Latest News

Consumer Behavior Change
Social Media an Invaluable Tool for Helping Conscious Consumers Live Even More Consciously
Social Media an Invaluable Tool for Helping Conscious Consumers Live Even More Consciously
Published on May 18, 2016
Written by Tom Szaky
About a 3 minute read

With hundreds of millions of individuals logging into social media accounts every day, using the medium as a platform for social change and activism is just common sense. Today, about 61 percent of consumers use social platforms to learn about sustainability issues. In this open forum-style digital environment, consumers are able to have open conversations about corporate social responsibility and other salient subjects in sustainability. Read More...

FSC Nurtures 'Forests for All, Forever' Ethos in Spain, Italy, Germany
FSC Nurtures 'Forests for All, Forever' Ethos in Spain, Italy, Germany
Published on May 11, 2016
Written by Carla Tavares
About a 4 minute read

The Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC) has demonstrated the power of harnessing brand affinity and the growing awareness of ethical choice. Three recent and inspiring examples in Spain, Italy and Germany illustrate their success in fostering both individual and collective action in each of these markets. Read More...

Circular EconomyCircular Economy
More Entrepreneurs Waging the Food Waste Fight
More Entrepreneurs Waging the Food Waste Fight
Published on April 26, 2016
Written by Hannah Furlong
About a 5 minute read

Campaigns near and far have been educating people on the – well, wastefulness – of food waste. Bad for both our wallets and the environment, the amount of food that is purchased by consumers only to go uneaten and get thrown out is estimated at 16 percent in European Union countries and up to 25 percent in the United States. The average family in the United Kingdom discards £700-worth (over US$1,000) of food a year, while the average American family of four tosses $1,365 to $2,275 per year. Read More...

Innovation & TechnologyInnovation & Technology
South Pole Group: Why Companies Should Care About Renewable Energy
South Pole Group: Why Companies Should Care About Renewable Energy
Published on March 29, 2016
Written by Mike Hower
About a 6 minute read

The landmark international climate change nearly 195-nation agreement that came out of COP21 late last year sent a message to the world that a low-carbon future is imminent. The Paris Agreement, for the first time, brings all nations into a common cause based on their historic, current and future responsibilities. Its main aim is to keep a global temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees Celsius and to drive efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. The 1.5 degree Celsius limit is a significantly safer defense line against the worst impacts of a changing climate. Read More...

Organizational Governance
The Bold Approach of Transformational Companies
The Bold Approach of Transformational Companies
Published on March 18, 2016
Written by Coro Strandberg
About a 5 minute read

Companies such as Vancity and IKEA have shown that businesses can be both purposeful and profitable. Now's the time to engage. Read More...

Circular Economy
Avery Dennison RFID Labels Improve Efficiency, Cut Waste in Apparel Industry
Avery Dennison RFID Labels Improve Efficiency, Cut Waste in Apparel Industry
Published on March 16, 2016
Written by Mike Hower
About a 3 minute read

Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology is transforming both consumers’ shopping carts and companies’ supply chains by allowing intelligent barcodes to talk to a networked system that tracks products from Point A to Point Z. A technology once limited to tracking cattle, RFID tags are now tracking consumer products worldwide. Many manufacturers use the tags to monitor the location of each product they make from the time it's made until it's pulled off the shelf and tossed in a shopping cart. Read More...

Circular Economy
How Employee Engagement Helped All MillerCoors' Major Breweries Go Landfill-Free
How Employee Engagement Helped All MillerCoors' Major Breweries Go Landfill-Free
Published on February 19, 2016
Written by Sustainable Brands
About a 3 minute read

MillerCoors, the second largest brewer in the US, announced on Wednesday that all of its major breweries have achieved landfill-free operations.The Fort Worth Brewery in Texas was the final of its eight sites to reach the milestone, after the facility engaged a 'Sustainability Employee Council' that focused on changing employee behaviors and making recycling easier and more accessible. Read More...

