A ‘robot tax’ might help navigate job losses associated with automation
Automation is a threat to many different jobs, and some have called for a ‘robot tax’ that could help offset some of the effects of the associated job losses. But this type of solution risks stifling innovation writes Assistant Professor Sanjith Gopalakrishnan in Canadian Manufacturing. Gopalakrishnan points to the Indian state of Kerala as a cautionary tale.
SAQ to reduce refrigeration to lower emissions, but other operations emit more
Quebecers who want to buy cold beer and wine may soon need to head to their local dépanneurs. The Societé des alcools du Québec (SAQ) plans to reduce the number of fridges in their stores from 2700 to 918, saying it’s part of their plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. According Desautels assistant professor of operations management Sanjith Gopalakrishnan, this a good first step but there are bigger pieces to consider.
Companies must decarbonize supply chains to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and this can create risk for investors
As part of their effort to reduce emissions, large companies like McDonald’s have announced cuts to emissions from their own operations and power supply. These are known as Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, respectively. But large firms often do less to address emissions generated by the products they sell, which are known as Scope 3 emissions. McDonald’s is planning to install LED lights and power its restaurants with renewable energy.
Delve: Managing Ourselves Out of Climate Change
As heatwaves increase around the world and weather patterns become even more unpredictable, top researchers at McGill’s Desautels Faculty of Management are finding novel solutions to the climate crisis—solutions that link multiple industries, regulatory bodies, leaders, entrepreneurs, workers, and consumers. Because the only way forward is together.
Delve podcast: New Normal: Climate Change and the Supply Chain with Sanjith Gopalakrishnan
Carbon emissions from a typical company’s supply chain are on average 5.5 times that of direct emissions, including from facilities and company vehicles. In certain sectors such as retail and food & beverage, that ratio goes up to 10 or 20 times. Reducing the environmental impact of supply chain emissions depends on both public pressure and government regulation.
