SB Articles Archive

Sainsbury's Begins Selling Sustainably Farmed Fish

Jennifer Elks — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 03:14:28 +0000

UK grocery chain Sainsbury’s is now selling farmed fish certified by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) in what is apparently an industry first, according to The Grocer.

The retailer has rolled out two private-label lines of pangasius, otherwise known as river cobbler — natural and smoked — across 150 of its stores. The store plans to add a third, lightly dusted line and increase distribution to 400 stores beginning May 1.

The ASC was founded in 2010 by WWF and IDH (Dutch Sustainable Trade Initiative) to manage the global standards for responsible aquaculture, which are developed by the Aquaculture Dialogues, a program of roundtables initiated and coordinated by WWF.

The pangasius is ASC-certified from feed mill to final product and is a step towards the supermarket’s goal of having all of its fish independently certified as sustainable by 2020, as part of its 20x20 Sustainability Plan. Sainsbury’s also encourages customers to try alternative fish varieties in an effort to decrease depletion of popular fish stocks.

In other recent news, Sainsbury’s, along with Nestle and the Co-operative, announced last month it will begin pilot projects called “pathfinders” to decrease the supply chain footprint of products with the most GHG emissions, product waste, and water, energy and resource use.

April 12, 2013

The Co-Operative's Lighter Wine Bottles Cut Over a Half-Million Tons of Glass and CO2

Brady Hamed — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 02:32:34 +0000

UK grocery chain The Co-operative has just announced significant reductions in the weight of its private label wine bottles. With the help of its supplier, Kingsland Wines and Spirits, the Co-operative achieved reductions that amounted to a savings of 725 metric tons of glass and 556 metrics tons of CO2. Not only does a major reduction such as this use fewer resources and save energy, the biggest reduction comes from having less weight to transport and therefore dramatically lower fuel costs. By the end of 2013, the Co-operative plans to reduce its packaging weights by a further 15% and increase its carrier bag reduction target to 75%.

The Co-operative is not the only company to have success with weight reduction in packaging. Coca-Cola has saved approximately $200 million over the course of 2 years through a 25% weight reduction in their 20-ounce PET plastic bottles, a 30% reduction in 12-ounce aluminum cans, and a 50% reduction in 8-ounce glass bottles. Perhaps the most impressive is the Sonoco-made jar for Kraft peanut butter, which uses 84% less glass than its predecessor.

While the Co-operative’s weight reductions are commendable, could the company aim higher? The weight for a varietal bottle (ex: a Chardonnay or Merlot) decreased by 14%. The weight for an entry-level bottle (the most basic wine a vineyard has to offer) dropped by 11%. This 11% reduction is supposedly the lightest weight possible for a Bordeaux-style bottle.

So if this is as light as a Bordeaux-style bottle can be, does that mean they can’t strive further? Furthermore, does wine even have to come in a bottle? While boxed wine has a low-class reputation, companies such as Black Box, Fish Eye and Bota Box are now making luxury wines. Boxed wine is sold at a lower premium because of the savings on packaging and transportation. Other alternatives such as tetra-paks and mini barrels are also slowly seeping their way into stores. If the Co-operative wants to meet its target, it needs to cast off the tradition of glass bottles and embrace some other methods soon (Speaking of alternative packaging, our upcoming Issue in Focus will be dedicated to packaging innovations across all sectors. If you feel as passionate as I do about this, feel free to contribute to the discussion here).

I do not want to crack down too hard on the Co-operative. It is important to show that this is just another step in a series of commendable decisions that will further the company’s sustainability. The Co-operative has featured fairtrade wines since 2001 and, along with Nestlé and Sainsbury’s, recently began using new "pathfinder" research to reduce the carbon footprint of its supply chain. With any luck, studies such as this will lead to more promising changes and improve upon this initial weight reduction.

Article Image Caption:

Image credit: The Co-operative

April 12, 2013

Sustainable Education Brands: How Learning Institutions Are Attracting Values-Driven Students

Matthew Wright-Simon — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 01:35:47 +0000

For the centuries that tertiary education has been part of society, further education was a privilege afforded those who could afford it. But with the advancement in recent years of communication technologies and speeds, the battle for the student dollar is now being waged online. Whether researching unis or shopping for a MOOC, it has never been easier to choose an institution or course of study. Every education consumer represents an opportunity for universities across the globe to establish their credentials not only in what they offer as education service providers, but what they can contribute to the overall customer experience.

Annual international university rankings are watched almost as keenly as corporate earnings reports, although the range of choice is still so overwhelming that even venerable indexes such as the Times Education Supplement hosts a subjective 'reputation' category and separately grades universities that have been around for less than 50 years. More than anything else, this shows just how hard it can be to set competitors apart.

