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.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
The newly launched B2B marketplace helps connect companies with vetted, sustainable, plastic-free packaging options, as well as education on materials
and the evolving regulatory landscape.
BEHAVIOR CHANGE -
Consumers are more and more inclined to buy from brands that align with their beliefs and values; and anti-Black Friday is an important indicator of the
growing chasm between purpose-driven brands and those still banking on business-as-usual approaches.
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.
FINANCE & INVESTMENT -
Disclosure and data certainly are important, but they are not sufficient to create a more equitable and sustainable world. Companies that take a narrow or
compliance-focused approach to ESG are missing the forest for the trees.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
In Canada’s first-ever Purpose in Business Week, business, government and thought leaders are creating a Roadmap to accelerate the purpose economy and mainstream social purpose in business that will require cross-sector engagement and collaboration across six critical levers.
FROM PURPOSE TO ACTION: BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE TOGETHER -
We believe that the solution to stopping plastic waste is understanding that the material is too valuable to be lost in landfills. We can change what is
traditionally considered waste and transform it into a valuable, sustainable resource through advanced recycling.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
The roadmap and momentum are there; so, the big issue now is acceleration. We have the capacity to build a better future — and right now, some leaders are driving a fundamental redefinition of value by adopting new metrics and standards.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
The natural intersection of citizen science and tourism is obvious: If travelers are already participating in these activities, why not encourage deeper understanding and awareness about the natural world while also advancing scientific research?
BEHAVIOR CHANGE -
While private car is the preferred mode of transport for Spanish and Latin Americans, 70% think cars take up too much space in cities. Cabify is working to raise awareness on the impact of transport and advancing a pioneering environmental strategy to decarbonize urban mobility.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
Two recent releases by a noted activist group put tough questions in front of one of the world’s largest financial institutions — which would be wise to pay
attention.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
Cuningham was commissioned to estimate GHG emissions for a company with $6.6B in annual sales and operations in 14 states, with 305 locations comprising more than 4M square feet. Companies’ real work begins when their GHGs are known and
they can decide how to respond to newfound knowledge about their impacts.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
Brands have a powerful voice and field of influence; by leading by example on digital packaging innovation, they can not only reduce their impact on the environment, but be heroes of change and inspire others to take positive action, as well.
CLEANTECH -
Reining in energy emissions is top of mind for companies; so having more control of how, where and when energy is produced makes good business sense. Here, Shell Energy’s Matt Baker explains why microgrids are an increasingly popular solution.
WALKING THE TALK -
Wednesday was Transport Day at COP26; and promising corporate and government pledges came together from airlines, automakers and the shipping industry. But the question remains: Are we doing enough, fast enough?
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.
CHEMISTRY, MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
The new Consortium — which includes Closed Loop Partners, PepsiCo, the NextGen Consortium, the US Plastics Pact and other value chain players — aims to pilot industry-wide solutions and map tech and infrastructure investment to advance the circularity of compostable packaging in the US.
BEHAVIOR CHANGE -
While it can feel overwhelming to see how much our actions impact the Earth, we still have a small window of opportunity. And by changing how we consume, store and distribute water, the water sector alone could eliminate 10% of global GHG emissions.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
Now finally legal in New York, kelp farming is an environmental engineering solution ready-made for sequestering carbon and nitrogen, improving soil health,
cleaning up waterways and creating jobs — a ‘suite of benefits’ that could make it a climate game changer.