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The Next Economy

The myriad new models and processes aimed at fixing the flaws in capitalism and laying the groundwork for practical, alternative economic frameworks designed to benefit all stakeholders.

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Canada, EU Attach Sustainable Strings to Their COVID-Recovery Plans

Cross-Posted from Finance & Investment. Both Canada and the European Union have unveiled plans to rebuild their post-pandemic recovery plans that put sustainability front and center. Will other governments follow suit?

Benyus: COVID-19 Offers ‘Utopian Glimmer’ of New World, But We Must Give Back to Nature

“We’re seeing a bit of utopian glimmer coming through, and natural selection chooses what works over and over. So, when we get back to normal, we get this glorious choice to put back in our lives only what is best, only what we found made life worth living.” — Janine Benyus

What Would Carbon Neutrality Mean for Small Businesses?

Cross-Posted from Business Case. No matter the size of your company, there are certainly steps you could be taking to move closer to the elusive dream of net zero. In no way is the path to carbon neutrality easy, but bearing any costs and challenges now could secure the future success of your business.

The World Has Changed, But Investor Interest in ESG Remains. What’s Expected of Your Company?

Cross-Posted from Finance & Investment. As the crisis continues to unfold, ESG topics will continue to grow in importance. Companies will be judged by their ability to withstand financial shocks, but also by how they’ve treated their employees, clients and communities.

Could Staying in Remote Work After Coronavirus Help Solve Our Next Crisis?

It is my belief that remote work is part of the solution to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Worldwide coordination, and making even the smallest changes, can make significant differences for planetary health.

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Are We Capable of Enacting Lasting, Positive Change After Disruption and Crisis?

Cross-Posted from Walking the Talk. The shadow of the unknown due to COVID could derail progress we’ve made toward a more sustainable future or it can motivate us to do better, faster. Now is the time for stakeholders throughout every organization to dig deep and figure out what they want their future to look like, and how they can make that happen.

155 Business Leaders Push Governments for Net-Zero COVID-Recovery Plan

In the largest-ever, UN-backed, CEO-led climate advocacy effort, major multinationals — all part of the Science Based Targets initiative — reaffirm their own commitments to achieving zero-carbon economy and call on governments to match their ambition.

L’Oréal Pledges €150M to Support Vulnerable Women, Protect the Environment

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and to attempt to mitigate its consequences, L’Oréal has announced L’Oréal for the Future — an industry-first social and environmental solidarity program to address two key priorities …

How Gap, MycoWorks, Thousand Fell Are Edging Fashion Closer to Circularity

Cross-Posted from Chemistry, Materials & Packaging. Denim and leather have helped style some of the most iconic fashion statements throughout history — so when taking apparel full circle, it makes sense to start with these types of classic materials that never seem to go out of vogue.

Upcycled Food Industry a Nascent Leader in Sustainability, Climate Solutions

A recent survey of members of the Upcycled Food Association revealed several interesting findings, which I think demonstrates the scale and game-changing potential of the upcycled food opportunity. 

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Trending: Public, Private Sectors Rallying to Reduce COVID-Fueled Food Waste

Cross-Posted from Waste Not. In the face of rampant supply chain disruptions, resulting in mounting food waste, a nationwide distributor and an agricultural powerhouse are doing what they can to cut it out of the equation.

Predictions About the New Normal in Sustainable Investing Post-COVID-19

Cross-Posted from Finance & Investment. Many investment firms are modifying their strategies and valuation models over the long term in the wake of the pandemic. Over the next 12 to 36 months, the following six mega-trends promise to reshape the business practices and investing.

SB’20 Yokohama: Collaboration, Co-Creation Tackling the Challenges Facing Japan and the World

Cross-Posted from Collaboration. On the theme of “Delivering the Good Life,” SB'20 Yokohama was held on February 19–20 in Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture, just outside of Tokyo. The fourth SB conference in Japan attracted 231 speakers and more than 3,300 attendees, making it the largest-scale event in the global Sustainable Brands community.

Scotland’s Circular Ambitions Take (Hopefully Temporary) Back Seat During Pandemic

Cross-Posted from Waste Not. COVID-19 has delayed both the Scottish Climate Change Plan update and the Scottish Circular Economy Bill. While it’s unclear now whether the latter will ever see the light of day, stakeholders agree that the delay is a welcome opportunity to reassess and strengthen the Bill.

Sustainability Is Dead. Long Live Sustainability (or, Redefining the Term in a Post-COVID World …)

In moments of crisis, we return our focus to the base layer of Maslow’s famed pyramid and seek to secure a safe home, enough food for our families and basic physical health. But we get to choose what the world will look like when we open our doors in three…six…twelve months’ time. Will we choose Human 101 or Human 3.0?

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‘Green Swans’ Will Kill Some Brands, Boost Others

Green Swans also take the world by surprise — because of their exponential character, and because they produce outcomes previously considered to be not just improbable but impossible. But rather than driving degeneration like their Grey and Black cousins, they help drive resilience and regeneration.

3 Ways the Coronavirus Outbreak Can Lead to a More Sustainable Future

Although the danger to our health is currently very present and very real, experts expect this crisis will at some point pass, and we will be able to resume our normal lives with a renewed sense of appreciation. The question is, what will a return to “business as usual” look like?

‘Yes, and ...’: A Framework for an Uncertain Future

For businesses navigating the coronavirus, prospects are daunting in this liminal space. While many are navigating the current “new normal” well by taking each daily (hourly) change one at a time, some are starting to look past now through the power of “yes-and” thinking.

Let’s Not Feed the ‘Futurism Frenzy’

If we look at the original Greek root of the word “crisis,” we learn it means to “sift and separate” — what if we are being called on to sift through and look at our lives, and let fall all that is not important? What does not get sifted, what remains with us, is where our energy should go.

Back to the ‘50s: Predictions for a Post-Coronavirus World

With luck, we’ll avoid the worst case scenario and be able to ignore this article. But some of the trends are already in motion; and even if the pandemic and its consequences are severe, they offer opportunities for brands that can embrace them.

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