We’ve seen sportswashing in Super Bowls, with the NFL’s championship game held in stadia built after team owners threatened city leaders they'd move their franchises if they didn’t get a shiny new venue funded with public money. Never mind that observers of the NFL have called out what they say is the league's abysmal record on hiring Black coaches and how Black players with concussions were treated over the years — all of that is forgotten when the two best teams are on stage in early February, complete with a stunning halftime show led by one of the world’s most popular recording artists.
The same can be said of mega-sporting events like this year’s World Cup, the latest chapter in sportswashing — as in, the use of a sports competition to burnish a company’s — or in this case, a country’s — reputation in order to sideline wrongdoing and negative news coverage.
The Washington Post's Eugene Robinson didn’t coin the term sportswashing, but this week he defined it succinctly while offering up the latest chapter. “This World Cup is thrilling. That’s a problem,” he wrote as he started a recent column for the paper.
Editor's note: Be sure to subscribe to our Brands Taking Stands newsletter, which comes out every Wednesday.
Sure, it’s great that Morocco is the first team from Africa to make the global soccer tournament’s final four. Argentina, France and Croatia also have fantastic backstories.
Robinson goes on to share the sordid history of this year’s quadrennial soccer tournament in Qatar: the bribery that landed the tournament in this Gulf oil kingdom in the first place, the accusations that thousands of migrant workers built the tournament’s stadia, and the country’s dubious record on human rights as well as the legal status of LGBTQ citizens, residents and visitors. Then there is the state of global soccer itself — while Africa is rich in soccer players, many of them end up playing in Europe. And, every four years, Africa gets less than half the number of slots in the World Cup finals compared to Europe.
FIFA, soccer’s global governing body that runs the World Cup, isn’t alone in being played by countries and companies hoping to land a prestigious sporting event in the name of reputation management. The International Olympic Committee has its own long history replete with scathing press coverage — just see what’s occurred in China, Russia, Greece and, in fairness, the 1996 summer games in Atlanta. LIV Golf is getting its share of criticism for its Saudi sponsorship. Major League Baseball pulled its All-Star Game out of Atlanta in 2021 following passage of restrictive voting laws in Georgia, but some critics likened the move to a public relations stunt while others point to what they say is the league's spotty record of hiring Black and Brown professionals.
While acknowledging the stories and drama that have marked this World Cup — from Cristiano Ronaldo to Lionel Messi — Robinson points out that it’s more than fair to remember this World Cup’s other legacy as well: “It’s hard to think of a more vivid illustration of how sportswashing works," he wrote. "All those lives, all those abuses, are obscured by a few galvanizing stories; the triumphs and disappointments of a small number of very famous men tower over the terrible sacrifices made by those whose names history will not record.”
With the year only a few weeks from wrapping up, we sought out the top 10 news stories for 2022.
We lurched through 2020, only to find 2021 was largely a continuation of that painful year — then 2022 opened with a war, a scorching summer, record drought and then a surge in inflation at a pace not seen in more than 40 years.
But the past year wasn’t all bad news. Innovation continues in sectors from food and energy to automobiles, companies did their part to get more than 260 million Americans vaccinated against COVID-19, and workers across the U.S. continued to coalesce and stick up for themselves.
TriplePundit’s readers have responded to these trends. They’ve responded even more to our crew of writers, who time and again have provided our audience with their unique points of view and insight. We looked at the numbers as well as buzz on social media — and came up with top 10 news stories on 3p for 2022 (with a few honorable mentions).
We couldn’t look away from this Netflix film
“Don’t Look Up also serves a much broader purpose, as a primer on communicating in the age of media clutter. In that regard it should make the ‘suggested viewing’ list for corporate training on brand reputation and social responsibility,” wrote Tina Casey as she gave more than her two cents assessing this late 2021 Netflix flick. The movie, released in December of last year, streamed to mixed reviews, but Casey went beyond discussing any messaging about climate change — and instead positioned the film as a lesson in communications.
Retailers start paying up
Remember the term “essential workers?” Well, apparently Target did, at least earlier this year. Stung by their low wages and then their treatment during the pandemic, workers have been pushing back, and pushing back hard. Hence the interest in Gary E. Frank’s article about the retailer boosting pay for its workers as a nationwide labor shortage continued to bedevil companies.
Why LGBTQ allyship absolutely matters
The Netflix series Heartstopper scored its share of hearts and minds as viewers saw more LGBTQ stories told on their terms. It hasn’t been smooth sailing for the cast, as one of its stars, Kit Connor, deleted his Twitter account after coming out as bisexual following months of social media trolls accusing him of “queerbaiting.” The trolls have been coming after Connor’s co-star, Sebastian Croft, too — but that hasn’t stopped him from pursuing his own projects in demonstrating his allyship with the LGBTQ community.
Green hydrogen the fuel of the 2020s and into mid-century?
