What the circular economy’s early days look like for Amazon and Nike | Greenbiz

What the circular economy’s early days look like for Amazon and Nike | Greenbiz

ByThe Circular Economy Team

What’s the killer app for the circular economy? GreenBiz co-founder Joel Makower wanted to know. The quick answer is that no single magic button exists yet, if ever. As with so much of sustainability, however, the ideal endgame for circular principles is to become baked into every point of the product’s lifecycle along the line of design, supply chain, manufacture and beyond. “The killer app is that which is invisible,” said Nike’s VP of Business Innovation Cyrus Wadia, onstage Tuesday at VERGE 18 in Oakland. “We need to be embedding these attributes into high-performance products.” That’s the end goal, but where does business stand now? Take a step back. The term “circular economy” refers to three dimensions of a new economic model: ending waste and pollution; keeping products, materials and nutrients at the highest possible value for the longest possible time; and regenerating the natural resources and capital upon which economic systems depend. That’s according to Del Hudson, the Ellen MacArthur Fund’s head of U.S. and North America Operations. The British organization, which is accelerating the concept, advocates for next-level innovations and systemic shifts that most corporations have yet to follow (or lead, for that matter). Conversations are less about what it looks like to move away from the old “take, make, waste” linear model and more about how to partner to drive new, circular models forward, Hudson said. “It’s less about, ‘how do I apply this to my organization,’ and more about, ‘who do I collaborate with as I move to this transition.'” So what does that look like to Nike and Amazon? 
Read the full article at: www.greenbiz.com

Fourth Annual Sustainability and Circular Economy Summit

Fourth Annual Sustainability and Circular Economy Summit

ByThe Circular Economy Team

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation hosted the Fourth Annual Sustainability and Circular Economy Summit May 9-10, 2018 in Washington, D.C. Applying sustainability and circular economy principles can bring enormous business value—through both risk mitigation and new revenue opportunities. Forward-thinking business leaders recognize the potential of this approach, but often find it difficult to communicate these concepts and their value internally and externally to consumers and value chain partners.
The theme for the 2018 Sustainability and Circular Economy Summit was Translating Value to Ignite Action. The event explored how to effectively implement sustainable and circular strategies and featured case studies, interactive breakout sessions, and hands-on toolkit exercises. Participants gained a better understanding of what has (and hasn’t) worked, what trends are emerging around these issues, and how to communicate the value of sustainability and circularity as a business strategy to a wide array of business units and consumers.
This annual convening attracted hundreds of thought leaders and practitioners from business, government, academia, and nonprofit organizations. Attendees had unparalleled networking opportunities with industry leaders, like-minded peers in the field, and potential collaborators.
The Chamber Foundation is hosting the 2019 Sustainability and Circular Economy Summit on August 15-16, 2019. Come learn the practical knowledge, skills, and applications needed to most effectively execute sustainability and circular economy priorities. Click here to learn more.
For a look at the 2017 summit agenda, speakers, and sessions, click here.
For any questions, please contact Senior Director of Sustainability and Circular Economy Program, Stephanie Potter.

The circular economy and the bioeconomy. Partners in sustainability. New report by EEA –

The circular economy and the bioeconomy. Partners in sustainability. New report by EEA –

ByThe Circular Economy Team

The European Environment Agency (EEA) has published its report on the circular economy and the bioeconomy. The circular economy and the bioeconomy — Partners in sustainability shows that the two policy agendas have similar objectives and areas of intervention, including food waste, biomass and bio-based products, and that they would benefit from stronger links, particularly in product and infrastructure design, and collaboration throughout the value chain. According to the report, the increasing demand for food, feed, biomaterials and bioenergy resources could worsen the over-exploitation of natural resources. By extending the lifetime of products and recycling materials, a circular, bio-economy approach can help retain material value and functionality for longer time as well as avoid unrecycled biowaste. Promising innovations and strategies for circular biomass use include biorefinery, 3D printing with bioplastics, multi-purpose crops, better use of residues and food waste, and biowaste treatment. Consumers can also contribute to bioeconomy’s sustainability, for example, by eating less animal-based protein, preventing food waste and separating biowaste from other waste streams, the report says. The report argues that biobased approaches should be tailored to the specific use context in order to maximise the benefits of biobased and biodegradable products. The technological innovation, covering product and infrastructure design, should be embedded in a wider system innovation that also tackles consumer behaviour, product use and waste management. The circular economy and the bioeconomy — Partners in sustainability is the third EEA report on the circular economy that aims to support the framing, implementation and evaluation of European circular economy policy from an environmental perspective. The two previous reports were: Circular economy in Europe – Developing the knowledge base; and Circular by design – Products in the circular economy.
Read the full article at: ilbioeconomista.com