Global best practice

More prospective undergrads are showing interest in sustainability and letting it guide their choice of schools: Among 7,445 college applicants Princeton Review surveyed in 2012 for its "College Hopes & Worries Survey," 68% said having information about a college's commitment to the environment would impact their decision to apply to or attend a school. Now sustainability education indexes such as the University of Indonesia's GreenMetric World University Ranking give the enlightened consumer the opportunity to compare like with like, with institutions ranked according to their performance across criteria including infrastructure, energy and climate change, waste, water, transport and education.

This is enhanced through the collegiate approach of flourishing professional sustainability associations such as the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) in North America; the Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges (EUAC) in the United Kingdom; and the Australasian Campuses Towards Sustainability (ACTS). As well as supporting more than 1000 member institutions across the globe, these businesslike associations have initiated cooperative resource-sharing initiatives and annual awards for excellence in forums such as the International Green Gown Awards. It is here that the transition to sector-wide marketing of sustainable education brands can be seen.

The upside of Down Under

To tighten our focus, let's look at Australia. Here, education is big business, delivering some $20 billion to the national economy and trailing only mining and agriculture in exports. Some 20% of Australian enrollments are international, with all but one of the top 10 national intakes from Asian neighbours. With a high Australian dollar, education providers need to work even harder to recruit and retain students and staff. As this market evolves, so too does the integration of sustainability. "Our sector is definitely moving towards understanding where sustainability sits at a strategic level, with most institutions successfully engaging staff and students to some degree," says Leanne Denby, ACTS President.

Students at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) would hardly disagree. They won a 2012 International Green Gown award for Bluebird Brekkie, their free pop-up breakfast cafe for students. As this great little video shows, engaging, practical connections are made between a campus commitment to sustainability and the need for students to have a good start to the day. This healthy initiative highlights a thriving culture of creative collaboration and brings concepts such as local food production, fair trade and waste-free consumption right into the everyday (and no doubt into student and staff kitchens off campus!). This wildly popular attraction is now an important facet to the UTS sustainability brand. And when it comes to consumers, popularity is the only contest!

Embedding sustainability in education brands

Way across the oceans in Colorado, Paul Rowland, executive director of AASHE concurs, "For several years, surveys in the US have indicated that about two-thirds of prospective students consider the 'greenness' of higher education institutions when they decide where they will invest their tuition dollars and time. Colleges and universities have been responding with new programs, new practices, and branding and marketing that reflects this consumer demand." Paul points to big education brands such as Yale University successfully embedding sustainability in their corporate culture. The lesser-known Green Mountain College is one of the "most advanced, revising their entire strategic plan around sustainability." This is evident in Sustainability 2020, an ambitious plan towards what they call 'authentic sustainability.'

This has to be seen in how universities report sustainability performance; although many are in the process in Australia, only La Trobe University has thus far issued a report that meets Global Reporting Initiative Sustainability Reporting Guidelines. University of Melbourne Research Fellow and corporate social responsibility practitioner Sara Bice offers, "Because culturally we see universities as public institutions, we tend to think very differently of them than we do of corporations. Given the size of their budgets and the public interest, it might be worthwhile to consider greater transparency in the reporting side of sustainability."

There's little doubt that most universities provide the right environment for people to gain sustainability inspiration and information, though as Stephen Johnson so rightly points out, inspiring and informing is not enough. Universities and colleges have unique influence over how we broaden our campus experiences, relationships and learnings and, with a bit of luck, how we take them into the wider world — or as some would call it, ‘the university of life.’

For more examples of how brands are using #Communications to share their values with consumers, check out our Issue in Focus: Communicating Sustainability.

Article Image Caption:

Green Mountain College in Poultney, Vermont clearly outlines its commitment to sustainability in its "Sustainability 2020" plan | Image credit: Green Mountain College

April 12, 2013

BASF Sponsors Seattle Mariners’ Second Annual Waste Reduction Program

Mike Hower — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 00:02:53 +0000

BASF has teamed up with the Seattle Mariners for the second season of Sustainable Saturdays at Safeco Field, which aims to divert ballpark waste from the landfill.

Beginning with this Saturday night’s game against the Texas Rangers, the season-long initiative will feature BASF-sponsored zero-waste stations throughout the ballpark to recycle plastic bottles and compost food waste. To date, Mariners fans have already diverted more than 86 percent of game-day waste from local landfills, according to BASF.

To educate fans on sustainability issues, during each Sustainable Saturdays game there will be a “BASF Trivia Challenge,” offering prizes to fans that answer questions covering how the Mariners have “gone green” and how fans also can lead more eco-friendly lives.

“It’s great to have BASF on our team for a second consecutive season of Sustainable Saturdays,” said Scott Jenkins, vice president of ballpark operations, Seattle Mariners. "Compostable bags made from BASF ecovio help make it possible for Safeco Field to put valuable organic matter back into the soil cycle every season.”

To help the Mariners achieve its sustainability goals, BASF is providing its ecovio technology, a bio-based resin used to make compostable bags for food waste collection. These bags are used throughout kitchens and concessions at Safeco Field and also are available in counter-top size for curbside waste collection.

