Over the past year, a group of top global retailers and food companies have been working with IBM on testing blockchain technology to improve traceability in their supply chains. The companies include Nestlé, Unilever and Walmart.

Levi Strauss & Co. has announced a new climate action strategy that sets targets for reducing carbon emissions across its owned-and-operated facilities and global supply chain by 2025. These goals have been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative.

The Climate Group launched a new initiative last week called Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Challenge that unites the global purchasing power of businesses, cities, states, regions, and NGOs for electric and other non-fossil-fuel vehicles.

Cobalt, a chemical element crucial for making lithium-ion batteries, continues to be mined using child labor in the Democratic Republic of Congo. With the DRC producing two-thirds of the world’s cobalt and demand expected to increase, companies are struggling to clean up their supply chains, CNN reported.

The European Commission is proposing a ban on single-use plastic items like straws and utensils according to draft rules released this week. The legislation, which needs the approval of all member states and the European Parliament, would also require plastic producers pay for cleanup and waste management, CNN Money reported.