Webinar - Engaging Employees to Build a Sustainability Innovation Culture

This complimentary 45 minute webinar from the Ethical Corporation will take place on Feb 12th at 1 pm GMT. around employee engagement. The conversation will address ways of building a sustainability innovation culture in your organization. Speakers include Christine Diamente from Alcatel-Lucent, Andrew Cave from Royal Bank of Scotland and Sarah Ellis from Sainsbury’s. These three individuals will share the latest insights to help you get your employees on board to build a sustainability innovation culture.

You will learn about ways to:

Event - 2014 Cause Marketing Conference: Innovating for Impact

The Cause Marketing Conference is a must-attend cause marketing conference of the year. Innovating for Impact is the theme of this year's conference. Attendees will gain access to changemakers who are pushing the envelope of cause programs.

Event - Sustainable Brands London Conference

Sustainable Brands London Conference on November 18 and 19, 2013, at the Lancaster London, Lancaster Terrace, in London, UK. This event continues the sustainable brand community’s global conversation about the collective journey From Revolution to Renaissance in brand building for an abundant future.

Event - CMF13: Captivate. Connect. Activate

Cause Marketing Forum 2013 (CMF13) will take place May 29-30, 2013 at the JW Marriott in Chicago. As a savvy cause marketer, you know that it's not enough to simply create a company/cause partnership. You must captivate your audience with a compelling story, connect on a meaningful level and provide accessible ways to activate consumer participation while generating business and social benefits.

Event - GreenTech Insight for Innovation Workshop - Telling Your Story: Communication for Innovative Businesses

GreenTech Insight for Innovation Workshop - Telling Your Story: Communication for Innovative Businesses will take place on February 19, 2013, at the Innovation Park, 945 Princess Street, Kingston, Ontario. Is what you do complicated and difficult to explain? Learn how to communicate to your stakeholders in a way that makes them listen, care and understand. This intensive ½ day session will feature expert guidance on how to effectively communicate the value of your business or innovation.

The Growing Problem of Cell Phone Waste

Electronic devices continue to be the fastest growing waste stream in the US and cell phones are a major part of this. In 2011, manufacturers produced more than 1.68 billion wireless phones worldwide. In the United States alone, it’s estimated that fewer than 10 percent of discarded mobile phones will be recycled.

Regular phone upgrades are driving the growth of electronic waste. Companies like Apple regularly upgrade their technology and encourage users to buy new models. This built-in obsolesce is the kind of irresponsible business practices that drive profits but destroy the environment.

AT&T's Record Breaking Recycling for Wireless Devices

As reported in an Environmental Leader article, Guinness World Records have certified that AT&T customers broke a world record by recycling 50,942 wireless devices during a one-week period. In 2011 AT&T collected about three million cell phones for reuse and recycling and the company's new trade in program is expected to help AT&T surpass that number in 2012.

The recycling of these AT&T devices in 2011 avoided sending 25,471 pounds of waste to landfills. In September, AT&T launched a line of phone chargers with housings made of at least 30 percent post-consumer plastics. The chargers are also Energy Star 5-rated, meaning that they use “minimal” power when plugged in.

Sprint's Industry Leading Cell Phone Recycling

Since 2001, Sprint's takeback program has collected more than 4,000 metric tons of electronic waste which comprises more than 40 million wireless devices. These programs not only keep phones out of landfills they have helped the company avoid more than $1 billion in costs. In 2011 Sprint recycled more than 11 million wireless devices, over 211,000 on average per week. Sprint is the first and only US wireless carrier to outline specific commitments that address electronic waste (e-waste) holistically. Sprint is ranked No. 3 on Newsweek’s Green Rankings of American companies and it is the only wireless carrier to crack the top 25 for Newsweek's Green Rankings of global companies.

Sprint celebrated America Recycles Day by raising awareness of the importance of recycling. Sprint has launched a phone recycling pledge where customers can win one of five rewards cards worth $500 (now through Nov. 30). Sprint has also posted a video online that illustrates how old cell phones can gain a “second life” while reducing the amount of electronic waste in the marketplace.

24 Hours of Reality

The event known as 24 Hours of Reality begins on November 14 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Over the course of 24 hours there will be different live video broadcasts on the ways in which dirty energy has created a world of Dirty Weather. Climate disruption affects us all and it will take a collective effort to solve it.

Nobody can solve this alone. But a look back at history shows us that when millions of people come together and use their voices to demand action, real change happens. Together, it’s time to speak out. It’s time to spread the truth about climate change so we empower and inspire others to work toward solutions.

Communications Disconnect Revealed by the Sustainability Leadership Report

Although companies are adopting sustainability in record numbers, there can sometimes be a disconnect between these efforts and the perception of the general public. When corporate sustainability was first introduced it was a low priority issue that focused mostly on reporting, however it is now influencing core strategies and transforming businesses around the world. Companies recognize that a proactive stance on sustainability is becoming a competitive necessity in attracting investors, employment talent and supply chain partners, as well as customers. Because of this, those responsible for creating and maintaining brand relevance need to pay close attention to their company’s sustainability practices. However, engaging is sustainability is only part of a successful strategy, corporate communicators must reconcile operational practices and brand communications.

How We Can Engage Businesses and People in Efforts to Combat Climate Change

Effective communications are crucial to efforts to change behavior and integrate sustainability into a corporate culture. Climate Change is an irrefutable scientific fact, but not everyone is on-board, and many of those who accept the science, are not personally engaged. Effective ecological communications involves more than scientific discourse or economic diatribes.

