ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE -
In the sustainability world, the conversation around beef mostly involves reducing the environmental impacts of its production (deforestation, methane emissions, etc). But Cassidy Johnston can offer a perspective we don’t often get to hear in the Sustainable Brands conversation — a New Mexico-based cattle rancher and newly appointed Sustainability Officer for the US Farmers and Ranchers Alliance (USFRA), Johnston is eager to share ranchers’ side of the story with the public and help dispel what she says are common misconceptions behind beef and its role in a sustainable food future.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
While many aspects of the textile industry have notoriously harmful effects on people and the planet, we’re seeing a variety of solutions emerge that could shape the future of fashion. Two of the latest examples are Kloters’ RepAir t-shirts and Malai’s vegan leather-style accessories.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
As we get ready to judge our semi-finalists for the 2018 Sustainable Brands Innovation Open, we wanted to check in with last year’s competitors to learn about the impacts they continue to have on the business world. Here, we catch up with our 2017 winner, Detroit Ento.
WASTE NOT -
How does food get on a plate? Unless you’re growing it yourself, that food may have had a long, complex journey before it arrived on your fork. That long trail all too often results in a lot of food wasted and lost along the way. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that around 40 percent of food production is lost before it even reaches the market.
CLEANTECH -
As we get ready to judge our semi-finalists in the 2018 Sustainable Brands Innovation Open, we wanted to check in with last year’s semi-finalists to learn about the impacts they continue to have on the business world. Here, we catch up with Bluon Energy.
WALKING THE TALK -
In April of 2000, Clif Bar owner and founder Gary Erickson turned down a $120 million offer to buy Clif Bar & Company. Instead of taking it easy the rest of his life, Erickson decided to keep Clif Bar private and pursue a unique business model known as the Five Aspirations: Sustaining Its Business, Brands, People, Community and the Planet.
COLLABORATION -
Starbucks Corporation and Nestlé S.A. announced on Sunday that they will form a global coffee alliance to accelerate and grow the global reach of Starbucks brands in Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) and Foodservice. With a shared commitment to ethical and sustainable sourcing of coffee, the two companies aim to transform, expand and elevate both the at-home and away-from-home coffee and related categories around the world.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
Reimagining global agriculture will require numerous efforts of various size and focus, such as those in the news this week from a global agribusiness firm trying to meet targets across complex supply chains, a startup developing ways for bees to deliver natural pesticides, and teens looking to utilize unused space for agriculture or al
LEADERSHIP -
By 2050 there will be over 9 billion people on the planet, and food production will have to increase by as much as 70 percent to feed everyone. We are already struggling to feed everyone today, even in America.
WASTE NOT -
The US food industry uses roughly 30 billion disposable gloves per year. Estimates vary but between 45-75 percent of these are vinyl (PVC) disposable gloves. There are many scientific studies analyzing the effects of various health and food safety aspects of vinyl — including the dangers of plasticizers such as phthalates and the emission of dioxin at incineration or landfill, as well as at manufacture.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
Half of the soil on our U.S. farmland is gone. Conventional agricultural practices and conversion of land to cropland caused this devastating loss. The good news is that the rate of soil erosion has declined, with an even brighter path ahead.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
This week, global brewer AB InBev announced two major initiatives helping it advance toward its 2025 Sustainability Goals in different parts of the world.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
“Clean meat” — products produced from culturing animal cells rather than raising and slaughtering animals — is facing its first major regulatory battle. The U.S.
CHEMISTRY, MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
People of all ages are more aware of their impact on the planet’s limited resources and ecosystem health than ever before. Packaging is of particular concern, prompting this year’s Earth Day theme: end plastic pollution.
“I’d like more people to take care of the Earth,” said Yasmine, a 7th grader in the Garden Club at Montgomery Middle School in San Diego, CA. Fellow club member Daisy, also in 7th grade, agrees. “People can use more reusable bags instead of plastic,” Daisy added. “We have lots of reusable bags at home. When we do get plastic bags, we reuse them.”
PRESS RELEASE -
Nestlé Waters North America, in partnership with SMUD, today announced agreements that will allow its facility in Sacramento, California to be powered by 100-percent renewable energy. The agreement is a major step towards parent company Nestlé’s global goal to transition to 100-percent renewable electricity use in their operations.
PRESS RELEASE -
At its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders, Danone today introduced a set of nine long-term goals for the company and its brands. Aligned with the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development agenda, the Danone 2030 Goals embed the business, brand and trust models of the company to drive long-term sustainable value creation and deliver the company's 'One Planet. One Heath' vision.
As a founding act for its goals, Danone is launching 'One Person, One Voice, One Share', an innovative employee engagement program and governance model for all of its 100,000 employees to co-own the company agenda, actively participate in defining roadmaps to bring the goals to life, and deepen their ownership mindset.
'Danone 2030 Goals' for the food revolution
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
Building on their individual efforts and those under the Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF)’s New Plastics Economy initiative, dozens of businesses have made their commitment to the new UK Plastics Pact.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
Today’s customers are choosing how to spend their dollars based on one of two factors: convenience or shared values. For example, Blue Apron, a grocery delivery company that makes it easier to cook healthy meals, is winning on convenience. But when you have the option of choosing between convenience services, as many customers do in the ride-hailing market, values determine the victor. Lyft is riding (pun intended) on the sharing-economy movement and gaining market share because of its commitment to fair practices with customers and employees. Customers tell their friends they “took a Lyft” as a signal of shared cultural values.
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE -
While weekly headlines tout the efforts of major food companies and NGOs working to increase the sustainability of the food industry through reducing waste, improving packaging and responding to consumer demand for healthier choices, organizations such as NSF: The Public Health and Safety Organization are working behind the scenes on an
PRESS RELEASE -
Rising to meet the challenges of achieving global sustainable development is expected to require all the major stakeholders around the world to work together. DuPont Nutrition & Health is among this group that aims to make a greater impact on the food and beverage industry value chain.