Consumer Behavior Change

The latest ways brands are supporting a shift toward sustainable consumption, and best practices for brands aiming to encourage more conscious consumer behavior and lifestyles

Article
Consumer Behavior Change
FDA Bans Trans Fats: What Does This Mean for Palm Oil Consumption in the US?
FDA Bans Trans Fats: What Does This Mean for Palm Oil Consumption in the US?
Published on June 16, 2015
About a 3 minute read

This week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) moved to ban the use of partially hydrogenated oils, the main dietary source of artificial trans fats, after determining they are not safe to use in food. This move is hardly surprising, given th... View More

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Consumer Behavior Change
Trending: Fashion Loved, and Not So Loved, by Forests
Trending: Fashion Loved, and Not So Loved, by Forests
Published on June 8, 2015
About a 4 minute read

Last week, a colorful protest temporarily diverted attention from the red carpet parade at the 2015 Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Fashion Awards at New York City’s Lincoln Center.Dressed in sleek formal wear, activists deployed a l... View More

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Consumer Behavior Change
Norwegian Government Makes Largest Coal Divestment in History
Norwegian Government Makes Largest Coal Divestment in History
Published on June 8, 2015
About a 2 minute read

The Norwegian parliament has unanimously voted for the Norwegian Government Pension Fund (GPFG) to adopt strong divestment criteria for companies involved in coal mining and coal fired utilities, including 49 companies and subsidiaries based in the U... View More

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Consumer Behavior Change
Indonesian Pulp and Paper Giant APRIL Pledges Zero Deforestation, Greenpeace Applauds
Indonesian Pulp and Paper Giant APRIL Pledges Zero Deforestation, Greenpeace Applauds
Published on June 3, 2015
About a 4 minute read

Asia Pacific Resources International Ltd (APRIL), one of the world’s largest producers of pulp and paper, has today announced an end to deforestation as part of a new Sustainable Forest Management Plan.Deforestation for pulp and paper, and palm oil... View More

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Consumer Behavior Change
Ben & Jerry’s Announces Carbon Tax Covering Farm to Landfill Emissions
Ben & Jerry’s Announces Carbon Tax Covering Farm to Landfill Emissions
Published on June 2, 2015
About a 2 minute read

Ben & Jerry’s has announced that it will institute its own internal carbon tax of $10 for every metric ton of its greenhouse gas emissions, from farm to landfill.Using a recent Lifecycle Analysis that gave the ice cream company a “cow-to-cone... View More

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Consumer Behavior Change
France Voting to Forbid Major Supermarkets from Throwing Away Unsold Food
France Voting to Forbid Major Supermarkets from Throwing Away Unsold Food
Published on May 26, 2015
About a 4 minute read

In a landmark move last week, France's parliament voted to forbid major supermarkets from destroying unsold food, encouraging them to donate to charities or to farms for animal feed, as part of a national campaign against food waste; an estimated tha... View More

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Consumer Behavior Change
Walmart Announces New Animal Welfare Policy, $4M in Savings After Water Policy Revamp
Walmart Announces New Animal Welfare Policy, $4M in Savings After Water Policy Revamp
Published on May 22, 2015
About a 4 minute read

Today, Walmart announced a commitment to improving farmed animal welfare across its global food supply chain with one of the most comprehensive animal welfare policies of its kind. The change in policy comes after six hidden-camera videos taken by an... View More

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Consumer Behavior Change
CVS Health: Financial Incentives Help Smokers Quit
CVS Health: Financial Incentives Help Smokers Quit
Published on May 15, 2015
About a 2 minute read

Employer-sponsored smoking cessation programs with financial incentives are associated with higher rates of quitting smoking and sustained abstinence, according to a new study by the CVS Health Research Institute and researchers at the Perelman Schoo... View More

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Consumer Behavior Change
Consumer Awareness Won't Save The World: We Need Businesses That Can Change People's Habits For Good
Consumer Awareness Won't Save The World: We Need Businesses That Can Change People's Habits For Good
Published on May 8, 2015
About a 8 minute read

These are times of major changes in how people live and consume. Today’s developments demand from us new ways of producing and consuming, given the increasing scarcity of natural resources and the rapid growth of the global consumer class, especial... View More

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Consumer Behavior Change
Trending: Fossil Fuel Divestment Enters Primetime
Trending: Fossil Fuel Divestment Enters Primetime
Published on May 8, 2015
About a 6 minute read

From universities and churches to prominent investment funds, fossil fuel divestment continues to gain traction among diverse groups around the world.80 percent of global fossil fuel reserves need to remain unburned to avoid global warming more than ... View More

