Stories About Systems Shift
Found 798 stories. Page 39 of 40.
From Niche to New Normal: Scorecards Enabling Holistic Shifts to Sustainable Product Portfolios
MARKETING AND COMMS - Shifting an entire product portfolio to align with an ambitious sustainability strategy is no small feat. Even those considered leaders in corporate sustainability are still refining their approach. This session on day two of SB'17 Copenhagen explored how sustainability scorecards have been developed and used to support product innovation processes for sustainability at several major brands. In introducing the session, Eric Mugnier of EY France set the scene: Companies are increasingly expected to bring sustainable solutions to market through innovating and preferentially investing in products that are good for life.
White Supremacy: What’s a CEO to Do?
WALKING THE TALK - If you’re a U.S. business leader, this week likely threw you into a professional conundrum: Should you take a public stand against white supremacy knowing you’ll jump into treacherous political waters?
Companies Committed to Sustainability But Which Rely on Old-Economy Metrics Will Never Get There from Here
NEW METRICS - A close friend and colleague of mine, Joe Firestone, once pointed out that along with new conceptions of the world (i.e., new paradigms) come corresponding requirements for new measurement models. We simply cannot measure things in old ways when the things we’re trying to measure are entirely new. New constructs usually call for new metrics.
Going Deeper on Understanding, Measuring Transformational Change: Part 21
NEW METRICS - In 20 earlier parts of this series,Claire Sommer,Jill Lipotiand I developed 38 pitfalls in the sustainable business metrics field, based on the experiences of many mostly non-business fields (Find them here.).
While Scotland Flourishes, Red Tape Puts the Brakes on Circular Economy in the UK
THE NEXT ECONOMY - With UK Prime Minister Theresa May putting Article 50 into effect, many questions have arisen in regards to the UK’s sustainability agenda. Uncertainty exists about whether the economic powerhouse and EU defector will adhere to the ambitious goals laid out by its counterparts on the continent or if it will take a more reserved approach to the climate goals outlined in the Paris Agreement. But even if the UK decides to continue pushing an ambitious agenda, deeply rooted politics and red tape could prove problematic for progress.
There is No ‘Away’: How Each of Us Can Help Stop Plastic Pollution
WASTE NOT - Last month, Indonesia pledged to cut plastic pollution by an astounding 70 percent by 2025, in response to the UN Environment Programme’s #CleanSeas campaign. This commitment is a huge step forward in reducing the more than 8 million tons of plastic going into our oceans every year.
Systems Thinking: Life-Enhancing Business Through Leadership
LEADERSHIP - Change is one of the most challenging elements of life within an organization. To sustain a change agenda moving away from behaviors and decisions that are life-destroying to becoming life-enhancing, the nuances of both corporate culture and the patterns of human behavior need to be understood. This requires systems thinking - also called visual seeing and thinking skills. I sat down with Fritjof Capra, one of the world’s most distinguished scientists and systems theorists, to discuss the implications of systems thinking for business, leadership and society.
America’s Broken Systems: A Case for Sustainable Design?
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE - The first of a three-part proposal for using sustainability to recharge America's problem-solving.
Europe Could Open Up €320 Billion by Scaling a Circular Economy
THE NEXT ECONOMY - The business case for sustainability, particularly the circular economy, is a strong one, and more and more researching is backing it up. A recent report by the Business & Sustainable Development Commission pointed to sustainable business models as the key to unlocking trillions of dollars in economic opportunities, and WRAP revealed that brands across the UK saved over £100 million simply by reducing food waste.
30 New EU Life+ Pilot Projects Make Convincing Case for Circular Business Models
THE NEXT ECONOMY - A recent report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and a number of new initiatives sweeping Europe have highlighted the convincing business case for companies to adopt circular principles into their business models. The latest development on the path to a circular economy? A new project across the UK and the Netherlands called REBus.
European Commission Releases New Clean Energy Package, But Is It Enough?
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE - Yesterday, the European Commission (EC) announced it will begin phasing out coal subsidies and reduce carbon emissions by 40 percent by 2030 under a new clean energy package.
How Organizations Are Transforming Business Models, Capitalism, Metrics, Systems
NEW METRICS - On Monday, New Metrics ’16 opened on a hopeful note, despite the unrest following a volatile election season in the United States.
Shaw to Co-Host 5-City Workshop Series for Sustainability Thought Leaders
PRESS RELEASE - Shaw Industries Group, Inc. (Shaw), alongside the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, BuildingGreen, Google, and several others, will host a national workshop series entitled
From Inspiration to Transformation to Activation: Authentic Approaches to Fulfilling Brand Purpose
LEADERSHIP - In this volatile time of unceasing change, the opening night plenary presentations at SB’16 Copenhagen explored the characteristics an organisation needs to not just be resilient, but be ‘fit’ for the future. They unravelled the challenges and successes of their journeys through activating the purpose that moved them to more sustainable, future-fit organisations.
Introducing the Systems View of Life Into Organizations
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE - I recently took part in a Sustainable Brands webinar with Fritjof Capra, in which we discussed how to introduce systems thinking and the systems view of life into organizations. After interviewing Fritjof in January, I invited him to take part in this webinar to explore the issues in more depth, an opportunity which would also allow participants to ask questions and contribute their thoughts and ideas as well.
Future-Fit Business: A Metamorphosis in Our Midst
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE - Since the industrial revolution, we have achieved great feats of economic, social and technological advancement for which we can be proud. The structures and strictures of old have served us well in many material ways. But times they are a changin’. We now face increasing volatility: enter the world of commodity spikes, resource scarcity, environmental destruction, social inequality, economic turbulence, population and migrant pressure, changing demographics, the internet of things, climate change, and more.
NIKE's New Distribution Center to Make European Operations More Efficient, Agile, Sustainable
SUPPLY CHAIN - NIKE, Inc. has unveiled the latest expansion of its European Logistics Campus in Belgium, to accelerate its drive toward “the supply chain of the future.” The expansion will make Nike’s European operations more efficient, more responsive and more sustainable, enabling growth by serving consumers across Nike.com, Nike retail and wholesale partners in 38 countries, all from a single inventory location.
GM Recycles Water Bottles to Make Chevy Equinox Part
PRESS RELEASE - General Motors is turning its employees’ recycled water bottles into a new life: noise-reducing fabric insulation that covers the Chevrolet Equinox engine. The bottles – collected from five of its Michigan facilities – are also being turned into air filtration components and insulation in coats for the homeless community. Given its drive to zero waste, all of GM’s global facilities recycle their water bottles. However, the bottles collected at the five locations are now funneled into its “Do Your Part” project, where 11 businesses collaborate to give them a second life.
Companies Face 71% Likelihood of Finding Modern Slavery in Supply Chains
SUPPLY CHAIN - 71 percent of companies believe there is a likelihood of modern slavery occurring at some point within their supply chains, according to research conducted by the Ashridge Centre for Business and Sustainability at Hult International Business School and the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI).
The New Copernican Revolution: Fritjof Capra on the Shift to 'The Systems View of Life'
LEADERSHIP - Fritjof Capra is one of the world’s leading thinkers in systems theory, and the author of many influential books, such as The Tao of Physics; The Web of Life: A New Synthesis of Mind and Matter; The Turning Point: Science, Society and the Rising Culture; The Hidden Connections: A Science for Sustainable Living; and Learning from Leonardo: Decoding the Notebooks of a Genius.
