Business

The Durability Myth: How Fast Fashion Is Rebranding As High-Quality.

UTOPIA-The-Edit — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 17:02:50 +0000

The Durability Myth: How Fast Fashion Is Rebranding As High-Quality.

Tags

Fashion

Fast Fashion

Sustainable fashion

Topic

Sustainable Fashion

Story from: UTOPIA-The-Edit

It seems simple to separate the fast from the fashion: SHEIN is the devil incarnate, and your local earth-toned boutique that stocks small designers is the only way forward.

However, there exists a foggy middle ground, littered with brands attempting to convince consumers of their high quality.

Polished merchandising, sleek mannequins and vague marketing copy are all employed in an attempt to point towards the direction of our favourite buzzword: sustainability.

Fast fashion brands like Zara, H&M, and Abercrombie & Fitch have re-marketed themselves in recent years as higher-quality alternatives to the demonised brands that first spring to mind when we hear the words ‘fast fashion.’

Consumers should not be so easily convinced, since the perception of these garments as durable is antithetical to the push for sustainability in fashion.

...

Read the full article on UTOPIA-The-Edit online magazine>>

Footer

Content: UTOPIA-The-Edit

Background style

Light

Sponsored?

July 2024

Sarah Moran ⬤ Author

Resetting the economic game in nature’s favour

Szilvia Szabó — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 10:35:04 +0000

Resetting the economic game in nature’s favour

Tags

Nature-positive Economy

Nature Conversation

Sustainable Business

Topic

Sustainable business

Although companies are generally more aware of the climate crisis and are starting to set strategies to manage their carbon footprint, considering nature in goal setting and solutions should be equally essential to their plans.

The UN Environment Program estimates that declines in nature and biodiversity at current trajectories will threaten to reach at least 35 out of 44 of the targets of SDGs.

Eva Zabey, CEO of Business for Nature, a global coalition of more than 90+ partner organisations driving credible business action and policy ambition to achieve a nature-positive economy for all by 2030, says:

“Nature and climate action go hand in hand, and this is why we see nature becoming increasingly central to climate discussions.”

With more than twenty years of working at the nexus of business and nature, her expertise furthers Business for Nature's mission to encourage corporate leaders to accelerate their commitments to biodiversity and support governments in setting ambitious national and global policies in favour of nature.

They collaboratively work on advocacy projects while empowering business action with the support of their partners and leading companies.

Eva Zabey, CEO of Business for Nature

Their campaigns are making a tangible difference, such as the `Make it Mandatory` initiative, which rallied over 400 businesses with over $2tn in revenues to join forces prior to COP15, the UN`s Biodiversity Conference in 2022.

Supported by its partners, the organisation collectively called on governments to pursue a more ambitious `deal for nature` in designing the Global Biodiversity Framework, also known as the Biodiversity Plan, by making nature-related assessments and disclosure mandatory.

Their success and the result send a clear message to large businesses and financial institutions to start assessing and disclosing their risks, impacts, and dependencies on biodiversity, as governments will require them to do so by 2030 at the latest.

The upcoming COP16 will be held in Colombia in October 2024, and Eva explains why it will need to delve deeper into how nations will meet the targets adopted at COP15.

“It will be a key milestone in taking stock of progress and setting the standard for all countries to deliver the Biodiversity Plan. It will be an implementation COP, with countries publishing and showcasing updated National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs).”

She adds that once published, NBSAPs will be implemented through national legislation and regulation that will have direct impacts, opportunities and obligations for businesses.

Business for Nature will collectively urge the adoption of a whole-of-society approach to delivering the mission of the Biodiversity Plan, which aims to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030.

On a practical level, the organisation has developed tools, guidance and campaigns to encourage more companies to transform their business models and value chains.

Developed in collaboration with leading organisations, including the Taskforce for Nature-related Financial Disclosures framework (TNFD), the Science Based Targets Network (SBTN) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), they published the `high-level business actions`, also known as the ACT-D Framework, which stands for the Assess, Commit, Transform and Disclose method.

It provides a structured approach for companies seeking to embed nature in their decision-making, minimise their impacts, and contribute to transforming our economic and financial systems.

Building on the ACT-D framework, they also collaboratively developed tailored guidance for 12 distinct sectors, highlighting each sector’s impacts and dependencies on nature, including hands-on examples and recommendations

A joint global campaign, `It`s Now for Nature`, was launched to amplify their message and get more companies involved in developing and sharing credible strategies using a Nature Strategy Handbook that spotlights best practices and provides practical step-by-step guidance.

Eva explains the importance of this campaigns:

“Rewriting our global economy’s ‘rulebook’ is essential to create a level playing field and enable business and finance to take action at the pace science demands.”

Nature Strategy Handbook highlights best practices and practical guidelines. Image: Business for Nature

Eva strongly believes that companies should act immediately, highlighting that developing nature strategies takes time but that companies that start now will stand to benefit vs those that wait.

“There is a huge amount of help and support out there, and delaying action will lead to more acute risks, and making changes will become even harder to implement. The Biodiversity Plan sets the goal and roadmap, and with new tools and leadership from pioneering companies, every business can now join the collective shift to a nature-positive, net-zero and equitable future."

"Becoming nature-positive is a global goal aiming to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030 on a 2020 baseline and achieve full recovery by 2050, which is practically the nature equivalent to climate’s net zero goals."

She further explains that nature-based solutions can provide a third of the climate mitigation needed, and the world’s oceans, plants, animals, and soils are estimated to absorb half of the human-related carbon emissions over the past decade.