Nuclear fusion may finally have its moment, and that bodes well for the nascent green hydrogen industry. Tina Casey has been tracking this technology for several years here on 3p, and her May article on the latest developments in green hydrogen piqued the interest of our readers.
Diversity in agriculture
The company that bills itself as the leading rural lifestyle retailer in the U.S. keeps opening new stores and winning new customers. Tractor Supply Company has also partnered with the American Farmland Trust (AFT) to offer support to women and LGBTQ farmers, as well as those who are people of color.
A Union on zero waste in Philly
Pro soccer’s Philadelphia Union came up short in this year’s MSL Cup, but last year, the home of the Union — Subaru Park in the Philly suburb of Chester — became the first soccer-specific venue in the league to achieve zero landfill status. The league-first accomplishment came out of an ongoing partnership between the Union and Subaru of America, as Grant Whittington covered earlier this year.
Plant-based foods keep rolling out
For several years, 3p’s senior editor Mary Mazzoni has been rounding up trends in plant-based foods to start the year, and our readers click on the headlines and read in kind. Her review to launch 2022 performed strongly yet again back in January.
A surprise in electric vehicle reviews
Tesla has taken most of the oxygen in the electric vehicles (EVs) room, but it turned out that one of America’s leading consumer review publications gave the Ford Mustang Mach-E its top overall EV score.
Brands and the circular economy
We haven’t been hearing much about the circular economy as of late — the two-year surge in single-use plastics during the global pandemic certainly helped putting such plans on ice. Nevertheless, several brands had given circularity a shot, as summed up in Mary Mazzoni’s article from back in January.
The IPCC kept warning us
We’ve been hearing it again year after year: The world is on a collision course with climate disaster. Grant Whittington’s March article on the latest findings from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) foreshadowed the rough summer much of the world experienced, as drought and scorching temperatures took their toll.
Beyond the top 10 stories: Honorable mentions for 2022
Our readers were tuned into several other topics as well this year.
As more companies strive to find alternatives to meat and dairy that are far more climate-friendly, we profiled several of them earlier this year. While we’re on the subject of more humane treatment, workers are increasingly taking a stand against bad management. Unionization is also picking up steam, even if brands are trying to mask such efforts with environmental PR. Several companies also did what they could to push back against anti-vaxxers. One singer drew a line in the sand against one of the leading music streamers on vaccine misinformation. Finally, as more restrictive legislation curbing access to the ballot box swept through state houses, some brands stood up for voting rights.
Working to enhance diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is not just “the right thing to do” for Herbalife Nutrition — it is a business imperative, said Kim Congdon, the company’s global vice president of Human Resources and Talent Management.
“Companies will not be growing or even surviving if they don't understand the importance of inclusion,” Congdon told TriplePundit in a recent interview. “The makeup of our country and the global network of our organization — and all organizations — is very different than it was 20 or 30 years ago. We can’t afford to miss out on a diversity of backgrounds, ideas and experiences.”
With nearly 10,000 employees around the world, including a global network of independent distributors, and manufacturing facilities based in China, California and North Carolina, Herbalife Nutrition says it has always recognized diversity as a strength. Now it has committed itself to a wide range of policies and programs to build an even more inclusive and productive employee culture.
“Diversity is about fostering that culture, not training that culture,” Congdon explained. “We create immersive learning opportunities where people can learn from participation.”
Fostering a diverse and inclusive culture — “by employees, for employees”
The company held its first virtual DEI Employee Town Hall in November 2020 to introduce a new global diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy and announce a newly formed DEI global council. Since then, subsequent DEI-focused town halls have informed employees where to access the latest information around the company’s global and local DEI initiatives. A recent town hall, for example, focused on the company’s employee networks and employee-led regional councils, sharing their progress and what being part of Herbalife Nutrition’s DEI journey means to them.
“Herbalife Nutrition employees are extremely engaged in our DEI programs,” Congdon said. “Our core DEI teams around the world provide the structure and support, but the programs are by employees, for employees.”
Herbalife Nutrition’s DEI efforts incorporate a “top-down” approach of senior staff reaching out to engage employees and a “grassroots” approach of empowering their workforce, Congdon said. Employee network groups within the company now include Black Life, Millennial Life, Multicultural Life, Proud Life, Vet (Veteran) Life, Women in Leadership, Women in Technology, and Working Parents Life. Each is supported by an executive sponsor and led by a steering committee consisting of network members.
These employee network groups are more than just sounding boards about various employee concerns. They also influence company policies, such as Working Parents Life group raising the need for improvements in policies on parental leave which have subsequently been put in place.
Employee networks and regional councils have also brought in speakers, hosted podcasts, held watch parties, and convened other engaging, educational and celebratory events, Congdon said. In addition, the internal “I Belong-We Belong” campaign — in which employees discuss the broader dimensions of DEI in monthly meetings — started organically in a manufacturing facility in Winston-Salem North Carolina and has spread throughout the company, she said.
