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Walking the Talk

These companies have moved beyond pledges and are making good on their commitments to pursuing a purpose beyond profit.

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The Sustainable Brands Network, Ukraine & the Power of Community

SB amplifies the actions of its global community and governments in support of Ukraine and reflects on the conflict’s potential impacts on long-term sustainability efforts.

Asian Companies Can Now Find Their Way to Sustainability with the Brand Transformation Roadmap

Sustainable Brands’ proprietary tool was launched in Asia at the 2022 edition of the Sustainable Brands Asia-Pacific conference.

‘Greenwashing Is Dangerous’: Lessons for Purpose-Driven Brands from Innocent’s Recent Lashing

Cross-Posted from Marketing and Comms. Brands now understand the immense benefits of touting their sustainability and purpose credentials; but those with sustainability ‘halos’ aren’t immune to scrutiny over their claims. As Innocent drinks was recently reminded, the stakes have never been higher for getting it wrong.

New Platform to Help Apparel Brands Illuminate Darkest Corners of Supply Chains

Cross-Posted from Supply Chain. Laudes Foundation’s Transparency in Action portal features best practices, expert advice, tools and resources — including information on existing and upcoming legislation — for brands to take informed steps towards transparency and expand their current efforts.

IPCC to Global Business and Government Leaders: The Jig Is Up

Cross-Posted from The Next Economy. The latest IPCC report provides further detail about just how far we’re careening off the proverbial rails and our ever-narrowing window for getting back on a habitable track. But it also provides deeper insight into a potential path forward — if we take definitive, collective action immediately.

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Why the Business World Should Use India as a Model for Corporate Social Responsibility

In India, CSR is approached with a rigor not found anywhere else in the world. Here, we see how businesses around the world can learn from the Indian approach to CSR — to ensure that every dollar spent has the best societal impact, while improving your brand value.

Will Carbon-Labeled Products Sell More? Here’s What We Know

Cross-Posted from Marketing and Comms. Even with an uptick in consumer knowledge of climate issues and food brands sharing carbon-footprint data for their products, the CPG world is still wondering if carbon-labeling is worth the effort and investment. Here are 5 key takeaways from recent peer-reviewed literature and industry papers.

There’s an Opportunity for Purpose Leadership in the Metaverse Gold Rush

Cross-Posted from The Next Economy. Companies getting into the gold rush of the metaverse can, like many before them in burgeoning industries, put profit first with little thought to the implications on society. Rarely have we been able to proactively factor in brand purpose and ESG planning into the early stages of an industry; and we have the unique opportunity to get it right this time around.

Fossil Free Banking Alliance to Help Conscious Consumers Put Their Money Where Their Mouths Are

Cross-Posted from Finance & Investment. Bank.Green’s new Alliance, made up of 8 founding members, aims to fuel the global movement towards a more sustainable and climate-resilient financial sector.

Super Bowl Ads Cost $6.5M This Year – What If Brands Used That Money for Good?

Cross-Posted from Marketing and Comms. Advertising is a critical element for business success; and successful businesses are better positioned to give back to society. But we believe the societal impact of $6.5M can do far more to authentically connect stakeholders with brands than a half-minute of airtime.

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Attention, Corporations: Creative Accounting Will Not Save Us from the Climate Crisis

The first Climate Corporate Responsibility Monitor dissects the climate pledges of 25 of the world’s leading companies — and finds they fall well short of the action required to help the world avoid the effects of catastrophic climate change.

Meet the Olive Oil Brand on a Mission to Reunify a War-Torn Country

Bringing new gravitas to the term, ‘purpose-driven,’ the team behind Colive is using their uniquely delicious olive oil to help end the civil unrest that has divided their native Cyprus since the 1970s — and exemplify the benefits of social entrepreneurship and peace through cooperation.

WSL: Riding the Wave to Sports Industry Leadership in Sustainability

The World Surf League has chosen to focus on the specific threats to its “playing field.” This risk-turned-opportunity approach to building a sustainability strategy is the best way for other leagues and teams to ‘find their wave,’ addressing the specific reasons to inspire action.

Umpqua Bank Offers $2M Infusion to Support Minority, Women Entrepreneurs

Cross-Posted from Finance & Investment. Through a series of multi-year partnerships with business-focused nonprofits, Umpqua aims to close the opportunity gap in access to capital, resources, and expertise for traditionally underserved innovators.

Rural Studio Immersion Program Enriching Students, Reviving West Alabama’s Black Belt

Cross-Posted from Product, Service & Design Innovation. At Auburn University’s architectural-training program, “housing is health.” Associate Director Rusty Smith asserts: “As architects, we have a professional responsibility. It's not only an ethical or moral responsibility; it's a professional responsibility, as well, to act when we see people in crisis.”

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5 Ways to Turn Your Purpose into a Competitive Advantage

Cross-Posted from Marketing and Comms. An intentional purpose will be unique to every company — based on your history, culture and the role you play in your customers’ lives. But, based on our interviews with leading purpose-led companies, here are five common themes that can inspire your own ‘purpose advantage.’

Water May Be Life, But It Is Never a Given: Learnings from the Navajo Nation

Cross-Posted from Collaboration. It’s 2022, and 1 in 3 homes on the Navajo Nation Reservation still do not have a tap or toilet. In 2021, human rights nonprofit DigDeep collaborated with Kohler to launch the Water Is Life microgrant program — which is working to make safe water a reality for all residents of the Navajo Nation.

Decolonizing Wealth Project Redistributes $1M Towards Indigenous-Led Sustainability Efforts

Cross-Posted from Finance & Investment. The multi-year, multimillion-dollar Indigenous Earth Fund initiative will support systemic and policy-change efforts centered around Indigenous leaders and environmental solutions.

Climate Action Plans: How Do We Know If We’re Making Real Progress?

In our experience, it’s challenging to proceed from knowing your company’s emissions profile to crafting a climate action plan to reduce it. Successful companies will adopt the right mix of strategies for them — which is where the bigger challenge comes in.

BlackRock's Fink Expounds on Need for Decarbonization, But Not Divestment

In his annual letter to CEOs, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink says that, while decarbonizing the global economy is ‘the greatest investment opportunity of our lifetime,’ he also asserts that ‘divesting from entire sectors will not get the world to net zero.’

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