LEADERSHIP -
In response to Utah Governor Gary Herbert’s resolution urging the Trump administration to rescind the Bears Ears National Monument, Patagonia announced that it would be opting out of this year’s Outdoor Retailer trade show. Outdoor Retailer (OR) is held every year in Salt Lake City, Utah, and brings in an estimated $50 million to the state according to the Outdoor Industry Association.
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE -
Multinational consumer goods company Unilever announced a new transparency measure today that will provide consumers with access to additional fragrance ingredient information for its personal care products.
CHEMISTRY, MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
Finding new post-consumer uses and solutions for products is critical for making the shift towards a more circular economy, but more and more companies are turning their focus to the early stages of product production and development, effectively addressing the sustainability question before it becomes a problem.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
French luxury goods holding company Kering announced on Wednesday the next phase of its sustainability strategy across its 16 luxury brands, including Stella McCartney. Kering says it will support the drive towards a low-carbon economy and help shape the future of luxury as sustainable and to operate within the planetary boundaries. Kering’s sustainable strategy is aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
STAKEHOLDER TRENDS AND INSIGHTS -
A new global consumer study from Unilever reveals fascinating insights regarding consumer interest in and commitment to sustainable products, as well as an over $1 trillion market opportunity for brands that can effectively and transparently market the sustainability of their wares.
COLLABORATION -
There are an estimated 21 million victims of forced labour in the world today, with labour exploitation fast becoming the dominant form – in 2015, it overtook sexual exploitation for the first time in the UK. The insidious nature of forced labour, coupled with the growing complexity of global supply chains, makes it a tough problem for corporations to identify, let alone stamp out.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
If ever there was a time for the world’s leading brands to show leadership in sustainability, that time is now.
Globally, the political resolve to combat climate change is being challenged by the arrival of a new US president who considers global warming a “hoax.” Resource scarcity and shrinking biodiversity are a growing concern for more and more areas of the planet. Immigration fears are being stoked by nationalist politicians throughout the world; and attaining racial and gender diversity continues to be an unattained goal in many parts of global society.
BEHAVIOR CHANGE -
As retailers and shoppers gear up for another “highly charged” Black Friday, UK anti-waste advocacy organization WRAP has provided a ‘SMART’ guide for buying electronic products.
Each year the UK buys 1.4 million tonnes (or £21 billion worth) of electrical and electronic products; WRAP estimates that consumers discard a similar amount. The SMART guidelines are designed to help consumers keep calm, buy smarter, and avoid unnecessary waste of devices and their components.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
Moving the needle on consumer behavior remains a monumental task - but a necessary one if we are to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With household consumption accounting for nearly 70 percent of economic activity in the United States, consumers’ choices can make a real difference. At the same time, consumers are faced with so many decisions in their day-to-day lives that “decision fatigue” is commonplace. We cannot expect consumers to weigh the environmental and social implications of each of their actions and purchases.
CHEMISTRY, MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
The issue of hazardous chemicals isn’t new in consumer products; the Romans knew lead was harmful over 2000 years ago.
Scheele’s Green, a copper-arsenic-based pigment, was one of the first colourfast greens used for textiles in the early 1860s. However, as the picture below demonstrates, it didn't take long for the toxic effects of this pigment to become known.
Something has to be going wrong if hundreds of years ago we knew arsenic and lead were hazardous, and today, we still have to communicate this to the value chain.
CHEMISTRY, MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
Walmart hopes to reignite the passion around sustainable packaging with vendors, store buyers, packaging suppliers and consumers with three new, clear goals: Optimize Design; Source Sustainably; and Support Recycling. The priorities were unveiled along with the company’s new “Sustainable Packaging Playbook” at the Walmart Sustainable Packaging Summit this week.
BEHAVIOR CHANGE -
Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media (DCPI) and Dole Food Company have announced a co-branded assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables featuring iconic Disney, Pixar, Star Wars, and Marvel characters.
PRESS RELEASE -
Procter & Gamble global chief executive David Taylor met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday to discuss the company's manufacturing initiatives in the country and partnership opportunities in education and the government's cleanliness drive.
In line with P&G's global sustainability goals, the company said it has offered to help the country's Clean India Initiative (Swachh Bharat Abhiyan) by using technology to reduce waste to landfill that will up-cycle sanitary waste.
The maker of Ariel and Pampers appointed Taylor as its chief a year ago amid falling global sales and restructuring of its products portfolio. Internationally, Taylor has been reorganising P&G's brand portfolio, focusing on the core ones and selling dozens of unprofitable brands.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
Product developers, designers and manufacturers looking to create more responsible, sustainable products now have the opportunity to participate in the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Catalyst program, free of charge. An online course, resources for implementing Cradle to Cradle design within an organization, and access to a community of fellow innovators are all part of the program.
CHEMISTRY, MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
We currently produce enough plastic to wrap Denmark in plastic film every day of the year all year round.
This was just one of the shocking facts revealed by Sofus Midtgaard – Managing Partner & Nordic Lead at Leaderlab & LAUNCH, and moderator for Tuesday’s panel discussion that explored accelerating the transition to healthy products through the development of sustainable materials.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
Collaborative consumption, also called the sharing economy, is expected to continue growing as a trend, particularly as digital technology makes sharing marketplaces more commonplace and accessible. This shift away from individual ownership of goods could really hurt manufacturers – or, as a recent study suggests, could deliver them profit-making benefits if they adjust their prices and product design.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
Certification, standards and labels have long provided an effective mechanism for raising awareness around a range of sustainability issues – from deforestation and overfishing, to carbon reduction and energy efficiency.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
Two design challenges are back and accepting new entries for products designed to help enable a sustainable future.
The non-profit H&M Foundation is accepting applications for the second edition of its Global Change Award through October 31st, 2016. The competition is seeking early stage ideas that present new circular approaches for the fashion industry – whether by changing the way garments are designed, produced, shipped, bought, used, or recycled – by adding disruptive technology or using a new business model.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
A new study reveals that consumers’ demand for product transparency is on the rise – overall, they desire more product information and are inclined to be more loyal to brands that provide more detailed insights. About 40 percent say they would switch to a new brand if it offered full product transparency, and 81 percent say they would consider a brand’s entire portfolio of products if they switched to that brand as a result of increased transparency.
PRESS RELEASE -
Unilever’s laundry brand, Surf, today announces a unique three-year partnership with Oxfam that aims to recognise, reduce and redistribute the amount of time spent by women and girls on unpaid care work.
Crucially the collaboration will challenge social norms by encouraging the equitable distribution of unpaid work.