The Mariners have had a dedicated sustainability program since 2006. In 2012, the franchise diverted two million pounds of waste from the landfill through recycling and composting, which saved some $128,000 in waste disposal costs. Major League Baseball named the Mariners the American League Recycling Champions for 2012.

Professional sports are becoming major vessels for advancing the sustainability movement. The National Basketball Association today finished up its “Green Week,” a green initiative featuring community sustainability projects, recycling programs, green giveaways, special on-court apparel and auctions to encourage fans to “go green. And NASCAR recently announced a host of ongoing improvements and new sustainability programs surrounding its NASCAR Green initiative.

April 12, 2013

Philips TLED Prototype Doubles LED Energy Efficiency

Mike Hower — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 00:12:19 +0000

Philips has announced a breakthrough in LED lighting after developing a TLED prototype that produces twice as much light as traditional fluorescent lamps using the same amount of energy.

While fluorescent lights on average produce 100 lumens per watt (lm/W), the TLED lamps generate 200 lm/W, making them the most energy efficient to date. The new model is superior even to old-school light bulbs, which typically emit only 151 lm/W. This marks the first time lighting engineers have been able to reach 200 lm/W efficiency without compromising light quality, Philips says.

“This again is a major breakthrough in LED lighting and will further drive the transformation of the lighting industry,” said Rene van Schooten, CEO of Light Sources & Electronics for Philips Lighting. “It’s exciting to imagine the massive energy and cost savings it will bring to our planet and customers.”

Lighting accounts for more than 19 percent of the world’s total energy consumption and fluorescent lights currently consume nearly 200 terawatts of electricity annually, according to Philips. Replacing these with the new TLEDs would reduce energy consumption by 100 terawatts each year, save the U.S. $12 billion and prevent around 60 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere.

The TLED lamps are intended to replace fluorescent tube lighting used in offices and industry, which accounts for more than half of the world’s total lighting demand. Commercial consumers should expect to see TLEDs hit the market in 2015.

In 2011, Philips won $10 million in cash from the U.S. Department of Energy for designing an LED bulb to replace the standard 60-watt light bulb, the most widely used types of light bulbs that represent roughly half of the domestic incandescent light bulb market.

Article Image Caption:

Philips' TLED prototype | Image credit: Philips

April 12, 2013

Les Bêtises et Les Vaches: Two French Brands Use Humor To Engage Consumers in Sustainability

Mathieu Jahnich — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 20:57:31 +0000

French consumers want to know more about where their products come from to make more sustainable choices. Besides, trust in business is higher when brands take action for sustainability, demonstrate their achievements and communicate well. Here are two great examples from France of brands doing just that: Camif (home furniture retailer) and Stonyfield France (organic yogurt brand nicknamed “The Two Cows”).

Camif — Don’t be preachy

“Our position is to provide transparent information to consumers,” explains Anne Breuille, Camif’s marketing manager. This is reflected through an interactive map named “consum’localization” and video testimonials of French suppliers on the brand's website.

The manufacturers’ map was established in June 2012: “It locates all of our French suppliers. If the consumer wants to choose a product based on its geographical origin, the information is available.” The vast majority of the products offered are manufactured in France. Thus, it’s possible for the consumer to include geographical origin (local or national) in his search for a product and favor local economy and reduced greenhouse-gas emissions. This is an interesting innovation for a retail website of this size.

Moreover, videos posted on the website allow consumers to look behind the scenes of French manufacturing. “The goal is to enable our suppliers to enhance their approach to local manufacturing, quality approach, sustainability engagements related to a single product or their overall business,” Breuille says. This initiative recreates the link between consumers and manufacturers and this is all the more important when the purchase is made via the Internet. “Camif is the only brand to do this. Our suppliers are very proud to show their commitment. And it’s very well received by our consumers, too.”

Camif’s commitment to transparent information was relayed through a press advertising campaign between October 2012 and February 2013. The idea was to highlight the contrast between an average product, most probably manufactured in a faraway country, and a product selected by Camif, made in France by an industry with a strong commitment to quality and/or sustainability. For example, one of the ads reads: “A bed sheet which takes 8,232 km to get home is a stupid thing. A bed sheet which comes from Cambrai is not even a silly thing” and, written in small: “If you want more good reasons to buy this bed sheet, know that you’ll support a French company established in Cambrai for over 50 years that received in 2009 the label named “Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant.” This label rewards the French companies that excel in traditional and industrial know-how.

Breuille explains: “The goal is to provide objective information, without taking ourselves seriously, without being preachy.” In the previous example, It’s a simple pun: “Les bêtises (silly thing) de Cambrai” is the name of a candy from the city of Cambrai. “The campaign has been well-received from our partners and suppliers. They were surprised and pleased to see that we could communicate this way. Camif is a growing success story, the figures are looking good. This campaign certainly played a part,” concludes Breuille.

Stonyfield France — Be educational and playful

According to general manager Daniel Tirat, Stonyfield France’s mission is “to move society towards another food system, towards more sense and pleasure.” Its aim is twofold: make a business success and generate new food practices.

