QMS & EMS London

A smartphone uses nearly 13,000 litres of water and 18 square metres of land, the study found, with two fifths due to pollution during manufacturing and assembly. A pair of leather boots requires 14,500 litres of water, but this rises to 25,000 litres where leather tanneries dump untreated chemicals into the environment, according to the report. A 100g bar of chocolate uses 2.5m² of land and 1,400 litres of water, while a t-shirt requires four litres of water and just over 4m² of land, the research revealed.

Organisations need to "futureproof" their operations against changes in demographics, climate change, resources and technology, according to business leaders. Business in the Community (BitC) has launched a project to help organisations identify potential problems arising from global megatrends and make plans to avoid them. As part of the project, BitC will provide mentoring and access to sustainability experts.