WASTE NOT -
Existing EPR systems limit electronics producers’ responsibility to national jurisdictions, not to the countries to which we export our electronics waste, and neither lead to multiple product use cycles nor to safe e-waste management.
COLLABORATION -
The non-profit global alliance features nine organizations committed to dedicating the power of their design communities to addressing the UN SDGs — beginning with SDG 6: clean water and sanitation.
FINANCE & INVESTMENT -
The first national Black farmer co-op since the Reconstruction era is on a mission to revive and support Black farmers — which have dwindled to a mere 1.4% of farmers in the US — and cultivate a national network of growers of regeneratively farmed hemp.
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.
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.
WALKING THE TALK -
Here, Roshan Paul and Ilaina Rabbat, co-founders of the Amani Institute, provide a dashboard for both aspiring and established changemakers to reflect on their motivation, their limitations and their overall fortitude for life in a social impact career.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
Traceability is the foundation upon which we can truly revolutionize the fashion industry, revealing the actual costs of products and ensuring that the wealth generated from production gets redistributed more fairly.
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.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
PMI recently released its 2021 Sustainability Materiality Report, which describes how the company identifies the ESG topics that inform its strategies, goals, and reporting. It’s conducted with full transparency — for stakeholders, and for society.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
The Directive on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence would oblige companies to identify, prevent, and mitigate human rights and environmental violations in their value chain. But there is debate over whether companies can be reasonably expected to control their entire value chain, down to the smallest suppliers.
FINANCE & INVESTMENT -
MDIs are trusted providers for communities of color and include some of the oldest minority-owned US banks; they play a unique role in increasing access to
financial services for underserved populations.
WALKING THE TALK -
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.
THE NEXT ECONOMY -
As we look back on 25 years of the sustainability movement and focus on the critical decade ahead, we challenge business leaders to embrace three vital
perspectives in order to drive deep transformation of the way we live and work in unsettled times.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
New platform from Break Free from Plastic explores the hardest-hit frontline communities in the world, from India to Ohio. After hearing each story, viewers can choose to view another location, or take actions designed to make local and global impact.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
Far from simply the latest buzzword, regenerative agriculture is an opportunity for brands to invest in a fundamentally different system that drives numerous
benefits for people and the planet — from boosting climate resilience and reversing biodiversity loss to prioritizing justice, equity and sustainable livelihoods.
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.”
PRODUCT, SERVICE & DESIGN INNOVATION -
The startups and NGOs have won the inaugural Seeding the Future Global Food System Challenge, from the Institute of Food Technologists, aimed at scaling innovations that will help transform the food system.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
It seems human rights abuses aren’t the only labor issues companies need to watch out for in their supply chains. Here, Thailand-based Theppadungporn Coconut Company details how it partnered to create the first audit scheme specifically designed to uncover monkey labor.
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.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
Paying living wages throughout supply chains can mean changing business models, which can seem insurmountable. But a series of case studies from IDH shows how companies and coalitions are making real progress on their commitments.