PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
SunFarmer, a non-profit Toronto startup that offers long-term financing for solar energy systems in underserved regions, is playing a vital role in helping the earthquake-wracked country rebuild.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
On Wednesday morning of SB ’15 San Diego, ISEAL Alliance unveiled a new tool that brings clarity to the landscape of sustainability claims and labels, providing key questions any “sustainable” business should ask its partners. ChallengeTheLabel.org is a filter for information about the social and environmental attributes of a product or service. Two years in the making, this user-friendly and interactive tool promises to be helpful for decision-making for sustainable purchasing and procurement for consumers and businesses alike.
CLEANTECH -
Given the rate at which big data is evolving — it is being generated from multiple sources at such speed and volume that the term itself is becoming overexposed — it is little wonder that corporations are struggling to figure out how best to mine it for the type of information that can help enable a better world.
PRESS RELEASE -
180 thousand children between the ages of six and ten will receive heart scans as part of the Little Hearts Project in nine cities in Southeastern Anatolia. The scans will be conducted in primary schools located in Adıyaman, Batman, Diyarbakır, Gaziantep, Kilis, Mardin, Şanlıurfa, Siirt, and Şırnak
SUPPLY CHAIN -
Despite recent commitments to deforestation-free palm oil by several well-known brands and producers, many companies are delaying implementation of these commitments. Commitments are just the first step; the implementation stage is where companies can really start to make a difference – and both conservation groups and the investor community are voicing their dissatisfaction and concern about the lack of follow-through from companies including McDonald's and Bunge Limited.
COLLABORATION -
Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy (BICEP) is the foremost coalition of companies advancing energy and climate legislation in the US. A project of Ceres, BICEP convenes 34 member companies that advocate a low-carbon economy as a path to create jobs and stimulate growth.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
It is often presumed in the modern world that drawing people out of poverty results in higher carbon emissions and environmental impact; the biggest driver of greenhouse gas emissions has been economic growth. However, Tilonia®, an ethical accessories brand based in Rajasthan, India, has shown that the conventional growth model can be broken.
PRESS RELEASE -
by Niloofar Ganjian,WWF works to conserve nature and reduce the most pressing threats to the diversity of life on Earth. Recognizing that the problems facing our planet are increasingly more complex and urgent, we have refined the way we work with an ambitious new strategy that organizes our efforts around six key areas: forests, oceans, freshwater, wildlife, food and climate.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
For those of us in the sustainability field, stakeholder engagement that leads to action is the Holy Grail for creating the change needed for a healthy world and future.
WASTE NOT -
In honor of Earth Day this week, both Brad Pitt and Sheryl Crow are using their star power to back initiatives aimed at helping responsibly build affordable housing for those in need, while bringing awareness to the importance of textile recycling.First, Pitt’s non-profit, Make It Right — which builds sustainable, affordable homes, buildings and communities for people in need — kicked off a partnership with American Eagle Outfitters to recycle used and unwanted denim into building materials for affordable homes.
COLLABORATION -
As we approach the world’s 21st year of international climate change negotiations (let that sink in), it has never been more critical for citizens to begin demanding and building climate action. That is exactly why Prince Ea has teamed up with Code REDD's Stand For Trees campaign to create an unprecedented reflection on the consequences of our climate inaction, and an inspired vision of collective change.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
After less than two intensive months of campaigning for change in the foodservice industry, The Humane League — a national nonprofit animal advocacy organization with the mission to save animals’ lives and reduce animal suffering — is proud to announce further progress. Compass Group has announced it will join Aramark and Sodexo, the nation’s largest foodservice companies, in making major changes to their animal welfare policies.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
April is Earth Month, and brands are announcing programs to inspire participation in environmental activities and funding campaigns.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
Hilton Worldwide has announced that it will begin to eliminate the use of cages for egg-laying chickens and gestation crates for breeding pigs in its global food supply chain.The announcement was made in conjunction with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), the nation’s largest animal protection organization.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
The Canadian Fair Trade Network (CFTN), a non-profit organization that works with civil society and industry stakeholders to advance awareness and support for fair trade in Canada, has teamed up with Rethink Canada on a series of clothing labels highlighting the devastating conditions that persist for many workers in garment factories around the world.The powerful ad campaign, “The Label Doesn’t Tell the Whole Story,” depicts clothing tags on a suit jacket, sweater and hoodie that reveal much more than the size and fabric mix of the garments (click to enlarge images).
PRESS RELEASE -
$2.2 billion in sales; $168 million for members; $8 million for outdoor accessToday, leading outdoor retailer REI announced that it is sharing more than ever with the outdoor community through its annual dividend, returning $168 million to its members1. In 2014, 945,000 new members joined the co-op, taking active membership to a high of 5.5 million. The co-op reported record annual revenues of $2.2 billion, a 9.9 percent increase from 2013.
BEHAVIOR CHANGE -
Animal welfare NGOs Mercy for Animals (MFA) and The Humane League declared victories this week, having motivated more large food companies to reform their animal treatment policies, this time after exposing supplier cruelty toward dairy cows and veal calves.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
Code REDD announced the launch today of Stand For Trees, the first consumer campaign that uses the power of social media and crowdfunding to enable users to take action to reduce deforestation and curb climate change.Individuals are asked to purchase $10 Stand for Trees certificates, which each prevent one metric tonne of carbon dioxide (CO2) from being released into the atmosphere while protecting threatened ecosystems that sustain forest communities and numerous endangered species.
COLLABORATION -
I held a roundtable discussion with the directors of sustainability centers and institutes at six top business schools to learn more about how they engage with industry. One of the questions was: What are your expectations for funding or engagement time when working with industry?For curriculum-based projects, we don’t lead the discussions with anything that involves a fee for services.
BEHAVIOR CHANGE -
The devastating effects of deforestation and efforts to end it are at the forefront of the sustainability conversation, and global corporations across a variety of industries have responded with zero-deforestation commitments. And, as both PepsiCo and Asia Pulp and Paper have learned in the last few weeks alone, there are plenty of NGOs and other stakeholders on hand to hold companies accountable if it appears they aren’t following through.