Educating Consumers about Sustainable Consumption

Businesses need to address consumer confusion about sustainability. A 2011 WBCSD report reviews how business can help to take sustainability from a niche market to the mainstream. As reviewed in the report, businesses need to be part of the effort to explain sustainability to consumers. Ultimately consumers need to understand that sustainability is about a pragmatic approach to solving the climate change crisis we are facing.

One of the chief obstacles that businesses face has to do with the false choice between the economy and the environment. Many consumers fear that sustainable consumption will translate to a decrement in their standard of living. However, sustainable consumption does not have to mean a lower standard of living, just a higher level of intentionality about encouraging more sustainable products, systems and services.

The Frugal Green Consumer

During the recession we have seen evidence that consumers are shifting their focus from premium green products to frugality. While there is demand for green products and services, people are price conscious and cost is an impediment to wider adoption.

Frugality is an important element shaping today's green consumer. The increasing number of people growing their own food, and reusing things they would have otherwise discarded are illustrations of the point. People are increasingly buying only what they need and making purchases that are designed to last. Essentially people are looking for good value for their money

The recession and slow recovery is changing our behavior and making consumers more value conscious. Value is not just a buzzword in business, it reflects a growing trend that an increasing number of consumers are demanding.

Sustainability is the Future of Consumption

According to research entitled ‘Consumer Futures 2020’ the future of consumption is going to be radically different from what we see today. This research presents four scenarios exploring possible patterns of consumption in 2020, all of which indicate that consumerism will become more sustainable.

Based on these two parameters, Prosperous vs. Less prosperous – by 2020 will our economy be flourishing or subdued? And Do-it-yourself vs. Do-it-for-me – will consumers take the initiative to satisfy their needs or expect brands to do this for them? They created a two-by-two matrix, which in turn enabled them to create four scenarios:

The Revolutionary New Model of Consumption

There is a revolution underway that is transforming consumption. If the twentieth century was marked by hyper-consumption the twenty-first century will be marked by collaborative consumption. This new form of consumption is being facilitated by a wide range of technological innovations. Social media is a great example of technologies that contribute to the new model of consumption. Examples include things like localized bartering and exchange, gifting and freecycling, local networking clubs, and websites that help people to find what they are looking for.

Craigslist is one of the best examples of the new model of consumption. The DIY movement is another example of the new model of consumption. People are doing things for themselves this both reduces costs and minimizes consumption. Even the ways we access information are being radically transformed by new technology. The extraordinary growth of citizen journalism and the proliferation of online content shows how information is being disseminated without having to buy a newspaper or magazine.

The World's First Global Carrotmob Campaign

The carrotmob is a powerful new way that people can influence business to be more responsible. In a Carrotmob campaign, a group of people spend money to support a business that engages in socially redeeming initiatives.

An Overview of the Carrotmob Model:
1) organizers of a campaign make an agreement with a business
2) a mob of people spend money at the business
3) the business makes a change to its practices to become more responsible (eg sustainable)

Profiting From the New Rules of Green Marketing

On September 13th, 2012, Jacquie Ottman conducted a webinar on the new rules of green marketing. Jacquie Ottman is a New York city-based expert on green marketing and an advisor to Fortune 500 and entrepreneurial companies and several US government eco-labels. She is also a sought-after speaker who has written four books on green marketing. She has worked with large and small companies and government agencies including Energy Star and USDA certified biobased label.

In this webinar Jacquie focused on stories and strategies from her award-winning book, The New Rules of Green Marketing: Strategies, Tools and Inspiration for Sustainable Branding (see below for more details). The webinar addressed how to take a lifecycle approach to developing and marketing greener products and packages in order to:

Crafting a Positive Environmental Narrative

Positive narratives may be our best hope for fostering desperately needed environmental action. Decades of ecological warnings have failed to produce the necessary societal changes. The enthralling realities and fascinating mysteries of the natural world offer endless inspiration for an alternative message that is both factually accurate and emotionally appealing. One of the most universally attractive messages we can communicate is the idea that we are part of the web of life that surrounds us.

Biodiversity is no longer the exclusive domain of academics. As revealed by the plethora of science oriented subject matter in popular media, Americans are increasingly fascinated with accessible portrayals of the natural world.

Pessimism is Impeding Environmental Advocacy

While it is easy to understand why so many environmentally concerned people are fearful and pessimistic, these attitudes detract from the goal of improving our environment. Fear is well warranted, we are on the verge of a widespread ecosystem collapse and we have reached 400 ppm of atmospheric C02 in the arctic. However, rather than just ask how bad things are, we should be asking how we can best address the calamities we face within the time we have available.

Fear mongering does not move us forward, if anything, it alienates people who most need to be brought into the discussion. The reaction to Rio+20 is a great illustration of the point. The summit in Rio has been justifiably described as “weak,” ”remarkably listless,” and a ”disappointment.” Sometimes the zeal of some environmentalists makes it hard for them to recognize progress. The business community’s commitments were the one bright spot at Rio, nonetheless they too were subjected to a barrage of harsh criticisms.  One article suggests that progress at Rio was derailed by big business. Some even dismissed the entire process, claiming that the summit was hijacked by powerful corporations.

A Positive Environmental Message

It is easy to be overwhelmed with the plethora of fear inspiring environmental news. That is why it is so important to craft messages that encourage people to do something positive rather than merely ruminate on all the bad news. This simple message from the Mississippi Valley Conservancy is a positive message for those who want to prevent environmental catastrophe and save precious natural areas.