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Sustainable Brands ‘12 Conference

May 13, 2012 Add Comment Edit

Executives from CNN, Walmart, Safeway, Ford, Coca-Cola will be amongst the more than 1,000 Attendees at Game-changing Sustainable Brands ‘12 Conference in San Diego CA, taking place on June 4 – 7, 2012. As reviewed in a May 8, 2012 press release, attendees at the Conference will collaborate and share sustainability strategies and insights in response to mounting environmental and social pressures and shifting consumer demand. The theme of SB'12 is “The Revolution Will Be Branded”, and over 80 sessions will explore the unfolding market drivers and cutting-edge strategies for building business and brand value by innovating for sustainability.

The speaker line-up includes more than 150 business and design leaders from a wide range of industries coming together to address the cross-cutting environmental and social concerns driving the need for radical innovation.

Business/Brand Strategists:

Mike McCarthy, Senior Vice President of Programming, CNN International

Toby Corey, Chief Revenue Officer, Solar City

Adam Monroe, President, North America, Novozymes

Susan Sweet, President, General Manager, Neutrogena

Uwe Dreher, Global Head of Marketing, BMWi

Peter Nowlan, CMO, Molson-Canada

Maria Davlantes, SVP, CMO, Interface

Siddharth Sanghvi, General Manager, Sustainable Commerce, eBay

Designers & Innovators:

Volker Schaedler, VP, Innovation and Technology, North America, BASF

Mathieu Turpault, Managing Partner, Design, Bressler Group

Christiaan Maats, Founder, Design and Development, OAT Shoes

Phil Giesler, Director of Innovation, Unilever Corporate Ventures

Chris Yura, Founder & CEO, SustainU Clothing

Sustainability Executives:

Michael Dupee, VP Corporate Social Responsibility, Green Mt. Coffee Roasters

Rick Ridgeway, Vice President, Environmental Programs & Communications, Patagonia

Jim Thomas, VP Sustainability, PetCo

Gwen Migita, VP, Sustainability & Community Affairs, Caesar’s Entertainment

Jeff Rice, Director, Sustainability, Walmart

John Viera, Global Director, Sustainability & Environmental Policy, The Ford Motor Company

Shama Alexander, Environmental Officer, Director of Sustainability, LUSH

Marketing & Stakeholder Communicators:

Peter Callaro, Integrated Marketing Creative, The Coca-Cola Company

Maggie Kendall, Director of Marketing, CSR, NBC Universal

PJ Connell, Director of Marketing, Reef

Christopher Lukezic, Director of Marketing and Communications, Airbnb

Chris Arnold, Director of PR, Chipotle

Visit the Speaker Page to view the current list of confirmed speakers.

“Sustainability is the key to driving radical innovation throughout all industries,” said KoAnn Vikoren Skrzyniarz, Founder/Chief Catalyst of Sustainable Brands, “The Sustainable Brands Conference prides itself in bringing together the leading thinkers and doers spanning multiple industries to share their unique perspectives that benefit all.”

Several leading sustainability, business and brand strategy, product design, supply chain and communications executives from top global brands, bonfire brands, NGOs, academia and thought leaders have already registered, including executives from: AT&T, Quicksilver, Nestle, Harley-Davidson, Pepsi, Sony, Yahoo!, World Wildlife Fund, The Nature Conservancy, Petsmart, National Parks Service, BASF, 3M, Blue Shield of California, The Dannon Company, Hewlett-Packard, Johnson & Johnson, National Geographic Society, Wharton, Princeton University, UC Berkeley, Recyclebank, UPS, Target, and many more – over 1,000 attendees are expected.

To see a complete list of who is coming to the event click here.

Regular Price registration is available until May 13 after which prices will increase to Late Registration pricing. Visit the Registration Page to secure your spot, as available space at the conference venue is now extremely limited and will sell out shortly.

About Sustainable Brands

Sustainable Brands is the global learning, collaboration, and commerce community committed to replenishing the world through better brands. Sustainable Brands offers news and views from thought and practice leaders, online and live events, a robust resource library, peer-to-peer learning groups, E-learning, and a set of solutions providers for corporate brand and sustainability professionals, social entrepreneurs and the eco-system of supporting value partners. Sustainable Brands inspires, engages and equips today's business and brand leaders to grow revenues and enhance brand value, reputation and loyalty, while helping create a healthy and sustainable future for all. Sustainable Brands is a production of Sustainable Life Media located in San Francisco CA.

