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3 ways to protect honeybees — as keepers and community members

A honeybee sits on top of four rows of honey combs.

In 2023, the United States  lost 48% of its agriculturally managed honey bee colonies in an unprecedented year. But the issue is more complex than the statistics can communicate.

In a Cornell Keynote from eCornell, Marina Caillaud, a lecturer of entomology in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), explains honey bee decline — which is tracked in data from the United States Department of Agriculture — and shares how experts and individuals can help with honey bee conservation. Caillaud and the Cornell Dyce Lab for Honey Bee Studies, housed in CALS, offer three ways we can protect and maintain bee populations.

1. Plan for your environment.

For beekeepers, the health of the hive is key, and the environment is a major factor. Many of the health challenges bees face come from the environment: pesticides, stress, droughts or poor nutrition. Before starting your own beehive, you must understand your own local weather conditions as well as the risks that come with them. If you live in drier conditions, be sure to prioritize water sources for your bees.

Further, the location of your beehive is essential to its success, so be sure to pick a location with plenty of sunlight and protection from the wind. Ensure that nectar or pollen is within 500 feet of the hive. Even though honey bees can travel three miles to forage for food, closer sources optimize energy conservation and honey production.

2. Understand the complex global status of honey bees

While honeybees are at the center of pollination for ecosystems and agriculture, the bee population is not a monolith. There are over 4,000 species of bees in the U.S., all of which have different needs. Sometimes, honey bee cultivation can put other pollinators at risk, especially when the hives increase competition for resources, increase the spread of diseases, and alter the natural habitat. As a result, it is important to ensure that your honey bee cultivation does not harm these other important subsections of our ecosystem. Provide adequate food and water, ensure your tools are clean so they don’t infect your hives or others and maintain the integrity of the natural landscape around your hive.

3. Collaborate with your community.

Even if you are not planning to keep honey bees, it is still important to keep your space friendly for visiting bees. To counteract the threats of habitat loss and pesticides, individuals can make improvements to their lawns. 

The easiest step is to remove pesticides. While helpful to combat weeds, these chemicals are toxic to bees and can run off into neighboring waterways. The next step is to include plants that support pollination for most of the year. Bees love bright-colored flowers — especially purple, blue, white and violet — so you can do this while still maintaining a beautiful garden. To start, research native species in your area that specialize in pollen production. Then diversify your selections. Choose a few that are perennial and annual, so bees can continuously trust your area for pollination.

Seize opportunities to learn new beekeeping skills.

Faculty from Cornell University have designed online beekeeping certificate programs to guide you through your beekeeping practice. A five-week course from the Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is also available online through eCornell.

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Cornell Keynotes podcast: Rethinking migration, the shared journeys of people and birds

Migrating birds

Despite changes in movement patterns over recent decades, migration has been a natural phenomenon for millennia. Climate and environmental shifts continue to profoundly influence the movement of people, birds and other species around the globe.

In a new episode of the Cornell Keynotes podcast from eCornell, Cornell Law School Distinguished Immigration Scholar and attorney Marielena Hincapié and Garvin Professor Amanda Rodewald, senior director of the Center for Avian Population Studies at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, explain why people and birds migrate — and what individuals, communities and policymakers can do to develop sustainable solutions for an interdependent world.

Read more on the Chronicle.

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3 ways sustainable businesses can prepare for climate challenges

Wind turbines in a field against a background of a cloudy sky

From supply chain disruption to regulatory compliance pressure, companies experience bottom-line impacts of climate change every day. Accounting for environmental disruptions and transitions is essential to corporate risk management and resilience plans.

Sustainability and ecological transformation experts from Cornell University identified three strategies businesses can implement to thrive – and protect the planet – in a changing climate.

1. Limit the guesswork.

Forecasting climate change impacts on a company’s future requires a data-driven approach. Organizations can use current and projected temperature and weather trends to inform sustainability efforts. Leaders can also consult research and models from reputable sources such as the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Agency and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to become better informed about the challenges – and opportunities – they may face. Research-based sustainable business practices enable companies to replace speculation with evidence-based predictions and solutions.

“Senior executives need to be fully aware of how climate change is shifting every assumption they may have about the future,” said Michael Hoffmann, former executive director of the Cornell Institute for Climate Change Solutions and professor emeritus in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. “Grasping how our world is fundamentally changing, and how to respond, is critical for their businesses as well as all of society.”

Corporations can expect more weather extremes that will cause delays, shortages and increased costs in the coming years. Hoffmann contends that it is critical to understand climate change’s bigger picture.

“Water scarcity, reduced crop yields, migration, heatwaves – we have witnessed the consequences of these issues on global business operations and consumers,” Hoffmann said. “Precedent should serve as a baseline for how businesses approach sustainability in the future.”

