Product, Service & Design Innovation
The latest products, services, design approaches and business models that are helping organizations of all sizes deliver on their sustainability ambitions and establish a new business as usual.
Latin America, Caribbean Embrace Transition to Circular Economy
Cross-Posted from The Next Economy. A regional coalition, led by UNEP, will support access to financing by the public and private sector, with special emphasis on SMEs — to foster innovation and the implementation of specific projects in the region.
How the Pandemic Shaped Sustainability Goals for Commercial Buildings
Last year provided many unforeseen challenges for the building management industry; despite it all, sustainability commitments stayed steady. But we must seize the opportunity to shift the narrative in the energy industry away from efficiency, towards continuous optimization.
Digital Twins: A Data-Driven Approach to Sustainable Building Operations
Digital twins are now beginning to be recognized for their ability to monitor a building’s performance in real time. Companies' building projects should include a model that is prepared for this new, data-driven approach to sustainability.
GEON Performance Solutions Unites Vinyl Industry in COVID-19 Relief
In mid-2020, as companies around the country rallied and pivoted to fill demand for PPE and other vital products during the pandemic, GEON offered its expertise in logistics, supply, sourcing, technical, commercial and manufacturing operations to SMEs at no cost.
S’well’s New Sustainability-as-a-Service Platform Riding GroundS’well of Demand for Circular Products
Best known for its fashionable reusable bottles and hydration accessories, S’well recently launched GroundS’well — a sustainability-as-a-service platform that aims to help brands improve consumer habits while decreasing single-use plastic waste.
New Tool Keeps Sky-High Eye on Sustainable Agriculture’s geoFootprint
Cross-Posted from Supply Chain. The multi-stakeholder geoFootprint initiative, led by Quantis, allows businesses to assess risks posed by changes in climate, water availability and quality, soil health and biodiversity to secure supply chains and the future of food.
Global Innovation Competition Seeks Solutions to Microplastic Pollution
Cross-Posted from Chemistry, Materials & Packaging. Conservation X Labs’ $650,000 challenge aims to “harness planetary genius” to create solutions to replace plastic in textiles and textile manufacturing.
The Shift from Sustainable to Regenerative Design
The language and terms we use influence our approach to the problems we face. Switching from sustainable to regenerative design enables us to more easily leave behind strategies that are no longer equal to the challenges we face.
The Creative Collision of Circular Economy and Supply Chain in the Built Environment
Cross-Posted from Supply Chain. The intersection of circular practices and supply chain in the built environment will be a ripe area for innovation as companies look to their real estate portfolios for opportunities to meet their ambitious sustainability commitments by 2030.
What Have We Learnt About Building Post-Pandemic Cities for All?
Cross-Posted from The Next Economy. Mobility is a fundamental aspect of cities; and a city only evolves when all of its inhabitants can fully participate in it. Inclusive urban mobility and accessible technologies are some of the best allies to forge cities for all and to improve the life of seniors and people with disabilities.
No Compromises: How Eastman’s Naia™ Renew Is Transforming the Fashion Industry
Cross-Posted from Chemistry, Materials & Packaging. Here, Shaw’s Kellie Ballew and Eastman’s Ruth Farrell discuss the opportunities created by Eastman’s Naia™ Renew textile, and the need to show the market that sustainability and circularity can be achieved without compromise.
New PANGAIA Partnership Aims to Scale Industry Adoption of Sustainable Synthetic Textiles
Cross-Posted from Chemistry, Materials & Packaging. With an investment in Kintra Fibers, a material science company that makes 100% bio-based and compostable yarns, PANGAIA aims to raise industry standards for synthetic materials.
Please Hold the Packaging: Creating a No-Landfill Meal Kit
Meal kits are synonymous with excessive packaging, but they have a crucial redeeming feature — they reduce food waste. At Just Salad, that got us thinking: Could we drastically reduce packaging to make meal kits an unambiguous environmental win?
How Seiko Epson Is Using Digital Technology to Transform the Textile Industry
Through its cutting-edge inkjet textile-printing technology, Seiko Epson is aiming to not only transform the textile industry, but to help solve an array of social issues caused by analog printing in a range of fields.
3 Ways Farmers Can Use Tech for Bigger Yields, Greater Sustainability
With technologies such as these coming to market all the time, farmers now have the option to grow more profitable, high-quality crops with more efficient input use — supporting their business, as well as the environment.
Kao: Striving for 'Yoki-Monozukuri' (‘Excellent Manufacturing’) Through the Pursuit of 'Kirei'
Kao’s new ESG strategy is centered on "kirei" (meaning “clean, beautiful and orderly”) — a Japanese word that is not yet well known worldwide but one that the company aims to make aspirational throughout the world.
Bid Adieu to This Dumpster Fire of a Year! The 2020 SB Holiday Gift Guide
No offense, 2020 — but it is high time we put you to bed and look toward the future. After the year we’ve had, we all deserve a little pampering — and so do the makers of these thoughtful, ethically made products …
Sustainability and Healthcare: Transformational Work During a Global Pandemic
Cross-Posted from Collaboration. Shaw is spotlighting organizations making a positive impact through initiatives that support the wellbeing of people and the planet. Here, we discuss a new sustainability initiative led by three of the most influential organizations working to transform health care: Health Care Without Harm, Practice Greenhealth and Greenhealth Exchange.
3 Advances in Sequestering Carbon in the Built Environment
The ability to not only eliminate greenhouse gas emissions, but actually sequester carbon, would transform buildings from net negative to net positive entities. Here, we examine several approaches making this possible.
How Saas Startups Are Reshaping Social Equality in Tech
Cross-Posted from Organizational Change. The tech sector can, and should, be the leader at showcasing the advantages of diversity. In many ways, we are all limited by the tools that we use. The cloud is enabling companies to overcome many barriers that were, until recently, impenetrable.
