By Mark Brownlie

The bold thinking and actions taken by corporate sustainability trailblazers often challenge the status quo and alter the concept of a company’s role in society.

The following companies are leaders. They have taken principled stances or have implemented innovative programs that lead to better social and environmental conditions. In some cases, a company is included here just because of some radical statement from the CEO. But, they are the kinds of statements and actions we need if we are to move past incremental improvements and achieve transformative change on our way to sustainability.

Corporate sustainability leadership requires more than planting trees and holding lunch and learns. Real leaders shake things up.

No company is perfect and each mentioned below might land on someone’s list of corporate demons. No doubt, these companies are not doing everything right, but they are doing at least one big thing right.

1. Apple

Last year, Apple CEO Tim Cook told investors skeptical about climate change to sell their shares if they didn’t support his commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Cook let people know that Apple didn’t pursue environmental improvements solely for their return on investment. Apple has also committed to source 100 percent of its power from renewables.

2. CVS Health

Pharmacy giant CVS quit selling tobacco products in 2014. Its logic is indisputable. Simply put in the company's own words, “The sale of tobacco products is inconsistent with our purpose – helping people on their path to better health.” CVS backed up this sensible move by offering smoking cessation programs.

3. Kingfisher

To Kingfisher, zero is not enough. The home improvement company strives to be net positive by 2050. This means doing more than just reducing its negative impact. It means putting back more than it takes: becoming carbon positive; wasting nothing; adding wealth.

The company's journey to net positive starts with a plan to meet 50 environmental, social and innovation targets by 2020. Kingfisher follows in the footsteps of the Crown Estate’s total contribution approach and Interface’s goal to be a restorative company.

4. Patagonia

Founded more than 40 years ago, this outdoor clothing and gear company stood for sustainability long before it was popular. In a gutsy move, Patagonia placed an ad reading “Don’t buy this jacket” in the New York Times in 2011 on Black Friday, the shopping day after Thanksgiving. The ad entreated potential customers to think twice before buying anything.

Proving that the ad wasn’t just a clever marketing ploy, Patagonia offers tips to customers to prolong the life of their products. It also runs the largest clothing repair facility in North America, and encourage customers to return worn-out clothing so Patagonia can recycle or repurpose it.

5. Tesla

Realizing that one company can’t do it all by itself, serial entrepreneur Elon Musk made his company’s patents open to the public to encourage further development of the electric vehicle. Tesla’s latest potentially groundbreaking invention is the Powerwall home battery, a system that could well solve the solar energy storage conundrum.

6. Toms Shoes

As is often the case with transformation in business, it’s the efforts of a visionary that bring about change. In his travels, founder Blake Mycoskie saw how hard it was for children to grow up without shoes. As a result, Toms donates a pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair purchased. To date, it has donated more than 35 million pairs of shoes.

Toms has applied its “one for one” model to other products it sells, including eyewear, coffee (in which case Toms makes safe water available) and bags (maternal health is offered).

7. Unilever

A few years back, Unilever CEO Paul Polman rebelled against rampant short-termism in the market and decided his company would no longer issue quarterly earnings guidance. He says that Unilever is looking for long-term shareholders not short-term share traders.

Sustainability is a long-term enterprise. Under its ambitious Sustainable Living Plan, Unilever has set three overarching goals and tens of targets. For example, one goal is to help more than a billion people take action to improve their health and well being by 2020.

Innovative business models

The seven examples above are just a sampling of corporate leadership on sustainability. Some of the actions taken might seem like common sense. But in the world of business, these actions are revolutionary. They prove that a mainstream company can pursue sustainability and be successful, trendy even.

Companies that are serious about sustainability take strong stances, adopt new business models, get certified and set targets.

The advisory firm SustainAbility has highlighted numerous companies implementing 20 business model innovations and related strategies that are leading the way to a more sustainable economy. Toms one for one model is but one example.

B Corps are for-profit companies that have been certified to rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency. They are required to consider impacts on all stakeholders not just shareholders, and to publish reports of their overall social and environmental performance. More than 1,400 companies worldwide, big and small, are B Corps, including Ben & Jerry’s, Method and Seventh Generation.

In the past few months leading up to the Paris climate conference, we saw numerous companies demonstrating leadership on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

• Under the guidance of the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative, 10 major oil companies, including BP, Shell, Repsol and Total, confirmed that they “recognize the general ambition to limit global average temperature rise to 2 degrees centigrade” and “pledged to collaborate" on “reducing the greenhouse gas intensity of the global energy mix."


• Companies continue to join RE100, publicly committing to use 100 percent renewable energy. Members number more than 35 and include Ikea, Johnson & Johnson, Nestlé, Nike, Philips, Procter & Gamble, SAP, Starbucks and Walmart.