Therefore, valuing and embedding nature in their decision-making will help businesses and economies reach their net-zero goals.

A strong movement gaining momentum is the Nature Positive Initiative, which aims to preserve the integrity of ‘Nature Positive’ as a measurable 2030 global goal for nature for business, government, and other stakeholders. They provide tools and guidance besides advocating for the full implementation of the Biodiversity Plan, otherwise known as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, by governments and other stakeholders.

Illustration of becoming nature positive by the Nature Positive Initiative. Image: Nature Positive Initiative

According to Eva, there is a growing community of companies that recognise they need to scale and speed up their action on nature and want to be open and transparent about their efforts.

She believes their 'It's Now for Nature' campaign offers a public platform to get more engaged.

“Indeed, voluntary business action is and will remain insufficient.

The transformation needed in our economy and within the private sector will only happen if governments urgently adopt, implement and enforce the policies, legislation, regulations and incentives needed for businesses to effectively support the implementation of the Biodiversity Plan by 2030.”

She says that aligning financial flows to nature-positive outcomes is crucial.

This should include a rapid increase in the volume of investment and realising new avenues for revenue creation, such as tax shifts and green finance.

Regarding their plans, Eva shares what she and her team at Business for Nature are working towards: “I would like us to play a key role in raising the urgency and driving action on nature to the same level as climate. This means an ever-greater recognition of the critical relationship between biodiversity loss, climate change, and sustainable development. These are interconnected issues that must be addressed together by business and government.”

Background style

Light

Sponsored?

June 2024

Collaborative content with

Profit with Purpose Magazine

Building success on strong relationship with the land

Bronagh Loughlin — Thu, 16 May 2024 17:19:07 +0000

Building success on strong relationship with the land

Tags

Sustainable Agriculture

Sustainable Business

Sustainable Food

Topic

Sustainable Agriculture

Agriculture is intertwined with nature, and to ensure long-term production, it is vital to adopt practices that keep the soil and surrounding ecosystems healthy.

As a family business located in Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford in Ireland, Slaney Farms has built a reputation for producing high-quality potatoes and leading the way in sustainability under the management of John Stafford and colleagues, led by Farm Manager Ed Tobin since it was established in 1996.

They run their operation on 1,000 acres of land with a fully integrated potato processing system, from planting, growing, and harvesting through to marketing and distribution.

Kylie Doran, Senior Sales Administrator at Slaney Farms, proudly shares: “Our farm operates under the Sustainable Horticulture Scheme. Since 2016, 100% sustainably sourced and recycled paper has been used, and we have reduced the plastic microns in packaging by 20% and the plastic microns in pallet wrap by 52%.

We have measures in our manufacturing process to reduce energy, improve overall vehicle efficiency, reduce general waste, and increase recycling. We also have a rainwater harvesting, recycling, and conservation system in place.”

John Stafford, Managing Director, Slaney Farms

She assures that sustainability is deeply important to Slaney Farms and that the business is committed to opening its eyes to new things and measuring what practices it already has in place to best navigate a path for its farmers and producers to maintain productivity and profitability while embracing practices to protect soils and habitats that enable them to provide fantastic Irish produce.

Kylie says: “For the past 15 years, we have practised minimum tillage in conjunction with cover cropping. We are dedicated cereal and potato growers and we have seen the benefits of incorporating organically produced Irish seaweed in the nutritional growing plan for both its potato and cereal crops.”

Slaney Farms became an Origin Green member in 2017, an initiative run by Bord Bia to empower sustainable farming practices.

Since then, they have set targets in several different business areas, including supplier certification, packaging, energy, fuel, waste, and community engagement.

Managing Director John Stafford says: “We are immensely proud of the targets and goals that have been achieved through the scheme, and we feel the Origin Green journey has helped build on the sustainability measures Slaney Farms has aimed to achieve in the past, the present, and into the future.”

Slaney Farms has achieved gold status for their Origin Green for the last number of years. Image: Slaney Farms

In recognition of their work, they also won first place in the ‘Excellence in Sustainability’ category of the Wexford Chamber Business Awards 2023.

Slaney Farms has recently begun utilising the farm building roof space with solar power.

Kylie explains: “The efficiency of how we use energy is very important, and we have just completed a “Green energy audit” through the Local Enterprise Office Wexford. This has allowed us to highlight some changes that we can make, such as converting some of our lighting over to LED, assessing our insulation and carrying out leak tests on our fridge units.”

Plans for their field practices are changing slightly as well. They recently switched their cover cropping mix to produce higher levels of biomass and also retain N levels in the soil through the use of legumes. They expect to see gains in soil structure and nutrient retention with this change.

Kylie says: “The continued use of crop rotation with root crops, cereals, and cover crop mix has allowed us to reduce our chemical fertiliser, weed control, and disease control applications and rates. Building on this has been vital to our business and sustainability goals.

We expect to see a reduction of approximately 25% for fertiliser this season through this and a significant reduction in our chemical applications to crops.”

Aerial view of Slaney Farms based in Co. Wexford, Ireland. Image: Slaney Farms

Speaking on one measure food producers could implement to enact meaningful change and drive the green transition, Kylie cannot understate the value of embracing the changes in cropping and cropping practices to align with the ever-changing climate.

She emphasises the importance of addressing social and environmental sustainability.

Kylie explains: “Social sustainability and the role we play in our wider community is central to our plans. Since 1996, we have sponsored the local Davidstown/ Courtnacuddy GAA club. We also donate regularly to staff-related charities and events and also local community events.”

