CLEANTECH -
Globally, 80% of wastewater is discharged into local environments with minimal or no treatment — water that could be recycled and reused. California-based startup Aquacycl's waste-to-energy solution protects water resources while helping companies reduce costs.
CHEMISTRY, MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
The Swiss sports brand has created a supply chain coalition with LanzaTech, Borealis and Technip Energies to transform captured carbon into running shoes.
NEW METRICS -
CTREES’ global dataset provides a nearly real-time picture of the carbon implications of forest conservation and restoration at the local, national and global level — ensuring results from efforts to reach global climate targets can be accurately reported.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
EVs might mitigate tailpipe emissions; but cars emit another massive, overlooked form of pollution: Tire particles. The Tyre Collective is spearheading the monitor of tire wear and capturing tire particles at the source.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
New report shares insights to guide retailers on effective reusable bag models — a key solution as regulations to reduce reliance on single-use plastic bags grow across the US.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
2 new reporting frameworks from FAIRR and Good Food Institute enable alternative meat, seafood, eggs and dairy companies to more accurately assess their climate, biodiversity, nutrition and other ESG impacts.
CHEMISTRY, MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
37.5 Technology is offering brand partners a new additive that greatly improves and expedites the biodegradability of textiles, for free — to encourage broader industry adoption and help eliminate one of our biggest polluters.
BEHAVIOR CHANGE -
Karma Wallet is banking on a recipe of behavior change, fintech and systems change to create a critical mass of consumers able to turn intent into action and pressure brands to make the broader changes the world needs.
NEW METRICS -
A multi-year study of the social cost of carbon, a critical input for climate policy analysis, finds that every additional ton of CO2 emitted into the atmosphere costs society $185 — far higher than the current federal estimate of $51 per ton.
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE -
A gambling corporation may seem like the antithesis of ‘social good;’ but for BCLC, this is exactly why a gambling company should pivot to a social-purpose model: “People can look and say, ‘Hey, if a gambling company can bring in a social purpose; then, surely my company can do this as well.’”
WASTE NOT -
Great Wrap aims to be a plug-and-play replacement for film wraps for both home and business. It replaces petroleum-based films with a bio-based waste product that, unlike most other bio-based polymers, completely decomposes in within three months.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
By failing to acknowledge our industry’s flaws, we could hinder meaningful progress on real issues going forward — namely, making sure carbon offsets actually contribute to reducing GHG emissions.
WASTE NOT -
The inventive, waste-free, single-serve coffee system means that portioned coffee no longer needs to be surrounded by an aluminum or plastic capsule.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
The dire social and environmental consequences of opaque fashion supply chains have been laid bare; and consumers now demand that brands have clear, verifiable visibility throughout their supply chains. FTC shows that it can be done — but it requires a vastly different way of thinking.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
Diageo has committed to cultivating solutions to enable the farmers in its African supply chain — who are particularly vulnerable to the effects of increasing droughts and floods — to maintain steady farming cycles and income in a climate-changing world.
WASTE NOT -
Venues with proper composting infrastructure can utilize the playbook to prevent plastic and organic waste from accumulating in landfills. Future editions will further explore how to expand venue logistics to implement comprehensive zero-waste programs.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
3 in 5 say climate risks have already impacted their decision on where to live; but housing prices and cost of living are still bigger factors.
FINANCE & INVESTMENT -
The fund will support sustainable food production via early-stage, values-based food innovators — from the ethical treatment of employees on farms and in factories, to the end of the food production cycle with compostable packaging.
FROM PURPOSE TO ACTION: BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE TOGETHER -
Enabling a circular economy is a complicated challenge that governments, communities and businesses globally are struggling to solve. But as Dow’s work in Africa proves, solutions exist — and success comes when organizations and communities collaborate to create change rooted in local context.