Recognizing employee leadership to drive engagement and positive change
Herbalife Nutrition also empowers its workforce by providing a platform, “Simply the Best,” for peer-to-peer recognition.
“The platform is designed to empower all Herbalife Nutrition team members to recognize each other for contributions that matter, and to shine a spotlight on the actions, efforts and results that exemplify our values: ‘We Always Do What's Right, We Work Together, and We Build it Better,’” Congdon said.
There are two types of peer-to-peer recognition on the platform: social recognition and points-based recognition. Every time someone is recognized through Simply the Best, employees can send that person a customized, online postcard with an image or video of their choice to thank them for their contributions. There is also a rewards catalog with thousands of items, as well as gift cards, to choose from.
“We know that engagement is about employees being satisfied, being productive and staying with the company,” Congdon told us. “There's a very close connection between how people feel about the opportunities they have within the company, the fairness of the company, as well as their ability to move forward, and their level of engagement and the success of the company.”
Since Herbalife Nutrition started measuring employee engagement and continues to emphasize its employee networks and outreach, its representation goals and its engagement scores “correlate positively,” she said.
Building more opportunities for employees to succeed
Herbalife Nutrition employees are also empowered through access to educational platforms for self-improvement, including LinkedIn Learning and the company's in-house learning management system, Herbalife Nutrition University. A global program, Leading with Empathy, offers guidance on building and maintaining trust.
In 2017, the company launched Greenhouse, a crowdsourcing platform through which employees can contribute ideas and “help build the company better together,” Congdon said. Since the platform’s launch, the company has implemented more than 300 ideas and suggestions generated through Greenhouse, she told us.
“We believe that people deserve the opportunity to try and reach new and better levels of personal achievement, and we welcome anyone that has the willingness to try,” Congdon concluded. “Very simply, we want people helping people. I just think it’s baked into who we are.”
This article series is sponsored by Herbalife Nutrition and produced by the TriplePundit editorial team.
“Companies will not be growing or even surviving if they don't understand the importance of inclusion,” says HR executive Kim Congdon. "We can’t afford to miss out on a diversity of backgrounds, ideas and experiences.”
Join Merck KGaA, CNote and 3BL Media this Wednesday, December 14 at 1 p.m. ET to learn more about how businesses can use an innovative model to expand financial inclusion and meet their DEI targets.
Across the U.S., limited access to financial services continues to hold back many citizens, especially people of color. As companies look to invest in the communities in which they do business, efforts to improve financial inclusion can have a positive impact through generating small business growth, expanding affordable housing and offering more opportunities for individuals to build income and wealth.
In a recent example of this model in action, science and technology company Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, made a $20 million investment this fall with CNote, a women-led impact investment platform. The investment will provide capital to support BIPOC-owned (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) and women-led small businesses, thereby bolstering economic growth and opportunity.
To learn more, join Jeffrey Whitford, Head of Sustainability and Social Business Innovation for the Life Science business sector of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, CNote CEO Catherine Berman, and TriplePundit’s senior editor, Mary Mazzoni, on Wednesday, December 14 at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT/6:00 p.m GMT as they discuss this beneficial partnership and how other businesses can apply this novel model to meet their diversity, equity and inclusion goals. Register for this free webcast here.
CNote has had an impressive track record at deploying investor funds into deposit and loan products at community financial institutions (CFIs) Across the U.S., CFIs have been crucial in serving small businesses owned by women and people of color, fund affordable housing, and support other forms of economic inclusion. Merck KGaA Darmstadt, Germany’s investment targets U.S. regions where the company has substantial operations, including Arizona, California, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin.
The focus on community financial institutions with a proven track record of serving the under-resourced has big potential for positive impact — and offers valuable lessons other business leaders can apply as they look to build tangible investment programs with comprehensive social impact reporting.
With that said, be sure to join us this coming Wednesday.
There is no easy road to meeting corporate sustainability goals. But many companies are inadvertently making that work harder on themselves by looking at the challenge in silos.
Is best-of-breed sustainability software holding your company back?
Companies often rely on so-called "best-of-breed" technologies when managing their operations and value chains. Best-of-breed refers to individual technical solutions that are very good in their specific area, based on customer reviews and technical ratings.
The problem with these applications, when it comes to corporate sustainability management, is that best-of-breed solutions often cannot easily share data with one another, so they are not fully optimizing that data across operations and supply chains. Further, sustainability data is often not integrated with critical business functions, such as procurement, finance, and human resources departments.
Because of this incomplete and disconnected sustainability data, executives are unable to achieve a truly sustainable operating model . In fact, a recent SAP Insights Study indicates that about 70 percent of CEOs find it challenging to measure environmental, social and governance (ESG) data across their company’s value chains.
“The financial and non-financial data is disconnected, stored in spreadsheets, not updated from real-time systems, and not easily shared within the company, with other applications, or with partners such as upstream suppliers or downstream logistics providers,” Sebastian Steinhaeuser, chief strategy officer at the software company SAP, told TriplePundit.