She adds: “Through an annual donation to VITA in Ethiopia (an Irish development partner that supports farmers and communities in Africa to facilitate thriving rural climate-smart economies), we help support communities further afield.”

Recognising the importance of a healthy local economy to the community and its people, Slaney Farms strives to support local suppliers, building relationships with them and sourcing more local fruit and vegetables from them each year.

Annually, they support local Wexford strawberry growers by sourcing over half a million euros worth of strawberries for their Slaney brand to supply large retail multiples across the country.

Background style

Light

Sponsored?

May 2024

Collaborative content with

Profit with Purpose Magazine

Why should businesses aim for a nature positive and net-zero economy?

Szilvia Szabó — Thu, 16 May 2024 14:37:42 +0000

Why should businesses aim for a nature positive and net-zero economy?

Tags

Net-zero Economy

Sustainable Business

Nature Positive Economy

Topic

Nature Positive Economy

Companies' net zero targets surged more than 40% between 2022 and 2023, which means that, based on Net Zero Tracker's latest analysis, 66% of the annual revenue of the world’s largest 2000 companies are now committed to net zero goals.

Since it has become inevitable for businesses to set climate agendas, most sustainability strategies and finance are driven by a climate-first approach, sidelining other important areas, such as biodiversity.

“There is a need to emphasise that climate change and loss of nature are inextricably linked since both drive each other, and neither can be solved in isolation,”

says Thomas Ball, Director of Nature and Land Use at KPMG’s Sustainable Futures.

The concept of creating a nature positive economy is gaining momentum in the business, policy, and finance sectors and becoming more recognised as a way to address global ecological and societal challenges.

Based on the definition promoted by the global Nature Positive Initiative, it practically means that we ‘halt and reverse nature loss by 2030 on a 2020 baseline and achieve full recovery by 2050’, also known as the Global Goal for Nature.

As Thomas explains, nature positive is " a world where nature - species and ecosystems - is being restored and is regenerating rather than declining.”

This initiative is directly linked to the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), signed by 190 countries at the COP 15 UN Biodiversity Conference in 2022.

The Nature Positive Initiative advocates for the full implementation of the Biodiversity Plan to reverse nature loss by 2030. Image: Nature Positive Initiative

“Target 15 under the GBF is particularly important for businesses: `Businesses Assess, Disclose and Reduce Biodiversity-Related Risks and Negative Impacts`.

However, it is still challenging to translate these global goals and definitions into tangible actions,” adds Thomas, noting that this will happen sooner rather than later.

Although it is tempting to say that my business is unrelated to nature, very few companies can function in complete isolation from ecosystems, and it is becoming more expensive to keep problems away and pay off rather than address root issues.

He highlights that forward-thinking businesses are already integrating nature and climate strategies and that ready-to-use resources are available to help companies design meaningful plans and outline required steps.

A practical tool he recommends is the LEAP framework, a four-step practical process set out by the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures, which stands for Locate, Evaluate, Assess and Prepare.

It starts by locating the company`s direct and indirect interface with nature and biodiversity, then evaluates nature-related impacts and dependencies from the business model and activities, assesses related risks and opportunities, and concludes by disclosing the findings in a report.

The next phase is to develop an integrated climate and nature transition plan with clear, actionable steps to achieve science-based targets in order to build resilience and contribute to a more sustainable economy.

Although it might all seem very logical, it is far from being the business-as-usual practice.

“Nature, in some quarters, continues to play second-order priority to climate change and other ESG topics, but in the main, it is rapidly rising on the agenda,”

shares Thomas.

He adds that "in general, leaders are familiar with nature-related issues but it is a challenge for them to prioritise, make it tangible and divert funding towards this area as it doesn`t seem to have the same urgency as addressing the climate crisis.”

Thomas Ball, Director Sustainable Futures KPMG in Ireland and Lead of the Nature, Biodiversity and Land Use service

“If you don`t consider nature in your decarbonisation process and take the services it provides for granted, you are missing something vital.”

He explains that driving finance into nature protection and restoration is critical.

"Investors should look for co-benefits for nature, climate and people. For example, it's important to plant the right trees in the right place to restore biodiversity, sequester carbon and provide amenity value to communities. This requires a landscape-scale approach and engaging local stakeholders in decision making is critical to that process."

It is also a question of positioning nature-related investments and business strategies to identify new potential growth areas.

Changing the optics on how acceptable it is to exploit or sideline nature could also spark change.

“You would not hear a company disclosing that modern slavery is just an inevitable consequence of running their business - they would know this is unacceptable and needed to be tackled immediately.

We need the same to happen for nature so a company knows that it is unacceptable for their business to be associated with deforestation in the Amazon or in biodiversity rich regions such as Borneo."

However, he notes that “The list of requirements and challenges for businesses is immense, and so many don’t have the capacity or personnel to take on what is regarded as a separate or less important issue.”

Education and collaboration are the key components Thomas thinks will be critical to making the necessary changes, especially in the field of connecting the finance sector with environmental conservationists, as they are generally very different communities.

Despite the challenges, some encouraging progress has been made in Ireland, such as the recent Citizen’s Assembly on Biodiversity Loss or the publication of the 4th National Biodiversity Action Plan in Ireland.

“The tone and scope of the conversation have changed, and there is more openness and willingness to learn and consider the importance of the topic. This has yet to translate into any radical shifts in how we do business in Ireland or globally, but we are starting to see some positive signs.”

We need to build up the skillset that allows people in various roles to understand business and nature alike so they can connect the dots and drive projects that integrate both.