Can Makers produces sustainability report

Can Makers produces sustainability report

ByThe Circular Economy Team

The attention on packaging’s environmental impact has markedly heightened in recent months, putting increasing pressure on governments, brands and retailers to act. Media coverage has been predominantly focused on the marine impact of single use plastics, including plastic bottles, and as a result this has put pressure on other drinks packaging formats too. It gets overlooked, surprisingly often, that there is already a ready-made solution for many drinks to switch to. It’s called the drinks can. The Can Makers says the drinks can is the perfect example of the circular economy already in action, pointing out that when an aluminium can reaches the end of its useful life, the material is never lost. It’s simply collected and recycled, over and over, with no loss of its inherent properties or quality, there’s no need to add virgin raw materials. Up to 75% of all aluminium ever produced is still in use today. The European Commission’s Circular Economy Package (CEP) sets common targets to increase recycling to prevent valuable resources from being lost in the recycling loop. It has set an overall packaging waste recycling target of 75% by 2030 and an aluminium packaging recycling target of 85% by 2030 to help drive the circular economy. The UK Government outlined new targets in 2017 for aluminium, challenging businesses to achieve 64% by 2020. Aluminium drinks cans already contribute significantly to this overall recycling target. 72% of all drinks cans were recycled in the UK in 2017.
Read the full article at: www.packagingnews.co.uk

Cosmoprof Bologna 2019 event designed around sustainability

Cosmoprof Bologna 2019 event designed around sustainability

ByThe Circular Economy Team

The event organisers note that businesses are showing an increased commitment to becoming eco-sustainable both in terms of their business operations and their products, while consumers are becoming more aware of natural ingredients and eco-packaging. The Cosmoprof team says its initiatives for the show have embraced these trends, while also pledging its own commitment to make the actual event more sustainable and eco-friendly. Likewise, the show will also be platforming sustainability and eco-friendly initiatives by exhibitors on the show floor, with the aim of inspiring other businesses to stay ahead of everything that is helping to drive this important trend.
Read the full article at: www.cosmeticsdesign-europe.com

Lehigh win Circular Economy award in Davos

Lehigh win Circular Economy award in Davos

ByThe Circular Economy Team

Lehigh Technologies has won the Young Global Leaders Award for Circular Economy SME (small to medium-sized enterprise) for The Circulars 2019, the 5th iteration of the award, in Davos at the World Economic Forum on 21 January 2019. Lehigh was recognized for upcycling end-of-life tyre materials into Micronized Rubber Powder (MRP), a sustainable, lower-cost, high performing and customizable feedstock for industrial and consumer markets. MRP is used as an additive in a wide range of consumer and industrial products, like tyres. By improving performance and cost, Lehigh’s business model is said to be closing the loop on tyre production, ensuring sustainability and stability in manufacturing costs for the tyre industry and reducing dependence on oil-based chemicals. According to the company, tyres made with Lehigh’s MRP have better vehicle fuel economy compared to tyres made of less technological rubber powder and have saved a total of over 20 million passenger car tyre equivalents from landfills in more than 10 years. To date, Lehigh’s products have been used to manufacture over 500 million tyres using a circular model. “Consumers, employees, stakeholders and policymakers alike expect companies to lead with purpose around sustainability and are holding them accountable. Inaction or idleness can severely harm competitiveness, with a drop in stakeholder trust costing businesses globally $180 billion in potential revenues,” said Peter Lacy, Senior managing director, Accenture Strategy. “Moving to a circular economy delivers the disruptive change needed to secure a sustainable future, while enabling businesses to unlock innovation and growth. We are proud to recognize the individuals and organizations that are leading the circular movement, creating a thriving global economy.”
Read the full article at: www.tyrepress.com

