WALKING THE TALK -
Today, August 1, marks our earliest yet Earth Overshoot Day — the day humanity has used nature’s resource budget for the year — since its establishment in 1987.
Despite increasing awareness of our planetary boundaries and social thresholds, we’ve not only not managed to reverse it, we’re making it worse.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
When Dick’s Sporting Goods bans the sale of assault rifles, or McDonald’s makes a commitment to get 100 percent of its packaging from renewable, recycled or certified sources by 2025, how does their position in the marketplace change?
WALKING THE TALK -
In recent conversation with Marc Pritchard, Chief Brand Officer at P&G, we spent our time talking about shifting out from old paradigms and models, to create new frameworks for building brands and advancing sustainability. Here are Pritchard’s top five paradigms to shift:
SUPPLY CHAIN -
WAP Sustainability Consulting works with manufacturers and brands to help them meet customers’ expectations on sustainability – specifically around life cycle assessment (LCA), carbon management and product ingredient transparency, particularly in regards to chemicals management.
We spoke with founder William Paddock to learn more about these current hot spots in the ongoing quest for supply chain transparency.
What are some of the key issues or buzzwords of concern for companies right now?
William Paddock: I tend to see organizations struggling with three things:
SUPPLY CHAIN -
As we approach the 2020 deadline for many corporate sustainability pledges, plus the commitments made in the New York Declaration on Forests, sustainable business practices are front and center in the minds of decision-makers. The next twelve months will be pivotal in achieving these goals.
PRESS RELEASE -
Sustainability is an integral part of BASF’s corporate strategy. A tangible example of how BASF carries out its company purpose “We create chemistry for a sustainable future” is the Sustainable Solution Steering method. This method has been developed by BASF to assess and steer its product portfolio based on defined sustainability criteria. It considers the entire value chain and markets including industry- and region-specific views. The approach reflects economic, ecological and social aspects of the products and solutions in their respective application. The company is now publishing the detailed method to enable customers and other interested parties to steer their portfolio according to their sustainability targets.
BEHAVIOR CHANGE -
Businesses have a critical role to play in cleaning up the global economy, but it is consumers whole truly hold the key to achieving a more sustainable future.
In a new report, PA Consulting Group shows that retailers can build customer loyalty — and grow sales — by providing customers with reasons to stay engaged by returning to stores to resell, recycle and donate clothing and electronics.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
You’ve probably read the proliferation of literature about the benefits of hiring purpose-driven employees, which can result in increased productivity, higher retention rates, and more effective collaboration, just to name a few. But have you ever wondered how purpose-driven employees impact your organization’s branding and marketing?
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
As the problems of microplastics and water scarcity persist, businesses are looking to new technologies to encourage greater consumer and corporate water stewardship.
Platform technology company Xeros Technologies has developed a washing machine component capable of removing microfibers from home laundry wastewater.
BUSINESS CASE -
Grim climate change reality: The seas are rising. Terrifying hurricanes regularly raze vast, inhabited areas.
BUSINESS CASE -
We live in an increasingly dynamic and interconnected world. Conflicts in the Middle East are causing demographic shifts in Europe, e-waste from the West is being recycled in Africa and emissions from China are affecting air quality in the US. These are just a few examples of how megatrends are shaping today’s world.
LEADERSHIP -
Dr. Eban Goodstein is a contradiction of sorts.
Trained in “the dismal science” — economics — Goodstein is an inveterate optimist about the prospects for business to lead the way to a sustainable future, and sooner rather than later. He is turning that optimism into reality as director and founder of the Bard MBA in Sustainability program in New York City. That Goodstein is at the forefront of the sustainable MBA world is not surprising when one considers his career path.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
PR and communications agency Sustainability Consult has published the results of the #WhatBrandsWant survey, projecting considerable growth in the biomaterials market as consumer demand and stakeholder pressure drive brand investment towards the development of bio-based products. Sustainability Consult’s findings reveal a growing commitment towards renewable materials and a shift away from fossil-based products.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
Earthshine, a consultancy and think tank focused on business and economic transformation, and remanufacturing company Norsk Ombruk have released a new business case white paper demonstrating how remanufacturing within a circular economy can deliver a wide range of benefits for society, environment and economy.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
Consumers increasingly want to buy from brands that are environmentally responsible - and many forward-thinking companies have responded by embracing sustainability. However, there remains a disconnect between sustainability pursuits and the extent to which companies share their journey with consumers.
PRESS RELEASE -
Today, Bank of America released “Banking on a Low-Carbon Economy: The Economic Impacts of Bank of America’s $125 Billion Environmental Business Initiative.” The report, based on analysis conducted by consulting firm EY, examines the economic impacts of a $12.6 billion subset of the company’s $125 billion environmental business commi
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE -
Brand purpose consultancy Given London is making it easier than ever for businesses to identify and act upon a purpose beyond profit — and thereby stay competitive in an ever-changing economic landscape — with its new Wayfinder tool.
NEW METRICS -
Interdependent business strategies are better poised to compete in future markets than those that boast one-dimensional strategies, according to new Accenture research.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
Urban mobility is undergoing a dramatic transformation with the emergence of new technology and transportation services. The pace and extent of this transformation will vary from city to city and depends largely on factors such as density, household income, the state of existing infrastructure, pollution and congestion levels, as well as local governance capabilities.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
A majority of business leaders believe in the value of a strong corporate purpose and only a minority say their company’s main purpose is to maximize shareholder value says a new report by EY. Based on a survey of 1,470 global leaders representing companies across various industries in developed and emerging markets around the world, the report reveals that purpose, not profit, is the key to success amid a turbulent global economy.