The Dow Jones Sustainability Index

May 11, 2011 3 Comments Edit

The Dow Jones industrial average is the world's best known index and as of 1999 it has been home to the world's first sustainability index.

Dow Jones is the leading full-service index provider that develops, maintains and licenses indexes for use as benchmarks and as the basis of investment products. Dow Jones offers more than 130,000 equity indexes as well as fixed-income and alternative indexes.

In 1999, Dow Jones launched its Sustainability Index (DJSI). The first global indexes tracking the financial performance of the leading sustainability-driven companies worldwide. Based on the cooperation of Dow Jones and SAM (Sustainability Asset Management) they provide asset managers with reliable and objective benchmarks to manage sustainability portfolios.

Currently more than 70 DJSI licenses are held by asset managers in 19 countries to manage a variety of financial products including active and passive funds, certificates and segregated accounts. In total, these licensees presently manage over 8 billion USD based on the DJSI.

The DJSI measures companies’ sustainability initiatives. This family of indexes evaluates the performance of the world’s sustainability leaders. The DJSI focuses on how a company recognizes the risks and opportunities arising from sustainability issues in its business strategy. The DJSI Indexes are the longest-running global sustainability benchmarks worldwide and have become the key reference point in Sustainability Investing for investors and companies alike.

To be incorporated in the DJSI, companies are assessed and selected based on their long term economic, social and environmental asset management plans. Selection criteria evolve each year and companies must continue to make improvements to their long term SAM plans in order to remain on the Index.

Indexes are updated yearly and companies are monitored throughout the year. DJSI conducts a yearly review of the DJSI family and is based on an analysis of corporate economic, environmental and social performance, assessing issues such as corporate governance, risk management, branding, climate change mitigation, supply chain standards and labor practices. It accounts for general as well as industry specific sustainability criteria for each of the 57 sectors defined according to the Industry Classification Benchmark.

Here is a partial list of some of the companies included in the DJSI:

Dow Jones Sustainability World Index
Adidas- United States
Hewlett Packard Co. – United States
BMW AG- Germany
Coca-Cola Co – United States
Christian Dior S.A.- France
Halliburton Co. – United States
Hyundai Engineering & construction Co. Ltd. – South Korea
Intel Corp. – United States
Mitsubishi Corp. – Japan
Nokia Corp. - Finland
Panasonic Corp. – Japan
Rolls- Royce Group PLC – United Kingdom
Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd – South Korea
Siemens AG- Germany
Starbucks Corp. – United States
Toshiba Corp. – Japan
Unilever- United Kingdom
Volvo AB Series B- Sweden

Dow Jones Sustainability North American Index
3M Co. – United States
Allstate Corp. – United States
Bank of Montreal – Canada
Campbell Soup Co. – United States
Dell Inc. – United States
Ford Motor Co. – United States
Gap Inc. – United States
H & R Block Inc. – United States
Kinross Gold Corp. – Canada
Macy’s Inc. – United States
Microsoft Corp. – United States
National Bank of Canada – Canada
Proctor & Gamble Co. – United States

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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Business Will Lead the War Against Climate Change

May 08, 2011 Add Comment Edit

In the wake of the failure of political solutions, the business community can lead the war on climate change. There are tremendous opportunities for businesses that show leadership in emissions reductions. Business has contributed greatly to environmental degradation and now the same capitalist system that drove the industrial revolution, is beginning to play a vital role by solving the problems it created.

Businesses are taking action on climate change in ever increasing numbers for many reasons including benefits to the corporate image and alignment of the corporation with the environmental interests of owners, employees, suppliers, and customers. Sustainable initiatives can also reduce costs, increase return on investments, and reduce dependency on uncontrollable costs like fossil fuels.

There is a powerful logic driving the growth of sustainable business. Many large corporations are showing leadership with sustainability initiatives that both reduce the size of their footprints and decrease their long term costs. Overall, a cost benefit analysis reveals the merits of sustainable practices. Although it is clear that some are faring better than others, Companies like Xerox, PUMA, HP, Walmart and even smaller companies like Zotos are successfully incorporating sustainability initiatives and reducing their footprints.

