Apple is constantly inventing more efficient ways to recycle materials back into our devices. We’re also replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy. And we’re going further to reduce our impact by using substances that are safe for people and the environment.
4 years ago - Last week at Sustainable Brands’ New Metrics ’18 conference in Philadelphia, PA, over 300 delegates from brands, NGOs, strategists and practitioners across sectors gathered to share the newest credible tools and solutions for assessing the ROI of Sustainable Business.
4 years ago - Arriving on the heels of Hurricane Florence, Hurricane Michael proved again that companies are making significant commitments to relief and recovery efforts in the wake of natural disasters. Our round-up of Hurricane Florence corporate response efforts covered some innovative ways that companies are reacting to disasters. Unfortunately, we’re already revisiting the topic with a snapshot of how companies reacted to Michael, and why it’s increasingly critical for any company to have a disaster response strategy in place.
4 years ago - Natural disasters are becoming a new reality for many Americans. In 2017 alone, 25 million people, or 8 percent of the U.S. population, were affected by a natural disaster — a “historic year,” according to FEMA. More often, corporates are responding before, during and after natural disasters to serve affected employees, customers and communities. Historically, companies have responded to disasters by providing the basics of food, water, and shelter — often via cash donations to relief organizations. But in the past few years, we have seen more companies bring their competencies, products or services, and people to disaster situations in innovative ways. And they are changing the way communities across the U.S. weather and recover from disasters.
4 years ago - As Apple, the world’s second-largest smartphone producer, prepares to sign the death warrant of the wildly popular iPhone 6s with the rumored launch of multiple new models later this month, Back Market — the largest marketplace exclusively dedicated to bringing thousands of refurbished electronic devices and appliances from certified professionals to consumers — has launched an awareness campaign rallying the public against planned obsolescence.
4 years ago - Why are light switches in design hotels impossible to find? Why are our oceans drowning in plastic? How to find more satisfaction in your work? How to make your business a force of good? And how do we connect these seemingly unconnected questions? Let's see how a “4 generations principle” can contribute.
4 years ago - What will ultimately push fossil fuels back the way of the dinosaur? Purely and simply, is it our ethics and our resolve as consumers and brands that will end our dependence on dirty energy. The response to Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement — in which business and civic leaders vowed to continue working towards clean energy, anyway — is easily part of the mix. The response demonstrated a deep level of commitment.
4 years ago - Corporations are people, my friend — and not just for tax purposes anymore. In the age of ubiquitous social media pressure, businesses are rebranding as social justice warriors — and that’s a shrewd marketing move on their part, new research reveals.
4 years ago - Scotland remains one of the world’s leading nations on circular economy thinking — this year Glasgow will host the Circular Economy Hotspot, an international event and trade mission that will showcase the country’s progressive approach to materials and resource use.
4 years ago - Highlighting the importance of transparency in investing, impact investing platform Swell Investing has invited the public to vote on the final security in the Impact 400, a portfolio with the goal of offering investors 400 companies poised for impact and returns. Both Apple and Starbucks meet Swell's selective rules-based criteria, and the community will decide which will be included.
4 years ago - The rise of natural health products and cosmetics has set off a flurry of research and development to discover the next great breakthrough for skin care or for specialized foods that provide an energy boost when you need it most. From shampoos and natural medicines to herbal teas and healthy spreadable fats, Earth’s biodiversity is providing the inspiration for a growing number of consumer goods. What began as luxury products for high-end shoppers have now gone more mainstream, as ingredient-savvy consumers look to natural alternatives in our chemically saturated stores.
4 years ago - KnowTheChain has released its second ranking of the top 40 global information and communications technology (ICT) companies on their efforts and disclosure related to eradicating forced labor.
4 years ago - Today, the Sustainable Brands® team has convened, along with 2,000 members of its global community, for the kick-off of SB’18 Vancouver, running June 4-7 at Vancouver Convention Centre West in Vancouver, British Columbia. More than 300 influential brand leaders and practitioners of environmental and social innovation will share new tools and frameworks, cutting-edge business solutions and case studies related to design and innovation for The Good Life.
4 years ago - BASF, P&G, Danone, Starbucks, and Salesforce.org among companies confirmed to showcase how brands are redesigning products and services for The Good Life
4 years ago - Apple uses a lot of aluminum across its product line — it’s part of the company’s design ethos. But it also represents almost a quarter of Apple’s manufacturing emissions.
4 years ago - It’s official. Sustainability is mainstream. You probably already knew that. What you may not know is that Americans aren’t really changing their personal behaviors. They’re changing their buying behaviors. And that gives brands a new way to win in the marketplace. Here’s what we’re seeing in our ongoing polling of Americans to understand their attitudes and behaviors related to the environment: One of our most recent surveys finds that 88 percent of Americans believe the average person should be taking concrete steps to reduce environmental impact, and nearly 80 percent feel a sense of personal responsibility to change daily purchase habits and practices to positively impact the environment.
4 years ago - Many people assume that tech companies are always competing. But as we celebrate Earth Day this year, we’re feeling grateful for our tech peers. When it comes to the environment, working together allows us to make bigger strides toward our shared sustainability goals — and collaboration is the only way forward.
4 years ago - The Green Chemistry & Commerce Council (GC3), a multi-stakeholder collaborative that drives the commercial adoption of sustainable chemistry, has selected the 10 startups that have won the opportunity to pitch their sustainable chemicals, materials, products and manufacturing technologies to large, strategic companies at the GC3’s 3rd Annual Green & Bio-Based Chemistry Technology Showcase & Networking Event.
4 years ago - Companies including Apple, Google and IKEA earned top spots in a new ranking of the top 20 business leaders calling for more ambitious climate policy across the globe. To make the A-List of Climate Policy Engagement, companies must showcase sectoral leadership, be vocal in calling for ambitious policies and align these calls with their own strategic activities.
5 years ago - Despite decades of intense media and business attention, poor working conditions persist in global supply chains. Even Apple, recently announced yet again as the world’s most admired company by Fortune magazine, has struggled to address this issue.
5 years ago - Across the globe, about 50 percent of CO2 emissions are tied to materials — goods that often produce a significant amount of physical and financial waste.