FROM PURPOSE TO ACTION: BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE TOGETHER -
Dow is leading the charge in materials science, but we can’t do that science in a box without thinking about communities and the people within them. Nonprofit partnerships help us dig to the root of the most pressing problems in sustainability, find the best solutions and gain public buy-in to create real impact.
NEW METRICS -
The W+ Standard is the first globally recognized framework that measures and monetizes women’s empowerment. Empower Co. is engaging with companies keen to cement their women’s-empowerment programs with robust data — and shift the mindset around climate action from mitigation to net positivity.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
The Ireland-based B Corp joins a growing number of brands aiming to help consumers understand how its products fit into a more climate-conscious approach to eating.
FINANCE & INVESTMENT -
It will begin by funding 10 global accelerators working with early-stage entrepreneurs innovating at the intersection of disability and technology.
BEHAVIOR CHANGE -
Karma Wallet is banking on a recipe of behavior change, fintech and systems change to create a critical mass of consumers able to turn intent into action and pressure brands to make the broader changes the world needs.
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE -
A gambling corporation may seem like the antithesis of ‘social good;’ but for BCLC, this is exactly why a gambling company should pivot to a social-purpose model: “People can look and say, ‘Hey, if a gambling company can bring in a social purpose; then, surely my company can do this as well.’”
SUPPLY CHAIN -
The dire social and environmental consequences of opaque fashion supply chains have been laid bare; and consumers now demand that brands have clear, verifiable visibility throughout their supply chains. FTC shows that it can be done — but it requires a vastly different way of thinking.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
A recent survey of over 1,000 US adults revealed striking evidence that two-thirds (66%) are willing to pay more for sustainable products, despite a growing gap in consumer trust of corporations.
COLLABORATION -
The initiative kicks off with an event series from longtime partner Outdoor Afro, furthering its mission to inspire Black connections and leadership in nature.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
Many brands that offer pre-owned merchandise through their own retail channels initially do it for sustainability reasons — to keep useful products out of landfills. While that is an important benefit of recommerce, thinking of it only in those terms is overlooking major business opportunities.
WALKING THE TALK -
Recent findings and the popularity of wildlife tourism show that tour operators should have an animal welfare policy in place alongside other social responsibility protocols that should evolve as new information becomes available. Travel companies needing to develop or update such a policy can begin with the tips below.
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE -
Companies cannot afford to ignore racial equity or neglect cultivating inclusive opportunity and mobility; their shareholders, employees, communities and customers are all paying attention to how they bring their commitments to life through action.
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE -
At a recent Sustainable Brands virtual event, leaders from the CPG, restaurant and IT industries highlighted how they sold important ideas and ambitions around impact and responsibility internally, and how that translates to external success.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
Proceeds from limited-edition Coors Banquet stubby bottles and a collaborative capsule collection with clothing brand Brixton benefit the Wildland Firefighter
Foundation.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
Holistic thinking has a positive impact on a brand’s market share and ensures it stands on the right side of history. Brands that solely rely on marketing will be severely disadvantaged, especially as more and more consumers choose brands that align with their values over ones that don’t.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
When companies miscommunicate sustainability information, there is usually no malicious intent but poor internal communication. Your marketing team will want to shout from the rooftop how sustainable your business is; but in a rush to do so, it can harm your brand — the very thing they have vowed to protect.
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE -
As she works to transform the company's 130-year-old corporate culture and the implementation of Purpose, we talked with Group Chief Sustainability Officer Ryoko Shimokawa about her vision for sustainable growth for the company and society.
FINANCE & INVESTMENT -
By investing in SMEs in developing countries, we aim to help them enhance their businesses for the benefit of smallholders — proving they are credible to the local banking sector along the way. Ultimately, our core purpose is to tilt the economic balance back toward smallholders; so they can make a decent living in normal times and survive inevitable price shocks.
WALKING THE TALK -
Several global brands have now achieved B Corp certification, leading some to criticize certifier B Lab for abandoning its original mission: Making business a
force for good. But, as advocates point out, welcoming multinationals into the B Corp family is a logical step in scaling systemic change.
COLLABORATION -
The role of business in the health of society and the planet has never been more critical. And as stakeholder calls for companies to use their resources for social and environmental good grow louder, it’s clear that not even multinationals can effect change on their own.