Business is well suited to finding innovative approaches as it is always looking for cheaper, faster, cleaner, more efficient and more effective solutions. Business is also more likely to find these opportunities than a government planner.

The combination of high energy prices and increasing consumer pressure are coalescing to drive businesses to adopt more sustainable practices. The general public increasingly expects companies to be sustainable. Social media is making it easier to coordinate mass campaigns and social action is making it harder for companies to ignore their footprint. Positive social actions like Carrot-Mobs and the powerful incentive of consumer loyalty are driving ever increasing levels of sustainability. Private incentives like the one million dollar X-Prize award, are also driving creative sustainable innovation.

As sustainability is still very young, the emissions reductions possibilities for business are massive. The vast majority of businesses have yet to adopt sustainable practices. According to the Sustainability & Innovation Survey by MIT’s Sloan Management Review and Boston Consulting Group, 82 percent of small companies have yet to go green, and 66 percent of large companies have yet to embrace sustainability. That leaves room for major emissions reductions.

Loss of competitive positioning and public ire are two powerful disincentives that are also driving businesses to embrace sustainability. The number of sustainable businesses will continue to grow because it is an unstoppable mega-trend. To assist companies in their efforts to go green, new alliances are developing including new partnerships between corporations and environmental organizations. Although consumers are still woefully ignorant about the environment, there can be no doubt that the green consumer is on the rise. Consumers have shown a steady and growing demand for green goods and services for several years now.

Increases to employee productivity and benefits to the brand are just two reasons why businesses will keep integrating sustainable practices to serve the company's best interest. Public pressure and customer loyalty will also add to the forces pushing companies to go green.

However the single greatest motive that will drive businesses to reduce their footprints is the profit incentive. As the most powerful of all incentives, profit will continue to be attractive to decision makers.

The green market is now estimated to be worth $5.27 trillion (£3.2 trillion) worldwide and in the next couple of decades the clean energy market alone is expected to be worth more than $13 trillion. With trillions at stake and ominous disincentives, businesses cannot afford to ignore the green market.

In today's business environment, sustainable practices are becoming a strategic priority. Although some businesses will need to cajoled to look beyond the short term profit cycle, there is ample incentive to expand their time horizons for a return on their investments.

In the absence of an environmental policy framework, leadership will come from visionary businesses that see the writing on the wall.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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HP's Sustainable Innovation Serves the Planet and Profits

April 20, 2011 Add Comment Edit

Hewlett-Packard (HP) proves that sustainability efforts can be a win-win proposition that is good for the environment and also good for the bottom line. HP has a long history of ‘doing the right thing’ that dates back to 1957. The company is the largest technology company in the world and it wholly integrates environmental considerations into its business strategy. The company sees sustainability as an integral part of the way business is conducted.

As reported in The Green Economy Post, HP is focused on minimizing environmental impacts and promoting the welfare and safety of employees and customers. For decades HP has worked to manage its environmental impact by adopting environmentally responsible practices in product development, operations and supply chain.

Frances Edmonds, the Director of Environmental Programs for HP Canada outlined how HP’s environmental commitment has led to greater profitability. She said, to be sustainable companies must have "a vision to reduce waste coupled with encouragement for employees to find innovative solutions for the uncertain journey that lies ahead."

Accounting for 2% of the world’s carbon emissions, the ICT sector (information and communication technology) has a very heavy footprint. According to Edmonds the information technology sector can reduce its own footprint and offer solutions to the world’s carbon problem. Edmonds was quick to include the fact that HP is firmly focused on playing a key role in finding and implementing these solutions.

Edmonds reviewed some simple yet innovative sustainable solutions including restricting an employee’s ability to book travel to other offices teleconferencing technology is available. HP has also shown leadership in responsible recycling of old technology and print supplies through its Planet Partners program which is active in over 50 countries.

HP's inkjet recycling program is a good illustration of the company's sustainable initiatives. The program was introduced in 2005, it achieved resource reduction through recycling that saves HP money and builds a stronger relationship with valuable supply chain partners like Staples.

