NEW METRICS -
With 3.8 billion years of R&D behind Earth’s systems and creatures, we’ve barely scratched the surface of what we can learn and how we can apply those lessons to our companies, products and processes.
BEHAVIOR CHANGE -
Last week, over 2,000 representatives from our global community of sustainability practitioners, brand strategists, product and service innovators, thought leaders and other change-makers converged at SB’18 Vancouver to share their latest insights on a multitude of themes pertinent to all of those committed to improving business around the world. Here, we dig into brand and organizational efforts to get consumers to deliver their part of the equation, through responsible consumption.
P&G: The road to responsible consumption
By Marissa Rosen
LEADERSHIP -
Last week, over 2,000 representatives from our global community of sustainability practitioners, brand strategists, product and service innovators, thought leaders and other change-makers converged at SB’18 Vancouver to share their latest insights on a multitude of themes pertinent to all of those committed to improving business around the world. Here, we dig into a topic at the heart of all lasting change: Transformational leadership.
WALKING THE TALK -
Interface has become the first global flooring manufacturer to declare that all of its products — including all carpet tile and luxury vinyl tile (LVT) – are carbon neutral across the entire product lifecycle. The company is now offering its Carbon Neutral Floors™ program as standard to every customer, at no extra cost, to help them meet their own sustainability goals while also allowing them to reduce the emissions impact of their projects or spaces.
PRESS RELEASE -
Today, in recognition of World Environmental Day, Kohler Co. announces expansion of its environmental and human health product disclosures for its kitchen and bath products.
CLEANTECH -
Striving to be the world’s greenest city by 2020, Vancouver has adopted several ambitious action plans and goals. The Vancouver Economic Commission (VEC) set to work in 2010 to define what a “green job” was at the city level in order to meet the City’s economic goals to double the number of green jobs and the number of businesses engaged in greening their operations within a decade. Since then, VEC has been building relationships with investors, helping local cleantech firms increase their exports, and using city infrastructure projects to lead by example.
CHEMISTRY, MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
Lowe’s has become the first major U.S. retailer to commit to ending the sale of two toxic chemicals in its paint removal products sold globally by the end of this year. The chemicals, methylene chloride and N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP), have been linked to more than 60 deaths in the U.S. since 1980, prompting the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to propose a ban in January 2017 that has yet to be finalized.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
Shaw Industries, the world’s largest carpet manufacturer and a leading floorcovering provider, has also become a leader in sustainability — in August, Shaw announced that 85 percent of its products are now Cradle to Cradle Certified™; and earlier this month, it achieved carbon neutrality in its commercial carpet manufacturing operations.
We spoke with Troy Virgo, Director of Sustainability and Product Stewardship, to learn more about what drives the company’s efforts.
WALKING THE TALK -
Published during the first industrial revolution, Adam Smith’s The Wealth of Nations used the metaphor of “the invisible hand of the market” to describe how the decisions of self-interested individuals in a free market economy could promote the general betterment of the society as a whole. To this day, free market proponents use Smith’s metaphor to argue for elimination of regulations for a more efficient economy. But the “invisible hand” only makes societally beneficial decisions to the extent that it has good information.
LEADERSHIP -
European home improvement company Kingfisher has set out ambitious sustainability targets for the next seven years – the latest stage of its journey to become a net positive business by 2050.
BUSINESS CASE -
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Better Buildings Initiative has grown to include more than 900 organizations, which represent 30 of the country’s Fortune 100 companies, 12 of the top 25 U.S. employers, 12 percent of the U.S. manufacturing footprint and 13 percent of total commercial building space, as well as 28 states and close to 100 cities and counties across the nation. Even more impressive is the progress they have made through the program.
PRESS RELEASE -
Shaw Industries Group, Inc. (Shaw) has achieved carbon neutrality in its commercial carpet manufacturing operations. The achievement encompasses all commercial carpet manufacturing facilities that Shaw owns and operates globally, including those for Patcraft, Philadelphia Commercial, Shaw Contract and STS.
PRESS RELEASE -
As of now Novacolor offers new decorative effect paints under the “Africa”, “Puro” and “Patina Minerale” brand names. The textured plasters meet the challenge of combining design and sustainability: Puro is an opaque mineral water-based innovation based on potassium polysilicate, which is odorless and neither contains volatile organic compounds (VOC) nor Formaldehyde. For indoor and outdoor glazing, Novacolor offers the new “Patina Minerale” product, a mineral color wash based on silicates, that recalls the ancient patinas with its chromatic effect. And “Africa”, the finish for interior decoration, which creates a changeable and pleasant play of light and reflected colors based on gentle metallic effects, complements the product range.
PRESS RELEASE -
Desintaion: Home today announced that Cisco has committed $50 million over the next five years to help end homelessness in Santa Clara County. Destination: Home will utilize this significant partnership with Cisco to leverage existing public resources to build more housing for the most vulnerable residents, improve technology capacity across the homeless services sector, and invest in promising and evidence-based practices to most effectively help individuals and families in need of support and stability.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
To usher cities towards a carbon-neutral future, local governments around the globe are hedging their bets on diesel and petrol vehicles bans. But eliminating fossil fueled mobility isn’t the only way to reduce emissions. Smart street furniture and innovative urban infrastructure are fast emerging as viable — and impactful — solutions to the CO2 problem.
CHEMISTRY, MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
The construction industry is the world’s largest consumer of raw materials, and after they’re built, buildings can use a substantial amount of energy to keep us comfortable. Reducing the environmental impacts of buildings – particularly through their materials and energy intensity – has become a priority for startups and large companies alike.
CHEMISTRY, MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
The US’s infrastructure is falling apart beneath our feet. In 2017, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) gave our infrastructure a “D-” on its infrastructure report card. There are so many considerations for infrastructure repair, it’s mind-boggling. From aviation to wastewater systems to public parks, it all needs work. There are two common threads throughout: energy and concrete.
PRESS RELEASE -
Country Inn & Suites® by Radisson, a leading upper midscale hotel brand, today announced the opening of Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Bakersfield, CA located at 2310 Wible Road. The hotel recently completed a $2 million renovation which includes upgrades throughout the hotel, along with the installation of new technology to reduce the hotel’s carbon footprint. These additions include solar panels, LED lights, a temperature control system to reduce energy consumption and charging stations for hybrid cars.
PRESS RELEASE -
Dow Building Solutions, a global business unit of DowDuPont Specialty Products division, today introduced a collaboration with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to deliver solutions that contribute to building more sustainable communities and cities. Dow, a Worldwide Partner and Official Chemistry Company of the Olympic Movement and the Official Carbon Partner of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), is seeking to develop carbon mitigation projects in built environments. The goal of the collaboration is to measurably reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through improved energy efficiency in buildings.