CIRCULAR ECONOMY -
It was 2014 and social entrepreneur Samir Lakhani was working on sustainable aquaculture projects in the villages of Northern Cambodia. Watching a mother wash and bathe her new baby using laundry powder rather than soap is a vision that has stayed with him to this day.
It was also the inspiration for his next business venture.
“I noticed that nobody seemed in good overall health — whether it was an infection that wouldn’t go away or a child with diarrhea,” he told Sustainable Brands in a recent interview.
CIRCULAR ECONOMY -
On Friday, Montreal’s McGill University announced the opening of the Bensadoun School of Retail Management (BSRM) — a hub for students, researchers and practitioners to work collaboratively towards bringing retailers into the 21st century. An interdisciplinary, forward-looking school dedicated to all facets of the retail industry, its research and programming will focus on fostering sustainable consumption and healthy societies.
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS -
A growing roster of celebrities are no longer satisfied with endorsing corporate products, instead creating (or at least investing in) their own. Think George Clooney, Dr.
PRESS RELEASE -
Procter & Gamble, a multi-national consumer goods corporation which specialises in cleaning agents, personal care and hygiene products, and has operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. The company has been working to incorporate circularity into their supply chain for many years, and indeed, P&G's focus on waste has allowed their global facilities to successfully divert over 5 million tonnes of would be waste from landfills since 2008. They have recently announced their Ambition 2030 for the decade ahead which includes commitments to reduce their supply chain footprint and striving to drive circular solutions.
PRESS RELEASE -
A joint venture between Procter & Gamble and Italian healthcare group Angelini is working to create a sustainable recycling loop that would allow dirty diapers to be turned into plastic bottle caps and viscose clothing.
More than 20 million tonnes of disposable diapers are burned or dumped in landfills globally every year - a major environmental problem since their use became widespread in the 1960s and 1970s.
Part of the problem is that collecting, cleaning and breaking diapers into their component parts - plastic, cellulose and super absorbent polymer - is tricky and expensive.
The other issue is that no-one has been able to establish a market for the recycled output, dooming previous commercial efforts to failure.
PRESS RELEASE -
Seventh Generation, a leading household and personal care products company and pioneer in the eco-friendly products space, has announced the launch of a new laundry detergent in an effort to modernize the liquid laundry category and drive unnecessary plastic and water waste out of the industry.
PRESS RELEASE -
Brazilian chemicals company Braskem, producers of I’m green™ – a bio-based polyethylene made from sugarcane – has had its negative carbon footprint credentials strengthened thanks to an independent review by the Carbon Trust.
In a new report comparing I’m green™ with fossil-based equivalents, the Carbon Trust has endorsed the methodology used by Braskem to support claims that for every tonne of I’m green™ produced, the equivalent of around 3 tonnes of CO2 are locked away by the sugarcane, which provides the main raw material for its manufacture. This means Braskem’s bio-based plastic is effectively carbon-negative.
COLLABORATION & CO-CREATION -
The Indonesian Network of the United Nations Global Compact today announced a partnership between Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) and Martha Tilaar Group (MTG) — a leading Indonesian manufacturer of cosmetics and herbal medicine — to train 1,000 women from forest communities to help preserve herbal plants and become self-sufficient entrepreneurs.
PRESS RELEASE -
In the world of marketing, less than seven percent of directors are women.* Gillette Venus wants to help close that gap with the launch of the Her Shot campaign, a social experiment in storytelling and celebration of all the ways a female perspective can disrupt and improve the world.
Gillette Venus is partnering with 10 up-and-coming female directors to create video content spotlighting the importance of a woman’s point of view and sharing unique perspectives on the positive impact this can have on the world. The brand is also partnering with actress/director Regina King to serve as a voice of inspiration to the directors, providing tips and advice on success so they can elevate their voices in the industry.
PRESS RELEASE -
The Natural Products Association (NPA) recognized BASF for having the largest selection of ingredients for cosmetic manufacturers who want to certify their products according to the NPA Natural Standard. The 25th Annual NPA Awards honors outstanding individuals and companies that have made valuable contributions to the success of the natural products industry.
“BASF is a truly innovative company that continues to deliver new natural alternatives for consumers year in and year out,” said Daniel Fabricant, Ph.D., President and CEO of NPA. “We are pleased to honor BASF for their contributions to our industry and to NPA, the nation’s largest and oldest association for natural products.”