HP's life cycle analysis (LCA) of the recycled inkjet cartridges prove the benefits of the company's recycling efforts. Between 2005 and 2010 recycling reduced the carbon footprint of the inkjet cartridges by 22 percent, cut fossil fuel use in half and reduced water use by 69 percent. Despite these impressive results, HP continues to improve. Carbon reductions are now 33 percent better than in 2005, fossil fuel use has been cut by 62 percent and the water savings have increased to 89 percent.

Edmonds highlighted HP’s management structure which encourages innovation and supports ‘doing the right thing.’ She also mentioned the company's reliance on Integrated principles of Extended Producer Responsibility which imply that HP accepts external responsibility for their products. Finally she stressed the importance of employee engagement programs that both explain issues and support them as they innovate.

HP is committed to sustainability because it knows that this approach results in better products, while increasing profits and decreasing environmental impact. For HP sustainability is a powerful competitive advantage.

To see Helwett Packard's document Sustainability as a Competitive Advantage, click here.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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PUMA's Sustainable Packaging Innovation

April 20, 2011 Add Comment Edit

In 2010 PUMA launched its innovative packaging solution known as the “clever little bag”, conceived in partnership with Yves Béhar. The company says new packaging initiatives will reduce cardboard use by 65 percent. Less packaging materials, means less use of water and energy to produce. This innovative solution reduces carbon emissions by 10,000 tons per year.

The Clever Little Bag has integrated the features of a traditional cardboard shoebox into a re-usable shoe bag. Reducing raw materials and the resources needed to make them.

PUMA will reduce water, energy and diesel consumption on the manufacturing level by more than 60% per year. This translates to saving approximately 8,500 tons of paper, 20 million Megajoules of electricity, 1 million litres less of fuel oil used and 1 million litres of water saved.

The Clever Little Bag also saves emissions and costs in shipping. Because it is smaller and lighter the Clever Little Bag provides reductions in transportation related emissions while reducing diesel fuel requirements by half a million litres.

The replacement of traditional shopping bags with the Clever Little Bag can save up to 275 tons of plastic. PUMA's apparel will be bagged in sustainable biodegradable materials replacing traditional polyethylene bags. This means that 720 tons of polyethylene bags can be avoided per year, which equals a saving of 29 million plastic bags and saves 192 tons of plastic. Replacing paper bags will save 293 tons of paper annually. All of PUMA's packaging materials used will be fully sustainable by 2015.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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PUMA's Comprehensive Sustainable Strategy Now Includes Environmental Accounting

April 20, 2011 Add Comment Edit

PUMA's efforts to improve social, labor and environmental standards throughout its operations date back to 1999. Since then the company has continuously incorporated environmental standards and practices to reduce its impact on the planet,

According to Jochen Zeitz, Chairman and CEO of PUMA, the companies mission is, “ to be the most desirable and sustainable Sportlifestyle company in the world.” To help with this mission the athletic apparel manufacturer identified opportunities to further manage the company's footprint using E-KPIs (Environmental Key Performance Indicators).

In 2010 PUMA launched another phase of the puma.safe initiatives and long-term sustainability program. It includes a set of ambitious targets. The company announced that it is reducing carbon, energy, water, and waste by 25 percent. PUMA also said that it will produce half of its international product collections in footwear, apparel and accessories according to best practice sustainability standards by 2015.

The athletic apparel manufacturer is cutting paper use by 75 percent and offsetting the remaining paper usage through tree planting initiatives. Through more efficient product transport solutions by logistic partners, the company will reduce CO2 by 25 percent. PUMA is also greening its supply chain by collaborating with strategic suppliers and logistic service providers to offset their own footprints.

Additionally, 50 percent of PUMA’s international collections will be manufactured according to the PUMA S-Index standard by 2015. This involves using sustainable materials such as organic cotton, Cotton Made in Africa or recycled polyester as well as applying best practice production processes.

To monitor these objectives the sports and lifestyle brand is also establishing an external Advisory Board of experts in sustainability to consult on the company’s mission and audit their sustainability program.

PUMA joined the UN Climate Neutral Network and has the industry’s first carbon neutral head office — the PUMA Vision Headquarters in Herzogenaurach, Germany.

Now Puma is producing the first-ever Environmental Profit and Loss (EP&L) statement. The company's new method of accounting will allow it to produce a new type of integrated reporting. The EP&L statement will attempt to measure the full economic impact of the brand on ecological systems including water and air. Puma commissioned Trucost and PwC to assist in developing the EP&L methodology.

