SUPPLY CHAIN -
In a recent webinar, FSC, Procter & Gamble and Stok discussed how companies can fulfill their role in the responsible sourcing and manufacturing of products derived from forests.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
A new report by TRAFFIC, the FAO and the IUCN Species Survival Commission Medicinal Plant Specialist Group looks at 12 common, wild-harvested plant ingredients and their effects on local sourcing communities and ecosystems.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
It’s that time of year, again — when we pore excitedly over Fast Company’s annual list of World-Changing Ideas. Here are a few of our favorites.
CHEMISTRY, MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
While not every company is equipped or positioned to follow its products through their entire lifecycle, there are a few ways companies can think about participating at individual or multiple points in the circular cycle.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
For carbon markets to be effective, a dedicated effort must be made by corporate buyers and project developers to align on a high standard of excellence. Companies exploring offsets should look for these three attributes of a project to feel confident they are purchasing high-quality carbon credits.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
The latest IPCC report provides further detail about just how far we’re careening off the proverbial rails and our ever-narrowing window for getting back on a habitable track. But it also provides deeper insight into a potential
path forward — if we take definitive, collective action immediately.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
Marking two years of COVID-19, new research from FAIRR warns failure to improve crowded, high-stress conditions in animal agriculture fosters ideal breeding ground for
new, zoonotic diseases.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
The fast and yet slow pace of climate change, along with the geographically dispersed nature of the impacts, can make a collective risk accounting seem
overwhelming. Yet there is an interplay between climate risk and certain mitigation measures; we need to factor the risks into how we approach solutions.
WALKING THE TALK -
The first Climate Corporate Responsibility Monitor dissects the climate pledges of 25 of the world’s leading companies — and finds they fall well short of the action required to help the world avoid the effects of catastrophic climate change.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
Far from simply the latest buzzword, regenerative agriculture is an opportunity for brands to invest in a fundamentally different system that drives numerous
benefits for people and the planet — from boosting climate resilience and reversing biodiversity loss to prioritizing justice, equity and sustainable livelihoods.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
Raw material sourcing is more important than ever. Evolving attitudes among brands, retailers and consumers are creating demand for greater sustainability and transparency — starting at the seed and throughout the entire supply chain.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
The UK has lost almost half its wildlife and plant species since the Industrial Revolution. The new campaign, from the Council for Sustainable Business,
specifically addresses nature-focused challenges and solutions for businesses.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
The move comes following an investigation by Repórter Brasil and Mighty Earth that tracked deforestation-linked beef to European retail store shelves. JBS, the world’s largest beef producer, has long been on the radar of environmental NGOs and forward-looking investors due to its destructive practices.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
What has been sorely needed is an agreed-upon international framework that broadly establishes who can sell carbon credits; who can buy them and for what purpose; and what constitutes a quality carbon credit. COP26 took a major step towards such a framework.
WALKING THE TALK -
Many companies say they’ve reached their net-zero goals, but is it really that easy? We can make the numbers look good, at least in the short-term; or we can strive for greater impacts — towards real zero and beyond. If we don’t take this challenge seriously today, we won’t be in business in ten years’ time.
COLLABORATION -
Consumer goods brands and retailers aiming to diminish their climate impacts or even become forest positive can find cost-effective solutions to protect forests when they partner with indigenous communities on the ground.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
Shimokawa Town in Hokkaido is a designated SDGs Future City and the winner of the first Prime Minister’s Japan SDGs Award in 2017. Four years on, Shimokawa is still working earnestly to achieve the goals and is keen to share its progress, new initiatives, and challenges along the way.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
In a recent webinar, representatives from throughout the Fairtrade ecosystem, along with partners Lidl and Tony’s Chocolonely, discussed how the NGO and its partner brands are working to finally make cocoa farming sustainable for producers.
FINANCE & INVESTMENT -
With so little time left, we must prepare for the colossal
climate challenges yet to come. We hope our approach to public-private blended finance will inspire other multinationals, investors and climate funds to support protective measures that ensure the climate resilience of their supply chains and the global economy.
WALKING THE TALK -
One of the most noteworthy pledges to come out of COP26 so far sees over 100 governments, responsible for 86 percent of the world’s forests, committing to end deforestation by 2030. Now, we must immediately take this lofty vision and make it a reality.