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Cutting Out the Middlemen: A Solution to the Dangers of Low-Cost Production

Sadly, for the second time in months, the world has turned its attention to one of the biggest low-cost producing countries for apparel, Bangladesh. In November, a raging fire in a garment factory in Bangladesh claimed more than 100 people’s lives and led to a countless number of injuries. And the collapse of the eight-story Rana Plaza factory in April, in which 1,127 people died, is the country's worst industrial accident to date.

Canadians Rethinking Brand Choices Following Bangladesh Factory Collapse

Following the Rana Plaza collapse in Dhaka, Bangladesh in April that claimed the lives of 1,127 workers, DIG360 Consulting Ltd. commissioned a survey to ask Canadians about their awareness of the incident, their perceptions around Canadian retailers sourcing overseas and, specifically, their attitudes about Canadian fashion brand Joe Fresh.

According to the results of the survey, this story has made an indelible impact on Canadians. Eighty‐seven percent of Canadians were aware of the Bangladesh factory tragedy. Of these, almost half (43 percent) reported that the incident has led them to think about their shopping choices. 

When It Comes to Sustainable Innovation, Corporates Can Learn a Lot from Entrepreneurs

One of the core ideas behind sustainable branding is that, by thinking of social problems as business opportunities, companies can gain a competitive advantage. It follows then that a very important core competency in the quest for sustainable branding is the ability to identify social and environmental opportunities and to turn them into innovative business solutions.

In other words, much of sustainable branding is about human-centered innovation and understanding how to continuously create relevance and value in the lives of individuals. This is a field that has advanced significantly in recent years with the increasing prominence of approaches such as design thinking, co-creation and customer development.

A New Triple Bottom Line

This post first appeared on CSRWire on January 13, 2012.

As we dive into the new year and face up to the challenges ahead, I am reminded of the fundamental reason so many of us are working in this area. We came to do more good, though we often find most of our time is spent doing less harm.

CSR organizations are increasingly tasked to cover both. And we will have to come up with new approaches to scale doing less harm and doing more good at the same time.

The Cost of Incrementalism

What is taking so long? Looking at just one aspect of CSR, corporate philanthropy, we see lack of results from scale — from the ReachScale site:

Isidore Electronics Recycling Helps Give Electronics - and Inmates - a Fresh Start

In the final week leading up to the Sustainable Brands Innovation Open (SBIO) finals on June 5th, where the runner-up will be decided via live online public vote, we will feature daily articles introducing our semi-finalists.

UN Global Compact Renews Drive for Responsible Business in Africa

The United Nations Global Compact has announced it is redoubling its efforts to scale up corporate sustainability in Africa and emphasize the private sector’s role in contributing to the continent’s full economic and social renaissance.

Investment in Women is the Key to Global Food Security

Women, particularly in developing countries, face numerous challenges, including sexual violence, limited access to health resources, barriers to education and economic opportunities.

GSK Building Better Business from the Inside Out by Bringing Low-Cost Diagnostics to Africa

Last month, Ashoka Changemakers announced four winners of its League of Intrapreneurs: Building Better Business from the Inside Out competition, honoring initiatives within organizations that are pioneering game-changing models for business and society.

Nestlé USA Commits to Sourcing 100% Certified Cocoa Beans For Its Crunch Bars

Socially conscious Nestlé® Crunch® lovers can soon enjoy their favorite chocolate bar even more. At the National Confectioners Association’s Sweets & Snacks Expo in Chicago today, Nestlé USA announced that it will source 100% certified, Nestlé Cocoa Plan cocoa beans for the entire line of Nestlé Crunch bars.

Walmart Partners with LaborVoices To Ensure Factory Safety in Bangladesh

LaborVoices has announced a new partnership with Walmart that will provide visibility into the retail giant's supply chain through real-time, anonymized worker feedback, to help Walmart ensure safe factory working conditions throughout its Bangladeshi supply chain.

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Our editorial Issue in Focus for June will examine how brands are activating sustainability. We invite you to share stories of how your organization is driving behavior change to encourage more sustainable consumption. Check out our call for content and find out about partnership opportunities!