INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY -
Retail giant Target has announced its commitment to reducing harmful chemicals from its products and investing in green chemistry with the release of a new chemical strategy that covers its entire value chain, operations and products. The goal is to be transparent, proactive and innovative when it comes to managing chemicals and, where necessary, developing alternatives.
INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY -
Today, in response to a petition by 19 environmental and open-government groups, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released proposed regulations that will require natural gas processing plants to start publicly reporting the toxic chemicals they release.
INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY -
Whether it be turning food scraps into cold-pressed juices or transforming PET waste into raw materials or converting beer waste water into batteries — just a few of the latest examples of the circular economy at work — companies are increasingly finding unique ways to transform and repurpose their waste, byproducts and emissions.
INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY -
It’s easy for the concepts of Cradle to Cradle design and a circular economy to become shorthand for recycling, but both are much more complex than that.
INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY -
According to a new Pure Strategies study, several billion was earned in 2015 from the sustainability efforts of 153 survey respondents, signaling a new way of defining sources of business value. Taking inspiration from sustainability’s positive performance, companies should position their programs to generate the greatest business benefits and to measure and celebrate the gains.
MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
Columbia Sportswear says its new OutDry Extreme ECO Jacket, which hit shelves last week, marks a milestone in sustainability - as the first high-performance, environmentally friendly, breathable, waterproof jacket made without the use of a common synthetic additive known as perfluorinated compounds (PFCs).
As part of the launch, Columbia has partnered with hip-hop artist and environmental advocate Macklemore to help raise awareness on the impact that PFCs can have on the environment. Macklemore (aka Ben Haggerty), who finds inspiration and solace in the forests in the Pacific Northwest and other natural places around the world, shares his thoughts on environmentally responsible rainwear in a new video:
PRESS RELEASE -
Eastman Chemical Company has been named America’s Most JUST Company in the chemical industry, according to JUST Capital and Forbes magazine’s inaugural “JUST 100 List,” which for the first time ranks the publicly traded companies in the U.S. that perform best on the things Americans care most about. The rankings are based on one of the largest surveys ever conducted on attitudes towards corporate behavior, involving 50,000 Americans over the last 18 months. This year’s list ranks U.S companies against their peers within 32 major industries. In future years, Forbes and JUST Capital will rank companies across industries.
PRESS RELEASE -
Multiple technologies from The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW) have been recommended for use in projects supported by the U.S.-China Building Efficiency and Green Development Fund. The Fund is a public-private partnership convened by the Paulson Institute that provides financing to bring innovative technologies from the United States to China in an effort to reduce building-energy emissions.
CIRCULAR ECONOMY -
On Friday, the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) Programme - a collaboration of 22 leading brands, including Kering, Marks & Spencer, Primark, Coop Switzerland and New Balance, along with 13 value chain affiliates and 7 associates - released its Wastewater Guidelines, a unified expectation on wastewater quality for t
MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
The issue of hazardous chemicals isn’t new in consumer products; the Romans knew lead was harmful over 2000 years ago.
Scheele’s Green, a copper-arsenic-based pigment, was one of the first colourfast greens used for textiles in the early 1860s. However, as the picture below demonstrates, it didn't take long for the toxic effects of this pigment to become known.
Something has to be going wrong if hundreds of years ago we knew arsenic and lead were hazardous, and today, we still have to communicate this to the value chain.
PRESS RELEASE -
Brazilian resin producer Braskem has announced that Polarbröd, Sweden’s third largest bakery, will be converting all of its flexible film requirements from fossil-based polyethylene to Braskem’s biobased I’m green drop-in bio-polyethylene. Polarbröd, a fifth-generation family-owned company with strong sustainability principles, said the decision to switch to a biobased packaging alternative was motivated by the company’s aim for more sustainability, despite the premium on the new material.
INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY -
It’s no secret that "denim is a dirty business.” But does this mean our love affair with denim is over?
To open the KingPins 2016 Amsterdam Show on October 24, 10 leaders transforming the denim industry were invited to answer one question: Is the scary part of hazardous chemicals on the way?
The day, dubbed the “Transformers,” invited a range of perspectives from the chemical industry, along with manufacturers, brands, and industry coalitions - and while there was certainly some debate, common themes emerged.
MATERIALS & PACKAGING -
The hunt is on for potentially ground-breaking scientific research in food security and green chemistry. Entries and nominations are now open for the second global Olam Prize for Innovation in Food Security (Olam Prize) and the 2017 Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards.
ORGANIZATIONAL GOVERNANCE -
Marking the 25th anniversary of its industry-changing supplier code of conduct, called Terms of Engagement, Levi Strauss & Co. (LS&Co.) announced a new commitment to expand the company’s pioneering Worker Wellbeing initiative – both within and outside the company. By 2025, the company aims to:
PRESS RELEASE -
BASF and Hyundai Motor have partnered once again to present an impressive showcase of emotion and technical substance: The concept car RN30 was created to offer pure driving pleasure on the race track for everybody and features the latest in innovative automotive solutions – driven by BASF. It will debut September 29 at Paris Motor Show 2016 and be presented at K Fair in Dusseldorf from October 19-26.
The RN30 combines key solutions from the chemical industry with purposeful aerodynamic design and specialized high-performance technologies. BASF contributes significantly to the concept with lightweight plastics, endless possibilities in design as well as durable and eco-friendly materials.
PRESS RELEASE -
Together for Sustainability (TfS), a joint initiative of leading global chemical companies, has been formally launched in India to encourage the Indian suppliers to adopt sustainability practices in their management and manufacturing systems. SB Corporate Members BASF, DuPont, and Eastman are members of the initiative.
PRESS RELEASE -
Unilever announced today that it has signed an agreement to acquire Seventh Generation, Inc., the North American home and personal care products company.
Based in Vermont, Seventh Generation is a pioneer in corporate responsibility and sustainable product innovations, including plant-based detergents and household cleaners. The company’s turnover exceeded US $200m in 2015 and it has seen double digit compounded annual growth over the last 10 years.
Seventh Generation has a comprehensive product portfolio and a distribution network covering the ‘natural’ category in grocery, mass merchandise and e-commerce channels.
CIRCULAR ECONOMY -
We’re undergoing a transition to a new economy - one where business is not only focused on returns to shareholders, but also one that understands and prioritizes the complex ecosystem between business, the environment, employees, and the greater community. This new pivot to prioritizing all stakeholders not only creates a framework for accountability and ethical business, but also builds better resilience and long-term value.
PRESS RELEASE -
The COSMOS standard (COSMetic Organic Standard) is one of the most important international standards for natural cosmetics. Until now, the standards of the national cosmetics associations in Europe also applied – above all BDIH (Germany) and Ecocert (France). When they are replaced by the uniform COSMOS standard starting in January 2017, BASF will be ready for the change: more than a 100 of the ingredients developed by BASF for cosmetic and body care products have already been registered with COSMOS. About half of the products also have a certificate of the international natural and organic cosmetics association NATRUE – including the ultra-light emollient Cetiol® Ultimate and the emulsifier Emulgade® Sucro Plus.