Animal welfare is one of the sustainability challenges facing Stonyfield. They are partnering with Compassion in World Farming (CIWF), an organization campaigning to end cruel factory farming. “We spent a year and a half to build specifications (with eight criteria, easy to explain to consumers) and to put in place on-farm welfare audits.” The aim is both to encourage initiatives that help farmers improve their animals’ well-being and to educate French consumers on this issue.

In 2012, the brand launched an advertising campaign about animal welfare, featuring two characters, now well known in France: Clever (a serious cow, in charge of educating consumers about organic farming and the environment) and Chatterbox (a more frivolous cow, which rarely misses an opportunity to make a joke). “For your eggs, you prefer them from happy outdoor chickens. And for your yoghurts, do you mind about dairy cattle welfare? We, The Two Cows, let the herd out as soon as the weather is good, because we think it is better for our cows, better for our milk, and probably also for our yoghurts.” This topic is rarely addressed in advertising. Comparing dairy cattle with laying hen welfare is pretty relevant in France as more and more consumers are paying attention to the welfare of laying hens.

Tirat explains, “Pedagogy is one of the pillars of the brand: We must be able to explain whatever initiative we undertake. Not too soon, only when we’re ready. We don’t have to be ashamed about our engagements. Consumers can understand that it’s not perfect, as it is in their everyday lives. But they will not forgive a dishonest brand.”

In terms of communication strategy, since its creation in 2006, the brand decided to put all the marketing tools at the service of its mission: “bring consumers to organic yoghurts in being educational and playful instead of austere and moralistic.” Seven years later, The Two Cows is a successful brand. “The results are highly positive: + 30% growth in 2011, 20% in 2012.”

These two examples show that brands can distinguish themselves from their competitors and attract consumers, in meeting their expectations and awareness, by communicating relevant and proved commitments to sustainability. The touch of humor is useful to avoid guilt and to install an emotional complicity between the brands and their customers.

For more examples of how brands are sharing their values with consumers through #Communications, check out our Issue in Focus: Communicating Sustainability.

Article Image Caption:

Stonyfield France's "2 vaches" (two cows) illustrate the company's commitment to animal welfare (Here: "Two cows on the side of cows!" in a light, fun way | Image credit: Stonyfield France

April 11, 2013

Global Forest Watch 2.0 Fights Deforestation With Google Technology

Mike Hower — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 07:07:34 +0000

A new initiative unveiled this week at the United Nations Forum on Forests will use Google technology to provide real-time information to help governments, companies and communities prevent deforestation.

Global Forest Watch 2.0 is a an interactive, real-time, forest-monitoring system that combines satellite technology, data sharing and human networks around the world to provide information to help better manage forests. World Resources Institute developed the system, in partnership with Google, the University of Maryland and the UN Environment Program.

“In achieving sustainable forest management, reliable, up-to-date and easily accessible data and information are essential to monitoring, assessment and effective interventions,” said Wu Hongbo, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs. “This new tool represents an important step in empowering governments and communities to make evidence-based, informed decisions in advancing sustainable forest management.”

Several countries have made progress in improving the quality of information gathered about forests and making it accessible. One example is Brazil, with its near real-time forest-monitoring systems that have greatly enhanced its enforcement efforts.

“Deforestation rates in the Brazilian Amazon have dropped by 80 percent since 2004,” said Nigel Sizer, Director, Global Forests Initiative, World Resources Institute. “This is in part due to their efforts to improve the quality and availability of information about what is happening to those forests and to make it rapidly available to those who can take action.”

The new initiative is now possible thanks to the convergence of technologies and human networks, including advances in high-speed Internet connectivity, crowdsourcing and satellite and remote sensing technology. Cloud computing and open source software also play a key role, as they now can be used to rapidly process and interpret large volumes of satellite data at low cost by utilizing clusters of servers scattered around the world.

The Google Earth team partnered with Global Forest Watch 2.0 to optimize easy access to cloud computing-based forest cover information, the announcement says.

In related news, last month International Paper become a member of the Global Forest & Trade Network in North America, a World Wildlife Fund initiative focused on eliminating illegal logging and promoting environmentally and socially responsible forest management.

April 11, 2013

Sierra Nevada Joins Craft Brewer Coalition To Safeguard Clean Water Sources

Mike Hower — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 07:16:39 +0000

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company and two dozen other craft brewers have partnered with the Natural Resources Defense Council to support strong clean water policies.

The new “Brewers for Clean Water” campaign will focus on protecting the brewing industry’s key ingredient: clean water. While hops and malt can be sourced elsewhere, breweries depend on their local water supplies, drawn from lakes, rivers, groundwater or regional water systems, which the Clean Water Act protects.

“Whether brewers are creating ales, pilsners, porters, wits or stouts, one ingredient must go into every batch: clean water,” said NRDC Water Program Senior Policy Analyst Karen Hobbs. “Craft brewers need clean water to make great beer. This campaign is all about amplifying their voices in support of the most important protection for their most important ingredient, the Clean Water Act.”

