CHEMISTRY, MATERIALS & PACKAGING - The paints, developed by Stanford researchers, can reduce the need for both heating and air conditioning in buildings, as well as refrigerated cargo spaces such as trains and trucks.
BUSINESS CASE - Forum for the Future’s latest "Future of Sustainability" report sets out four plausible trajectories for how companies can respond to current threats and opportunities across markets.
THE NEXT ECONOMY - Applied to food supply chains, ambient IoT allows farmers, distributors, grocers, regulators and consumers to know where food came from, how far it traveled, how it was transported and stored, and what condition it’s in — in real time.
BEHAVIOR CHANGE - Highlighting the impact of individual purchases and their associated emissions output, the app — fresh off a large funding round — is evolving to meet the daily spending directives of its users.
WASTE NOT - By upcycling coconut husks and shrimp shells, Fortuna Cools and Cruz Foam are diverting agricultural waste from landfill and offering circular polystyrene alternatives that match its performance.
PRESS RELEASE - Alongside select social impact partners, Discovery Education is offering educators & students free digital resources to promote financial literacy.
SUPPLY CHAIN - The investor letter asserts that the financial materiality of human rights-related topics – and the critical role of human rights due diligence in identifying business risks – has never been clearer, and that ‘investors are in dire need of a unified social disclosure framework.’
FINANCE & INVESTMENT - “By valuing and giving a voice to [women of color], and recognizing their potential as solutions and stabilizers, impact investing is a powerful way to build systemic resilience … and reduce the negative impact of climate change on everyone.” — Durreen Shahnaz
MARKETING AND COMMS - It's about to get more costly for companies that exaggerate environmental and social claims in their communications. But what if artificial intelligence could eradicate greenwash forever?
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION - At Biomimicry 3.8’s third annual Project Positive Summit, participants shared progress and groundbreaking new tools for raising the bar on ‘sustainability’ and demonstrating what regenerative design looks like in practice.
NEW METRICS - Climate resilience is the ‘resilience of a company’s strategy and business model to climate-related changes, developments and uncertainties.’ This language is worth reflecting on, as it brings the concept of resilience science into mainstream business thinking.
NEW METRICS - The availability and measurability of data is critical in determining the right metric. Quantifying ‘social good,’ for example, is nebulous; if the metrics we select give us no ability to measurably improve them, then our work is for naught.
BEHAVIOR CHANGE - A recent study shows that people across the socioeconomic spectrum care about climate action; but taking that action remains cost-prohibitive for lower-income groups.
THE NEXT ECONOMY - Phasing out animal agriculture over the next 15 years could reduce GHGs 68% by the year 2100. Yet, ongoing lobbying and subsidies in the US and EU are not giving alternatives the chance to fully compete.
CLEANTECH - The challenge seeks next-generation aviation solutions including alternative fuels and propulsion technologies; and innovations in feedstock, engineering, and physical and market infrastructure.
SUPPLY CHAIN - The publicly available reports, commissioned by the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action, are part of a roadmap toward industry decarbonization.
THE NEXT ECONOMY - Younger consumers are pushing resale into mainstream retail; and it’s changing how brands, platforms and other services that support commerce support and strategize around it.
WALKING THE TALK - Adequate water-stewardship goals must address the full range of water issues across the value chain — including amount of water used, impacts on water quality, ecosystem health and communities’ access to safe water.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION - Instead of the traditional approach of shielding tourists from places' 'messy' parts, more travel-focused social enterprises are working with marginalized communities to introduce tourists to their destination’s complex fabric.
PRESS RELEASE - Sustana, a manufacturer of premium, sustainable recycled fiber and paper products, announces the appointment of Aaron Ling to Director of Sustainability.