A great example is building the Peatland Finance Ireland initiative that offers an innovative model for funding and rewarding peatland restoration while engaging multiple stakeholders in aligning the carbon, water and biodiversity agendas with opportunities for communities and regional development.

Background style

Light

Sponsored?

May 2024

Collaborative content with

Profit with Purpose Magazine

Building the business case for biodiversity in Ireland

Szilvia Szabó — Thu, 16 May 2024 13:56:42 +0000

Building the business case for biodiversity in Ireland

Tags

Topic

The World Economic Forum warned in 2020 that, based on the New Nature Economy Report, approximately $44 trillion of economic value is at moderate or severe risk due to nature loss.

The continued loss of biodiversity and degradation of nature is a looming threat to businesses and communities alike.

“Businesses have a critical role in nature stewardship, but it is challenging to bring their attention to biodiversity and make the link between their operations and impacts visible,” says Lucy Gaffney, Platform Manager at Business for Biodiversity Ireland.

She adds that while some companies are more dependent on and related to nature than others, most have some relationship with it regardless of size or industry.

“A bank, an agribusiness, or a mining company has a completely different relationship with nature.”

According to Lucy, one standard practice is that organisations tend to externalise their impact, which can give the illusion of minimal responsibility and impact.

“It`s the case with Ireland, where you often hear the argument falsely claiming that we are such a small island, so we have no significant impact on biodiversity. In reality, we are very good at using supply chains, leaving the troubles outside the country.”

Lucy Gaffney, Platform Manager at Business for Biodiversity Ireland

But the risks and responsibilities are real, adds Lucy when she explains why businesses should care about this issue more.

She highlights that even though the latest CSRD reporting (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive) will not directly apply to most SMEs, they will be forced to deal with sustainability issues as they are part of bigger organisations' supply chains, which will include nature-related issues.

Business for Biodiversity Ireland focuses on creating a safe space and an inspirational community where companies can learn how to connect their operation and strategy with nature.

They are building a multi-sector platform on the pillars of raising awareness, facilitating collaboration, influencing policy, and inspiring action so businesses can mitigate nature-related risks while maximising opportunities and integrating nature into their decision-making.

The organisation aspires to bring together leaders through active participation to share learnings with a learn-as-you-go approach since adopting meaningful biodiversity strategies can be even more complicated than carbon management.

“When you are experimenting with new ideas, there is a fine line between being courageous and being accused of greenwashing. This can lead to greenhushing, a term for consciously concealing sustainability efforts.”

Lucy points out that learning always includes making mistakes, and they try to encourage open and honest discussions that could lead to better solutions.

A critical part of establishing a meaningful biodiversity strategy is identifying the company`s true influence and impact and building a meaningful, long-term plan around that.

To support that process, Business for Biodiversity Ireland created a library of resources available for businesses that would help them better understand how to contribute to a nature positive economy and what the benefits are.

Some guidelines on their website include a Nature Positive Roadmap, a Finance for Biodiversity guide, and a Nature Disclosure tool.

Lucy shares that their role, among others, is to translate and simplify complex concepts so companies can easily see the connection and take action.

“We need to present a distilled version of extensive frameworks, reports, or whitepapers to cut through the noise and make them relevant for decision-makers, providing clear steps they can take.”

Community of Practice sessions provide a safe space for businesses to earn how to connect their operation and strategy with nature. Image: Business for Biodiversity Ireland

Educational activities are also needed to translate biodiversity and make a business case for nature.

“Most people associate biodiversity with pollinators, which is a great first step but not the whole picture. Focusing only on pollinators in communication can actually become misleading since other equally important areas get sidelined because of that.”

She explains that the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan was a very successful campaign and had an overarching positive impact on preserving wildlife in this particular area.

However, Lucy sees this as drifting into dangerous territory by implying that you can tick biodiversity off your list if you are good with pollinators.

“We have so much more that we should discover and protect in Ireland.

Our marine environment is fascinating, and having a natural rainforest that could be restored and expanded along the West Coast is a unique opportunity we could embrace.

Not to mention that an iconic indicator species, the Hen Harrier, also known as the Sky-Dancer, is disappearing from our habitat, but we still have the chance to save it.”

Lucy believes we need to foster more investment-ready biodiversity projects with measurable outputs to help channel attention and finance.

Companies like An Post, Bank of Ireland, or Bus Éireann are already signing up to join Business for Biodiversity Ireland and become more involved with their work through membership, which involves participating in Community of Practice workshops that provide great learning opportunities.

Background style

Light

Sponsored?

May 2024

Collaborative content with

Profit with Purpose Magazine

Creating scents with a difference

Szilvia Szabó — Tue, 14 May 2024 14:24:00 +0000

Creating scents with a difference

Tags

Topic

Driving positive change can happen in every industry, and no drop is too small when it comes to sustainability.

When Benoit Nicole started his business, The Nature of Things, he was looking for key elements such as creating a line of essential oils that embody top-quality ingredients and care for the natural environment and local communities.

Building on over 20 years of experience in the perfume industry allowed him to learn from the best, know the pitfalls, and polish his senses to identify high-end raw materials and products.

Originally from the west of France, he spent decades in New York working for leading brands in the field, gathering insights on how essential oils are made, distributed or marketed for various user needs from the food industry to vitamin supplements and perfumes.

Benoit Nicole, Founder and CEO of The Nature of Things

“The best ‘noses’ in the business taught me how to smell, how oils can live together and how they can make you feel, while scientists and aromatherapists taught me the positive effects the oils can have on your health and well-being.”

