NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Ethical Sourcing Report 2008 found CSR performance has become a bargaining chip for attracting business, and companies are increasingly training buyers on sustainable procurement.

AUSTIN, Texas -- Whole Foods Market has updated and expanded standards that farmed seafood vendors must comply with.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Wal-Mart has introduced a gold and silver jewelry line that allows buyers to trace the path of their baubles by going online to review every link in the supply chain from mine to market.

Whether shipping is the key focus of your operations or merely means to an end, there are several ways companies of all sizes can make this element of their supply chains smarter, more efficient, and greener.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- During the last two years, partnerships between local farms and the world's largest retailer have jumped 50 percent, and the company anticipates it will source about $400 million in local produce this year, making it the country's largest buyer of produce that is grown and sold within a state's borders.

The corporate rush to environmental stewardship has pushed related workplace safety and health issues to the sidelines. Yet a recent report critical of Toyota highlights the danger of viewing environmental concerns without considering the human toll.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Basware, a provider of financial process automation software, says setting company-wide policies and staying flexible are some of the keys to making a supply chain greener.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Grocery stores across the U.S. are contributing to the demise of global fisheries by stocking shelves with fragile fish varieties and failing to develop sustainable purchasing strategies, according to a new Greenpeace report. Even the grocers that ranked at the top of the heap -- such as Whole Foods and Ahold USA -- failed to score more than four out of 10 possible points.

TEMPE, Ariz. -- The designer and manufacturer of machine parts, electronics and environmental sensitive equipment for the aviation and earthmoving industries will measure energy efficiency, water conservation, material use and recovery, site sustainability and environmental quality.

BRUSSELS, -- The 24 member mail delivery services that make up the International Post Corporation have announced a pilot program aimed at measuring, scoring and reducing overall emissions from the global trade in mailed goods.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- McDonald’s plans to begin selling environmentally certified coffee at its Australian and New Zealand locations, the company said last week.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- By consolidating many aspects of supply chains, companies can reduce costs and their environmental impact, according to Capgemini,

OAKLAND, Calif. -- New calculator shows emissions related to cargo shipments that go through Continental Airlines.

ARMONK, N.Y. -- Carbon Tradeoff Modeler lets companies see where their CO2 emissions are at and how they can go down and up through changes in packaging, transportation and more.

MONTEREY, Calif. -- Facility management, supply chain evaluations and carbon offset strategies were just some of the topics on offer at the second Sustainable Operations Summit this week, which brought together business and civic leaders with industry experts to share success stories and cutting-edge ideas in reducing businesses' environmental impacts.