corporate social responsibility steering committee made up of five senior executives and an environmental committee made up of 30 employees from around the business.

Emap will be using the launch of the vision as a springboard for a broad employee engagement plan to help set a strategy and agree which priorities to focus on.

GMG recognises that as a media company, it's biggest impact comes from its ability

To inspire audiences and customers to live in a way that does not compromise the ability of future generations to meet their needs.

For example, the Guardian has been leading the charge on the reporting of the environment and social justice for the past two decades and over the past two years has been developing one of the world's most in-depth and popular environment sites. In February, for example, it doubled its page impressions to 7.9 million compared with the same period in 2009 and increased the number of unique users over the same period by 140% to 2.64m.

The Guardian also helped launch the 10:10 campaign, which has led to thousands of businesses, councils and individuals pledging to reduce their carbon footprint by 10% in 2010.

GMG also recognises that if it encourages readers to change their behaviour, and seeks to influence suppliers and advertisers, then it must also lead the way in its own operations. For example, the Guardian only went ahead with the 10:10 campaign once it had committed to reducing its own carbon footprint by a tenth.

The vision states: "The passion we have for inspiring our audiences and customers will be matched by our commitment to operating our offices, print sites and digital platforms to high environmental standards, including minimising waste and maximising both efficiency and recycling.

"We will measure and publicly report on our carbon footprint and set challenging targets to lower our emissions."

• Guardian Media Group
• Corporate social responsibility
• Ethical business

We commit to play our part as a leading media organisation in creating a fair society that lives within the means of our planet. Driven by our unique ownership structure and values – honesty, integrity, courage, fairness and duty to our readers and communities – we will enable our audiences, customers, employees, advertisers and suppliers to build a more sustainable future.

Sustainability has many interlinked strands but the dangers of climate change are so great and immediate that we will pay particular attention to highlighting its hazards and exploring ways of combating it.

While all our businesses share this common goal, we recognise that each has its own specific contribution to make.

2015 Vision

We will educate, influence and inspire our audiences and customers to live in a way that does not compromise the ability of future generations to meet their needs.

Our businesses will be recognised as an authority on the implications and opportunities that sustainability presents and will also, wherever possible, give our audiences a platform to explore and debate these issues for themselves.

2012 Targets

• By 2012 each GMG product should clearly articulate how it will help audiences and customers understand climate change and other key sustainability issues, and what they can do to take action.

• This will include an action plan/timetable for how GMG intends to educate, influence and inspire audiences. It should also identify key groups that the particular product will seek to engage with. As a minimum, each product should encourage audiences to take personal action on climate change.

• By 2012 each GMG product, where required, should have the editorial resources to deliver the stated aims.

2015 Vision

Each of our businesses will have its own sustainability strategy and action plan and an effective governance structure to ensure it is implemented.

2012 Targets

• All businesses report to their board on sustainability progress against all parts of the GMG 2015 sustainability vision once a quarter and have a board member identified as sustainability champion.

• By 2012 the board of each business will have objectives focused on progress towards the sustainability vision. Where appropriate, these objectives will be cascaded down throughout the organisation.

• All businesses will commit to being represented at the GMG sustainability forum on a quarterly basis.

• On an annual basis, all businesses will disclose to key stakeholders (including staff) progress towards the 2015 GMG sustainability vision.

2015 Vision

We will seek a competitive advantage through promoting and developing products and services that support a more sustainable way of life.

2012 Targets

• We will identify GMG businesses where there is an opportunity to build sustainability related revenues.

• From 2010 each relevant GMG business should have a strategic plan that seeks to grow their share of sustainability-related revenues. By 2012 each relevant business should be able to demonstrate progress against that plan.

• The strategic plan should include:

- A proper assessment of opportunities in all the markets that the business currently operates and potential new markets

- Financial and market share projections

- Defined objectives and targets/KPIs.

• From 2010 all relevant GMG products should have at least one initiative or service aimed specifically at either helping audiences to gain insight into sustainability issues or offering audiences more sustainable alternatives to existing products/services.