2. Avoid the copycat trap.

Given the uncertainty around best practices for a sustainable and regenerative future, corporate leaders might be tempted to duplicate the tactics of peers and competitors. Differences in operational size, industry, geography and customer base are important considerations in an organization’s efforts to reduce its effects on the climate and the climate’s effects on the organization.

According to Glen Dowell, the Henrietta Johnson Louis Professor of Management at the Johnson Graduate School of Management, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to climate change challenges for businesses.

“Fit your methods to at least two factors: what your company’s vulnerabilities and opportunities are, and the culture, structure and capabilities your company possesses,” Dowell said. “If your vulnerability stems largely from potential disruptions to a supply of a vital resource, you need to think both about how to secure a less vulnerable supply and possibly how to innovate to find a substitute.”

Dowell asserts that climate change reveals how interconnected our social and ecological systems are. The symbiosis is found in every company in every sector.

“For example, palm oil is sourced all too frequently by razing forests, leading to huge CO2 emissions and reducing the land’s ability to absorb CO2 in the future. If my company depended upon palm oil, I would be derelict in my duty to shareholders if I were not working tirelessly to secure a more sustainable source while simultaneously looking for a suitable replacement,” Dowell said. “For palm oil suppliers, developing a sustainable substitute would represent a significant business opportunity – a chance to gain massive sales to companies that need the product.”

3. Maintain a global and interconnected perspective.

Effective corporate sustainability initiatives involve employees from all business areas. Leaders can set policies and goals for emissions cuts, waste reduction and renewable energy investment, but success requires across-the-board adoption – especially in a time when consumers and investors increasingly expect companies to operate sustainably.

“The business case for sustainability is generally justified by increased profits, environmental benefits and a competitive advantage for early adopters,” said Danielle Eiseman, lecturer in the Brooks School of Public Policy. “However, as the effects of climate change become more widespread, the case for action becomes much more critical than what’s good for the bottom line.”

Eiseman encourages executives to assess the risks and consequences of climate challenges on their businesses through the lenses of individual and global impact.

“For informed decision-making, leaders need to comprehend the broader consequences like socio-economic implications and geopolitical shifts on a worldwide scale. Businesses operate within an ecosystem in which disruptions in one part of the world can have cascading effects throughout the supply chain and markets,” Eiseman said.

Learn how to seize the opportunities in sustainability.

Faculty from Cornell University have designed online certificate programs on a range of environmental, social and governance (ESG) topics, including sustainable business, corporate sustainability and equitable community change. A four-week Climate Change Leadership course from the Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is also available online through eCornell.

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4 ESG Strategies for Corporate Sustainable Development and Omnichannel Success

Corporations play a significant role in improving global sustainability through their supply chain, production and management choices. While the careful development of eco-friendly products and services is essential, business leaders must not forget about their customers in the process. Omnichannel strategies can raise awareness of sustainable options and innovations that meet consumers where they are.

In the recent webcast, “Omnichannel Meets Sustainability: Strategies for Incorporating Sustainability Into Omnichannel Business Models,” industry leaders joined Dan Hooker, director of Cornell’s Omnichannel Leadership Immersion Program and senior lecturer in the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, to share four corporate environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategies for achieving sustainable development goals that protect the environment, increase revenue and improve customer loyalty.

1. Adapt to Pandemic-Driven Culture Shifts

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a shift in consumer behavior, pushing businesses to reevaluate their sustainability practices. Consumers are shopping more on phones, choosing delivery instead of in-person grocery shopping and making online orders instead of first checking out products in brick-and-mortar locations. The results are increased demand for goods that require packaging and growth in the delivery industry.

In the new homebody economy, businesses will need to get creative in reducing their environmental footprint and adopting better ESG practices.

“Our packaging commitment is to achieve 100% reusable, recyclable or compostable packaging by the end of 2025,” said Janelle Meyers, chief sustainability officer at Kellogg Company. “We have three key approaches: reducing packaging usage across our portfolio by decreasing total packaging weight wherever possible, excluding certain plastic items in packaging materials and redesigning packaging to be more recyclable or compostable, whether it is going into brick-and-mortar stores or if it’s going online.”

2. Gauge Consumer Reluctance

When customers are resistant to eco-friendly alternatives and their higher costs, businesses can increase understanding and adoption of sustainable options through education. Businesses can also emphasize the long-term benefits of environmental action, appealing to consumers’ sense of social and ethical responsibility.

“If you ask our customers if they would value more sustainable recyclable packaging, over 85% would absolutely agree. If you then ask them if they would be willing to pay for it, about 60% would agree,” said Erik Weenink, director of pricing and promotion at Giant Food, an Ahold Delhaize subsidiary. “However, when we give them the choice in the store, less than 20% of our customers will vote with their wallets.”