Further, when it comes to things like carbon emissions tracking, best-of-breed solutions “often don’t connect with other sustainability data and applications” and need to use estimates from industry templates or other company functions. This “limits the ability to effectively manage and strategically steer a company’s overall, holistic sustainability transformation,” Steinhaeuser said.
“What [companies] need is real, actual data from their operations and supply chains,” he continued. “To get reliable Scope 3 emissions data, for example, we need more than averages. We need actuals.”
Why data matters for sustainability
Emissions from supply chains, known as Scope 3, can represent up to 90 percent of a company’s overall footprint, and these emissions are notoriously tricky to tackle because they often fall outside of a company’s direct control. Having real data rather than estimates can help facilitate reducing those emissions, as they become easier to pinpoint.
“With the lack of data transparency and enterprise-wide capabilities, it's no surprise that companies are struggling to scale and accelerate sustainability across their operations and supply chains,” Steinhaeuser told TriplePundit.
In order to adequately address their emissions and reach their climate goals, companies need to manage their sustainability key performance indicators like they manage their financial ones. That means taking a more holistic view of the sustainability challenges a company faces. “I hear consistently that increasing regulation combined with greater pressure from trading partners and consumers is driving a heightened focus on running a sustainable business,” Steinhaeuser said. “We’re seeing a greater integration of business strategy, digital transformation strategy and sustainability strategy. Companies are now realizing they need a holistic, enterprise-wide approach.”
Still, Steinhaeuser is concerned that many business leaders are aiming for regulatory compliance without taking the extra steps needed for the deeper sustainable business transformation that new technology solutions could afford. “Businesses say inadequate technologies explain their lack of progress in their ESG strategies,” he said. “What they need today is increased data transparency and collaboration to scale positive impact."
From best-of-breed to something better
In order for companies to act on their climate targets —and meet them — they need to have accurate data. “We believe companies are falling behind because they are unable to gain detailed visibility into the data they need,” Steinhaeuser explained. “And we know you cannot manage what you cannot measure.”
Companies are under increasing pressure from the public, investors, regulators, and their own boards to act aggressively on improving the sustainability of their operations and supply chains. The accuracy and transparency of sustainability data should match that of financial data, but for most companies, relying on separate, best-of-breed solutions means that is not happening.
SAP is one company that is trying to help businesses make better technology decisions when it comes to their sustainability data. “Businesses need applications that can integrate enterprise-wide data including the sustainability data in core processes, and also bring in external data from other applications, industry organizations and regulators, and run analysis on it to manage the business more sustainability and report progress more accurately,” Steinhaeuser told 3p. One example of this is the SAP Sustainability Control Tower, a platform that takes a holistic look at sustainability across a company’s value chain.
The SAP Sustainability Control Tower manages accurate, live data — which allows companies to move from averages to actuals, report their performance regularly, and comply with reporting frameworks and standards. “With accurate, transparent and advanced analytics reporting, companies can identify areas for action, simulate scenarios, and hit their sustainability goals to minimize waste, reduce carbon emissions and improve sustainable supply chain performance,” Steinhaeuser said.
The SAP Sustainability Control Tower also integrates with other sustainability tools the company offers, like the SAP Cloud for Sustainable Enterprises portfolio, which adds additional functionalities including carbon emissions management, waste and materials management for circularity, social responsibility, and so-called “people sustainability.”
SAP puts its money where its mouth is
Most Fortune 2,000 companies use SAP software, and nearly 90 percent of the world’s finance and goods flows interact with SAP systems. So, creating sustainability software tools for their client base fits squarely into SAP’s wheelhouse. But the company also utilizes the tools for its own house.
SAP is implementing the SAP Sustainability Control Tower throughout its own business to “create insights on the total economic, social, and environmental impact our organization has across a range of measures, and accelerate programs such as our net-zero emissions by 2030 implementation,” Steinhaeuser said. He said the tool will help the company improve their ESG data management and enable them to set more accurate metrics and use analytics and automation to improve their own sustainable operations and reporting.
Looking ahead, good data is key to accomplishing sustainability goals
The bottom line is that in order to meet increasingly ambitious sustainability goals, companies need to have accurate, transparent and holistic data, Steinhaeuser concluded.
“Unifying ESG data provides significant gains in capabilities and competitive performance,” he told us. “Companies can’t make sustainable business decisions using data they don’t have or can’t use.” Tools like the SAP Sustainability Control Tower can put that decision-making control in the hands of company executives, giving reassurance to customers, investors and regulators.
This article series is sponsored by SAP and produced by the TriplePundit editorial team.
There is no easy road to meeting corporate sustainability goals. But many companies are inadvertently making that work harder on themselves by looking at the challenge in silos.
Another popular cheesemaker has rolled out new plant-based cheese products, and just in time for those who wish to make a new year’s resolution to eat less animal-based foods. Last week on this side of the pond, France-based Bel Group announced that The Laughing Cow wedges will soon appear in milk-free form.
