Walking the Talk
These companies have moved beyond pledges and are making good on their commitments to pursuing a purpose beyond profit.
We All Have An Important Role to Play in Putting People at the Heart of Sustainability
Each of the 10 organizations being showcased in this year’s sustain[HUMAN]ability® Leadership Recognition Program is a leader in its own right and offers something from which we can all learn.
Ice Cream Giants Innovate to Help Avoid Climate Meltdown
Ben & Jerry’s and its parent company, Unilever, have both launched pilots aimed at drastically cutting their GHG emissions — if successful, both are hoping to drive industry-wide change for truly game-changing impacts.
Sustainability Is Not Enough: Moving from Earth-Neutral to Earth-Positive
Cross-Posted from The Next Economy. To create real change and avert a climate crisis, we must move beyond earth-neutral and embrace earth-positive — and that starts with your narrative. Here are three ways to ensure that your business, your brand and your ethos are all earth-positive.
Purpose & ESG Are Not Interchangeable; You Need Both
Cross-Posted from Organizational Change. Purpose and ESG are often conflated. Here, three experts explain what makes them different, why you need both, and how to prioritize the gamut of ESG- and Purpose-related activities.
4 Ways to Unlock Carbon Finance in Agriculture to Drive Climate Action
Too many corporate carbon offset schemes rely on measuring soil organic carbon — which is highly variable, hard to measure and easy to lose. Here is a four-step framework for companies looking to create tangible impacts on the ground (pun intended).
Any Road Will Take You There, If You Don’t Know Where (or Why) You’re Going: Defining Purpose
Cross-Posted from Marketing and Comms. While some sustainability terms have stood the test of time, others are now outdated. No matter what terms you use, you and your colleagues should have a shared understanding of what “purpose” means in your organization to gain its greatest benefits. Here is an up-to-date glossary for responsible business professionals.
Over 100 NGOs Join Forces to Escalate Climate Pressure on Vanguard
Cross-Posted from Marketing and Comms. The world's second-largest asset manager received the worst possible score in a new climate scorecard as NGOs, grassroots groups, and finance experts ramp up pressure for it to act on climate.
8 Rules for Leaders to Break to Combat Social, Economic and Racial Injustices
Cross-Posted from Leadership. To truly help individuals and ourselves, we need to bust up the system, swim upstream and avoid the herd mentality. We need to take a step back and truly understand our own roles in society — and by doing so, to let go of outdated notions.
KLM Called Out for Misleading Claim That Travelers Can ‘Fly CO2 Zero’
A Dutch advertising watchdog has ruled that a recent ad telling the airline’s customers they could fly carbon-emission free is misleading.
BlackRock ‘Anticipates’ 75% of Portfolio Edging Toward Net Zero by 2030
Cross-Posted from Finance & Investment. While the announcement from the world’s largest asset manager could potentially have significant influence on lowering global emissions, BlackRock’s passive approach is a missed opportunity to actively drive the transition to a low-carbon, net-zero economy.
‘Kaizen’: How Sipsmith Is Fulfilling Its Mission to Create the Best Gin for the World
Despite having been acquired by a global spirits conglomerate, the founders of Sipsmith have been able to redefine their mission and vision for the company — as well as influence others within the global group to join them on the journey.
In a Sea of Low-Price, Profit-Driven Booking Platforms, Kind Traveler Prioritizes Impact
Cross-Posted from The Next Economy. Many mainstream travel agents still emphasize low prices and profit, treating both travelers and destinations as commodities; but Kind Traveler challenges the viability of such a model within an industry increasingly shaped by more conscious travelers.
Unilever’s New Sustainability Director Wants Competitors to Close the Gap on ESG Performance
Cross-Posted from Leadership. “We need to keep that competitive advantage and continue to innovate so that we can really make sustainable living commonplace. It’s constant innovation; and we want others to come along on the journey with us.” — Niki King
The Purpose Gloves Are Off: How to Not End Up on the Ropes
Cross-Posted from Organizational Change. The United Way Social Purpose Institute offers a free tool to help companies assess and rate the degree to which their purpose is fully embedded across the company and in its relationships. These are the new techniques that purpose players are expected to demonstrate to stay in the ring …
New Tools Helping Companies Better Track, Meet Ambitious Climate Goals — with No Time to Waste
Cross-Posted from Product, Service & Design Innovation. The emergence of a host of new carbon-monitoring and -tracking tools is better equipping companies with the data to achieve their climate goals — but time is running short to turn this into meaningful action.
How Businesses Can Make Earth Month More Than Just a Month
Rather than trying to convince people that they should care, like in years past; this Earth Month should be about challenging ourselves to set lasting change into motion. This year, I hope we see more action on the following trends …
More Companies Are Stating a Social Purpose; But Are They Implementing It?
Corporate Knights has developed the world’s first rating system to assess companies’ implementation of their social purpose commitments. Its research finds that the gap between ‘say’ and ‘do’ varies from one company to the next.
Profit, Performance and Impact: The Success Criteria of a Whole Brand
The reality of living in a capitalist society is that we can't simply cut off the production of products and services; the brands that will succeed in the upcoming decades will be those that function holistically, with sustainable actions built in.
What SEC ESG Disclosure Mandates Might Mean for Your Business
Cross-Posted from Marketing and Comms. Earlier this month, Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose convened 17 CEOs and key legal leaders to discuss newly proposed environmental and social governance disclosure requirements from the SEC. Here are four key takeaways from the conversation.
Organic Cotton Industry Still Sowing Seeds for Sustainability
Cross-Posted from Supply Chain. As consumer demand for organic cotton soars, so does skepticism over the sustainability of the sector. The response must not be to retreat from organic cotton, but to invest more in supporting farmers to help them make the often-difficult conversion to organic on the ground.
