CSRminute: Sunny Delight Beverages Issues Sustainability Report; Spandana Microfinance Plans IPO

Hello, I'm Emily Polk, and these are your CSR Minute headlines for Friday, August 27th:

Sunny Delight Beverages, maker of the Sunny D brand, has decreased carbon emissions 17 percent since 2007, according to its 2009 Sustainability Report. SDBC's sustainability goals include reducing per-unit non-product related water use 25 percent; per-unit energy usage 25 percent; and per-unit carbon footprint 25 percent, all by 2011. In addition, the company also targets sending zero waste to landfills by 2013. This year, the company will convert to plastic pallets, which are 100 percent recyclable.

Spandana Microfinance, the second largest microfinance firm in India, has announced plans to raise $320 million dollars through an IPO. The company aims to use the proceeds to build 10 hospitals. Spandana has 4.2 million borrowers, and its total loan disbursals currently stand at $420 million dollars. With more than 120 million unbanked homes as a base, microcredit demand in India is expected to rise sharply. Currently, there are more than 400 active microfinance institutions in India, serving 70 million poor people.

For more information on these and other stories, go to thecsrminute.com.