CIRCULAR ECONOMY -
Have you ever wondered why some consumer goods don't last? From cell phones to household appliances and clothing to automobile tires, some products we use
every day could last much longer. But they don't.
ORGANIZATIONAL GOVERNANCE -
In a recent conversation about the role of his company in ensuring a sustainable future in times of increasing uncertainty, MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings’ Shiro Fujii said, “We don’t see ourselves simply as an insurance provider, but as a risk solutions expert.”
INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY -
GM is amping up its strategy to transition to an entirely electric portfolio; with a new, modular production platform and the largest collective EV charging network in the US.
INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY -
The remaining barriers to a climate-resilient future are political, rather than technological. Much of the tech required to transition to a low-carbon economy already exists — here are just a few to look out for.
INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY -
The ReLieVe project will develop and scale the process and structuring of an integrated industrial sector — from collection and recycling of end-of-life batteries, to the manufacturing of new electrode materials.
INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY -
Ford, VW, Honda and BMW — which together represent about a third of the US market — are using their collective heft to fight for cleaner air in the US. 12 other US states and Canada have adopted California’s rules.
MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
Through a partnership with Swiss automaker Rinspeed, textile giant Lenzing is expanding into auto upholstery — and changing what it feels like to sit on wood.
MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
Hydro's new products and processes will increase recycling of post-consumer scrap to 250,000 metric tons per year by 2020, reduce waste to landfill by 60%, and reduce water usage in water-stressed areas by 15%.
PRESS RELEASE -
General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) has made its largest renewable
energy procurement in the state of Michigan, purchasing enough wind power to equal 100 percent of the electricity needs of its global technical center in Warren and a substantial portion of its Detroit-based world headquarters at the Renaissance Center.
INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY -
Global transportation study assesses trends and challenges in public
transportation and parking, in the face of population growth and urban migration patterns.
INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY -
Continuing this year’s wave of near-constant innovations aimed at responsible management of post-consumer plastics are new advancements from both the private and public sector.
BASF making products with chemically recycled plastics
BASF announced it has broken new ground in plastic waste recycling with its ChemCycling project. Chemical recycling provides an innovative way to reutilize currently unrecyclable plastic waste, such as mixed or uncleaned plastics. Depending on the region, such waste is usually sent to landfill or burned with energy recovery.
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS -
WWF Germany recently published a report, Boom in Raw Materials: Between Profits and Losses, which offers one of the first concrete rebuttals from a major environmental group against the notion that industry actions alone are enough to move the global industrial mining sector towards greater responsibility.
PRESS RELEASE -
BASF was honored with a BMW Supplier Innovation Award 2018 as the winner in the Sustainability category. BMW Group said BASF achieved the best performance in CO2 emissions in the report published by the non-governmental organization CDP. BASF’s anchoring of the fight against climate change within the company were cited as another reason for the decision.
In addition, BASF develops solutions that help its customers reduce CO2 emissions. One example for the automotive industry is the innovative integrated coating process, which considerably reduces energy consumption by eliminating one entire coating and curing step.
COLLABORATION & CO-CREATION -
A new report from Washington D.C.-based nonprofit the Enough Project highlights just how rampant corruption and human rights abuses are in the supply chain for cobalt, a mineral used to power battery technology.
ORGANIZATIONAL GOVERNANCE -
Brands that position themselves as purpose-driven activists dedicated to using profits to further their mission carve out a competitive advantage amongst today’s conscious consumers. Lyft is an excellent example of a company distinguishing itself by building a brand around values, as well as quality.
The rideshare company is the second-largest in the sector, controlling over one-third of US market share, with Uber driving the majority. While there is tough competition, Lyft stands out with its purpose, mission and activism, which recently lead the company to celebrate 1 billion rides.
PRESS RELEASE -
General Motors’ CAMI Assembly Plant in Canada has received the Wildlife Habitat Council’s highest recognition for overall excellence in corporate conservation, the Gold Program Award. General Motors continues to lead the industry with the most WHC Conservation Certification sites — 75 — and is at nearly 85 percent of its goal to achieve certification at all its manufacturing sites by 2020.
PRESS RELEASE -
Braskem, the Americas’ largest resin producer and the world’s leading biopolymer producer, has defined a series of global initiatives to boost the Circular Economy in the production chain of manufactured plastic goods.
“We are firmly committed to the goal of helping to transform the linear economy into a Circular Economy, effectively demonstrating our commitment to sustainable development,” said Fernando Musa, Braskem’s CEO. “By establishing a series of global initiatives, engaging in voluntary commitments and expressing publicly its global positioning for the Circular Economy, Braskem is inviting clients, its partners in the value chain, its Team Members and society in general to intensify their joint quest for innovative and sustainable solutions using plastic.”
INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY -
20 percent of the world population lacks access to modern electricity, but access to affordable, reliable and sustainable energy is crucial to achieving many of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), from poverty alleviation via advancements in health, education, water supply and industrialization to mitigating climate change.
NEW METRICS -
Last week at Sustainable Brands’ New Metrics ’18 conference in Philadelphia, PA, over 300 delegates from brands, NGOs, strategists and practitioners across sectors gathered to share the newest credible tools and solutions for assessing the ROI of Sustainable Business.
INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY -
The project aims to continue the sustainable industrialization of battery cells in Europe and the associated acquisition of skills — from cell chemistry and development through to production and ultimately recycling.