In addition, a plant-based cream cheese product under the Nurishh brand will make its debut on January 1.
Plant-based cheese has been in the midst of a particularly long journey when compared to how meat alternatives have performed. While some brands such as Miyoko’s Creamery deservedly have a strong fan following, other companies within this space have stumbled. The problems: a funky way of melting (some plant-based cheese products simply don’t, at all), an unappealing texture and, face it, there’s not a lot of nutrition in a food that’s mostly packed with potato starch and coconut oil.
The result is that it’s often easier to find a plant-based burger than a cow-free grilled cheese. Some fast-food and foodservice companies, such as McDonald’s, have given up on meat- and milk-free alternatives entirely for now here in the U.S.
The Laughing Cow now has a plant-based option
But Bel Group may be onto something. The company felt confident enough after the rollout of the performance of its plant-based cheese alternatives that currently fall under the Babybel and Boursin labels. Its brands also have a strong following among consumers who turn to Bel Group’s products for school and work lunches and sorting out an appetizer platter on a whim. So, if you grew up with The Laughing Cow or are quick to reach for a sack of Babybel mini-rounds, considering a plant-based option isn’t too far of a stretch.
The company has engaged partners that are helping its brands chart a plant-based course. Recently, Bel Group bought a stake in Standing Ovation, a France-based company that has developed a precision fermentation process to make animal-free casein, a typically milk-based protein that is integral in cheesemaking. In addition, Bel Group has been working with Perfect Day, another food technology company that can recreate dairy proteins that are milk-free. Finally, Superbrewed Food provides its own brewing process for some of Bel Group’s products.
For those who have been quick to predict the demise of the plant-based food sector in the wake of the bad press surrounding some brands like Beyond Meat, here’s a gentle reminder: Food technologies like the ones with which Bel Group is partnering are still scoring impressive amounts of funding.
London, England, decked out for the holiday season
Content
Whether you're wishing your loved ones holiday greetings in person or from a few time zones away, yet again we’ve got you covered with our annual sustainable holiday gift guide. From zero-waste options to gifts that give back and support local artisans, start checking off your holiday gift list with these suggestions that are fun and festive yet light on impact.
Buy local. Think pre-owned.
We say it every year: You’ll be hard-pressed to find more responsible and sustainable holiday gifts than items that already exist and would otherwise go to waste. Fortunately for shoppers seeking to avoid waste, a bevy of companies have embraced re-commerce and are making it seamless to shop secondhand without sacrificing style. Retailers like Patagonia and REI have a rich selection of pre-owned outdoor gear, while The North Face and Eileen Fisher have long been solid options for finding clothing and outerwear that are worthy of a second life. Don’t dismiss portals like Poshmark and, of course, Etsy if you’re patient — you could be surprised! Check out more of our favorite re-commerce shops here.
If you can't buy used, consider buying local. Many small businesses are still struggling after the pandemic, and all the chatter about inflation and a possible recession isn’t helping. Your support can offer them a lift.
Even if you're still avoiding in-person shopping, sources like Google Maps and Yelp make it a breeze to find nearby mom-and-pops with online shopping options. To support Black-owned businesses, which were especially hit hard during 2020 and 2021, directories like We Buy Black, Goodee and EatOkra can help guide your way.
[Image credit: Aid2arg.org]
Ukrainian artists are creating gifts that give back
Almost 10 months after Russia invaded Ukraine, countless citizens are still facing hardships, whether they’ve stayed in their country or have moved abroad. Aid2Art Ukraine, an art show and campaign curated by humanitarian relief organization Alight, offers a way for holiday shoppers to give back while they find meaningful gifts — in this case limited-edition prints — for their loved ones. Half of the proceeds go to Alight’s programs that help support Ukrainian artists and others who work in the creative space. The other half goes to the artists participating in the program.
Personal care products celebrating Mexico’s rich culture
If you’ve never tried nopales in Mexican dishes, you’re in for a vegan treat. But the cactus commonly found in northern Mexico and the southwestern U.S. is also a key ingredient in this line of personal care products like soaps and exfoliants. Sandra Valesquez, founder of the personal care brand Nopalera, touts the plant’s ability to hydrate skin and hair. She describes the cacti as “strong, resilient, beautiful, and has always been here.”
Bamboo-based apparel and linens that feel cozy and are sourced responsibly
Bamboo is renewable, sustainable and resilient, but not all bamboo-based products are necessarily sourced responsibly, and the quality, look and feel of textiles made from bamboo can vary. Cozy Earth strives to achieve both. The company says it's involved with the production process from the very start. The results are products free of chemicals that feel good to wear. We’ve tested out Cozy Earth’s soft, comfy and minimalist hoodies, joggers and socks. The brand’s bedsheets, a bamboo-linen blend, kept us cool in summer heat and warm in late fall temperatures hovering near freezing.
