PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
Just one month after the launch of its new natural personal care product line ApotheCARE Essentials, Unilever has rolled out yet another responsible beauty brand: Love Beauty and Planet. And it’s kind of a big deal — unlike ApotheCARE Essentials, which has a limited distribution, LBP is being launched on a large scale.
NEW METRICS -
The new wave of conscious consumption, driven largely by millennials and Gen Z, is pushing companies to innovate around social causes.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
In an era where brands are becoming increasingly socially conscious to keep up with societal trends, Marc Skid is no exception. The recently launched online underwear retailer is using the finest, sustainably grown materials to provide its customers both a high-quality product and an opportunity to donate to feed, cure and save the world.
WALKING THE TALK -
With the launch of its #OptOutside campaign in 2015, REI set a new precedent in retail, shuttering its stores on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, giving its employees a paid day off and – on a day that has come to represent consumerism at its most extreme – encouraging staff and consumers alike to forgo the shopping frenzy in favor of the great outdoors. The move epitomized the company’s ethos and kickstarted a movement to drive positive behavior change and impacts.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
CDP, RobecoSAM, EcoVadis — they are all organizations that assess the sustainability performance of companies worldwide. They all have their own agenda and targets, and of course, their own methodology to assess a portfolio of companies.
LEADERSHIP -
Trust. It can sound a lot like a buzzword or business jargon, a word or phrase thrown around by leaders when trying to identify, define or solve a problem. Sometimes it’s not even a consideration until it’s lost.
According to the 2017 Edelman Trust Barometer, only about half of the general population trusts business, government, media and nongovernmental organizations to do the right thing. Trust in business fell to 52 percent, and CEO credibility also fell globally.
WALKING THE TALK -
Global environmental disclosure platform CDP has released the results of its annual tracker of how the largest, most environmentally impactful companies are responding to climate change.
BEHAVIOR CHANGE -
“This conversation is great, but it’s too polite! Where is the sense of urgency in the room?”
During our most recent event at Fashion for Good, themed Power to the Consumer, one woman called us out: “I’ve heard this conversation before, but nothing seems to change! What can we do?”
Lady, we hear you! This is exactly why we formed the True Fashion Collective. We want to bridge the gap between niche sustainable fashion enthusiasts and mainstream audiences because we too fear the urgency around this topic is fading.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
Us vs Them. Me vs You. Old vs Young. Rich vs Poor. We are feeling more divided than ever. Yet the path to brand relevance and resilience is recognizing what we have in common.
Recently we asked 16,000 people globally — across 16 countries, in many languages, in rural and urban areas — about their aspirations for their lives, families and communities.* While the dominant narrative in culture today is that we’re deeply divided — culturally, politically, economically — reading the answers from people across the globe we were reminded that we all share the same aspirations for health, wellbeing, financial security, meaningful relationships and a sense of purpose.
So, what’s the problem?
BEHAVIOR CHANGE -
Good for your health, good for the environment, good for the future. These common themes have consumers embracing trends toward products that are responsibly sourced and manufactured.
As with many things, consumers hold the key. And for products derived from the forest, the reality is no different.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
Consumers increasingly want to buy from brands that are environmentally responsible - and many forward-thinking companies have responded by embracing sustainability. However, there remains a disconnect between sustainability pursuits and the extent to which companies share their journey with consumers.
LEADERSHIP -
Today’s companies are being tasked with the impossible: How can we make money for our shareholders, pay our employees well, and positively impact the environment and society as a whole? The purpose of a business used to be specifically to increase value for the shareholders. While this still clearly holds importance today, there is a growing pressure to expand this value to all stakeholders, and the perception of value is changing.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
CVS Pharmacy is harnessing the power of design to further its mission of helping people on their path to better health. The retail division of CVS Health is introducing a new prescription management system for patients managing multiple medications in an effort to enhance patient safety.
BEHAVIOR CHANGE -
News Deeply, in partnership with Sustainable Brands, has produced a series of profiles looking at how brands are tackling some of the world’s biggest challenges. The goal is to examine trends and gather insights from a new wave of corporate citizenship – in an era when the private sector is increasingly expected to play a positive role in improving our lives and societies. This is the 13th article in the series.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
More evidence has emerged linking business performance with a company's purpose beyond profit.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
As the increasing number of sustainability initiatives from some of today’s leading brands is demonstrating, the market for sustainable products and services is growing rapidly. The impact of a product or service on communities, on societies and on the environment is being given increasing consideration by today’s and tomorrow’s consumers. If that consideration can be converted into increased sales for sustainable products and services, it’s good news both for companies and for the planet. But what’s the best way to market sustainability benefits?
BEHAVIOR CHANGE -
A new survey from The Climate Group and change agency Futerra has revealed that a majority of people globally are optimistic about our ability to address climate change, with 64 percent of global citizens believing that climate change can be addressed if action is taken now.
CHEMISTRY, MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
Packaging has widely been recognized as a pathway to a sustainable future, but opinions around the critical actions needed to deliver circular outcomes in urban areas, particularly megacities (a metropolitan area with a total population over 10 million people), such as management of recycling, littering, waste and support for sustainable behavior and education, largely differ.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
Eighty-one percent of Gen Z believes they can have an impact on social and environmental issues by using social media, according to Cone Communcations' new report 2017 Cone Gen Z CSR Study: How to Speak Z. The study, surveying U.S. teens ages 13-19, examined Gen Z’s aptitude and attitudes toward company involvement in social and environmental issues – and how willing they are to stand up for causes they care about.