Innovation & Technology
Beyond Good Intentions: Tweaking the Buy One, Give One Model
Beyond Good Intentions: Tweaking the Buy One, Give One Model
Published on February 19, 2016
Written by Hannah Ritchie
About a 6 minute read

While these models were implemented with the best of intentions, their lack of a holistic approach to the problems they’re aiming to address undermines a key selling point for mission-driven business models: the mutual benefits of improved reputation and profits. Read More...

Organizational Governance
How a Partnership with Parley for the Oceans Is Driving Engagement at adidas
How a Partnership with Parley for the Oceans Is Driving Engagement at adidas
Published on February 18, 2016
Written by Hannah Furlong
About a 5 minute read

Leading up to her trip to the Parley Ocean School, adidas Group designer Jasmin Bynoe was unsure of what to expect. She was about to take to the seas for a 5-day adventure in the Maldives alongside 17 of her colleagues from adidas; they would be learning about plastic pollution and what they could do to help from Parley for the Oceans educators, and it was sure to be a unique experience. Read More...

Innovation & TechnologyCircular Economy
'Peak Stuff': Why IKEA Is Shifting Towards New Business Models
'Peak Stuff': Why IKEA Is Shifting Towards New Business Models
Published on February 17, 2016
Written by Adam Gerschel-Clarke
About a 4 minute read

Last month, IKEA’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Steve Howard, raised eyebrows at a panel debate by suggesting that in some parts of the world we have reached the point of ‘peak stuff’, a comment that was interpreted by some as a warning that consumer appetite for home furnishings had reached a crucial turning point. Read More...

Innovation & Technology
Innovation Inspiration: What Bones Taught Airbus About Optimizing Strength
Innovation Inspiration: What Bones Taught Airbus About Optimizing Strength
Published on February 15, 2016
Written by Jenna Cederberg
About a 4 minute read

Airbus Group is taking innovation inspired by nature to the air by using 3D printing to help build a stronger, lighter-weight galley partition that mimics cells structure and bone growth. The design literally lightens each airplane’s load, allowing it to do things like save a projected 465,000 metric tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. Read More...

Innovation & Technology
Trending: These Nordic Clothing Companies Are 'Relooping Fashion' for the Next Economy
Trending: These Nordic Clothing Companies Are 'Relooping Fashion' for the Next Economy
Published on January 25, 2016
Written by Hannah Furlong
About a 6 minute read

Circular and sharing economy models are the latest trend in sustainable fashion – it seems there are new initiatives popping up all the time! Just last week, we covered startups reKindness and Hubbub, which are making clothes swapping easier in the U.S. and U.K., respectively. Read More...

Innovation & TechnologyInnovation & Technology
Religious Fervour, 'Green Giants,' Heartfelt Communication Abound on #SB15London, Day 2
Religious Fervour, 'Green Giants,' Heartfelt Communication Abound on #SB15London, Day 2
Published on November 18, 2015
Written by Adam Gerschel-Clarke
About a 7 minute read

On Tuesday, BBMG co-founder Raphael Bemporad hosted the second morning’s plenaries at SB ’15 London. He began by highlighting the transitionary power of sustainable brands.“As we begin the conversation today, I’d like us to think about the privileged position we occupy as a force for societal and market transformation,” he said. “We are uniquely placed: We can harness the emotional power of brands to convey stories and to channel aspirations, but we also embody sustainability — we’re system thinkers, we’re innovators. When we bring these two things together, we have the power to shape culture and shape the market.” Read More...

Organizational Governance
Net Positive: How to Move From Ambition to Implementation
Net Positive: How to Move From Ambition to Implementation
Published on November 17, 2015
Written by Greta Muscat
About a 5 minute read

Arriving a few minutes late after taking ‘the sustainable option’ and walking to the Beaumont Estate from Egham station, Forum for the Future’s Zoe Le Grand kicked off Monday morning’s Net Positive workshop at SB'15 London. Read More...

