Pure Strategies has been transforming business through sustainability performance since 1998.
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More Than a Badge: What We Can Learn About Sustainability From the Boy Scouts
5 years ago - My recent meeting with the Boy Scouts of America and their suppliers radically shifted my view of what the Scouts are about. My impression of the Boy Scouts was stuck in my experience as a Scout back in the ‘70s. As a middle schooler, I joined the Scouts to hang out with my friends. I loved the outdoor activities and the pursuit of merit badges.
Staples, Marriott Now Requiring Suppliers to Assess 'Chemical Footprints'
5 years ago - Next Wednesday, June 17, U.S. businesses representing more than $50 billion in investment and purchasing power will require that their vendors, suppliers, and builders use a new assessment tool that measures usage of harmful chemicals in their products and production processes.
How to Shift Product Portfolios and Influence Entire Industries: The Evolution of a Few Remarkable Pivots
5 years ago - Talk about big players making big changes; CVS Health’s SVP of CSR and Philanthropy, Eileen Howard Boone; BASF’s Sustainability Manager, Denise Peterson; and Panera Bread’s Director of Public Relations, Jonathan Yohannan had a lot to share on their remarkable pivots this past year.
#SB15sd Workshop Demystifies Range of Tools for Evaluating Chemicals in Products
5 years ago - Kicking off Sustainable Brands ‘15 San Diego this morning was an informative workshop on evaluating product chemicals and the most useful tools for doing so. Consumers have recently become hyper-aware of chemicals used in their products, but the way they receive that information and the way the information is gathered differs according to the tools brands use. The panel discussed chemical hazard, exposure and risk capabilities, software usability and other factors to consider when deciding which framework or software solution best meet a company’s chemical assessment needs.
Key Steps for Successfully Engaging Consumers to Eat Sustainably
5 years ago - Everyday conversations about food are shifting from questions about whether to eat gluten or saturated fat to a new era in consumer food choices: sustainable diets. Some of this focus stems from recent findings reported by the federal government linking dietary choices to environmental impact and is bolstered by consumers’ awareness that their choices affect both their health and the environment. Consumers have long been seeking healthy food options and now the majority of consumers state that they intend to make changes in their diet for environmental reasons.
The 2014 Corporate Sustainability Awards: 5 Companies That Bravely and Brilliantly Led the Pack
6 years ago - 2014 was a year of stunning statistics and some moments of brilliance from a few brands. Unfortunately, most of the numbers were of the gloom and doom variety: warmest year, worst drought, worsening economic inequality — not to mention Ebola, war, and a looming sixth Great Extinction. Was the business community’s response proportionate to the scale of the problems that were revealed? What actions stand out? I have five, admittedly subjective, awards to give out.
Sustainable Supply Chains: Can Retailers Be the Rising Tide That Lifts All Boats?
6 years ago - A whopping 97 percent of environmental impacts in the retail sector come from the product itself — from raw materials, transportation and product manufacturing. With impacts so heavily weighted in the supply chain, retailers are increasingly and creatively wading upstream to partner with their suppliers on their greatest impacts. The key to success lies in selecting the appropriate supplier engagement method and then using that approach as a vehicle to deeper collaboration. But can successful retailer approaches truly motivate meaningful supply chain improvements?The benefits of engagement
IKEA, Mars, Novelis, Unilever Among 233 Companies Expressing Support for EPA's Clean Power Plan
6 years ago - Marking the end of the comment period on the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan, 223 companies have announced their support for EPA’s proposed carbon standard for electric power plants, including IKEA, Mars Inc., VF Corporation, Novelis, Levi Strauss, Unilever and Nestlé.
Letting Your Mission Drive Success: Lessons from Ben & Jerry's and Seventh Generation
6 years ago - All businesses value consumer and employee loyalty and the opportunity to shape the playing field in which they operate. Mission-driven businesses such as B Corps Seventh Generation and Ben & Jerry’s are finding that having an authentic purpose that resonates with their customers opens the door to exciting approaches to activism that engage their base in powerful ways. The union of company and employee passions not only boosts loyalty but also can lead to successful advocacy for shared causes. Conventional companies seeking to emulate their successes should follow three key steps:1. Build a mission that is relevant for your consumers
Attitudes v. Behaviors, $75B Worth of Plastic Damage Hot Topics on #SB14sd Day One
6 years ago - Monday, day one of SB ’14 San Diego, was jam-packed with thought-provoking workshops featuring dozens of experts sharing their latest research and insights on a variety of topics — from multi-sector anti-deforestation efforts to intrapreneurship to context-based sustainability.The day was dominated by a two-part, day-long session featuring market insights from top researchers. In part one, researchers from Shelton Group, GlobeScan, BBMG, Cone Communications and more shared their latest findings on customer attitudes and behavior, many of which not surprisingly still examined the stubborn gap between the two.
Radio Flyer’s Chicago Headquarters Earns LEED Platinum Certification
6 years ago - CHICAGO – April 15, 2014 – In time for Earth Day, Radio Flyer, Inc., maker of the famous little red wagon and leading producer of wagons, tricycles and three-wheel scooters in the United States, proudly announced today its Chicago, Ill. headquarters has received Platinum Certification for its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). Focused on environmentally sustainable practices, the certification acknowledges key design decisions, including the renovation of existing warehouse space, dedicated recycling areas, and geo-thermal heating and cooling systems.
I'm Dreaming of a Toxin-Free Christmas
7 years ago - With the holidays fast approaching, many of us are scrambling to make last-minute purchases for friends and family. As items cross the check-out counter, products enter our lives carrying with them a chemical footprint that is often overlooked. While no overarching labeling scheme reveals the chemical makeup of most products, we can cheer some inspiring activity moving us toward toxin-free consumer products in the future. We may not see immediate changes in product chemistry this holiday season, but there is reason to hold onto hope for next year’s shopping list.