He also witnessed how different strategies were built to ensure that brands were not only ahead of change but also driving change.

“In the mid-80s, sustainability was an emerging word that was not really considered in most business plans,” says Benoit.

He was inspired by other industry business leaders, like Aveeda, one of the pioneers in using organic materials.

“They pushed for organic certification before people even talked about sustainability and invested in suppliers to produce sustainably.”

He recalls that Aveeda`s founder once said, "The more we grow, the more impact we will have on the world, so it is my responsibility to ensure that we do this in a way that has a positive impact.”

After falling in love with an Irish girl and moving to Ireland in 2019, he decided it was time to put all his passion and learnings into creating his own line of essential oils that reflect his values and offer customers an extraordinary experience.

Right from the start, he understood sustainability is far too complex to be handled rigidly when it comes to managing suppliers.

“My approach is to have the best in class in my supply chain and work with distillers who care for the environment and the local community besides delivering quality materials.”

However, given that he sources ingredients from all corners of the world, such as Atlas Cedar from Morocco, Eucalyptus from Spain, Ylang Ylang from Madagascar, and Lavender from France, it is clear that a one-size-fits-all mindset won`t work.

Wherever applicable, he looks for organic and Fair Trade certificates. Still, suppliers need not be certified if their circumstances don`t allow them to.

"My extensive experience helps me decide which distillers are genuinely producing sustainable products.Visiting the sites and having conversations with owners and managers provides an opportunity to learn their true nature of business and their unique way of managing land, processes, and people.”

Instead of forcing certifications, Benoit takes the time to truly engage with suppliers, whether in person or remotely, and dig deep enough to get an overall picture of their business using different sources of information.

"For instance, if they don`t have Fair Trade, how can they offer similar assurances, like fair wages? How do they manage people who work in the fields?

All these aspects help me understand the complex system they have in place for farming the whole year round.”

He adds that these suppliers typically run smaller operations, so no big corporate policies would apply, making adapting other evaluations more sense.

Benoit explains that in these cases, looking at the environmental impact in terms of energy, water, farming practices, alternatives for pesticides like organic fertiliser, or basic solutions like plants that repel bugs can be more meaningful than being certified.

Besides managing the supply chain, he also pays attention to running a conscious company, using paper or glass packaging or higher-quality plastic that can be better recycled while minimising its impact through logistics and other operational areas.

“Although about 90 per cent of our sales are to retail, we receive enquiries from our customers asking for more information on our ingredients and sourcing regarding sustainability, which clearly shows an interest in these areas. They even send back bottles to be reused.”

He adds that The Nature of Things is a small company, so they aim to focus on the most relevant areas to minimise their environmental impact.

“I like to think that we are successful and will be successful in the future because we are going for top quality and sustainability."

To him, sustainability also means profitability, so they can be fair with suppliers and partners. Their branding and visuals reflect Benoit's love for art and his desire to present their products in a way that amplifies their natural approach and inspires customers.

To lead by example, The Nature of Things is a certified member of the Irish Organic Association and also a member of 1% For the Planet, which means that 1% of their total revenues every year is donated to support environmental causes.

“This is close to my heart, and customers and retailers know that they are contributing a little bit to a good cause.”

Background style

Light

Sponsored?

May 2024

Collaborative content with

Profit with Purpose Magazine

Harmonising nature, science, and consciousness

Bronagh Loughlin — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 14:28:54 +0000

Harmonising nature, science, and consciousness

Tags

Topic

The beauty industry impacts the planet in a multitude of ways.

Plastic Soup researchers analysed the ingredients in more than 7,000 beauty products and discovered that just 13 per cent were free from microplastics. Additionally, experts have discovered around 70 per cent of beauty products contain some element of palm oil, contributing to staggering deforestation around our planet.

With all this in mind, it is no surprise there have been calls for the beauty industry to go green, and the number of responsible beauty brands is growing.

Niamh Hogan, Creator and CEO of Holos Skincare, explains what inspired her to set up this innovative business:

“After years working as a Holistic Therapist and using plant oils and essential oils on clients and seeing the subtle benefits of these ingredients on their well-being, I wondered how I could encourage people to use these ingredients in everyday life."

Holos Skincare is a European brand produced in the South East of Ireland.

It is made with plant ingredients containing vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and antioxidants, alongside scientifically proven plant actives, chosen carefully with the environment and sustainability at the fore of all they do.

Niamh Hogan, Creator and CEO of Holos Skincare

Niamh says that while they have sustainability at the heart of what they do, their main focus is always about improving the life of the consumer.

"When customers buy Holos Skincare, they get results due to the innovative ingredients we use, and they are secure in the knowledge they are making a more eco-conscious choice when it comes to skincare.”

Speaking on why it was so important for her to embed sustainability into her brand, Niamh says: “From the beginning, it was a top priority to create a brand that could provide value but not at the sacrifice of the environment.

Each decision we make has sustainability at its core, from the ingredients we use, the suppliers we work with, the materials we use for packaging and how we conduct our everyday business.

We use glass and aluminium in most of our packaging and paper-only components for shipping."

She adds that they hand-produce products, so there is minimal energy use, and they are also vegan and cruelty-free.

"However, it doesn’t end there because we are always looking for solutions to become an even more sustainable choice for our customers.”

Sustainability is at the heart of Holos Skincare besides creating high-quality product. Image: Holos Skincare

As the green beauty and clean beauty movements continue to grow and gain momentum, it is no surprise we are seeing more brands adopting these practices to try and secure a greener future for the beauty sector.

