Sustainability in ecommerce: what’s the future for online retailers?

cott Donachie, CEO, Companies for Zero Waste, hosted a great a great Webinar on the circular economy that included speakers from the investment side as well as those organizations that have started to put the theories into practice within their own business. After welcoming attendees, thanking the sponsors and introducing some of the topics that would be covered during the session, Donachie turned the Webinar over to the first speakers of the day.
Designing Out Excess Waste
Moderating the discussion on modular design, collection, recycling and using recycled materials, Carrie Mae George, VP Head of Sustainability and Impact at Everledger, introduced both Hilde Sijbring Circle Economy and Miquel Ballester from Fairphone . Hilde spoke about linear versus circular economy and designing out waste. In a linear economy, materials are used for a short period of time and thrown into a landfill. She commented that this is not what we want. We currently live in a world where only 10 percent less is circular. Over 90% of commodities is wasted. Ideally product should be designed to be used again. Technology plays a huge role. As a producer, you keep the control over your resources and where they are, what the condition is and you need technology for that to track and trace your products and assets. Hilde stressed that we need to step up the game and make the changes required.