PRESS RELEASE -
As the world of work is changing faster than ever, employees and potential talent are seeking out learning and development opportunities to not only keep up, but to stay ahead and be challenged. A recent study by Gartner shows that companies that offer learning and development opportunities have an employee-base which is 66% more engaged; 4.2x more likely to stay with their current company; 8x more likely to be high-performers; and learns skills 25% faster* – which is why The Estée Lauder Companies is pleased to be the first-ever beauty company to partner with LinkedIn Learning.
PRESS RELEASE -
L'Oréal announces the signing of an agreement to acquire Logocos Naturkosmetik AG, the German beauty company which pioneered natural cosmetics with the brand Logona and other brands such as Sante. All the company's brands are vegan and bio certified with a range of products using their own plant extracts and natural ingredients derived from organic farming.
Founded in 1978 by a naturopath, Logocos Naturkosmetik is based in Hanover, Germany and employs about 340 people. In 2017, net sales were 59 million euros across Germany and other countries in Europe.
PRESS RELEASE -
Loop Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq:LOOP), a global leader in sustainable packaging innovation, announced that it has signed a Letter of Intent with L’Oréal Group, the global leader in the beauty industry setting the stage for L’Oréal to become the first major cosmetics company in the world to close the loop on their PET plastic packaging by incorporating Loop™ PET.
This collaboration between L’Oréal Group and Loop will further accelerate the transition to the circular plastic economy. Thanks to Loop’s breakthrough technology, waste PET plastic and polyester fiber that once made its way to landfills, incinerators and our shared natural areas, rivers and oceans can now be diverted and converted into Loop™ PET to be endlessly upcycled.
PRESS RELEASE -
Company is First Major CPG Company to Disclose Fragrance Ingredients
Down to .01% Globally
RACINE, Wis., July 17, 2018 – SC Johnson today announced that it is the first major consumer packaged goods (CPG) company to globally disclose fragrance ingredients down to .01 percent of the product formula across its portfolio of brands. This action, which goes beyond what is required, continues the company’s decade-long journey to transform industry efforts when it comes to ingredient transparency.
INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY -
The rise of natural health products and cosmetics has set off a flurry of research and development to discover the next great breakthrough for skin care or for specialized foods that provide an energy boost when you need it most. From shampoos and natural medicines to herbal teas and healthy spreadable fats, Earth’s biodiversity is providing the inspiration for a growing number of consumer goods. What began as luxury products for high-end shoppers have now gone more mainstream, as ingredient-savvy consumers look to natural alternatives in our chemically saturated stores.
COLLABORATION & CO-CREATION -
For more information or to engage in the collaboratory, contact Sustainable Brands.
Sustainability can often feel like a selling point that we push onto consumers; only a small portion of brands are truly sought out for their sustainability attributes alone. Creating lust, craving or desire for sustainability requires a deep understanding of the core human emotions that drive action, and a knowledge of how to reliably elicit these emotions in a market setting.
CIRCULAR ECONOMY -
It’s a tough time to be a plastic straw producer. Over the past few months, it seems the message has broken through that plastic straws are harmful to the environment – and marine life in particular – that phase outs and bans are warranted.
PRESS RELEASE -
The Vancouver edition of the international event will be held on June 4-7
São Paulo, June 4, 2018 – During this first week of June, Braskem is participating in the Vancouver edition of Sustainable Brands, one of the most important events in the sustainability calendar, as a sponsor and key presenter and exhibitor at the Good Materials & Packaging Pavilion. The company will take the opportunity of the trade fair to showcase its latest concept in recycled plastic resins.
INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY -
L’Oréal USA announced today that five products in its Garnier SkinActive line have achieved Cradle to Cradle Certified™ SILVER recognition. The product line, manufactured at L’Oréal USA’s facility in Franklin, New Jersey, earned this certification based on an evaluation of material health, material reutilization, renewable energy and carbon management, water stewardship and social fairness practices. Garnier is the first mass market skincare brand to receive this certification for its products and is also one of the few skincare brands to have multiple products certified in a portfolio.
COLLABORATION & CO-CREATION -
Collaborative efforts are advancing sustainability in the beauty industry.
FIrst, supported by contributions from major brands and retailers, Forum for the Future and The Sustainability Consortium (TSC) have produced a draft assessment tool for evaluating the sustainability of beauty and personal care products, with the goal of simplifying and aligning the wide array of product assessment criteria in use today.