In recent years, attempts to roll back Clean Water Act protections have endangered not just clean water sources, but also public health and resources for a wide range of industries. In joining the campaign, the brewers have taken NRDC’s “Clean Water Pledge,” which acknowledges the importance of clean water and its safeguards.

The craft brewing industry’s growing popularity brings a compelling business voice to clean water issues, NRDC says. Often seen as rock stars responsible for beloved brews in some circles and local employers in others, craft brewers are closely tied to their communities with an understanding of the impacts bad policy can have on regional water sources. While the participants in the growing campaign include brewing operations both large and small, they all have strong sustainability initiatives throughout their operations and beer development.

“As we continue to see the craft beer segment grow, we as brewers owe it to the communities we live, work and play in to be mindful of protecting our waterways as we strive for growth that is environmentally and socially responsible now and down the road,” said Mat Trogner, New Media Designer at Allagash Brewing Company.

Craft brewers are not the only ones advocating for sustainability. Anheuser-Busch InBev announced last month that it has met its three-year global environmental goals on water, energy, carbon emissions and recycling operations and already generated $420 million in revenue from recycled materials alone; and Molson Coors has devised an employment engagement initiative called the “Beer Print” to educate and motivate its workers towards the transition to a more sustainable operation.

April 11, 2013

Is Your Company Truly Thinking Outside of the Box?

Jennifer Elks — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 00:27:51 +0000

Calling all designers and innovators! Beginning in May 2013, Sustainable Brands will publish a new “Issues in Focus” editorial package highlighting breakthroughs in sustainable packaging design.

Guest editors Katherine O’Dea of GreenBlue, Charlie Sheldon of California College of the Arts, Chris Sherwin of Seymourpowell and the SB editorial team are seeking articles, interviews and case studies for publication.

The Issue in Focus

Design plays a fundamental role in nearly every system on earth and impacts every stage of a product’s life cycle. We are seeking stories of brands, designers, concepts and case studies that are re-imagining and improving the way packaging impacts our lives and our planet. We will highlight the various ways designers, engineers, R&D, scientists and entrepreneurs are approaching the design of more sustainable packaging solutions, and the materials, systems and processes that inform these efforts.

Article ideas are due by Wednesday, April 17.

Content guidelines

Our readers are business leaders seeking information about how others are profitably innovating for sustainability. They seek insights and ideas that might be applied across market sectors about how to drive top-line growth while successfully reducing the impacts of their operations.

We evaluate submissions based on currency and relevance of the example or idea presented, balance of perspective, strength and clarity of content and delivered principles. See our Writers’ Handbook for further guidelines.

What

Written (600-1000 words), audio and/or video perspectives. Broad focus areas include:

Integrating sustainability into a design department or function
Global perspectives on sustainable design and innovation
State-of-the-art tools and methods for sustainable packaging design
Considering the whole system — product, process and package
Inspiring case studies of new sustainable packaging design
Embedding sustainability into your design and innovation process
When design for recyclability doesn't make sense

Specific topics might include:

Destination-specific packaging — differentiating point-of-sale from shipping packaging
Whether EPR and take-back models drive more sustainable packaging design
How user-centric design might improve both customer experience and supply chain efficiency by designing more sustainable product systems
How the democratization of manufacturing, the maker movement and 3D-printed products might be packaged
How large brands can reduce waste created by disposable products without losing marketshare
Unintended consequences of single-serve packaging in emerging markets
Why BPA is still used in packaging

Who

Designers, engineers, consultants, scientists, students, entrepreneurs, branding and marketing consultants, LCA practitioners, procurement specialists — anyone integrating sustainability into packaging design.

When

Specific idea pitches due by end of day Wednesday, April 17; editorial selections will be made by Wednesday, April 24 and author final submissions are due by Wednesday, May 1.

How

Share a one-paragraph to one-page overview describing your most successful (or unsuccessful) ideas, initiatives, campaigns, implementations and takeaways from your company, industry, students, staff, etc.

Criteria

We’re looking for leading-edge thinking, tools, designs, processes and protocols from the field of sustainable packaging. Preference will be given to pieces that provide perspectives with enterprise-wide and ideally market-wide implications and applications.

Send submissions to:

Katherine O’Dea, guest editor
Charlie Sheldon, guest editor
Chris Sherwin, guest editor
Jennifer Elks, managing editor

Article Image Caption:

Image credit: Brandimage

March 25, 2013

Project 100 Brings Classy Car-Sharing to Downtown Las Vegas

Brady Hamed — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 22:52:12 +0000

In an effort to reduce area residents’ need for vehicle ownership within a very car-dependent city, Las Vegas is getting a high-class car-sharing service. As part of his Downtown Project, aimed at revitalizing the structure and culture of downtown Las Vegas, Zappos founder Tony Hsieh is launching the latest component of the project, a vehicle-sharing service called Project 100.

