LEADERSHIP -
Though the private sector has largely been leading the charge against climate change as of late, local and national governments are starting to step up to the plate to further catalyze the shift to a more sustainable economy.
As the UK and EU ramp up efforts to slash plastics pollution, the Scottish government has announced plans to impose a ban on the manufacture and sale of plastic-stemmed cotton swabs. Once in place, the ban is expected to reduce Scotland’s marine plastic pollution by a staggering 50 percent.
LEADERSHIP -
I had the good fortune recently to sit next to Richard Liroff at a dinner — what I learned made me very thankful. He is retiring after over 45 years of serving the environment, and hearing his story made me think that we all could benefit from remembering where we came from and being grateful for those who made it their mission to save the environment for future generations.
WALKING THE TALK -
Fashion and textile industry heavy-hitters are heeding the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s recent call for a New Textiles Economy with the rollout of new agreements and action plans that consider the full life cycle of garments.
WASTE NOT -
With an estimated 12 million tons of plastic waste entering the world’s oceans each year, consumers and governments are increasingly looking to businesses to eliminate plastic packaging. Fast food giant McDonald’s and major supermarkets in the UK are rising to the challenge, revealing big plans to go plastic-free.
FINANCE & INVESTMENT -
Environmental and social issues are increasingly being used to shape business practice as companies recognize the link between strong ESG performance and profit. But for those that continue to put up resistance, investors and financial institutions are playing an important role in driving change.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
In a bid to put people on the path to better health, CVS Health has made significant changes in its retail stores, such as ending the sale of tobacco products, embracing healthier food options and committing to remove certain chemicals of concern from all st
WASTE NOT -
Coinciding with the launch of Theresa May’s 25 Year Environment Plan, WRAP has announced a new collaborative initiative with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF) that aims to help turn the tide on the UK’s growing plastic waste problem.
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE -
A notorious company with a controversial product is attempting to pivot its business model to be more socially responsible — and marketing directly to consumers during this transition.
WASTE NOT -
Circular design principles continue to infiltrate the fashion industry as fast fashion giants and emerging labels alike turn their attention to sustainable activewear.
Despite recent criticism over its decision to send its discarded clothing to Swedish incinerators, H&M continues to stride forward on its mission to accelerate the circular fashion movement.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
Financial security company Northwestern Mutual has launched a new brand campaign with the aim of reframing people’s idea of the #GoodLife, by helping them plan for their financial futures and feel empowered to make the most of enjoying life every single day.
COLLABORATION -
A year after announcing its strategy to ensure 100 percent of its branded tuna is sustainably sourced, Thai Union, the company behind brands such as Chicken of the Sea, Bumble Bee, John West and Petit Navire, has embarked on a new partnership with Nestlé to help rebuild its damaged reputation.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
Last week, in response to President Trump’s decision to scale back Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments, outdoor retail brand and sustainability leader Patagonia in turn announced it would be suing the President, a definitively bold move — even for the likes of the brand that brought us “Don’t Buy This Jacket” an
WASTE NOT -
Single-serve beverage waste is on the fast-track to obsolescence as startups, multinationals and local governments unveil strategies to keep cups, straws and plastic bottles out of landfill.
WALKING THE TALK -
JUST Capital, a nonprofit research organization, and Forbes have released the 2017 edition of the JUST 100 List, which ranks publicly traded companies in the US on their performance to act on the priorities of the public.
PRESS RELEASE -
Kohler Co. was recognized as a 2017 Green Master by the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council and the Green Master Program at the organization’s annual conference.
Green Master recognizes Wisconsin businesses for their commitment to sustainability and provides benchmarks to track their progress. The program measures efforts in nine sustainability categories: energy, carbon, water, waste management, transportation, supply chain, outreach, workforce and governance. By providing businesses of all sizes and sectors objective criteria, Green Master allows companies to compare sustainability performance against peers.
PRESS RELEASE -
We live in a digitally connected world where anyone can be a global problem solver, addressing critical issues like unemployment, hunger, poverty, climate change, and income inequality. By combining the power of technology with innovative, entrepreneurial, and passionate people, we can accelerate solutions that create positive and lasting change.
Last year, Cisco set an ambitious new goal: harnessing the power of global problem solvers to positively impact the lives of one billion people by 2025.
We set out to achieve this goal and make this impact in three ways:
PRESS RELEASE -
Braskem's management and investments in the sustainability area were once again recognized by the CDP (Carbon Disclosure Program), a non-profit organization that selects the best publicly traded companies in the world in relation to the management of greenhouse gases, water consumption and forest use. The company will once again integrate the entity's "List A", appearing as the only Brazilian one with a maximum score in the Climate rankings - for the second consecutive time, and Water rankings - for the first time.
With the result, Braskem ranks among the 25 companies, in the universe of 2,452 evaluated companies around the world, that have received an A grade in both rankings simultaneously.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
As an issue putting nearly a trillion dollars at risk, deforestation has quickly become a front-of-mind concern for businesses dependent on forest-risk commodities, such as timber, palm oil and cocoa. However, new data released by the Forest 500 shows that the 250 companies with the greatest influence over forests are failing to adequately address deforestation risks, and will not meet 2020 goals to eliminate deforestation from their supply chains.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
2017 was a big year for the circular economy, with innovative new products, initiatives and tech tools popping up almost daily, and making it easier than every for corporates and consumers alike to engage in circularity.
An initiative of the World Economic Forum and the Forum of Young Global Leaders, The Circulars are awarded to individuals, companies (from startups to multinationals) and public and social organizations in recognition for their contributions to the circular economy. This year, 43 innovators have been nominated for pushing the circular agenda forward and paving the way for others in their field.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
The cocoa industry is undoubtedly changing for the better, but the road to a sustainable sector is a long one. According to industry experts, long-term, sustainable change can’t be made without paying farmers a premium.