Niamh reflects on this:

“To be successful as a beauty brand, you will not survive on sustainability alone. At the end of the day, whether you have sustainability at your core or not, if the product does not live up to the needs of the customer, it won’t be successful.”

Niamh assures that when customers shop for skincare products, they will still choose brands without an eco-focus if the products are effective.

She says: “While we have sustainability at the heart of what we do, our main focus is always about improving the life of the consumer. When customers buy Holos Skincare, they get results due to the innovative ingredients we use, and they are secure in the knowledge they are making a more eco-conscious choice when it comes to skincare.”

Niamh shares that there is a huge divide in the skincare space between what is considered ‘natural’, ‘green and ‘eco’ skincare and skincare, which is known as cosmeceutical, which is scientifically proven to benefit the skin.

She says: “Consumers usually choose one over the other based on their own needs.

Some value making an ethical choice, but when it comes to skincare, more value results. It is seldom that the two sides of skincare meet.

At Holos, we bridge the gap between ‘natural, green’ skincare and ‘cosmeceutical’ skincare. With this in mind, the consumer is no longer forced to make a choice because they get both - results and ethics.”

Whilst Holos Skincare advocates sustainability and has embedded numerous purpose-driven initiatives, they are always learning and looking for ways to improve.

Just as the phrase ‘green beauty’ is on the rise, ‘clean beauty’ has also become a trend over the past few years.

Niamh says: “Clean beauty is not a term I like. I view it as another marketing buzzword rather than focusing on what amazing ingredients a product contains. Instead, it focuses on what it doesn’t contain and using the word ‘clean’ implies other brands are somehow dirty.”

Speaking on the latest sustainability trends within the beauty industry and what she hopes will stick, Niamh shares: “Packaging is something brands are starting to look at, and the industry is obsessed with packaging.

There is huge competition to look better than the next brand, but if you go all out on packaging and your product is only mediocre, the customer won’t repurchase your products.”

She adds: “Refill isn’t a safe option for skincare, but it is a good move away from plastic for other wash and hygiene products.

Ultimately, there is a lot of greenwashing within the industry, with big brands trying to hop on the trend of being more natural, green, or eco-friendly.”

Background style

Light

Sponsored?

March 2024

Collaborative content with

Profit with Purpose Magazine

“Sustainability is at the heart of our vision”

Bronagh Loughlin — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 16:12:40 +0000

“Sustainability is at the heart of our vision”

Tags

Business Sustainability

Sustainability Strategy

Sustainability Reporting

Topic

Business Sustainability

Cpl, the global provider of talent solutions to startups, multinationals, and SMEs in every sector, has recently published its 2023 Sustainability Strategy and Report.

This marks the second year of the report, a place for the company to capture all its sustainability efforts, covering 14,000 staff and operating in 13 countries, and reflect on how far they have come.

Lorna Conn, CEO at Cpl, explains: “Sustainability is at the heart of our vision. Our delivery of transformational talent solutions and experiences must be beneficial not just to our clients and candidates but also to the environment in which we work.”

“We are committed to operating a sustainable business across five core Sustainable Development Goals, deeply ingrained in our operations.”

The execution of Cpl’s sustainability strategy is led by a core team that actively works across all areas. This team is made up of key members of Cpl’s Executive Team, the Sustainability Steering Group, and the GreenWorks Committee.

The Cpl Sustainability Steering Group was established in 2021 and consists of the key senior stakeholders across the business that run its sustainability and governance projects.

Lorna Conn, CEO at Cpl

Speaking on Cpl’s leadership approach and how this has enabled them to successfully integrate sustainability into its business strategy, Lorna says:

“Expertise and strategic acumen remain crucial in business, but there is also a need for empathy, compassion, the ability to communicate openly and transparently and to make good decisions.”

Lorna believes that leaders who can understand and connect with their teams on a human level are not just desirable but also critical.

She explains:

“Empathy allows leaders to comprehend the unique concerns and aspirations of their employees, fostering a sense of belonging and loyalty.

Compassion enables them to provide support during difficult times, building trust and camaraderie.

Open and transparent communication cultivates an environment of trust where employees feel valued and informed, empowering them to contribute their best.”

Lorna feels sustainable leadership is much more about individuals than traditional leadership and integrates the health and well-being of people and society into the needs of the business. Sustainability also plays a significant role in Cpl’s client relationships.

Cpl`s 2023 Sustainability Strategy and Report. Image: Cpl

This is because their clients want to work with organisations that put sustainability at the forefront of their business. Cpl believes sustainability issues will and should play an increasingly important role in the long-term success of all companies.

It is not enough to look to others to implement change; rather, we should look at what we can do.

We are seeing increasing demand for sustainability coming down the line from our clients through tenders, compliance surveys, and more direct responsible business surveys.”

When asked about how to breathe life into sustainability reporting and implementing actions, Lorna shares that Cpl is a people business, and they place people at the heart of everything they do. They believe that by working together, they can create a ripple effect that positively impacts all those who interact with the company.

“While data is important, it’s not the focus area. Our people created our sustainability strategy, considering our entire value chain and the communities we work in.

To us, sustainability reporting is more than a box-ticking exercise; we report voluntarily because we believe that by sharing our progress, challenges, and achievements, we can inspire other organisations to do the same.”

One of Cpl’s strategic pillars is being ‘Future Ready’, which is linked directly to the environment and the ecosystems in its sustainability strategy.

