An internal sustainability steering committee can be an important tool in effective decision-making, stakeholder engagement, and governance. But how can you maximize the value of the committee?

There are a number of financial and technical barriers associated with transitioning agricultural systems based on conventional production practices to regenerative organic. It is clear that overcoming these barriers will require a new level of collaboration and coordination among food system stakeholders including food & beverage brands.

Organic farming provides a well-established approach to producing foods without certain chemicals and genetically modified inputs. Regenerative practices offer a more holistic approach to agricultural production.

In the final installment of our 3 part series on sustainability integration we go deep on how to transform decision-making in your operational planning - the most complicated but critical part of determining where budgets get allocated for the coming fiscal year.

A number of material sustainability and ESG issues for consumer product companies gained considerable traction this year. We expect more attention, investment, and innovation for some of these trends to accelerate even more in the year to come. In this post we take a look at these need-to-know sustainability trends and offer insight into how brands can approach them in credible and authentic ways.

The concept of circularity has gained a lot of momentum among some businesses in recent years. Here’s a quick primer on the circular economy and how it’s guiding packaging sustainability efforts across the CPG space.

Without embedding sustainability into business decision-making and processes, the work will be at risk of not being properly championed and resourced. But how do you go about this transformative integration to remove sustainability from a niche silo? Here are the three foundational elements needed to successfully integrate sustainability into your business.

Perflourinated compounds (PFCs - including PFAS) are often toxic to people & ecosystems, do not degrade in the environment, can accumulate in our food chain, and are used in products and manufacturing processes across the global economy.

They’re bad, and they’re everywhere. What can you do?

More brands are starting to recognize that one of the greatest sources of impact they can have is through advocacy on smart public policy. But successfully engaging in the regulatory process can produce hidden conflicts and barriers in the form of trade associations.

So you’ve got a handle on the amount of greenhouse gas emissions you’re responsible for putting in the atmosphere every year. Now what?

Creating sustainability goals that are material to your business, focused, and impactful may actually be the easy part. The art of integrating these into the fabric of a business is crucial to its success - and your sustainability integration must go beyond strategy.

Some problems require collective action. Systemic change, industry transformation, or a more level playing field often require changes to public policy and working in coalition.

The financial and legal reasons a business should have an ESG program according to a sustainability strategist and consultant.

"Fractional" leadership roles - a model where companies hire an executive for a fraction of full-time - are common in finance and other disciplines like marketing. Now their emerging for sustainability and impact executives.

Simple and low cost options for SMEs to take action on social and environmental impact in their supply chains.

A good Supplier Code of Conduct should be a foundational element of your responsible sourcing program and due diligence - it’s foundational for your supply chain sustainability efforts.

A strategic advocacy campaign can have major benefits for your brand and help create systemic change - when it’s done right.