Sustainability

Helsinki – September 23, 2026 -- Helsinki has ranked first on the Global Destination Sustainability (GDS) Index for the third consecutive year, with results published Wednesday, September 23, 2026, scoring 93% across more than 70 sustainability indicators.

Helsinki scores 93% while over 100 global cities compete on sustainability metrics

The GDS Index evaluates tourist destinations across four categories: environmental performance, supply chains, destination management and social sustainability. More than 100 cities committed to sustainability were assessed in this year's comparison, and Helsinki again topped the ranking.

"Securing the top position for the third consecutive year demonstrates that sustainability is not a one-off achievement but a long-term strategic commitment," said Nina Vesterinen, Director of Tourism, City of Helsinki.

Gothenburg – – September 23, 2026 -- Professor Bojie Fu has won the 2026 Volvo Environment Prize for research that reversed decades of severe soil erosion across China's Loess Plateau, one of the world's largest landscape-restoration efforts. The prize, awarded by an independent foundation since 1990, carries SEK 1.5 million along with a diploma and glass sculpture, to be presented at a Stockholm ceremony on November 2, 2026.

Kitchener, ON – September 23, 2026 -- Recurrent Energy, a subsidiary of Canadian Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: CSIQ), has secured ISO 14001:2015 certification from TÜV Rheinland for its Environmental Management System, completing a trio of internationally recognized management certifications covering its global operations and maintenance (O&M) business.

TÜV Rheinland Audit Validates O&M Division's Environmental Controls

The certification followed an audit of Recurrent Energy's O&M division, confirming that its services for renewable energy and energy storage installations meet internationally recognized environmental management standards. It joins the company's existing ISO 9001 certification for Quality Management and ISO 45001 for Occupational Health and Safety.

Los Angeles – September 23, 2026 -- Fashion Trust U.S. has appointed Dr. Omar Mir to its Board of Directors and named him the lead figure behind its 2027 Sustainability Award, the nonprofit fashion platform announced.

Mir takes charge of the nonprofit's sustainability honor for emerging U.S. designers

The Sustainability Award recognizes American designers advancing responsible luxury and ethical production. Tania Fares, Founder of Fashion Trust U.S., said Mir brings "a rare combination of global perspective, intellectual curiosity, and a genuine commitment to the next generation" to the role.

Prior award recipients include Batsheva Hay, Nana Kwame Adusei and AnOnlyChild designers

Laura Brown presented the inaugural 2024 award to Batsheva Hay of Batsheva. Kate Hudson handed the 2025 honor to Nana Kwame Adusei of Kwame Adusei, and Jodie Turner-Smith presented the 2026 award to Maxwell Osborne and Kristy Chen of AnOnlyChild.

Gold Coast – – September 23, 2026 -- Carbon Trade eXchange (CTX) has launched CTX Corporate One, an invitation-only trading account that waives its account-opening fee for the first time in the exchange's 18-year history and replaces percentage-based commissions with a flat US$0.10 charge per credit, per side.

The move targets institutional-scale buyers and sellers of high-quality carbon credits, typically priced above US$10 per tonne of CO2e, rather than smaller retail or SME participants. CTX is extending invitations during New York Climate Week, inviting eligible organisations to 'request an invitation'.

CTX drops standard 2%-5% commission structure for its largest members

Standard CTX membership charges buyers 2% and sellers 5% of trade value plus an annual account fee. Corporate One eliminates both the account-opening fee and minimum balance requirement, replacing them with a flat per-credit fee that holds regardless of price movement.

Berlin – September 23, 2026 -- CRRC, the world's largest rail equipment manufacturer, unveiled three full-size vehicles at InnoTrans 2026, targeting urban transit, mainline freight and intermodal logistics with new low-carbon and AI-enabled technology.

CRRC launches VELLINK platform with industry's first embodied AI metro train

The flagship digital-intelligent metro train under the new VELLINK urban rail platform uses integrated multi-source sensors to create a real-time sensing network that monitors tracks and identifies potential failures, cutting lifecycle maintenance costs. Lightweight materials and deep system integration reduce total vehicle weight by approximately 18% and cut energy consumption by more than 10% compared with conventional trains. The train's industrial design has won the international iF Design Award, with cabin features including panoramic windows and rotatable seating.

Singapore – September 22, 2026 -- Green Fuel Forward (GFF), the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) demand-aggregation initiative launched by GenZero and the World Economic Forum (WEF) in May 2025, has expanded its Steering Committee and added Amazon, Bain & Company, and Temasek Trust as members, pushing total membership to 48 companies.

New Steering Committee members bring procurement and investment expertise

The Center for Green Market Activation (GMA) and the Singapore Sustainable Aviation Fuel Company (SAFCo) joined founding member GenZero on GFF's Steering Committee, announced during Green Markets Day at New York Climate Week. The expanded committee combines investment, demand-aggregation, procurement and market-development capabilities as GFF shifts from market awareness toward facilitating corporate SAF and SAF certificate (SAFc) transactions across Asia.

Jackson, Wyo. – September 22, 2026 -- Ward | Blake Architects has been named to Forbes' America's Best-in-State Residential Architects 2026, marking the Jackson, Wyoming firm's second consecutive year on the national list during its 30th anniversary.

Forbes reassesses every firm annually, including prior honorees

For its 2026 architecture lists, Forbes reevaluated all practices, including firms recognized the previous year, rather than automatically renewing past selections. Firms were judged by Forbes editors and an advisory board of architecture and design authorities using a submitted residence and each practice's broader portfolio. The Forbes Architecture System of Evaluation weighs quality of work, environmental and cultural responsiveness, sustainability, siting, local context, architectural form, materials and craft. Forbes states there is no fee to participate.

Potsdam, N.Y. – September 22, 2026 -- Clarkson University has become one of only 14 institutions nationwide to earn the newly created Carnegie Elective Classification for Sustainability, following its participation in the 2025 pilot program that shaped the classification's framework.

Fourteen institutions defined the pilot cohort nationwide

Clarkson helped design the review process used to evaluate the classification, which assesses sustainability integration across research, education, community engagement and campus operations. The 14 pilot institutions will form the inaugural classified cohort, to be formally announced in June 2027, with the designation valid through 2033.

Oakland – September 22, 2026 -- Fair Trade USA has launched Stories of Impact, a public data platform built on its Impact Intelligence Hub, giving buyers and consumers an interactive view of the supply chains behind Fair Trade Certified products.

Platform launch precedes October's Fair Trade Month campaign

The rollout arrives days before Fair Trade Month, timed to give the public early access to impact data as the organization's annual campaign begins. This year's campaign theme is "Fair Trade Future."

Site combines mapping, producer stories and 2025 metrics

The platform includes an interactive impact map, a producer story library covering 2023 to present, visualized 2025 impact metrics, eco-region overlays showing the environments tied to specific certified products, and cross-regional project themes spanning multiple commodities.