• Each relevant business should be able to report and track growth in revenue from this specific sector.

2015 Vision

We will share our vision with key clients as well as encouraging advertising from organisations that are playing their part in creating a more sustainable future.

2012 Targets

• All GMG businesses, via the GMG Commercial Forum, should work towards developing a system for incentivising advertisers who are leading the way on sustainability.

• Each GMG business (either individually or collaboratively) should have met with key clients to share the sustainability vision and look for potential partnerships in bringing it to life.

2015 Vision

The passion we have for inspiring our audiences and customers will be matched by our commitment to operating our offices, print sites and digital platforms to high environmental standards, including minimising waste and maximising both efficiency and recycling.

2012 Targets

• All GMG print sites will be working together to share best practice and set targets for minimising waste, maximising both efficiency and recycling as well as limiting the use of hazardous chemicals.

• All relevant businesses will be meeting the targets set out in the GMG paper purchasing policy.

2015 Vision

We will measure and publicly report on our carbon footprint and set challenging targets to lower our emissions.

2012 Targets

• From April 2009 all businesses have committed to monthly monitoring and reporting to GMG of scope 1 and 2 energy, and waste greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across all facilities/sites in our estate and under their control. All businesses will also work towards monitoring and reporting on their travel emissions.

• From 2010 all paper products should be able to report the monthly carbon cost of print, paper and production.

• From a 2009/10 baseline to 2011/12, businesses will achieve at least a 10% reduction in scope 1 and 2 energy, travel and waste GHG emissions from across their operations.

• Each business will produce an action plan detailing how they will achieve this reduction. The action plan should prioritise the avoidance of emissions. Reduction of emissions by purchase of renewable energy and investment in offsetting will not count towards the 10% minimum target.

2015 Vision

We will team up with our suppliers to minimise impacts along our value chain, sourcing more sustainable products and services where possible, with a particular emphasis on carbon reduction.

2012 Targets

• By 2012 each business should have built in a sustainability review within supplier assessment processes to understand and record risks and opportunities.

• By 2012 each business should have had discussions with all key suppliers to identify and realise opportunities for mutual benefit.

• By 2012 all relevant businesses will be signed up to a GMG-wide paper procurement strategy.

• By 2010 all key existing suppliers will have received a copy of our Sustainability Vision and all new suppliers will be given a copy.

2015 Vision

We will give our employees information to increase their awareness of the impact of their actions on the planet both at work and home.

2012 Targets

• By 2012 each business will have communicated to its employees both the GMG sustainability vision and its own strategic plan for working towards that vision.

• By 2012 each business will have an ongoing internal communications plan for sharing its own and GMG-wide sustainability activity. This plan will celebrate successes and be aligned with the existing and unique visions within each business.

2015 Vision

Each of our employees will understand how to interpret our priorities on sustainability for their specific roles and have the support necessary to implement change. Successes will be celebrated and shared across the group.

2012 Targets

• By 2012 each business will be implementing a clear action plan to engage employees in achieving the business vision for sustainability. Each department will be required to work with its staff in understanding how sustainability relates to their specific roles and offer support to make improvements. New starter inductions will include training on sustainability.

• By 2012 each business will be able to demonstrate progress against this action plan by using existing frameworks such as staff surveys to measure engagement and change.

2015 Vision

We will work in partnership with our local and business communities in ways that meet their environmental, economic and social needs and have positive effects for our businesses.

2012 Targets

• By 2010 each business will have reviewed its existing local and business community programmes and developed a register of all community engagement projects.

• The board of the business will receive a quarterly report on progress on these projects against a set of Key performance indicators

• By 2012 each business will have developed a forward plan for community programmes making

• Guardian Media Group
• Corporate social responsibility
• Ethical business

AFP - US safety investigators have begun to probe the case of a runaway Toyota Prius in California, sources said Tuesday, in an incident threatening to undermine the Japanese automaker's effort to repair its battered image.

AP - China joined India on Tuesday in giving qualified approval to the Copenhagen climate accord calling for voluntary limits on greenhouse gas emissions.