The business model is pretty simple. A fleet of more than 100 cars and on-demand drivers, more than 100 bicycles and a healthy number of shuttle stops make this a fully inclusive transportation system. However, this isn’t your average vehicle-sharing service. Those 100 cars are electric-powered luxury sedans — the Tesla Model S. The regular shuttle system is actually a party bus. And the bicycles are just bicycles.

Project 100 describes itself the most simply. “The experience is simple: Open an app so we know where you are and tell us what zone you want to travel to. With that information we’ll give you a set of options, for example, 1 — Be picked up by a driver in a Tesla in 3 minutes, 2 — Drive yourself in a low-range electric vehicle that’s 0.2 miles away, 3 — Grab a bike that’s 0.1 miles away or 4 — Hop on the party bus that will be near you in 4 minutes.”

Las Vegas, a city that wears its excess in food, waste, and immorality on its sleeve, might seem like a strange choice for an eco-conscious car-sharing service. Tesla was specifically chosen as the car brand of choice for its combination of cool and environmental efficiency. However, the goal of the Downtown Project is to "help transform Downtown Las Vegas into the most community-focused large city in the world" and the idea of affordable luxury is consistent with the Las Vegas brand. Having a private driver might be useful for the partying set and a hop-on, hop-off party bus sounds like an even better way to travel.

Hsieh has described his ultimate goal to “increase collisions between people” and make everyone more invested in their community. But with a subscription price of about $400 per month (what Tesla calculates to be the average cost of car payments and insurance), I wonder how many people will actually be colliding. The popularity of the bicycles could nosedive during summer days when it is far too hot or at night when people are intoxicated. But if anyone can make this outlandish car-sharing service work, I’m placing my bets on Hsieh.

Article Image Caption:

Image credit: CarScoops.com

April 10, 2013

Emotion Is Currency: A Five-Point Plan for Effective Sustainability Communications

Ben Maxwell — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 21:17:00 +0000

"How will it deliver value?" is a commonly heard response to a proposal for a new sustainability communications campaign.

Behind this innocent little phrase is a dangerous assumption that sustainability communications is a separate strand of activity with a message aimed at a hypothetical audience segment of 'greens.'

The result? 'Rinse and repeat' sustainability communications: anodyne images of families cycling through fields of sunflowers or wind turbines rotating dreamily on the horizon, which can never deliver value for the brand because they're too technical or too specialised to appeal to everybody.

To make sustainability communications work for brands we need to break away from the segmentation mindset. We need to ditch the assumption that there is a distinct group waiting for green messages and a larger mass who are uninterested. Instead we need to think about what both groups have in common. Sustainability communications will only deliver value to the brand if they are based on brand strategy and integrated with mainstream communication activity.

Here's my five-point plan on how to create sustainability communications that deliver value by broadening appeal.

Don't focus on sustainability. It's boring and technical. In the words of legendary graphic designer Alan Fletcher: Look sideways. A Smarter Planet is an aspirational battle cry for IBM and far more interesting than talking about sustainable supply chains and efficiency.
Find a purpose. Don't just tell us about incremental sustainability improvements. Aim for something big, fly a massive banner about it and create ways for people to get involved. Levi's has a purpose — saving water — and are doing something about it, from developing Water<Less denim to encouraging people to wash their jeans wisely. Both fit a purpose closely aligned to their brand.
Be useful. Utility is the new black, so use your comms dollars to make something people can use. When Nike open-sourced their Material Sustainability Index and allowed designers and hackers to use years of data, they created a tool that got people creating and talking in ways that traditional communications could never do.
Embrace emotion. In a time where hairspray can give us attitude and insurance can make us laugh surely we can make people feel about the future of the planet?! Emotion is the currency of communication. Advertisers know that, but for some reason sustainability communications shy away from it. Some brands are showing the way — who didn't have a little tear well up when they first watched Chipotle's "Back to the Start" video?
Be remarkable. Launch a pre-emptive strike on "so what" by creating something unique that gets people talking. Our expectations are set by commercial communications, but you don't need a stellar budget or launch someone into space to do a great job. A snappy script and tight editing meant The Rainforest Alliance's "Follow the Frog" short film had me laughing out loud. H&M caught my eye by having Vanessa Paradis model their new sustainable collection.

Sustainability communications are some of the crunchiest challenges around. They need the best brains to solve them. Clients: Position these as the best creative opportunities out there and demand your agency's A-team. Agencies: Realise this is your chance to make a difference. It's time to craft something for everyone to talk about.

For more examples of how brands can effectively share their values with consumers through #Communications, check out our Issue in Focus: Communicating Sustainability.

Article Image Caption:

The Rainforest Alliance's "Follow the Frog" video has over 1,150,000 views on YouTube | Image credit: Rainforest Alliance

April 10, 2013

Volcom Launches EP&L, Commits To Reducing Emissions, Waste and Water Usage

Jennifer Elks — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 20:32:47 +0000

Action sports lifestyle brand Volcom announced Wednesday a new set of sustainability goals and the incorporation of Environmental Profit & Loss (EP&L) to measure its impacts throughout its supply chain.