New Case Study Report on Messaging the Circular Economy

New Case Study Report on Messaging the Circular Economy

ByThe Circular Economy Team

As more companies commit to innovative circular economy and sustainability strategies and investments, there is an increased need to learn the best practices for successfully communicating these decisions externally. The Chamber Foundation recently published a case study and insights publication, Messaging the Circular Economy, which showcases (1) tactics companies are taking to educate customers on their circular products, ambitions, or service offerings, and the opportunity the circular economy represents in the United States; (2) perspective pieces from nonprofit organizations, communications and advisory firms, academia, and trade associations on how to communicate to external stakeholders about circularity; and (3) research on what messages resonate with which audiences. The case study publication covers approaches from a wide range of businesses, from internationally headquartered to U.S.-headquartered, publicly traded to privately held, business-facing to consumer-facing, and across industries, from consumer electronics to apparel. Communicating business relevance, shared responsibility, and corporate priorities about extending the useful life of products and services involves many tactics, exemplified and explained in the publication. Within the report, you’ll see details of video campaigns, graphics, white papers, and playbooks, as well as the value in transparency regarding lessons learned and approach rationale. The publication fills the gap in the literature on how companies can most effectively communicate about their circular ambitions, products, and service offerings. Businesses that want to understand how best to communicate such priorities can reference the examples and research insights featured in the report.
Read the full article at: www.uschamberfoundation.org

McCormick Becomes The Top Global Sustainable Food Corporation

McCormick Becomes The Top Global Sustainable Food Corporation

ByThe Circular Economy Team

McCormick & Company’s dedication to sustainability and emphasis on what’s right for the long-term vitality of people, communities and the planet while delivering top-tier financial results, has earned the company a top spot in a recent ranking. McCormick’s, a global flavor and spice manufacturer, was named the 13th most sustainable corporation and No. 1 in the food products industry on the 2019 Global 100 Sustainability Index released at the World Economic Forum by Corporate Knights. The company advanced 10 spots from the 2018 rankings and retained the top position among its peers in food. The company says it continues to make progress on commitments to source their ingredients sustainably, improve the resilience, and map the contributions of small farmers, especially women, and reduce the company’s environmental impact by lowering its carbon footprint and reducing solid waste. Environmental Commitments Last year, McCormick made a public commitment to 100% plastic packaging that can be reused, recycled or repurposed by 2025. The company joined The New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, led by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. The commitment, signed by companies representing 20% of all plastic packaging produced globally, aims to create a circular economy for plastics, ultimately eliminating plastic pollution at the source. Also in 2018, the spice seller announced it will open its new global headquarters in Hunt Valley, Maryland, bringing 1,000 employees previously located across four different office buildings into one building that is designed to be LEED Gold certified.
Read the full article at: www.environmentalleader.com

Becoming Sustainable Montréal through action and leadership

Becoming Sustainable Montréal through action and leadership

ByThe Circular Economy Team

The Ville de Montréal is making sustainability a reality. From electrifying transport to promoting urban agriculture, Montréal is enacting policies and initiatives that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help create a safe, resilient, inclusive and sustainable city. As host of the ICLEI World Congress 2018, Montréal’s initiative on climate and sustainability will be on display when local and regional leaders from around the world come together to show how they are advancing sustainable urban development worldwide. Through its Sustainable Montréal 2016-2020 plan, the city is taking on four key priorities: Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and dependence on fossil fuel Strengthen biodiversity, increase green space, protect and ensure the efficient use of natural resources Plan on the human scale, ensuring access to healthy, sustainable neighborhoods Transition to a green, circular and responsible economy.
Read the full article at: talkofthecities.iclei.org