If you're looking to support women-owned businesses, start with this chocolatier
Michelle Oten’s company, Goalz, checks all the boxes: She sources from farming co-ops in Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Indonesia and Brazil, where farmers have incorporated sustainable farming practices and don’t use forced or child labor. The brand's wafer-shaped chocolates have only three ingredients: cacao, prebiotic fiber and allulose, a sugar substitute that works for chocolate-lovers who prefer treats that are keto-friendly or low-carb. Unlike other sugar-free chocolates that have a waxy texture, Goalz’s chocolates taste rich — the eight- and 11-year-old who tested them out with us heartily approved.
Sweets that help people score a second chance in life
Greyson Bakery has long been a TriplePundit favorite. The brand's brownies are decadent enough to make an appearance in Ben & Jerry's ice cream flavors like Half Baked, and the social enterprise is also a trailblazer for open hiring. Having built its team without interviews, job applications or background checks, Greyston is now primarily staffed by people with criminal justice histories, as well as those experiencing homelessness, substance abuse issues or who, for whatever reason, have trouble finding steady work. The company is also running a promotion on its holiday brownie gift packages until December 11.
Another socially conscious brands that regularly makes our holiday gift guide list is Homeboy Industries. Operating under the motto "jobs not jails," the social enterprise offers employment, education and other services to former gang members after they are released from prison. Having worked with more than 100,000 people in its home city of Los Angeles since 1986, it now powers the Global Homeboy Network of more than 400 organizations committed to giving formerly incarcerated people a second chance. Cookies, cakes, granola and coffee are among the treats available this holiday season.
A set of recycled and renewable mixing bowls to brighten up the kitchen
In last year's holiday gift guide, we talked up a cult favorite cutting board from Material Kitchen. This year, we’re bowled over by these 20-inch mixing bowls, which keep to the brand’s minimal design. Made from 75 percent recycled plastic and 25 percent renewable sugarcane, the reBowl comes in four eye-catching colors. The New York City-based company is also focused on giving back. This year, the brand is donating a portion of sale proceeds to the Korean American Community Foundation, as well as supporting Heart of Dinner, which delivers meals to elderly Asian residents, and Drive Change, a nonprofit that provides formerly incarcerated people with training in the foodservice and hospitality sectors.
Silk pillowcases and sleep masks have surged in popularity, as they are often praised for reducing hair breakage and preventing acne, premature wrinkles, puffiness and sleep creases on the face. For the beauty-lovers on your list, we’ve vetted a couple for you to consider.
Avocado’s silk pillowcase is made from 22-momme mulberry silk, a thinly-woven silk that works well for linens and clothing as it’s breathable and not too heavy. Its envelope enclosure design keeps the pillow inside so it doesn’t squish out during sleepytime, and it comes with a 100 percent organic certified cotton wash bag, which also makes it easy to bring along for a road trip.
The Ethical Silk Company has an eye mask and pillowcase set as well. The brand’s set is free of dyes, and its design is handmade by artisans who use block printing. The brand says its pillowcase can help prevent “bed-head” while helping your night cream to be absorbed by your skin, not into your linens.
Say goodbye to bulky sweatpants: Allbirds makes you feel like flying with its merino wool joggers
Merino wool is one of the more unheralded fibers out there — that is, if this lightweight, moisture-wicking material is sourced sustainably from a supplier who participates in one of the various certification programs. Allbirds is one such company that is always looking for more responsible materials for its athletic shoes and apparel. We’re fans of its latest line of joggers, which are made from a blend of merino wool, recycled nylon and lyocell. They are quick-drying, breathable, flattering and extremely comfortable.
Our awesome brand story of the year goes to 8000Kicks, a Portuguese brand founded by a grandmother-grandson duo. The brand’s Explorer V2 loafers are made from industrial hemp, are extremely lightweight and waterproof to boot (pardon the pun).
Between their strength, minimal weight and clean styling, they make a cool gift for anyone at all ages, including one of our editorial staffers' 82-year-old father who remembers way back in the 1960s when ganja (and face it, industrial hemp) emerged as a tempting, but illegal, forbidden fruit.
Jewelry from Black-owned businesses makes a statement
As they say, buying jewelry is an extremely personal decision. It’s also personal for artisans who make beautiful items time and again but don’t necessarily get the spotlight from the leading fashion publications. So, we’re shining some light after becoming smitten with Arlokea, a Black-owned business that uses sustainable materials and is fair trade. Plus the company partners with nonprofits in order to give back to local communities.
Okay, you may need a huge stocking for some of these, but if you’re looking for space-saving ideas, start with the StoveShelf, a TikTok hack that’s become a seamless way to score more shelf space in a tiny kitchen. Reclaimed wood crates we stumbled upon visiting Etsy offer a sustainable option to store and stack all those stray items (like stockings), and EarthHero sells kits to create wall shelves with components made from bamboo chopsticks.