Lorna shares why Cpl has chosen five primary SDGs to focus on: “When analysing the results of our double materiality, it was clear the five areas we have chosen as our SDGs would have the most impact in terms of sustainability and our business.

It was also clear these areas would resonate with our people and communities. The SDGs that were easiest to implement were the social ones like SDG 8 of Decent Work.

Cpl`s analytics on sustainability factors to drive meaningful change. Image: Cpl 2023 Sustainability Strategy and Report.

”Within this pillar, their core Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) is Climate Action, committed to reducing their environmental impact and raising awareness. Their overarching target to become net zero by 2045 is a huge driver for their action plan, a plan which shares their 30+ targets across 5 SDGs.

She adds: “The most challenging SDG to implement was Goal 13 of Climate Action. However, our GreenWorks Committee has done a fantastic job getting people involved in initiatives and activities throughout the year.

Cpl also took a huge leap forward in 2023, expanding its data collection to include 10 of the 13 countries where it operates.

Lorna explains: “We also conducted a materiality assessment on our Scope 3 emissions and included all material Scope 3 categories in our data collection. Collecting our emissions data across our 45 offices has been a huge project for Cpl due to the dispersed nature of our offices.”

She says: “To overcome this challenge, our reporting pillar is developing a custom report that will make this task much easier.”

Another initiative Lorna feels has made a massive impact has been Cpl’s BeProud Cafés, which were shortlisted for several awards last year.

Launched in March 2022, over 30 cafés were held on a wide range of diversity, equity, and inclusion topics spanning menopause, men’s health, LGBTQI+, parenting, cultural awareness, and more.

The cafés generally boasted an attendance of between 40 and 70 people and offered a safe space for people to share and learn without fear of saying something wrong.

Cpl believes in the transformative power of deep, meaningful relationships and actively promoting inclusive leadership and equality at work.

In 5 years, they hope to be on track to meet the KPIs laid out in their sustainability report and transform people’s lives for the better.

Background style

Light

Sponsored?

March 2024

Collaborative content with

Profit with Purpose Magazine

Szilvia Szabó ⬤ Author

Journalist, Editor

Tips to build a company’s reputation for sustainability

Bronagh Loughlin — Wed, 10 Jan 2024 11:40:37 +0000

Tips to build a company’s reputation for sustainability

Tags

Sustainability

communication

Topic

Business Sustainability

Sustainability and reputation are very much connected. Managing your social and environmental impact can have various effects on your business and your brand scaling, from having a unique market positioning to ruining the reputation of the organisation.

How to build a sustainable brand?

Building a sustainable or eco-conscious brand is no easy task. Whether you are just starting a business and want to be more eco-friendly, or you are already established and want to become more sustainable, it can be challenging.

However, it is achievable which is why many businesses across the globe are harnessing more green credentials. In saying that, sustainability cannot simply be a brief thought, but time and dedication must go into it.

Building a sustainable brand is not just about making your products and services more environmentally friendly. Rather, you need to look at the entire process that goes into creating your products and services and make changes from there.

In other words, sustainability encompasses environmental issues concerning how the business is run and its supply chain. It also consists of social and ethical issues like diversity, fair wages, and working practices.

In addition, the traceability of the products you sell, how transparent you are with stakeholders and customers, and the governance of the brand.

With all of this in mind, below some practical tips to build a company’s reputation for sustainability.

Brand honesty and transparency

Transparency is key when it comes to building a sustainable brand. Failing to share honest information or details on how exactly you are sustainable could result in greenwashing or green botching (sustainability actions backfiring or poorly implemented), which can have negative effects on both brand image and reputation.

Even if you are just starting with sustainability, customers will appreciate it. You need to tell them where you are on the journey and what the next stages are in your plan to become more eco-friendly. It doesn’t stop there, you need to update them on your journey too.

To build a reputation for sustainability, you must appear as a leader and understand exactly what you are talking about.

When trying to figure out how to communicate with customers, acknowledge that some may not have a good knowledge of sustainability.

Therefore, communicating your processes and what exactly makes your products environmentally sound is essential while addressing your consumers’ specific concerns around sustainability.

Make your products more circular

Another way you can build a strong reputation for sustainability is by making your products more circular. This shows customers you are committed and taking action against issues like waste and pollution.

Additionally, making products circular often increases their lifespan, so you are ultimately creating more value for your customers. Implementing sustainable business practices will encourage your competitors and other companies to follow suit, and we are all trying to achieve the same goal here.

Circularity refers to reusing, recycling, and refurbishing products. Therefore, it could mean using materials or resources that would have otherwise been discarded to create a product or fixing a product to make it high-quality and usable again.

When thinking of how to make your products circular, it all comes back to trying to keep items in circulation for longer and avoiding disposal.

Circularity isn’t about reinventing the wheel but figuring out how to extend the lifespan of products and resources.

Build a more eco-conscious supply chain

One way to display your dedication and commitment is by looking at how you can make improvements in your supply chain.

Think about where your materials and resources come from, who your partners are, what their values are, and whether they are working towards sustainability.

Partnering with like-minded organisations can make a big difference and help you contribute even more positive change.

Take fashion, for instance, if you are working towards becoming more environmentally conscious, you need to know where the clothes are being created and who is creating them. Are the workers receiving a fair wage? What are their work conditions like? What is the environmental impact of the production?

Embed sustainability into your company’s mission and vision

The brands that have a strong reputation for sustainability are those that have recognised the correlation between sustainability and their business activities and goals.

These organisations have not made sustainability a separate goal but made it part of their reason for existing.

They have a purpose beyond generating profits and making sales. Sustainability is a factor in everything they do, and they consider it in every business decision that is made.

