NEW METRICS -
Live Well San Diego: A visionary partnership to define and measure 10 quality-of-life metrics
By Anna Shugoll
BUSINESS CASE -
For many retailers, circular thinking involves redefining products – and the raw materials contained within them – as assets that need to be kept in circulation for as long as possible. During each use phase, these assets may need to be reintroduced into different markets, requiring new customer relationships to be built.
WALKING THE TALK -
I recently moderated an enlightening panel discussion — between Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, Bay Area Council President and CEO Jim Wunderman, San Francisco Travel President & CEO Joe D’Alessandro, and Oakland Zoo President & CEO Dr. Joel Parrott — on why the new California Trail development, an $80 million expansion project at the Oakland Zoo, matters to the people who live, play, work and visit the Bay Area.
WALKING THE TALK -
If you’re a U.S. business leader, this week likely threw you into a professional conundrum: Should you take a public stand against white supremacy knowing you’ll jump into treacherous political waters?
FINANCE & INVESTMENT -
Certified B Corporation Thread is taking its commitment to end poverty by creating dignified jobs and responsible, high-quality fabrics to the next level with the announcement of a partnership with nonprofit Kiva. The startup, which transforms plastic bottles from the streets and canals of Haiti and Honduras into responsible fabrics, has used Kiva’s direct-to-social enterprise loan program to raise $10,000 for its zero-interest micro-loan program.
BLOG -
What an honor to be here in this beautiful place with such a great group of passionate leaders — and even more so, to offer you some thoughts as you begin important next steps in your lives — steps that I know will be particularly important to our collective future.
PRESS RELEASE -
80% would be loyal to brands that helped them live their new values
Large opportunity for business to support new aspirations of balance, health, and connections
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
This Friday will be one of the biggest days in the global retail calendar (just behind Alibaba’s Singles’ Day earlier in November). Black Friday sales have begun encroaching on Thanksgiving Day in the U.S., with some stores remaining open on the holiday, and sales beginning even earlier in the week.
NEW METRICS -
New Metrics ‘16 launched on Monday with a sober yet hopeful tone, channeled through the research and work of culture designer Joe Brewer, as he led attendees through a dialogue around what he calls Evonomics - the new evolution of economics.
PRESS RELEASE -
Sustainability can be incredibly engaging. The pressing issues of our day demand that humans find new ways of existing – and quickly. Happily, society’s attitudes about sustainability are heading in a positive direction. In recent years, consumers have begun to demonstrate a preference for sustainable products and services, while many businesses have embraced sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) as part of the way they operate. As sustainability practitioners and communicators, the world is primed to listen to our message.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
Our theme this year at Sustainable Brands has been “Activating Purpose” – exploring and applauding the ways brands are authentically walking their talk when it comes to pursuing purpose beyond profit – and we are thrilled that the list continues to grow.
STAKEHOLDER TRENDS AND INSIGHTS -
Last week, I had the great pleasure and honour to take part in the second annual edition of Sustainable Brands Bangkok, which was founded by Dr. Sirikul ‘Nui’ Laukaikul, who many of you will have had the good fortune to hear as a speaker at previous Sustainable Brands events.
LEADERSHIP -
“What keeps you up at night?” Solitaire Townsend, co-founder of Futerra, asked this question to 50 sustainability leaders from around the globe on the third and final day of SB ’16 Copenhagen. The core issues most people responded with were inequality, climate change, recession, refugees, biodiversity loss. “It’s the ‘parade of horribles’ that makes sleep tough at times,” said one survey responder. The theme that came out of the expressed fears was division on multiple fronts: Division of opinions, incomes, outlooks.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
"What's your favorite sustainable development goal?" joked John Elkington, the writer, thinker and serial entrepreneur who coined the triple bottom line concept in 1997, who moderated a Tuesday panel on aligning the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with strategy, goal-setting and innovation at SB’16 Copenhagen.
PRESS RELEASE -
Unilever's TV, online and in-store campaign, called ‘Bright Future’, will run in the UK, Brazil, South Africa, and Indonesia, and puts the spotlight on sustainability initiatives by its brands, rather than just the corporate entity.
A film entitled ‘So Long Old World’ will highlight several brand activities, including how Domestos is helping five million people to access toilets, and how Persil/Omo is helping 10 million children to gain an education.
ORGANIZATIONAL 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 5th article in the series.
COLLABORATION -
News Deeply, in partnership with Sustainable Brands, is producing 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 2nd article in the series.
LEADERSHIP -
Last month, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon named Claus Stig Pedersen, Head of Corporate Sustainability at Novozymes, one of ten 2016 Local Pioneers of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
LEADERSHIP -
... what would it take to make Sustainability its Brand and the Sufficiency Economy its Value?
While at this moment, every social unit recognises that we all need to take action NOW, the most challenging question is always: HOW? What should be — would be — the best solution to enable us to achieve sustainability? So let’s think big and try a little thought experiment: What if humanity were a corporation — what would it take to make sustainability its brand? How can we create value that will set the framework to build a sustainable brand?
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
Last week, Sustainable Brands staff and corporate members took a trip to Detroit to celebrate the relocation of our flagship conference in 2017. Why are we moving from San Diego to Detroit? The answer is simple: We are inspired by the city’s revitalization; it is a place of burgeoning innovation where business can thrive and create a sustainable and flourishing future — what better place to convene our community? We spent three days in the city, witnessing many promising signs of its rebirth while also witnessing the challenges and opportunities for growth that remain.