SUPPLY CHAIN -
Launched in collaboration with Fashion for Good, the Traceability Roadmap provides a step-by-step guide to implementing traceability to achieve ESG, compliance and business goals.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
In 2021, global construction projects consumed 30B tonnes of cement to make concrete — with every tonne emitting almost a tonne of CO2. The good news is, technologies already exist to reduce the impact of concrete production.
WASTE NOT -
Helping people on the front lines of manufacturing and materials management understand company sustainability goals, and providing the leadership support to contribute to achieving them, empowers them to take a more conscious approach to disposal.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
The Multnomah County lawsuit is just one of many emerging efforts to hold corporations responsible for climate change and may set a new precedent for global corporate accountability.
WALKING THE TALK -
I learned a tremendous amount about creating an authentic purpose from Rockport’s journey. Together, we created one of the first purpose-driven companies. Thank you, Bruce, for that opportunity.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
This year's awards recognized a historic number of climate-related campaigns; but as an industry, we continue to talk in circles.
CLEANTECH -
Projects that could generate more than 1TW of renewable energy are still waiting to be constructed and connected to the grid in all parts of the world, due to delays in permitting and a lack of investment in grid infrastructure.
CHEMISTRY, MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
As innovators such as Notpla and B’ZEOS continue to prove, the potential uses for seaweed — including as plastic alternatives that are truly compostable and biodegradable — are endless.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
New research quantifies the financial value of sustainability perceptions for hundreds of the world’s biggest brands — and the substantial risks of not living up to them.
WALKING THE TALK -
The Food Made Good Sustainability Standard is the only certification designed to measure restaurants’ social and environmental impacts, wherever they are in the world. It also highlights areas for improvement and provides credibility in communicating sustainability practices to customers.
WALKING THE TALK -
B Lab’s standards have offered a flexible approach to achieving B Corp certification; but that flexibility has been criticized as not holding bigger companies accountable for driving systemic change. We sat down with B Lab to learn more about its evolving standards.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
A corresponding survey of US adults reveals the beverage industry has ‘more work to do when it comes to education’ around proper recycling.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
91% of parents surveyed are concerned about climate change — a majority say the crisis has even impacted their perspective on having more children.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
Between our responsibilities as sustainability professionals and a growing set of topics to learn about, impacts to track and regulations to meet, it’s hard to know where to focus to do the most good. To help distinguish between signal and noise, I take the following approach.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
CCS proponents argue it can offset emissions from hard-to-abate sectors such as energy and heavy industry; while opponents fear it could further the status quo and distract from the need for real emissions reductions.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
The Deforestation-Free Call to Action for Leather calls on brands and retailers to ensure sourcing of bovine leather from deforestation-free supply chains by 2030 or earlier.
COLLABORATION -
The EDRA/GHIN Scope 3 taskforce will agree on consistent methodologies in how carbon data is treated through the supply chain and share best practices in both reporting and accelerating the industry’s progress in reducing Scope 3.
BEHAVIOR CHANGE -
Danish grocery giant Coop’s impactful partnership with Krukow Behavioral Design yielded insights for any retailer looking to enlist its customers’ help in reducing food-related carbon emissions.
CHEMISTRY, MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
Along with being sub-optimal for human health, many conventional cooking oils contribute to deforestation, biodiversity loss, and soil and water pollution. Fermented oils could save both the environment and our diets.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
HOK’s design focus is not only on reducing building emissions, but also the environmental impact of materials and the health of building occupants. The firm's regenerative design studio also explores how buildings can be net positive for the environment.