Beyond the positive benefits for the planet, showing this commitment can help them to win more customers, raise awareness, attract new talent, and build a better working organisation.

Set goals and genuinely measure your impact

In an effort to build a reputation for sustainability, you could run the risk of getting a reputation for greenwashing if you do not set goals and measure your impact.

Choose the issues you want to focus on primarily, set measurable objectives with timelines, and then measure your impact. For example, carbon accounting can give you a sense of your company’s carbon footprint and how it can be reduced.

Additionally, running a materiality assessment or completing ESG data tracking using popular standards like the TCFD reporting* can help you understand where you are with your sustainability targets. Doing this will help you understand your impact and how you can make improvements.

Without numbers or measurements, how can you know where you need to make changes?

Once you have defined your goals and measured your impact, communicate this in an impact report so your audience understands where you are on your journey, too.

Summary

According to Forbes, 88 per cent of customers will be more loyal to a business that supports environmental or social issues. They are choosing to support companies with a reputation for sustainability.

Addressing climate change will not only help you reduce your impact to protect the planet but also increase sales, win customers, and improve your brand image and reputation.

The best way to start your journey is to educate yourself and continue to learn about the latest updates. There are several courses available that could help you improve your understanding and implement practical steps that lead to building your brand.

*TCFD reporting - Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures

Headline image: Unsplash

Background style

Light

Sponsored?

January 2024

Collaborative content with

Institute of Sustainability Studies

A rising tide lifts all boats - The power of business sustainability education

Anonymous — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 09:23:48 +0000

A rising tide lifts all boats - The power of business sustainability education

Tags

Business Sustainability

Sustainability

Training

Education

Topic

Business Sustainability

Fireside chat with Máire Fay, Head of Sustainability, Education & Development, Dublin Chamber

Here at Dublin Chamber, our role, first and foremost, is to represent and support businesses of all sizes from all industries. We speak and lobby on their behalf, but we also listen – meaning we can offer a wide range of services relevant to the needs of businesses today.

I research, develop and lead new sustainability projects and continually innovate on existing ones, such as the Sustainability Academy, which was established in response to these needs.

Our classes are virtual but in a live classroom, taking leaders through all the critical areas of ESG, otherwise known as Environmental, Social, and Governance factors.

Máire Fay, Head of Sustainability, Education & Development, Dublin Chamber

From workshops on sustainability 101 to carbon strategy, from carbon footprint to the circular economy and green public procurement, our courses form a pathway that participants can follow from start to finish – or pick and choose what areas they wish to focus on.

It can seem like such an enormous undertaking, but Rome wasn’t built in a day – and neither is a good sustainability strategy.

We undertook extensive research, including our 2022 Sustainability Survey, conducted with Amárach Research and learned that many of our member companies wanted to take action but didn’t know where to start.

Many could see the benefit of having a roadmap but were unclear about how to do that on a practical level and where to start.

We wanted to demystify business sustainability and offer tangible support to help businesses through the process one step at a time.

That’s why we also offer one-on-one support along with the workshops, as we are keen to strip back the complexities and encourage action, not confusion.

We also see the separation of priorities as a barrier somewhat since organisations should embed sustainability into core business strategy as opposed to it being a separate policy.

All classes are held live online, allowing participants to learn from experts while discussing and brainstorming relevant issues with their teacher's assistance.

We see representation from all industries of all sizes with various motivations to take the courses, which is wonderful as it leads to diverse discussions and great idea-sharing.

One of the most valuable assets at Dublin Chamber is our network, so members can access our award-winning workshops, a robust community and various supports that will help them push forward in their efforts to be more sustainable.

A rising tide lifts all boats.

Sustainability Survey 2022 by Dublin Chamber.

It can be deliberating to find a community, a tribe of those in the same position or those who might be already on their journey. This is where the power of collaboration can never be underestimated. Especially when you are starting, it is good to know that you are not alone.

One of the biggest revelations during our course is that ‘it is doable’!

All these things will help you be honest about your sustainability journey – with yourself, your customers, employees and other stakeholders.

You can create a sustainability strategy to be as truthful and realistic as possible, making your objectives and timelines more achievable and strengthening your position towards reaching your goals.

We are delighted to see more companies choosing to upskill in this area based on market needs. This happened with Cpl, Ireland's most prominent and longest-standing recruitment agency.

They noticed a significant increase in supplier requests for sustainability criteria and were unsure where to begin answering them.

Since 2020, Cpl has made significant progress and has gone from a limited knowledge of sustainability to developing their first sustainability strategy and report, establishing baseline data and disclosing it to the CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project).

While they did bring in external support to execute their plans, they gained a strong foundation of knowledge.

Looking at our progress and seeing companies going through transformational changes, I have noticed that once you are in, you are in. Once you care, you care.

It certainly has been a challenge to raise awareness of the importance of running greener businesses, but I can honestly say that it’s also been so rewarding.

Word of mouth has been so valuable to us, and it is also a great vote of confidence to know that our participants are happy to recommend their experience.

Besides, we also use various channels to communicate sustainability topics to our members, aiming to make it as easy as possible to understand the relevance and access support.

Knowledge is power. The more you know, the more informed your decisions will be.

It is a challenging landscape out there at the moment, and the recently published IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) Synthesis Report offered some very sobering data.

However, I’m a dyed-in-the-wool optimist and believe we can achieve astonishing change as a global community.

Background style

Light

Sponsored?

October 2023

Collaborative content with

Profit with Purpose Magazine