SunOpta Obtains Regulatory Approval to Buy-Back up to 5% of Shares

SunOpta Inc. (Nasdaq:STKL – News; TSX:SOY – News) announced Tuesday that The Toronto Stock Exchange has accepted notice of its intention to purchase for cancellation, by way of a normal course issuer bid, up to approximately 5% of its issued and outstanding common shares, as of March 31, 2005, in the open market through the facilities of the Toronto Stock Exchange and NASDAQ. Purchases will be made in accordance with applicable rules of the TSX and requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and at the prevailing market price at the time of purchase. No specific number of shares to be acquired has been established. However, purchases will not exceed 2% of the outstanding common shares in any 30 day period. The issuer bid will commence on April 14, 2005 and will expire no later than April 13, 2006. SunOpta believes that the common shares are undervalued at current market prices based on its current earnings and future prospects and that such repurchase of common shares is a worthwhile investment and in the best interests of both SunOpta and its shareholders. To the knowledge of SunOpta, no insider will receive any direct benefit from the issuer bid nor does […]

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Nike Issues Corporate Responsibility Report

BEAVERTON, OR – Nike, Inc. today issued its second corporate responsibility (CR) report highlighting the Nike brand’s CR priorities, programs, progress and challenges relating to workers in contract factories; employees and diversity; the environment; and community investment. In addition, the company voluntarily disclosed the names and locations of the more than 700 active contract factories that currently make Nike-branded products worldwide. The 108-page report, Nike’s first public corporate responsibility report since it made the decision to stop reporting in October 2002 when it petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the Kasky v. Nike First Amendment case, was released in conjunction with the annual Ceres conference in Boston, MA. Ceres is a coalition of investment funds, environmental organizations and public interest groups. “We’ve been fairly quiet for the past three years in corporate responsibility because of the Kasky lawsuit. So we’re using this report to play a little catch-up and draw a more complete picture,” said Philip H. Knight, Nike founder and chairman, in his opening letter in the report. “It makes for a long report, but I urge you to read it from cover to cover. And then some; because probably the most significant piece of disclosure linked to […]

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Washington State 'Green' Law Aims at Public Buildings

Washington became the first state in the country Friday to enact a law requiring public buildings to be constructed with standards encouraging energy conservation and recycling. Such standards eventually could reduce public agencies’ energy costs by 25 percent. Better design and ventilation also are predicted to reduce school and workplace sicknesses because of artificial ventilation and raise test scores among students. Gov. Christine Gregoire signed the historic bill into law at Washington Middle School in Olympia, which will be among the first buildings in the state to incorporate the “green” standards. There are 72 such environmentally friendly projects in various stages of construction across Washington, state officials said Friday. The new law applies to most buildings owned by the state, state agencies and public school districts, as well as major projects that receive state capital funds. “This middle school is a model for the rest of the state and the nation about how we can be good environmental stewards,” Gregoire told Washington Middle School students before signing the bill. “Your school is leading the way, and you should be proud of that. ” The $17 million Washington Middle School renovation project begins in June and should be completed by July […]

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