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.
As we navigate our own private echo chambers day to day, it is tempting to allow oneself to be swept up in the positivity so prevalent in sustainable business circles right now. We have the technologies, ideas and business models to succeed and the time is now to right the world of its wrongs to create a resilient and sustainable society for all. But the reality presents a frighteningly different picture, filled with huge challenges and a demand for ever more complex solutions.
The sharing economy is proving to be the biggest business trend of all time; and as we say goodbye to 2017, we could look back on the year that saw potential valuations of this new economy soar to $2 trillion[1] and to the battles in cities across the world to adapt to new models of accessing shared resources. Instead, I’d like to look forward to what’s in store for 2018.
The global apparel sector is becoming more open to a circular economy both on a technical and a business model level. The latter is of particular importance, as it implies a shift from ownership to use so that materials and apparel are provided as a service, not a product to be rapidly discarded. These new business models are fundamental for the systemic change of the sector and will result in better use of materials and support better working conditions.
Two years after adopting the Circular Economy Package, the European Commission, Parliament and Council have reached an agreement on waste-processing legislation to pave the way for a circular future for Europe. Agreements were reached on four legislative proposals addressing waste, packaging waste, landfill and electronic waste.
Decentralized sharing economy platform The Bee Token has debuted a first look at Beenest, a short-term housing marketplace that uses a sophisticated blockchain technology to address the consumer-facing issues with today’s centralized business model.
2017 was a big year for the circular economy, with innovative new products, initiatives and tech tools popping up almost daily, and making it easier than every for corporates and consumers alike to engage in circularity. An initiative of the World Economic Forum and the Forum of Young Global Leaders, The Circulars are awarded to individuals, companies (from startups to multinationals) and public and social organizations in recognition for their contributions to the circular economy. This year, 43 innovators have been nominated for pushing the circular agenda forward and paving the way for others in their field.
Sweden is a leader in waste-to-energy generation and earlier this year, the country began powering its incineration plants with trash purchased from neighboring countries. With less than one percent of Swedish household waste sent to landfill since 2011, the country needed to look outside its borders to keep its incineration plants going. Now, news has emerged that some of this waste is discarded clothing from fast fashion giant H&M.
Thailand has bid the final farewell to its leader of seven decades, King Bhumibol Adulyadej. People throughout the Kingdom, and around the world, have celebrated and commemorated his life in a variety of ways. Ceremonies that have been practiced until perfect are helping convey the gravity of the moment while helping the nation begin to move forward. But when the ceremonies end, people will look for ways to keep the late King's memory alive, as well as to honour his life's work. A great way to do so might be to commit to continue the Sufficiency Economy work that was initiated by His Majesty Rama IX.
At some point in the future — and in some ways, we are already seeing this — the amount of physical stuff moving around the world will peak and begin to decline. By “stuff,” I am referring to liquid fuels, coal, containers on ships, food, raw materials, products, etc. New technologies are moving us toward “production-at-the-point-of-consumption” of energy, food and products with reduced reliance on a global supply chain. The trade of physical stuff has been central to globalization as we’ve known it. So, this declining movement of stuff may signal we are approaching “peak globalization.”
How a T-Shirt Is Driving a Circular Economy by Melanie Vella In this main stage session, Forum for the Future CEO Sally Uren returned to interview Jeffrey Hogue, Chief Sustainability Officer at C&A, to delve into the organic fibre that made up Sally’s t-shirt, quite literally.
A new series of case studies highlighting the benefits of adopting innovative business models on a large scale has been published by REBus, an EU LIFE+-funded partnership project.
It’s Waste Reduction Week in Canada, and to celebrate, I spoke to some superstar companies reducing waste through product design that are featured in the National Zero Waste Council’s Design Portfolio. Earlier this week, we highlighted food waste solutions from Abeego and Club Coffee.
Think of all the delivery trucks that roam across cities every day. Whether it’s Amazon, moving furniture, even good old snail mail, most of it comes to our homes via dirty, inefficient, diesel- or gasoline-powered trucks that get barely a few miles to the gallon. Factor in both air and noise pollution from these vehicles and you have a major sustainability challenge that, as delivery services grow, is only getting worse.
With 8 million tonnes of plastic entering the ocean each year, we urgently need to change the way we make and use plastics, so that they don’t become waste in the first place. A host of announcements from major CPG companies and NGOs today from the Our Ocean 2017 conference in Malta signal the ongoing momentum behind the issue.
We need a financial plan for achieving a safe world in the next thirty years. This period will be crucial as social and ecological externalities come home to roost. We need a rapid reinvention of capitalism, finance, and wealth management. We need to rethink power and purpose. Otherwise, this revolutionary moment where “the 20 percent could consciously shift trillions of dollars” will be replaced with “global meltdown, all bets are off, retreat to your bunkers, hope the military can protect you.”
The realities of a hard Brexit are beginning to come to fruition. Immigration issues notwithstanding, the UK stands to face significant challenges in meeting its Paris commitments and upholding its pledge to maintain high environmental standards after its separation from the EU.
The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute and MBDC are making it easier than ever for manufacturers and designers to create and certify products according to the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Product Standard with the launch of a new guidance program.
To help reduce global economic inequality along with greenhouse gas emissions from its corporate travel, travel giant Expedia, Inc. has invested in four community-owned carbon offset projects from the global nonprofit Carbon Offsets to Alleviate Poverty (COTAP).
In a recent interview with author, educator and activist Fritjof Capra, we discussed the Earth Charter, an ethical framework for building a just, sustainable and peaceful global society in the 21st century.
Every business leader wants consumers to think of their company as an essential ingredient in building a better life, yet the very definition of what constitutes the ‘Good Life’ changes over time.