The EP&L project is part of a larger environmental initiative by Puma’s parent company PPR Group, whose other brands include Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent and Stella McCartney. The group is also launching a “creative sustainability lab” in consultation with Cradle-to-Cradle, which PPR says will foster a new approach to product and business development. In this new approach, products and services will move beyond typical measures of quality--cost, performance and aesthetics--to integrate and apply additional objectives addressing environmental and social concerns.

The group said the overarching program, dubbed PPR Home, will go beyond the traditional Corporate Social Responsibility model and set a new standard in sustainability and business practice in the Luxury, Sport & Lifestyle and Retail sectors.

PBR bought carbon credits from Wildlife Works Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) offsetting project in Kenya. The group has offset 98,729 tons of global CO2 emissions in 2010 for its Luxury group. Further, the Puma brand and PPR’s headquarters are both committed to carbon neutrality.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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350.org and Business

April 06, 2011 Add Comment Edit

Bill McKibben and 350.org have some ambitious plans to get the business community involved with efforts to reduce CO2 emissions. The business community is responsible for a large amount of the CO2 being pumped into the atmosphere, if we are to achieve necessary reductions business people have a critical role to play in shaping a more sustainable economy.

Many business people know that regulatory standards send clear market signals to investors and entrepreneurs about new opportunities. The current climate of uncertainty does not serve the business community. Numerous product innovations, clean energy investments and new service offerings will flow from a consistent EPA effort to regulate greenhouse emissions. As many states across America have demonstrated, policies that address greenhouse-gas emissions do not impair economic growth. To the contrary, they enhance it by attracting venture and institutional investors and new high technology and manufacturing companies.

In a conference call with Bill McKibben and the 350 team, The Green Market's Richard Matthews asked what 350.org is doing to help support the business community to combat climate change. Bill McKibben answered the question by saying, "it is really important to get businesses and business people involved that is why we are getting chambers of commerce involved." He went on to say, "capitalism is supposed to be innovative flexible and creative,[and] most business people are prepared to consider energy powered by the sun and the wind."

McKibben wants to get businesses to sign up to support efforts to combat climate change through a campaign that targets the US Chamber of Commerce. Rather than represent small businesses, the Chamber is actually a giant lobbying machine, spending more money to influence the political process than anyone else in Washington.

As indicated on the 350.org site, "The Chamber is controlled by big polluters, poisons politics with its dirty money and opposes every single effort to curb climate pollution."

As well known author and New York Times journalist Thomas Friedman said, "All shareholders should be asking CEOs why they still belong to the Chamber."

The Chamber has opposed every piece of legislation designed to slow the onset of global warming—in recent months it has tried to block the EPA from enforcing the Clean Air Act, arguing that global warming would be “on balance beneficial to humans” because fewer people would freeze to death and that in any event “populations can acclimatize to warmer climates via a range of range of behavioral, physiological, and technological adaptations.”

The US chamber of commerce spent 132 million dollars on lobbying in 2010. The Chamber gets more than half of its funding form 16 anonymous corporate donors. Of the companies that donated to the Chamber, $1 million came from the Fox Broadcasting Network. Fox host Glenn Beck urged his viewers to donate to the Chamber—and a US Chamber official called in to his program to thank him for his support.

Of the 32 million dollars the US Chamber of Commerce spent on the 2010 midterm election, 90 percent went to Republican candidates who are climate deniers.

Historically the Chamber has been on the wrong side of some major issues. They supported Joseph McCarthy in perpetuating the red scare, they also fought against American involvement in World War ll, civil rights, disabled rights and now clean air.

Local business chambers are increasingly at odds with the US Chamber. Local chambers of commerce have cut their ties in cities like Seattle, New York, and San Francisco as well as states like Florida, South Carolina, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and Washington.

More than a thousand businesses have also abandoned the Chamber, they include a wide range of companies from small businesses to international corporations like Apple, Nike, Microsoft, Levi-Strauss, Best Buy, and General Electric. For a map of businesses who are saying that the US Chamber of Commerce does not speak for them click here.

When Nike relinquished its position on the Chamber's board of directors it said, "We fundamentally disagree with the US Chamber of Commerce on climate change." When Apple resigned their position on the Chamber's board of directors they released the following statement, "Apple supports regulating greenhouse gases, it is frustrating to find that the Chamber at odds with us in that effort." Click here for a complete list of statements from those who disagree with the US Chamber of Commerce.

