SUPPLY CHAIN -
Earlier this month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation proposed new fuel-efficiency and greenhouse gas standards for medium- and heavy-duty trucks.I spoke with Jason Mathers of the Environmental Defense Fund to find out how these new regulations affect U.S. brands. Jason leads EDF’s Green Freight initiative, which works with consumer product companies and large fleets to reduce the environmental impact of product distribution in the U.S.
COLLABORATION -
The Hershey Company today announced a partnership that will support its campaign to fight malnutrition in Ghana. As part of its Energize Learning program, the company is teaming up with the Ghana School Feeding Programme and current partner Project Peanut Butter to distribute a peanut-based protein supplement called Vivi to schoolchildren. The program aims to reach 50,000 children by 2016, and eventually expand to serve all children in Ghana’s school feeding program.
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE -
As part of L’Oréal’s global sustainability program called Sharing Beauty With All, the company has pledged that by the year 2020, 100 percent of its products will have an environmental or social benefit.
To help make that commitment a reality, L’Oréal is calling on its employees, at every level and across every function, to contribute their own innovative solutions. The L’Oréal Beauty Shaker Awards is the company’s annual internal innovation competition, and in 2014 — the program’s fifth year — sustainability was the name of the game.
PRESS RELEASE -
Charlotte, NC, June 17, 2015 – Sealed Air Corporation (NYSE: SEE), recently announced its Gold Sponsorship of the Charlotte Chamber’s GreenWorks Committee. Sealed Air, which announced last July it is moving its global headquarters to Charlotte, North Carolina, sees this as an ideal opportunity to engage with the Charlotte business community on the topic of sustainability practices in business.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
On Thursday, Whole Foods Market today announced the name of its new streamlined, value-focused brand of stores: 365 by Whole Foods Market. Slated to begin opening in 2016, the new stores promise lower prices on natural and organic products that meet Whole Foods’ existing quality standards.Jeff Turnas, a 20-year Whole Foods Market veteran, will serve as president of 365 by Whole Foods Market and will be based at the company’s headquarters in Austin.
PRESS RELEASE -
The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) was recognized for its continuing commitment to environmental stewardship in Newsweek’s 2015 Green Rankings. Out of the top 500 U.S. companies named, Hershey placed No. 6, moving up 40 spots from last year’s ranking.
STAKEHOLDER TRENDS AND INSIGHTS -
On the final day of SB ’15 San Diego, SustainAbility’s Mark Lee moderated a panel with two rather controversial brands — McDonald’s and Shell. Lee opened, “transparency is a pre-condition for trust, and trust is a pre-condition for collaboration.”We need increasing amounts of collaboration now, as we face a changing global climate, where businesses must act as social and environmental stewards while in pursuing financial objectives.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
On Wednesday morning of SB ’15 San Diego, ISEAL Alliance unveiled a new tool that brings clarity to the landscape of sustainability claims and labels, providing key questions any “sustainable” business should ask its partners. ChallengeTheLabel.org is a filter for information about the social and environmental attributes of a product or service. Two years in the making, this user-friendly and interactive tool promises to be helpful for decision-making for sustainable purchasing and procurement for consumers and businesses alike.
STAKEHOLDER TRENDS AND INSIGHTS -
For me, this was hands-down the most entertaining session of SB ‘15 San Diego. If you ever get the opportunity to attend a panel moderated by Edelman's Henk Campher, I highly recommend it.He set the mood for 60-minute breakout by welcoming everyone to “the panel on sustainable fracking.” Then we quickly dove into conversation on turning consumers into activists.Or as Campher put it, “Why should anyone give a shit?”
MARKETING AND COMMS -
HP is redoubling its efforts towards improved governance and stakeholder engagement, according to the company’s 2014 Living Progress Report, released Wednesday. The report describes HP’s global citizenship policies, programs and performance through the company’s fiscal year 2014.“Living Progress” is how HP refers to its efforts to integrate sustainability into its business strategy. It’s the framework the company uses as it develops its products, services and solutions, manages its operations and drives interactions with its customers, partners and communities.
COLLABORATION -
Fresh from its successful collaboration with Southwest Airlines on its LUV Seat collection of bags and accessories upcycled from the airline’s leather seats, Looptworks has launched an email campaign to enlist its customers’ help in restoring the Colorado River.
STAKEHOLDER TRENDS AND INSIGHTS -
Global consumers feel a personal accountability to address social and environmental issues and look to companies as partners in progress, according to findings from the 2015 Cone Communications/Ebiquity Global CSR Study, released today.
PRESS RELEASE -
Program supported by $400,000 CVS Health Foundation Grant aimed at helping people lead tobacco-free lives
MARKETING AND COMMS -
BMW, Google and Daimler are the world’s most reputable companies, according to the Reputation Institute’s 2015 Global RepTrak® 100.Rolex, LEGO, The Walt Disney Company, Canon, Apple, Sony and Intel rounded out the top ten.The annual survey measures public perceptions of corporate reputations based on seven dimensions: innovation, leadership, governance, citizenship, workplace, performance and products and services.
WASTE NOT -
The Eco Laundry Company, the world’s first certified B Corp dry cleaner and laundry service franchise, has announced a strategic partnership with famed denim heavyweight G-Star RAW. As part of the partnership, The Eco Laundry Company will offer free dry cleaning for life for any piece of clothing from G-Star’s RAW for the Oceans collection, a clothing line curated by Pharrell Williams and made with fabric spun from recycled ocean plastic.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
Last week, just as TOMS Shoes began enabling socially conscious shoppers to make an impact — for free — through its One Day Without Shoes campaign, WWF launched its first ever emoji-based crowdfunding campaign to help support the organization’s work to protect endangered species and their habitats.
PRESS RELEASE -
CHICAGO, May 18, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Coors Light has been refreshing beer drinkers since 1978. This summer, The World's Most Refreshing Beer also wants to refresh the Great Lakes.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
With the rise of brands such as Warby Parker, Soapbox Soaps, Plum Organics and Bombas Socks, the one-for-one giving model has become a popular way for companies to easily tie social impact to consumer product purchases and show just how easy it can be to support a worthy cause.
CHEMISTRY, MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
On Friday, Mars announced it would support two important recommendations designed to help consumers limit their intake of added sugars and achieve healthier, more balanced diets.The candy giant is endorsing recommendations that people should limit their intake of added sugars to no more than 10 percent of their total calorie intake. The recommendations come from leading global health authorities including the World Health Organization, the US Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, and the UK Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition.
BLOG -
If the global business community is to thrive in the long term — and carry us to that flourishing future we are trying to imagine and help build — it needs to continue to scale up the ambition and influence of its efforts. That’s much easier said than done, of course, though we are seeing a number of encouraging trends within the Sustainable Brands community that, while still nascent, are promising to deliver a lot of value for years to come. Here is a list of 10 such trends that are top of mind for our team at the moment: