WALKING THE TALK -
The rise of the benefit corporation is in direct response to shareholder primacy. Under benefit corporation frameworks governed by state law, corporations that operate according to a “doing well by doing good” ethos may be shielded from a range of acquisition tactics and shareholder suits.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
Entrepreneurs and investors across the US and Europe see the need to redefine ownership and governance — so much so that a grassroots global movement is emerging to develop and support business models rooted in stakeholder governance.
CHEMISTRY, MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
Canopy’s ‘Pulp Thriller’ outlines a plan to save the world’s forests and climate by replacing 50% of forest fiber from pulp manufacturing with next-generation, alternative fibers such as agricultural residues and waste cotton.
FINANCE & INVESTMENT -
As the digital age ushers in a ‘new generation of inequalities’ around information, technology and education, the private sector must play a pivotal role in connecting people to the resources and networks they need to get by and get ahead in a changing economy.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
In a public letter to all company stakeholders, CEO Kevin Johnson sets 2030 science-based targets for carbon, water and waste as part of a multi-decade aspiration.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
Regeneration is about leaving nature and society healthier, better off and more resilient than we found them. It’s the future of sustainability. And the business case for regenerative business and regenerative leadership in all aspects of life has never been stronger.
WALKING THE TALK -
The tech giant has committed to carbon-negativity within a decade, and erasing its entire carbon footprint — everything it has emitted since its founding in 1975 — by 2050.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
Beef is naturally at the forefront of the conversation around regenerative ag because of the direct and dramatic improvement properly managed ruminants can
have on soil quality. But that doesn’t mean that other foods shouldn’t be held to the same standards.
FINANCE & INVESTMENT -
CEO Larry Fink has called for “a fundamental reshaping of finance” in response to the climate crisis, but BlackRock remains the largest investor in fossil fuels and the companies driving deforestation around the world.
BEHAVIOR CHANGE -
Created in collaboration with food-service experts, WRI’s new playbook is designed to enable the already-rich-in-expertise industry — so adept at marketing and selling foods — to help diners choose healthier and more sustainable, plant-rich options.
LEADERSHIP -
In order to integrate sustainability into the core of a business, it has to be a part of the company’s culture. For this to happen, a top leader must be willing and ready to go first and evolve, according to leadership advisor Sandja
Brügmann.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
While money and special interests are unlikely to leave US politics, I’m optimistic that Biofire can change the conversation around guns: Why can’t a for-profit company build safer handguns?
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
In the case of the climate crisis, we’re not facing one tipping point, but two. The hard part: These two tipping points would tilt us in opposite directions! But our current situation doesn’t mean it’s game over — it means it’s game on.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
Envision a future where every material thing in our world is made out of a handful of materials, carefully selected to be safe, healthy and infinitely recyclable. Everything from coffee cup to countertop could be broken down and used as raw materials for a new shawl or lampshade.
BEHAVIOR CHANGE -
60% of consumers surveyed agree protecting the environment should be given priority, even if it slows economic growth. But as we’ve seen for years, while
consumers widely agree on the need for sustainability, behavior is slow to change.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
WRI’s RADD (Radar Alerts for Detecting Deforestation) will be deployed initially in Malaysia and Indonesia, which together make up about 90% of palm oil production globally. According to WRI, it will detect deforestation weeks faster than existing optical-based systems.
WALKING THE TALK -
New global benchmark study, released today, shows that companies worldwide are making incremental positive changes to protect children’s rights, but need to significantly accelerate the pace, as risks continue to outpace progress.
WASTE NOT -
The waste we produce in our daily lives is just one small portion of the total waste stream. Public Thread and Rewilder, two winners of the recently
announced Upcyclers Network Annual Product Awards, are putting non-household waste streams to creative use.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
I strongly believe in the power of emotional storytelling that cuts through. We need to make people feel something. More than ever, we have to stand up for the values that we believe in — and to do that well, we need to take more risks.
COLLABORATION -
Looking ahead to Sustainable Brands Oceans, 14-16 November 2019 in Porto, Portugal, we caught up with Katherine Bryar — Head of Global Branding and Communications at BioMar — to find out what’s in store.