Sustainable Fashion: Reduce, Reuse, Exchange

Sustainable Fashion: Reduce, Reuse, Exchange

ByThe Circular Economy Team

Finally, I wanted to close by featuring a fashion show recently held at MIT, to transform trash into fashion, as The Tech reported in One designer’s trash is another’s treasure: With the fashion industry leaving one of the largest global footprints in the world, UA Sustainability seeks to raise awareness for environmental issues in its student body. And what better way than a fashion show? Last Friday, the seventh annual Trashion Show took place in Walker Memorial. It was organized and hosted by UA Sustainability to promote waste reduction and sustainability on the runway. The show featured the creative styles of 17 designers, and 19 models strutted down Morss Hall wearing trash and various plastics, metals, paper, and recyclable materials not usually associated with high couture. Sam Magee, Jessica Rosencrantz ’05, and Professor John Fernandez were judging to decide the top three designs and the “Next Top Model.” Rosencrantz ’05 was an  undergraduate at MIT, majoring in biology and architecture, co-founded Nervous System, and is now working as a designer and artist. Sam Magee is manager of the student arts programs including the Arts Scholars, the Creative Arts Competition, the MIT START Studio, and the Grad Arts Forum. “It’s always a blast to judge this,” Magee said during the show. Finally, Fernandez is a professor in the Department of Architecture and Director of the Environmental Solutions Initiative. He discussed plans to highlight some of the Trashion Show designs during Earth Day Week. The elegant black mermaid dress (“Curtain Call”) was stunning, resembling a well-fitting dress despite being made from a reused trash bag, curtain, zipper, and snaps. I wasn’t alone in my opinion; the design won the Audience Choice Award that night. Takes me back to my undergrad years – peak Punk period – when women wore black trash bags, but not for ‘sustainable’ reasons.

Gartner Survey Finds 87% of Business Leaders Expect to Increase Sustainability Investment Over the Next Two Years

Gartner Survey Finds 87% of Business Leaders Expect to Increase Sustainability Investment Over the Next Two Years

ByThe Circular Economy Team

A new Gartner, Inc. survey revealed that 87% of business leaders expect to increase their organisation’s investment in sustainability over the next two years. Customers are the primary stakeholder group creating pressure for organisations to invest or act on sustainability issues, selected by 80% of executives, followed by investors (60%) and regulators (55%).  “Sustainability enables businesses to cope with disruption,” said Kristin Moyer, Distinguished VP Analyst, Gartner. “Economic uncertainty, geopolitical conflict and escalating materials and energy costs are forcing businesses to reexamine all forms of expenditure. This focus on essentialism, in combination with increasing stakeholder desire to see progress on environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals, creates new opportunities for enterprises to grow while mitigating cost and risk.”  The survey was conducted in June and July 2022 among 221 respondents in North America, Europe and Asia/Pacific. Respondents were executives in director roles or above within organisations with enterprise-wide annual revenue of at least $250 million for fiscal year 2021, which are currently engaged in sustainability-related activities. 

WorldGBC’s call to action: Transitioning to an integrated whole life approach to sustainability in the built environment

WorldGBC’s call to action: Transitioning to an integrated whole life approach to sustainability in the built environment

ByThe Circular Economy Team

Over the last three decades, the sustainability movement within the built environment sector has been on a journey.  The industry has never been more advanced than it is today. This was demonstrated through the flagship Cities, Regions and Built Environment day at COP26, and the inclusion of built environment parameters within the Glasgow pact – covering both buildings and infrastructure. The Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are at the heart of the Paris Agreement and crucial to the achievement of its long-term goals, embodying efforts by each country that support an integrated approach to sustainability.  Traditionally, the green building movement focused on operational energy use, efficiency and primarily environmental concerns. However, the scope and breadth of this sustainability ambition has dramatically expanded. It now encompasses the diversity of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, to be considered across all stages of the building and construction lifecycle, plus the communities and infrastructure that serve our buildings, and the built assets themselves.

