THE NEXT ECONOMY -
In its first year, the American Climate Corps aims to put more than 20,000 young people on career pathways in the growing fields of clean energy, conservation and climate resilience.
CHEMISTRY, MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
Loliware, Uuvipak and Twiice have created rapidly biodegradable (and even edible) bio-based products that completely upstage their petroleum-based, single-use plastic-polluting counterparts.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
An impressive panel of activists, climate and human rights leaders launched a campaign at Climate Week NYC calling for prompt, radical, legislative action to break the fashion industry’s intrinsic links to fossil fuels.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
Part of the Global Collaboration Village, leaders can now come together in the metaverse to experience and solve the deepening effects of the climate crisis.
CLEANTECH -
Keeping the planet below 1.5ºC will require rapid scaling of current technologies and deployment of emergent climate solutions — as well as innovative, binding policy interventions.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
With the explosive growth of the voluntary carbon market came concerns around carbon-reduction claims lacking clarity or being misleading. Several refined claims frameworks have emerged to bridge these gaps.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
As companies have faced reputational risk due to the uncovering of labor abuses from suppliers that many did not even realize were supplying them, there’s been a push to better manage and ensure supply-chain
transparency — with technology playing a key role.
WASTE NOT -
As part of Nestlé’s bid to source 50% of its key ingredients from regenerative-ag methods by 2030, the three are turning the waste steam into a win-win, circular solution for food companies and farmers alike.
NEW METRICS -
The NPI will clarify and standardize the term ‘nature positive;’ and drive synergies across the many actors supporting and implementing changes towards the goal of halting and reversing nature loss by 2030.
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
Nike’s ISPA (Improvise, Scavenge, Protect, Adapt) design philosophy challenges creators to experiment, break molds and reimagine products. The ISPA Link Axis uses interlocking components, as few materials as possible and zero glue.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
Partnerships with brands including Madewell and Vibram will help adapt bluesign’s existing standards and guidelines for two untapped industries.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
Frequent flyer reward programs encourage flyers to emit up to 34x their lifetime carbon budget; while flying private can pollute up to 30x more than a standard flight.
BEHAVIOR CHANGE -
Retailers continue to refine what packaging they find acceptable to answer consumer demand for more sustainable solutions — and consumer goods companies
must keep innovating to keep pace.
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.
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.
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