CHEMISTRY, MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
The US’s infrastructure is falling apart beneath our feet. In 2017, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) gave our infrastructure a “D-” on its infrastructure report card. There are so many considerations for infrastructure repair, it’s mind-boggling. From aviation to wastewater systems to public parks, it all needs work. There are two common threads throughout: energy and concrete.
LEADERSHIP -
Right now, almost four billion people live in a city somewhere in the world. By the middle of this century, that number is set to jump by a staggering 2.5 billion, with 90 percent of that growth happening in cities located in Asia and Africa.
However, with many cities doubling in size every 15 to 20 years, our urban environments currently lack the resources necessary to adapt to the forces of urbanization. Our cities will need to accommodate spiraling numbers of people, servicing their needs and stimulating trade and investment to create jobs, all within the constraints imposed by mega-challenges, such as climate change, poverty and employment. In Europe, two-thirds of people already live in cities.
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE -
At dormakaba, we aim to become the trusted industry leader and to make access in life smart and secure. We also want to be smart about the choices we make as a company — including how we manage sustainability. That is why we decided to conduct a sustainability impact assessment of our business activities. Our goal is to responsibly manage our business, focusing our sustainability efforts where we can have the most impact.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
In a new report, Forum for the Future calls on leaders to better understand the dynamic trends that are shaping the future in order to create strategies that effectively navigate today’s complex challenges and unlock new opportunities for sustainability.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch® program, already the global standard for environmentally responsible seafood, has created a new tool that allows businesses to assess the potential risk of forced labor, human trafficking and child labor in fisheries.
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE -
Societal expectations shift incessantly, like stones on a beach. Some ideas ripple gently across our collective consciousness, leaving barely a trace, while others swell and gather momentum, swelling into waves capable of dislodging the largest rocks. Established norms, which until moments before seemed immutable, are swept away.
On February 6th, 1918, the Suffragettes won the right for women in the UK to vote. Not all women — it took another decade for this particular rock to right itself — but one hundred years ago today was the moment that the wave came crashing inexorably down.
WASTE NOT -
Resource scarcity and the rise of the circular economy are inspiring businesses, industry associations and governments to develop new ways to recover precious and critical raw materials (CRMs) from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). The Urban Mine Platform, a database of valuable materials for “urban mining,” is the public and private sectors’ latest attempt to take on the challenge.
WASTE NOT -
Around 52 million tons of food are wasted each year in the United States despite 1 in 7 US citizens lacking reliable access to sufficient, affordable and nutritious food. While raising consumer awareness is an important food waste reduction strategy, interventions at the corporate level have a crucial role to play in addressing the issue on a large scale.
COLLABORATION -
Sustainability is at risk. And whilst the risks that go beyond climate change may be less well-understood, they are just as pressing.
That was the message at the first meeting of the European Union’s Multi-Stakeholder Platform on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on 10 January in Brussels.
WASTE NOT -
The UK government has unveiled a national action plan to eradicate avoidable plastic waste by 2042. The announcement aims to quell concerns of critics regarding the potential negative impacts Brexit could have on the UK’s sustainability performance.
CLEANTECH -
Wind’s potential to fuel the next economy is no longer speculation, but rather fact. According to new research by Research & Markets, energy statistics from Denmark and a pledge made by the UK government to phase out coal by 2025, fossil fuels are officially on the decline.
The global market for wind turbines is rapidly expanding, as indicated by a new study from Research & Markets, which predicts annual industry growth of 6.7 percent to 2022. The report presents a comprehensive analysis of the current wind turbine market in four regions — North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC) and Rest of the World (ROW) — and its future direction.
CLEANTECH -
Norway is paving the way to a more energy-efficient, low-carbon future through new intelligent lighting technology and strong financial incentives.
WALKING THE TALK -
Despite the withdrawal of the US government from the Paris Agreement, many US businesses remain unwavering in their commitment to act on climate change. 2017 was a solid year for corporate climate leadership: 1,700 businesses signed the We Are Still In declaration and nearly half of Fortune 500 companies now have climate and clean energy goals.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
Two years after adopting the Circular Economy Package, the European Commission, Parliament and Council have reached an agreement on waste-processing legislation to pave the way for a circular future for Europe. Agreements were reached on four legislative proposals addressing waste, packaging waste, landfill and electronic waste.
WASTE NOT -
In today’s digitally dependent world, e-waste management is a critical issue that requires urgent attention from both the public and private sector.
WASTE NOT -
Single-serve beverage waste is on the fast-track to obsolescence as startups, multinationals and local governments unveil strategies to keep cups, straws and plastic bottles out of landfill.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
2017 was a big year for the circular economy, with innovative new products, initiatives and tech tools popping up almost daily, and making it easier than every for corporates and consumers alike to engage in circularity.
An initiative of the World Economic Forum and the Forum of Young Global Leaders, The Circulars are awarded to individuals, companies (from startups to multinationals) and public and social organizations in recognition for their contributions to the circular economy. This year, 43 innovators have been nominated for pushing the circular agenda forward and paving the way for others in their field.
LEADERSHIP -
France has once again topped the Food Sustainability Index (FSI), an annual ranking of major countries on their commitment to food sustainability created by The Economist Intelligence Unit in partnership with the Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition.
WASTE NOT -
While a recent report from waste management firm Suez has expressed concern about the potential “disastrous” consequences of Brexit on the UK’s already taxed waste infrastructure system, Scotland is forging ahead with its plans to create a Zero Waste future. Late last week, MSP Roseanna Cunningham, Cabinet Secretary for the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform, announced the cities chosen for phase two of Zero Waste Scotland’s Zero Waste Towns project.
WALKING THE TALK -
Cobalt is back in the news, as a new report from Amnesty International reveals that tech industry giants such as Microsoft, Lenovo, Renault and Vodafone aren’t doing enough to keep child labor out of cobalt battery supply chains in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and China.