Organizational GovernanceOrganizational Governance
From Talk to Action: #SB15London Opening Night Sets Stage for Moving from 'What If' to 'How Now'
From Talk to Action: #SB15London Opening Night Sets Stage for Moving from 'What If' to 'How Now'
Published on November 17, 2015
Written by Catherine Thomason
About a 3 minute read

The opening plenary session at SB ’15 London introduced attendees to this year’s theme, HOW NOW? Read More...

Circular EconomyCircular Economy
UK Chef's New TV Show Waging 'War on Waste'
UK Chef's New TV Show Waging 'War on Waste'
Published on November 11, 2015
Written by Hannah Furlong
About a 4 minute read

The latest celebrity chef-led TV show is going beyond delicious meals to dish out hard truths about waste. Chef-turned-food-waste-activist Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall “is on a mission to reduce the amount of waste that Britain produces,” in the new BBC One series, "Hugh’s War on Waste." Read More...

Organizational GovernanceOrganizational Governance
AB InBev: How a Global Brewer Is Setting the Bar for Innovation in Local Water Conservation
AB InBev: How a Global Brewer Is Setting the Bar for Innovation in Local Water Conservation
Published on November 9, 2015
Written by Kim Soko
About a 6 minute read

I came to Colorado, like millions before me, for the mountains, the active, sustainable lifestyle — and, of course, the beer. Coloradoans love their beer. So when I was invited up to Fort Collins to check out the water-saving initiatives of a local brewery I jumped at the opportunity. “Which one?” I wondered. Fort Collins is home to more than 15 breweries (roughly 1 for every 10,000 residents), amongst the highest concentrations for any city in America. New Belgium is a certified B Corp — that’d make sense. Or maybe Odell? Read More...

Supply Chain
Local vs Global: How AB InBev Is Helping to Change the Debate
Local vs Global: How AB InBev Is Helping to Change the Debate
Published on November 4, 2015
Written by Daniel Matthews
About a 4 minute read

Here in Idaho, we’re the number one barley-producing US state. But how much of that barley (and the profits from it) remains in the state, or even in the region?This is the type of question advocates for sustainability ask. We want to buy local and help sustain our local businesses. We want fresh farm produce delivered to our local businesses—such as Co-ops—where we buy the produce and help these farmers grow more crops. The local business profits, the farmer profits, and hopefully, our health is bolstered by environmentally conscious growing practices the farmer employs.At first blush this might not be obvious, but the barley question is a big deal. Here’s why: Read More...

Organizational GovernanceOrganizational Governance
Attention, Shoppers: REI Is Paying Its Employees to Take Black Friday, Thanksgiving Off
Attention, Shoppers: REI Is Paying Its Employees to Take Black Friday, Thanksgiving Off
Published on October 28, 2015
Written by Sustainable Brands
About a 2 minute read

To celebrate Thanksgiving this year, outdoor gear and apparel retailer REI is taking a bold stand against the chaotic caricature of capitalism that is Black Friday by closing its doors and paying its employees to live the company ethos — by spending the day enjoying the great outdoors with their loved ones.In an email sent to customers on Monday, the co-op announced that it’s closing all 143 of its stores on Black Friday. Read More...

Circular EconomyCircular Economy
#BusinessCase: Dow, TNC Study Highlights Power of Green Infrastructure in Natural Disaster Protection
#BusinessCase: Dow, TNC Study Highlights Power of Green Infrastructure in Natural Disaster Protection
Published on October 23, 2015
Written by Sustainable Brands
About a 4 minute read

The Dow Chemical Company and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) have released a new study focusing on how nature can help protect business assets from natural disasters. Based on research completed as part of the ongoing Dow-TNC collaboration, the study demonstrates that asset protection strategies can include green infrastructure — such as marshes, mangroves, coral and oyster reefs — along with more conventional infrastructure — such as dikes and levees — to protect business assets from hurricanes and flooding. Read More...

Upcoming Events

June 8-10, 2026
SB'26 San Diego
US Event
February 18-19, 2026
SB'26 Tokyo
US Event
See All Events >