For more information read Bill McKibben’s Huffington Post piece on the US Chamber “The Gang That Couldn’t Lobby Straight”

Its time to develop a national movement and strong political voice for sustainability-minded companies. Responsible and sustainability minded companies can play a major role in making the argument that emasculated regulatory agencies, corporate oil and gas subsidies and tax cuts for millionaires will neither generate jobs nor foster a competitive economy. Join 350.org in standing with small business owners, local chambers of commerce and people all over the country. Sign up to the 350 campaign to say, "The US Chamber of Commerce Doesn't Speak For Me."

Become part of the American Sustainable Business Council to help build a more vibrant, just and sustainable American economy or join the many other organizations that are working at the national, state and local level.

To find out more about what businesses can do click here. You can also start or join a local team and recruit local businesses to declare, “The US Chamber Doesn’t Speak For Me.”

See the facebook page for The US Chamber of Commerce Doesn't Speak For Me and post the following Tweet on Twitter The US Chamber Doesn't Speak For Me http://t.co/i7jbw0v.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

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Growing US Corporate Investments are Driving Cleantech in 2010

July 04, 2010 Add Comment Edit

American corporate investments are powering green in 2010. Corporate activity in cleantech innovation continues to play an important role and corporations are becoming key participants in many of the largest venture and growth capital investment deals.

US corporate involvement is responsible for many of 2010's top deals. Due to the participation of companies like Intel Capital, GE Capital, Shell, and Cargill Ventures, American corporate investments are driving cleantech.

Increasing corporate commitments in renewable energy and broader cleantech sectors are evident in the strong growth of corporate investment in the first half of 2010.

Due to the pressure of meeting Renewable Portfolio Standards in many US states, companies are forging a business case for operational cleantech integration. Companies are looking to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions in order to reduce operational costs, mitigate energy price volatility risk, drive sustainable growth, and comply with existing and pending regulations around carbon and climate change risk disclosure.

In the first half of 2010, the total announced capacity additions by US utilities increased 197 percent compared to the second half of 2009. Levels rose from 1,393MW to 4,134MW, primarily driven by wind and solar. Power purchase agreements (PPAs) rose 148 percent in the first half of 2010, compared to the second half of 2009. Levels rose from 621MW to 1,539MW.

Corporate investment announcements reached a new high of $5.1 billion in the first half of 2010, a 325 percent increase from the same period last year. "The significant strengthening of corporate and utility investment into the cleantech sector, relative to 2009, is very encouraging, given the key role they will play in enabling broader adoption of clean technologies at scale," said Scott Smith, partner, Deloitte & Touche LLP. "Major U.S. utilities are increasing direct investments in wind and solar due to improving cost scenarios, favorable tax credits and incentives, and evolving pressure to meet Renewable Portfolio Standards."

The US is responsible for some of the largest cleantech transactions in 2010. Solyndra, a California-based thin film company received $175 million in investments. BrightSource Energy, a California-based developer of utility-scale solar thermal power plants, received $150 million. Amonix, a California-based developer of concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) solar power systems, received $129.4 million. Amyris Biotechnologies, a California-based developer of technology for the production of renewable fuels and chemicals, garned $61 million in investments and also raised a further $47.8 million from Temasek Holdings.

Virent Energy Systems, a Wisconsin-based developer of a catalytic bio-refinery platform, received $46 million. Kior, a Texas-based developer of a catalytic cracking technology for turning biomass into bio-crude, received $40 million. OpenPeak, a Florida-based developer of home energy management products, received $52 million.

North American companies received a total of $1.46 billion in investments, up 47 percent from second quarter of 2009 and accounting for 72 percent of the total global venture investment in cleantech.
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Sustainable Brands Innovation Open Finalists

June 07, 2010 Add Comment Edit

Earlier this year Sustainable Life Media (SLM) announced the top 11 finalists for Sustainable Brands Innovation Open (SB’IO). On Monday June 7, 2010, these brands will began presenting their products and services in a bid to impress the SB’IO judges. There are many well known companies associated with SB’IO, here is a review of the 11 new innovative sustainable brand finalists for 2010:

BioLite is an affordable, ultra low emission, wood burning cook stove for the 3 billion people that cook on wood. The BioLite stove features patent-pending technology to harness the fire’s own waste heat to drive the stove’s efficient process. The result is a product that cuts wood consumption in half, reduces toxic smoke emissions by 95% and nearly eliminates black carbon, a potent climate warmer.