On the subject of stockings, Arvin Goods makes adorable socks out of thread derived from fabric scraps. If you've got a lot of polar fleece or synthetic fibers in your closet, this laundry bag from Guppyfriend helps reduce microplastic shedding. Revival designs calico belts derived from leather scraps. And finally, channel your inner Heartstopper character with a Fjällräven backpack or accessory made from traceable wood chips from Scandinavian forests.
Image credit: Leon Kaye
Description
Complete your 2022 shopping list with 3p's holiday gift guide, complete with options offering cheer, yet have minimal impact on people and the planet.
Nice Côte d'Azur Airport in the south of France, summer 2022
Content
The European Commission (EC) has given France approval to ban in-country short-haul flights where alternative train options can get travelers to the same destination within 2.5 hours or less. The ban, a first in Europe, will initially be in place for three popular routes flying between Paris-Orly and Nantes, Lyon and Bordeaux. These flight routes will be banned for three years and then reassessed by the EC.
The EC scaled back France’s initial plan to ban eight short-haul flights after the Union of French Airports and Airports Council International challenged the measure when it was first introduced as part of France’s Climate Law in 2021. The Commission determined that five of the proposed flights — between Paris Charles de Gaulle and Bordeaux, Lyon, Nantes and Rennes as well as between Lyon and Marseille — could not be banned because they either lacked a proper 2.5 hour rail alternative or the rail options were unavailable early in the morning or late into the evening.
France takes aim at limiting private jets
The announcement coincides with France’s move to also crack down on flights on private jets. With the country’s ultra-rich making trips from Paris to the French Riviera a weekend routine, France is home to the highest number of private jet flights in Europe. The trips may be convenient for the travelers, but they’re costly to the environment.
A 2021 report from Transport & Environment revealed that private jets release 10 times more carbon emissions than passenger flights, and 50 times more than trains. Though passenger planes emit an inordinate amount of carbon, the burden is shared by their passengers. Trains remain the king of eco-friendly transport, consuming far less energy than flying and driving.
Why this change is a big deal … and could become an even bigger deal
France’s plan to cut most domestic flights may have been diluted by pressures from airline unions, but banning three popular trips still holds the potential to significantly have an impact on lowering carbon emissions. Every passenger exchanging an airline ticket for a seat on a train represents major energy and carbon savings.
Importantly, it can also signal to other governments — particularly in Europe where train lines are expansive — that short-haul flight bans can be an effective way to curb carbon emissions. The adoption of such policies and laws from France’s neighbors would inch the European Union closer to achieving its Fit for 55 goals, an E.U. mandate to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent or more by 2030.
Policies limiting other short-haul flights would also offer Europe the chance to flaunt its unrivaled train network. France’s high-speed rail options are far from unique in Europe: the Eurail system connects 33 European countries and offers travelers 40,000 destinations. A 2021 report from Greenpeace found that one-third of Europe’s busiest 250 flights currently have train alternatives under six hours.
The same report from Greenpeace compared air and rail trips from popular European cities. The flight between Brussels and Amsterdam is taken by more than a million passengers each year despite a rail alternative that takes under two hours, a much shorter journey when factoring in airport security and boarding times. The train trip not only saves time, it’s also a major energy saver. The study reveals that the short-haul flight from the two capital cities emits 13 times more carbon per passenger than the train journey.
Activists hope to replicate and expand upon France’s short-haul flight ban. With the European Commission giving the green light and allowing France to experiment with the bans, it opens the doors for other European countries to follow their lead.
Short-haul flights have a huge carbon footprint. Now, France is starting to curb domestic flights, and leaders are mulling a ban on private jet travel, too.
With a slim majority in the U.S. House of Representatives in their pockets, Republican members of Congress can make good on their promise to hold public hearings on “woke” capitalism. The apparent aim is to lay the groundwork for new federal legislation that obstructs ESG (environment, social, governance) investing. However, undercutting the party’s chances for expanding its power in the 2024 presidential election cycle is the more likely result.
'Woke' capitalism, ESG and the 2017 tax cuts
The term “woke capitalism” is widely attributed to the pundit Ross Douthat, who used it in a 2018 opinion piece published in The New York Times.
Douthat lead off with a discussion of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, the signature piece of Trump-era legislation. He noted that corporations were steering the benefits of the tax cuts to their shareholders, instead of deploying them to benefit employees.
Corporations were “making a show of paying bonuses and raising wages after the passage of the corporate-friendly Republican tax bill,” he wrote, “but actually reserving most of the tax savings for big stock buybacks, enriching shareholders rather than employees in an economy where wage growth still disappoints.”
Having argued that the corporate response to the 2017 tax cuts was largely an empty gesture, Douthat leaped to his main point. He declared that corporate action on progressive issues was similarly performative. That includes corporate pushback against Trump era policies on climate change, gun control, immigration rights and LGBTQ rights, among others.
'Woke' capitalism and diversity
In Douthat’s hands, woke capitalism is simply a form of greenwashing that corporations deploy to curry favor with “the left” while distracting attention from their own failures in the area of social responsibility.
