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.
Trending: C&A, Looptworks, John Lewis Spin Out More Circular Apparel Solutions
Increasing circularity in the apparel sector will require a variety of initiatives and some of the most valuable ways to bridge the implementation gap will be to provide funding, design new products with closed-loop design and launch take-back programs for would-be-waste items. Announcements on Monday revealed that these are exactly the contributions being made by the C&A Foundation, Looptworks and John Lewis.
When Will We Truly Begin Designing for Circularity?
If I took one thing away from the Circular Economy sessions at SB’18 Vancouver, it was the need to design for the end of a product’s first life. Note I said, “first life,” because ideally it will be endlessly recycled. That said, as new products come online, designers need to be asking, what materials are we using? Can the product itself be reused like the very cool fashion pieces curated by Beyond Retro (a Bank & Vogue LTD company), or will it be recycled and recreated like Brambles’ packaging solutions?
How Brands Can Leverage Sustainability, Social Inclusion to Create ‘Good’ Cities
This week at Sustainable Brands’ flagship event, SB’18 Vancouver, over 2,000 attendees are sharing and exploring the many ways organizations are helping to “redesign the good life.” One aspect of the good life is cross-sector collaboration, such as brand-city-organization partnerships to build resilient communities, technologies and systems that focus on social inclusion.
Q&A: Will We Go 'All In'? The Past, Present and Future of Sustainability Leadership
Written by three leading thinkers in the field of sustainability — Chris Coulter, CEO of GlobeScan; David Grayson, Emeritus of Corporate Responsibility at Cranfield University School of Management; and Mark Lee, Executive Director of SustainAbility — All In: The future of Business Leadership (Taylor & Francis, 2018) identifies the essential attributes of high-impact corporate sustainability leadership and describes how companies can combine and apply those characteristics for future success.
BASF, IKEA, P&G Among Companies Showcasing How Brands Are Redesigning the Good Life
Today, the Sustainable Brands® team has convened, along with 2,000 members of its global community, for the kick-off of SB’18 Vancouver, running June 4-7 at Vancouver Convention Centre West in Vancouver, British Columbia. More than 300 influential brand leaders and practitioners of environmental and social innovation will share new tools and frameworks, cutting-edge business solutions and case studies related to design and innovation for The Good Life.
Ben & Jerry’s Piloting Platform Connecting Consumers to Their Carbon Footprint
The world’s first retail platform that connects consumers to their own carbon footprint is being piloted by Ben & Jerry’s at its newest Scoop Shop in London. The platform, created by the nonprofit Poseidon Foundation and launched on May 1, uses blockchain technology to integrate carbon markets into transactions at the point of sale, giving retailers and their customers the opportunity to support action on climate change by helping fund forestry conservation projects around the world when they buy and sell everyday items.
How Is Your Brand Redesigning the Good Life This World Environment Day?
Ahead of Earth Day last month, over one million people took to social media urging corporations to "break free" from single-use plastics. And from the fashion to the auto industry – and everywhere in between – innovations are taking root to increase our use of sustainable materials. To continue the momentum created by Earth Day, this year’s World Environment Day (June 5) is also focused on plastic pollution.
Trending: New EMF Collaborative, G-Star RAW, Parsons Students Latest to ‘Make Fashion Circular’
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF) has launched a new industry collaborative to build on the vision outlined in its New Textiles Economy report.
Trending: Edinburgh Going Circular, Auckland Sees the Business Case
A major new initiative in Edinburgh will help local small and medium enterprises (SMEs) identify and capitalise on circular economy opportunities, while an economic study has shown how circular economy opportunities could deliver nearly $9 billion for Auckland.
Trending: #BusinessCase, Innovations Grow for Sustainable Fashion; Waste Ban Looms
The business case for sustainability in the fashion industry has strengthened, but the pace of change still isn’t going fast or far enough, according to the newly released second edition of the Pulse of the Fashion Industry report.
Saved Grains, Zero-Emission Trucks Edging Anheuser Busch Toward 2025 Goals
This week, global brewer AB InBev announced two major initiatives helping it advance toward its 2025 Sustainability Goals in different parts of the world.
WRAP Convenes 42 CPG Giants in Global Pact to Eliminate Plastic Packaging Waste
Building on their individual efforts and those under the Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF)’s New Plastics Economy initiative, dozens of businesses have made their commitment to the new UK Plastics Pact.
Trending: Commercial Food Waste Finds New Foes in Unique Co-op Model, Veolia Marketplace
Food waste is the single largest waste stream lost to disposal and is the leading cause of methane emissions from landfills. While many communities have successfully implemented curbside organics collection, the non-residential sector loses more than 70 percent of food waste to disposal, according to the Recycling Council of Ontario (RCO).
‘Closing the Loop’ Doc Stresses Imperative for Circular Revolution, Shares Success Stories
Going “circular” refers to the change from our current take-make-waste linear economy to a borrow-use-return circular economy, also known under the banners of ‘zero-waste’ and ‘cradle-to-cradle.’ The concept has sparked a movement among companies, governments, NGOs, and
Closed Loop Fund Announces Historic Partnership on Funding for Recycling Infrastructure
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and the Closed Loop Fund (CLF) today unveiled an historic statewide, public-private partnership targeting a $5 million investment in recycling infrastructure in Connecticut in 2018. This statewide program follows Closed Loop Fund’s successful investment in Waterbury, CT in 2017.
Circle Economy, eBay Launch Crowdsourcing Platform for Circular Solutions
Social enterprise Circle Economy is calling on the global community to participate in creating a visionary circular future. In hopes of solving some of “humanity’s biggest challenges,” the organization has launched a new online crowdsourcing platform with support from the eBay Foundation. The Circle Lab platform is intended to capture ideas, encourage collaboration, and help ensure that ideas get off the ground and are implemented.
Nike Seeks Material Recovery, Design Ideas with ‘Limitless Potential’
Nike is calling for innovation proposals to help advance its product sustainability. The Nike Circular Innovation Challenge consists of two distinct but connected calls that invite entrants to develop new technologies to advance footwear recycling or create new products using Nike Grind materials. The best proposals will win thousands in cash awards.
Tesco, Nestlé Poised to Benefit Most from Impending Plant-Based Protein Surge
A shift in consumer awareness around sustainability is causing a surge in demand for plant-based proteins — an emerging market opportunity that global food companies won’t want to miss.
Forum for the Future Sheds Light on Global Trends Shaping the Future of Sustainability
In a new report, Forum for the Future calls on leaders to better understand the dynamic trends that are shaping the future in order to create strategies that effectively navigate today’s complex challenges and unlock new opportunities for sustainability.
Clean Energy Jobs Now Outnumber Coal, Gas Jobs in 30 US States
In case there was still any doubt that fossil fuels are on the decline, new analysis from the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) confirms it: Wind and solar energy jobs now outnumber coal and gas jobs in 30 states.