2013 brought a lot of changes for Volcom, including a new CEO and a re-tooled company mission with an increased focus on sustainability. The commitment, while on the radar for the 22-year-old, Orange County-based action sports leader since 2006, has been strengthened in partnership with its parent company Kering and the Kering Sustainability Team.

Since 2006, Volcom has offered a range of products under the V.Co-logical Series collection, contributing 1% of the sales to environmentally focused non-profits, thanks to the company’s 1% for the Planet membership. These days, however, the company is employing a deeper, more targeted strategy and is uncovering what it means to truly offer products and run a business with a lighter environmental impact.

“We have a real opportunity to influence change,” said Jason Steris, Volcom’s newly appointed CEO. “Our investments in a yearly EP&L will help us make better decisions regarding our impact on the environment and will help us better manage long-term risks as we grow the company.”

An EP&L, as introduced first by PUMA in 2010 and committed to by Kering, places a monetary value on a company’s environmental impact along its entire supply chain. 2013 marked Volcom’s first forays into their initial EP&L for their apparel products. To aid them in the process, Volcom has retained the services of Steve Richardson at Material STEPS, formerly Director of Material Development at Patagonia.

Supply chain scrutiny is one part of the company’s comprehensive approach; Volcom’s three-year sustainability plan includes additional goals to be reached by 2016:

Reducing the company’s carbon emissions, waste and water usage by 25%
Removing PVC from all product lines
Sourcing paper and packaging items from recycled sources and/or certified well-managed forests
Increasing the amount of sustainable materials and processes in all product mixes
Certifying major surf events as Deep Blue Surfing Events™
Continuing Give Backs to community-based programs

Volcom’s sustainability strategy is managed by Derek Sabori, Senior Director of Sustainability, who notes that, “There’s still so much work to be done, but we’ve spent a lot of time instilling our sustainability principles into the DNA of the company. The building blocks and the blueprint are there. Now it’s time to execute.”

In keeping with Volcom’s deeper commitment to sustainability, the company also announced today that its annual Pipe Pro event has achieved Deep Blue Surfing Events^TM certification, based on its attention to energy, waste, carbon, transportation and community. This is Volcom’s second Deep Blue Surfing Event, with the Volcom Fiji Pro being the first ever.

To ensure that the contest adhered to its principles, Volcom teamed up with SustainableSurf.org, TR3EES and others to manage the event’s impacts, and carbon credits with Carbonfund.org were purchased to offset the calculated emissions making the event CarbonFree®. Local non-profits Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii and North Shore Community Land Trust were highlighted and supported as well through the innovative Surf Credits program.

“Volcom is a clear leader in producing sustainable surfing contests that benefit local communities and reduce environmental impacts,” says Sustainable Surf's Kevin Whilden. “Their commitment to independent evaluation and reporting shows that they walk the talk. It also helps find new opportunities to improve the contest even further.”

Filmmaker/director Nathan Peraccinydocumented the journey and people behind the event in a 23-minute film,Volcom Pipe Pro 2013: Sustainable by Design. The short discusses everything from the locally sourced food and the biodiesel-run generators to the bokashi system for composting food scraps.

April 10, 2013

Nike, North Face, eBay, IKEA, Levi's Among Companies Urging Congress for Climate Regulation

Jennifer Elks — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 18:38:39 +0000

As President Obama prepares to unveil his budget for the coming year, 33 multinational companies, including eBay, IKEA, L’Oréal, Nike and Limited Brands, have signed a “Climate Declaration” urging federal policymakers to take action on climate change. By taking part in the declaration, the companies are asserting that a bold response to the climate challenge is one of the greatest American economic opportunities of the 21st century.

Signatories of the Climate Declaration are among the country’s best-known consumer brands, including EMC Corporation, Jones Lang LaSalle, the North Face, the Portland Trail Blazers, Timberland and Unilever, among others. Through an ongoing campaign organized by Ceres and its BICEP (Business for Innovative Climate & Energy Policy) coalition, other leading businesses and individuals will be encouraged to sign the Declaration and join the call to action.

“The signers of the Climate Declaration have a clear message for Washington: Act on climate change. We are, and it’s good for our businesses,” said Anne Kelly, Director of BICEP. “The cost of inaction is too high. Policymakers should see climate change policy for what it is: an economic opportunity.”

Together, the companies provide approximately 475,000 U.S. jobs and generate a combined annual revenue of approximately $450 billion. Extreme weather events such as Hurricane Sandy have affected the operations of several signatories and exposed the U.S.’ economic vulnerability to climate change.

“From droughts that affect cotton crops to Hurricane Sandy, which caused extensive damage to our operations, climate affects all aspects of our business,” said Eileen Fisher, CEO of New York-based apparel firm Eileen Fisher, which suffered severe damage and business interruption during the 2012 storm. “As a socially and environmentally responsible company, we are trying to affect positive change, but business can't do it alone. We need the support of strong climate legislation.”