That’s one way to look at it. Another way is to acknowledge that the reality of broader demographic trends that are driving the corporate social responsibility movement.
Editor's note: Be sure to subscribe to our Brands Taking Stands newsletter, which comes out every Wednesday.
Writing for New York Magazine earlier this week, senior reporter Eric Levitz draws attention to an ongoing demographic shift. He notes that the capitalist class in the U.S. has diversified since its 19th-century beginnings as an “almost uniformly” white, male and socially conservative group.
The emergence of pension funds and mutual funds in the 20th century has further diversified the capitalist class, by providing union members, public sector employees and white-collar professionals with a stake in the action.
In short, the “woke capitalism” canard indicates that the Republican party is leveraging a matchup between its white, conservative base voters and the capitalist class.
“None of these constituencies are remotely as demographically or ideologically similar to the contemporary conservative base as the capitalist class of yore was to the right-wingers of the mid-20th century,” Levitz writes.
Reality favors the ‘woke’
Levitz also undercuts Douthat’s argument by noting that diversity in the capitalist class is just one powerful trend that is having an impact on corporate strategy. Another significant factor is urbanization, both domestically and in nations around the world.
“…consumer-facing brands do not amplify liberal cultural sentiments because they care more about virtue signaling than profit-making; they do so because young city dwellers are both culturally liberal and a major profit center,” Levitz emphasizes.
Climate change is yet another factor undermining Douthat’s position, as Levitz notes. Douthat can call climate action a form of corporate pandering if he chooses. However, the fact is that climate change is an actual risk, not an imaginary one. Corporations and pension funds respond to risks by taking action to protect themselves. The Republican party has only itself to blame for dropping the climate ball and leaving the field to Democrats.
Taking the ‘woke capitalism’ bait
The use of “woke capitalism” as a verbal battering ram against climate action and other Democratic policies has gathered much more force since 2018.
Stephan Conmy of the Corporate Governance Institute took note of the shift last summer, as Republican office holders, candidates and their allies took up the cry.
“In the mouths of American conservatives and right-wingers, shouting ‘woke capitalism’ means jeering at any challenge to old orthodoxies and power structures,” Conmy wrote, adding that “[woke capitalism] is now used as a rallying call by right-wing politicians and commentators to discredit any ESG proposals relating to climate change, workers’ rights and corporate governance.”
They can jeer all they want, but that won’t stop the demographic ground from moving under their feet.
A strong turnout by young voters in the midterm elections enabled the Democrats to keep their majority in the Senate and carve out near-parity in the House, bucking decades of historic precedent. These climate action voters will be all the more motivated to turn out in 2024, if the Republican party insists on attacking corporations that invest in clean energy.
House Republicans also stand a good chance of facing bipartisan pushback, as indicated by a recent survey undertaken by the communications firm ROKK Solutions in partnership with the Center for the Business of Sustainability at Penn State University.
The survey was designed to test the strength of bipartisan opposition to the anti-ESG movement. Respondents did express reluctance to approve of corporate speech on issues unrelated to their business, but bipartisan majorities agreed on the right of corporations to set their own investment agendas.
Asked if the government should set limits overall on ESG investing, 63 percent of respondents said it should not. Similarly, 68 percent said that the government should not revoke tax incentives on the basis of ESG actions.
“An overwhelming majority of voters, including Republicans felt that the government should not hold oversight hearings,” emphasized Ron Bonjean, who is a Co-Founder and Partner at ROKK Solutions.
Despite the red flags, House Republicans seem determined to forge ahead. As former two-term President Barack Obama once famously said, “Please proceed.”
GOP members of Congress can make good on their promise to hold public hearings on ESG, but public sentiment suggest such a move could backfire in 2024.
![[Image credit: Aid2arg.org]](/sites/default/files/inline-images/Ukraine%20artists.png)
![[Image credit: Nopalera]](/sites/default/files/inline-images/nopalera.png)
![[Image credit: Cozy Earth]](/sites/default/files/inline-images/cozy%20earth.png)
![[Image credit: Goalz]](/sites/default/files/inline-images/Goalz%20Chocolates.png)
![[Image credit: Greyston Bakery]](/sites/default/files/inline-images/Greyston%20Bakery.png)
![[Image credit: Homeboy Industries]](/sites/default/files/inline-images/Homeboy%20Industries.png)
![[Image credit: Material Kitchen]](/sites/default/files/inline-images/Material%20Kitchen.png)
![[Image credit: Avocado]](/sites/default/files/inline-images/Avocado.png)
![[Image credit: The Ethical Silk Company]](/sites/default/files/inline-images/The%20Ethical%20Silk%20Company.png)
![[Image credit: Allbirds]](/sites/default/files/inline-images/Allbirds.png)
![[Image credit: 8000Kicks]](/sites/default/files/inline-images/8000Kicks.png)
![[Image credit: Arlokea]](/sites/default/files/inline-images/Arlokea.png)