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Consumer Behavior Change
World's Largest Rayon Producer Announces Game-Changing Forest Protection Policy
World's Largest Rayon Producer Announces Game-Changing Forest Protection Policy
Published on May 7, 2015
About a 3 minute read

Today, global viscose giant Aditya Birla Group announced an industry-leading commitment to eliminate sourcing from the world’s ancient and endangered forests for all of its Viscose fibers, which are widely used in clothing and textiles.Aditya Birla... View More

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Consumer Behavior Change
Chipotle Cuts Genetically Altered Food From Menu
Chipotle Cuts Genetically Altered Food From Menu
Published on April 27, 2015
About a 2 minute read

Chipotle has become the first major restaurant chain to announce it will begin serving only food that is free of genetically engineered ingredients, The New York Times reports.Steve Ells, founder and co-chief executive of Chipotle, said this is anoth... View More

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Consumer Behavior Change
European Commission Launches Scientific Debate On How to Feed the Planet
European Commission Launches Scientific Debate On How to Feed the Planet
Published on April 14, 2015
About a 3 minute read

The European Commission has launched an online consultation on how science and innovation can help the EU “ensure safe, nutritious, sufficient and sustainable food globally.”The consultation will underpin the debate on a future research agenda to... View More

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Consumer Behavior Change
Paper: Definition, Focus, Accountability Needed to Turn Deforestation Commitments Into Action
Paper: Definition, Focus, Accountability Needed to Turn Deforestation Commitments Into Action
Published on April 13, 2015
About a 2 minute read

In its new position paper published today, Halting Deforestation and Achieving Sustainability, the Rainforest Alliance addresses the recent surge in deforestation-free pledges. Timed to coincide with an Innovation Forum event in Washington, DC on “... View More

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Consumer Behavior Change
Pulp Nonfiction: 'Out of Fashion' Campaign Targets Apparel Brands Contributing to Deforestation
Pulp Nonfiction: 'Out of Fashion' Campaign Targets Apparel Brands Contributing to Deforestation
Published on April 8, 2015
About a 4 minute read

In recent years it’s become common knowledge that companies using palm oil in their snack foods or publishers sourcing paper fiber from Indonesian pulp mills may be at risk of contributing to deforestation and labor rights abuses. ... View More

Article
Consumer Behavior Change
NGOs Say Yum! Brands' New Palm Oil Commitment Is a Good Start, But It Lacks Meat
NGOs Say Yum! Brands' New Palm Oil Commitment Is a Good Start, But It Lacks Meat
Published on April 2, 2015
About a 4 minute read

Today, Yum! Brands, the second-largest fast-food giant in America thanks to its KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut brands, became the latest food company to commit to sourcing deforestation- and peat-free palm oil. NGOs including the Union of Concerned Sci... View More

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Consumer Behavior Change
Trending: Activists, Shareholders Continue to Rail Against Companies Lagging on Sustainable Palm Oil
Trending: Activists, Shareholders Continue to Rail Against Companies Lagging on Sustainable Palm Oil
Published on April 1, 2015
About a 5 minute read

This week, stakeholders continued to take action to pressure companies into turning over a new leaf when it comes to their sourcing practices — around what has become known as Conflict Palm Oil. ... View More

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Consumer Behavior Change
REI, National Parks Encouraging People to #FindYourPark and Truly Experience the Great Outdoors
REI, National Parks Encouraging People to #FindYourPark and Truly Experience the Great Outdoors
Published on April 1, 2015
About a 4 minute read

REI has announced its support of the 100-year anniversary of the National Park Service in 2016 through a multi-year, multimillion-dollar partnership with the National Park Foundation, the official charity of America’s national parks. The partnershi... View More

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Consumer Behavior Change
Target Becomes Latest Retailer to Raise Worker Pay
Target Becomes Latest Retailer to Raise Worker Pay
Published on March 19, 2015
About a 2 minute read

Target plans to increase the pay of all its workers to at least $9 an hour starting next month, following similar moves by rivals Walmart and T.J. Maxx.In February, Walmart announced it would be giving pay raises to around 500,000 full-time and part-... View More

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Consumer Behavior Change
Trending: NGOs Prompt Sweeping Improvements to Animal Welfare in the Dairy Supply Chain
Trending: NGOs Prompt Sweeping Improvements to Animal Welfare in the Dairy Supply Chain
Published on March 10, 2015
About a 4 minute read

Animal welfare NGOs Mercy for Animals (MFA) and The Humane League declared victories this week, having motivated more large food companies to reform their animal treatment policies, this time after exposing supplier cruelty toward dairy cows and veal... View More

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