“At the very individual level, people have to recognize that they’re part of mitigating the impacts of climate change by actually making consumer choices. There’s a lot of opportunity to use the omnichannel approach and meet the person where they are on the educational side of the new innovations out there,” said Devry Vorwerk, founder and CEO of DevryBV Sustainable Strategies.

3. Integrate ESG Practices Companywide – and Industrywide

To genuinely embrace sustainable management, businesses must go beyond communication and escape the perception of greenwashing. ESG practices should be integrated into organizational design, logistics and budgeting.

At Kellogg Company, the sustainability core team is embedded in the supply chain, ethics and compliance organizations, with aligned goals across departments. According to Meyers, the corporation’s custom of a quarterly council enables the coordination of objectives at cross-functional global and regional levels.

Collaboration between various players in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry, including retailers and delivery services, is equally important for achieving sustainable development goals. These organizations can create synergies that promote environmentally responsible behaviors. When working with external contractors and vendors, corporations can improve ESG goal compliance through the transparency provided by certifications and demonstrate commitment to sustainability across the entire value chain.

“We can’t do it alone. We want to make sure that we not only say these things and set these goals, but that when we perform and report against them, that it is what we actually do,” Weenink said. “That’s why we work with third parties to provide transparency. It is through partnership that we can achieve that.”

4. Attract Customers with Sustainability Impact Programs

Sustainable practices – and effective communication of their importance – can be a powerful force in attracting eco-conscious consumers. However, corporations can also incentivize customers to choose sustainable options by making them easily accessible, affordable and beneficial. Ahold Delhaize promotes recyclable products as part of its Loop program, in which customers receive reusable containers they can later return for a rebate.

A tangible product is not always necessary to generate the same impact. In partnership with Kennedy Rice, Syngenta and Regrow, Kellogg assists growers in reducing methane production from rice cultivation. Effective marketing of programs like Kellogg’s inGrained initiative can drive consumers to purchase from these brands.

“We hosted over 200 retailtainment events. There was a booth that helps consumers understand the benefits of soil health and how our program is helping improve the soil health in the Louisiana rice program. We’re pretty excited. We just closed that pilot year. We’re looking forward to our second year,” said Meyers.

Corporations can make a significant impact by pursuing ESG efforts that promote responsible consumption and production. In this year’s Omnichannel Leadership Immersion Program at the Cornell Tech campus in New York City, global business leaders will join Cornell faculty experts to discuss best practices for engaging in sustainable development as well as optimizing the customer experience and strengthening operations through technology, data analytics and change management. Apply to participate in the program this June.

Ready to discover the latest sustainability best practices for your business? Learn about Cornell’s certificate programs in sustainable business and corporate sustainability.

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New Sustainable Tourism program charts course for travel’s future

At the intersection of travel and sustainability is sustainable tourism, a response to the growing need for the travel industry to ensure host communities receive socioeconomic benefits and are protected from adverse environmental effects. As business rebounds in the pandemic’s fourth year, tourism professionals are strategizing to reduce the “invisible burden” of tourism and address unprecedented challenges.

The Sustainable Tourism Asset Management Program (STAMP) – part of the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business – recently launched Sustainable Tourism Destination Management, a self-paced online course designed to train hospitality and tourism leaders in managing destination assets.

Delivered by eCornell, the course equips professionals working in a wide array of destinations with data-driven methods for measuring the impacts of tourism, managing natural resources, creating climate action plans and tracking economic development goals.

Read the full story on the Cornell Chronicle Website.

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Sustainable preservation certificate launches to address climate concerns

Whether living in urban centers or rural farming towns, people are becoming increasingly concerned about the impact of climate change on their lives. That concern is accelerating the growth of “green” building and energy efficiency initiatives. But Katelin Olson, Ph.D., visiting lecturer in Cornell University’s College of Architecture, Art, and Planning, says communities may be overlooking an equally important climate solution: sustainable historic preservation. By reusing the existing built environment, sustainable preservation is an essential tool for meeting climate goals.

“The greenest building continues to be the one already built,” says Olson, who is a certified planner. “As we seek greater energy efficiency, it is tempting to think we can build our way out of our environmental crisis. But that’s not a financially possible or reasonable solution.”

Read the full story on the Cornell Chronicle website.

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Sustainable Business certificate tackles much more than environmental issues

In recent years, many companies have acknowledged the impact their business has on climate change and other environmental issues. Often, there is the belief that a technical solution will solve the problem, allowing companies to avoid negative consequences in the future. But what’s in the rearview mirror is closer than it appears.

To help managers think more holistically about the social and environmental impacts of their business and take action, Cornell SC Johnson College of Business faculty recently launched an online certificate in Sustainable Business through eCornell.

Read the full story on the Cornell Chronicle website.