Five Actions for Sustainable Business | Guide for Sustainable Enterprises | Purpose and Sustainability

Five Actions for Sustainable Business | Guide for Sustainable Enterprises | Purpose and Sustainability

ByThe Circular Economy Team

Customers, employees, and investors are rejecting companies that don’t act to implement sustainable business practices. Accelerated business action for sustainability will certainly have dramatic positive impacts on people and planet, but it’s also the greatest economic opportunity of our time. We must reinvent business to be both profitable and sustainable. To do this we must put people and planet and profits on equal footing. Being a sustainable business is as much about the vitality of your workforce and local communities as it is about health of the environment. As the building blocks of the global economy, businesses need to transform their strategies, operations, and networks to achieve our shared global goals of a cleaner planet and more inclusive, equal societies.

Morrisons Adds 50 New Plant Based Products Boosting Sustainability

Morrisons Adds 50 New Plant Based Products Boosting Sustainability

ByThe Circular Economy Team

The range includes all kinds of vegan goodies from ready-to-eat meals and sandwiches to sweet and savory snack options. Some of the favorites include Plant Revolution Hot Dogs, Plant Revolution NO Chick’n Tikka Masala With Pilau Rice, and Plant Revolution Mini Dip.  All of the products included in the Plant Revolution range are quite affordable, making vegan food more accessible to its consumers.  This release comes just in time for Veganuary, as record numbers of people have signed up to contribute to the month-long challenge. It is also a smart business move as it is becoming increasingly more common for those in the UK to choose plant-based options over their animal product counterparts.

Sustainability Benefits: A Corporate Perspective

Sustainability Benefits: A Corporate Perspective

ByThe Circular Economy Team

Sustainability… It’s the topic of the decade, maybe even the century! We hear about it in all of our personal and social environments, and it seems to be aggressively penetrating every aspect of business and finance. But are Sustainability and ESG really here to stay? Is this a full paradigm shift, or just another passing trend? For businesses, is it just another regulatory challenge, or is it a true opportunity? How business leaders decide to answer this question will have huge impact on their company’s market position and longevity. Hopefully you are reading between the lines here and see that the answer to these questions is quite obvious. True North has shifted. There is a valuable opportunity to capture here, and if businesses don’t adjust their bearings, they will become lost and left behind. Even if businesses are not convinced about sustainability, basic business management fundamentals make a strong case for integrating ESG and Sustainability into business models across all sectors.

Sustainability – an essential driver of the business of the future

Sustainability – an essential driver of the business of the future

ByThe Circular Economy Team

Sustainability is now core to the business strategy of industry leaders. Beyond the sustainability function, more and more areas of businesses are getting involved to shape sustainability strategies and execute them to achieve measurable goals. We asked our Retail & Consumer clients – who typically do not have a sustainability title – to provide their perspective on a range of sustainability-related topics, including the extent to which they are involved in helping shape and execute their organisation’s sustainability strategies and tactics.

IKEA and Ellen MacArthur Foundation announce strategic partnership

IKEA and Ellen MacArthur Foundation announce strategic partnership

ByThe Circular Economy Team

The partnership between Inter IKEA Group and the Foundation will focus on putting the home furnishing business on the global circular map and accelerating the transition to a circular economy within IKEA and beyond.  Working together, one of the first projects will be to develop a common glossary of terms to support an industry-wide transition.  Lena Pripp-Kovac, chief sustainability officer, Inter IKEA Group, said: “To become circular is one of our big ambitions and challenges for the future. It is a transformational shift of our entire business from how we develop our products and services, and source materials, to how we work through the supply chain and meet our customers.

We’re increasing our carbon fee as we double down on sustainability

We’re increasing our carbon fee as we double down on sustainability

ByThe Circular Economy Team

Since 2009, Microsoft has made and met a series of commitments to reduce the company’s carbon footprint. While we’ve made progress toward our goal of cutting our operational carbon emissions by 75 percent by 2030, the magnitude and speed of the world’s environmental changes have made it…