Blue Avocado™ is a mission-driven, lifestyle products company that makes it EASY to DO GOOD and GET IT DONE™. A women-owned business started in November 2009, Blue Avocado offers lifestyle products that inspire people to easily reduce their environmental impact, look good and have fun doing it. The gro-pak™ reusable shopping system (which helps to eliminate 1,000 plastic bags annually), Lunch Tote, and Big Chil are just a few members of the Blue Avocado family of reusable and collapsible products that deliver value, avoid waste and invite people to take the first step on the green journey.

Cityscape Farms creates urban greenhouse systems for year round productions of sustainable and local fresh food. Using underutilized parts of the urban landscape such as vacant lots and rooftops, Cityscape Farms aims to transform cities into net food producers instead of merely consumers. The farming is aquaponics, a closed loop system that combines aquaculture (fish cultivation) and hydroponics (soilless farming) whereby filtered fish effluent becomes nutrient feed for crops. It’s efficient, scalable and well-suited for urban applications, does not rely on petroleum-based fertilizers and pesticides and is eligible for USDA organic certification.

The Clarity Project is a fine jewelry social enterprise committed to improving the quality of life for miners and their families. They source only fair diamonds, gems and precious metals, and invest all of their net profits back into mining communities.

KOR is creating sustainable hydration with thoughtfully-designed hydration products that deliver a stylish, healthy and rewarding consumer experience. KOR’s mission is to celebrate and protect water. Leveraging reusable bottles, filtered water solutions, and portable water enhancements, KOR products bridge the gaping divide between the traditional reusable market and the latent market of consumers simply waiting to find a better alternative to the $50 billion global bottled water market.

Myoo Create is a new crowdsourcing community, generating innovative ideas and solutions to social and environmental problems through prize driven challenges. The custom-designed competitions are an effective way for organizations to engage with customers and the wider community to help build their sustainability story and brand reputation.

Open Data Registry’s patent-pending Internet Product Code (IPC) is a specialized unique identifier (URI) embedded with environmental and product life cycle semantics. It innovates upon UPC / EPC in two key ways: (1) Defining a product’s identity based upon how it was made, rather than who made it; (2) Storing that identity on the Web, rather than in a restricted-access database, such that anyone in the world may freely link any data to or look up any other data across the Web linked to that IPC.

Source4Style makes sustainable design possible by creating the world’s most innovative online marketing platform for designers and suppliers to showcase, connect and transact. Source4Style is poised to become the definitive B2B portal for sustainable design, offering interactive tools that decrease the barriers to ethical global sourcing. Robust search capabilities, interactivesourcing maps, online negotiation tools and breadth of trusted content on environmentally-friendly and fair trade materials will make sustainable design the norm.

Tremont Electric develops and commercializes renewable power generation solutions based on its patented nPower® energy conversion technology. The nPower® intellectual property is centered exclusively on the interaction between electromagnetic fields and the physical world. The initial product, the nPower® PEG, is a $149 wearable generator that recharges cell phones, Mp3 players, cameras and GPS devices by harvesting the kinetic energy generated by human motion, through activities like walking, jogging or riding a bike.

TrueVue Solutions is a software and information company that helps customers discover and quantify the financial risk attached to current environmental and social factors, providing SDR data and access to benchmarking data from hundreds of indicators across 100 industries to help customers understand how they rank within their industry.

ZippGo rents and delivers a zero waste moving box solution to residential and office clients. Sustainable pack and move solution consists of reusable moving boxes made from 100% recycled plastic, a custom-made reusable and recyclable moving dolly, and sustainable packing supplies made from recycled post consumer paper. ZippGo delivers the boxes to the client on biodiesel powered delivery trucks, the client packs and moves their belonging, and ZippGo picks up the boxes from the client’s new location at their convenience. ZippGo boxes come pre-assembled (no tape required) with attached lids, have handles for carrying, are crush proof, tear proof, and water proof.

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