The signatories are calling for Congress to address climate change by promoting clean energy, boosting efficiency and limiting carbon emissions — strategies that these businesses already employ within their own operations.

“Businesses understand that planning for a successful future takes investment today. One of the most important things Congress can do to grow our economy and protect our planet is to pass smart climate change legislation this year. Our workforce, supply chain and consumers are counting on us to lead the way,” said Anna Walker, Director, Government Affairs and Public Policy at Levi Strauss & Co.

BICEP members have supported several climate-driven policies, including historic automotive fuel economy standards signed into law in 2012 and the extension of the Production Tax Credit for wind power. Innovation within the transportation, electric power sectors and IT sectors, among others, will be essential to meeting the climate challenge.

The Climate Declaration comes on the heels of the President’s renewed commitment to combat the threat of climate change and a recent study from Ceres, Calvert Investments and WWF indicating that a strong majority of Fortune 100 companies have set renewable energy or greenhouse gas reduction goals. Recent polls conducted by Gallup and Yale University, respectively, indicate that a majority of Americans believe climate change is happening and that corporations, as well as government officials, should be doing more to address the issue.

April 10, 2013

Superior Energy, Lowe's Among Companies Reforming Board Policies To Recruit More Women

Mike Hower — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 08:33:37 +0000

Four more companies now will make gender and race diversity part of the criteria for board nominees, thanks to a board diversity shareholder proposal filed by Trillium Asset Management.

Last fall, Trillium asked Superior Energy, Hartford Financial, Zimmer Holdings and Lowe’s Companies to “publicly commit [themselves] to a policy of Board inclusiveness to ensure that women are routinely sought as part of every Board search the company undertakes.” At the time of the filings, each company had either no women or only one woman on its board of directors and none disclosed gender or diversity as part of its board nominee search process.

Several studies have shown a direct link between greater board and management diversity and improved governance practices and financial health, according to Trillium. This has been particularly noticeable when there are three or more women on a board.

Despite the data, while women now constitute 47 percent of the U.S. workforce, they hold only 17 percent of corporate board seats — a meager 3% gain in the past decade.

Trillium says one reason women have not moved into boardrooms as fast as they should is due to the infrequency with which companies look to refresh their board. To change this, companies should to commit to an annual review of board members’ skills, backgrounds and diversity while looking beyond traditional talent pools for board candidates.

“We are pleased with the steps companies are taking to embed gender diversity criterion in corporate governance documents and broaden board nominee searches beyond traditional circles,” said Susan Baker, Vice President Shareholder Advocacy and Corporate Engagement. “If the U.S. is to move up from its 11th place rank among industrial nations on board gender diversity, however, more companies need to act.”

“Board gender diversity should be a top priority of every company’s efforts to deliver long-term value to its shareholders,” she added.

Sustainable Brands and Saatchi & Saatchi S recenty led a discussion on women in sustainability with several other sustainable business leaders, including Kellie McElhaney, Whitehead Faculty Fellow in Corporate Sustainability at UC Berkeley Haas School of Business; Jen Boynton, Editor-in-Chief of Triple Pundit; and Aman Singh, Editorial Director of CSR Wire.

April 10, 2013

Report: Most Mid-Sized Companies Wish To Implement or Improve CSR Programs

Mike Hower — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 08:42:58 +0000

Two out of three mid-sized companies are looking either to enhance or establish corporate social responsibility programs, according to a recent report by non-profit Business4Better (B4B).

B4B surveyed 173 business executives from mid-sized companies employing between 100 and 5,000 employees and found most wanted to help people and nonprofits in their local communities through programs that increase business performance, drive employee participation and improve brand reputation.

Nearly 60 percent of those surveyed focus their CSR efforts on people-centric initiatives, such as education, catering to young people and the development of the future workforce. The report also found most mid-size companies lack the tools to measure success; only 20 percent tie CSR programs to financial impact. Half of CSR efforts are led by the executive leadership team, which shows companies’ community involvement is often championed from the top.

“Most mid-size companies have a business-with-a-purpose mindset,” said Joshua Dome, general manager of Business4Better. “We conducted this research to understand the gaps and opportunities, with the ultimate goal of creating action plans for executives trying to infuse social good as part of the way they do business.”

B4B says the report supports the growing number of mid-sized companies that choose to do business in a way that positively impacts communities through corporate and nonprofit partnerships. The study offers suggestions and best practices companies can apply to their own business models, such as placing increased importance on the collaboration of C-suites and marketing or human resources departments for successful CSR program implementation and providing training for those who measure and track these programs.

The study is part of the so-called Business4Better movement, centered on the upcoming Business4Better Conference, taking take place May 1-2 in Anaheim, California.

In related news, financial services firm Jones Lang LaSalle recently released a report which claims companies that implement successful sustainability initiatives solicit employee participation and recommends organizing the engagement process into three phases: raising awareness, building engagement and maintaining commitment.

April 10, 2013