Corporate sustainability leadership requires more than planting trees and holding lunch and learns. Real leaders shake things up. They’re courageous.

Image credit: Flickr/Mike Mozart

Mark Brownlie is Founder and Principal of Responsibility Matters Inc., a Calgary, Canada based firm that has developed sustainability strategies and communications for 40 corporate and non-profit clients worldwide. He has been involved in more than 50 CSR and sustainability reports.

This is part of a series on "The Future of Fair Trade," written with the support of Fair Trade USA. A 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization, Fair Trade USA is the leading third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in the United States. To follow along with the rest of the series, click here.

By Jenna Larson

If you thought Fair Trade gifts were limited to tried-and-true bars of chocolate or bags of coffee, you’re in for a treat!  This year’s edition of Fair Trade USA’s Holiday Gift Guide features an amazing selection of unique and heartfelt gifts that will bring holiday cheer to your loved ones while empowering the people and communities behind the products.

So, think outside the (100 percent post-consumer recycled) box, and browse the following list of 2015’s top gifts.  And don’t worry, we won’t judge if you find something special for yourself, too.

West Elm Knit Stockings

Santa is sure to put you on the “nice list” when he sees these responsibly-sourced and monogrammable stockings hanging on the mantle. Artisans in Nepal hand knit each of these from 100 percent wool in a Fair Trade Certified™ facility, meaning that each stocking purchased directly improves the life of the artisan who made it. And stockings are just the beginning of West Elm’s festive Fair Trade gifts and decorations, which include wreaths, tree skirts, garlands, ornaments and more!

 

PACT Long Sleeve Snapster

Now even the youngest activists can show their support for Fair Trade from head to toe.  Made from super-soft organic and Fair Trade Certified cotton, PACT’s Long Sleeve Snapster comes in a variety of ultra-hip designs that will keep baby looking fresh and feeling cozy year ‘round.

 

A Donation in Their Honor

What do you give a person who has everything or wants nothing? Now you can make a small donation in their honor to help a coffee farmer earn organic certification, empower farm workers through leadership trainings or support the development of rural schools. When you donate to Fair Trade USA, you are spreading holiday cheer around the world by ensuring continued growth of farmer benefits and assistance through Fair Trade.

Under the Canopy Heavenly Throw

Blankets are the ultimate gift of love, and this one offers luxurious softness and style while improving the lives of cotton farmers and factory workers in India.  Made of 100 percent organic cotton, this beautifully-knit throw is a sure bet for just about anyone on your list.

 

Boll & Branch Cable Knit Scarf and Slouchy Beanie

Put your knitting needles aside: Boll & Branch has shrunk its popular cable-knit throw into a fashionable knit scarf and slouchy beanie. Made with 100 percent organic Fair Trade Certified cotton in a Fair Trade factory, these lovely gifts give back to farmers and workers in rural India. Bonus: these items arrive wrapped and ready to be placed under the tree.

 

Obey Battery Striped Long Sleeve Tee

New to the 2015 Fair Trade Apparel line-up: OBEY Clothing, founded by the iconic activist and artist Shepard Fairey.  This beautifully-knitted 100 percent cotton shirt give you major cool points while keeping holiday cheer going all winter.  Shop OBEY's entire Fair Trade collection for men and women.

 

BarkTHINS Dark Chocolate Peppermint Pretzel with Sea Salt

Imagine indulging in the luxuries of dark chocolate over a lightly salted pretzel but with an added holiday twist! Cool and crispy peppermint pieces lend a festive hand to these delightful treats. Your purchase helps the cocoa bean farmers earn a fair wage and grow that delicious chocolate-to-be under environmentally sound agricultural practices. Mmm, welcome to the world of (Fair Trade) snacking chocolate!  Holiday variety packs are also available for your gifting pleasure.

 

prAna Asylum Flannel Shirt

Keep that special man in your life cozy, warm and stylish in prAna’s Asylum Flannel Shirt. Made in a Fair Trade Certified factory, this 100 percent organic cotton flannel is thermal lined for extra protection from the elements. Shop prAna's collection of Fair Trade men's and women's apparel.

 

Patagonia Better Sweater Peacoat

Originally designed to protect sailors from harsh weather, Patagonia’s Better Sweater Peacoat is fashionable, functional and sustainable. In fact, the entire Better Sweater collection for men, women and children is now sewn in a Fair Trade Certified factory, enabling workers to earn a community development premium for every coat sold. That’ll give anyone a warm and fuzzy feeling!  Shop Patagonia's entire collection of Fair Trade apparel.

 

Oliberte Volita Shoes

You can’t go wrong with these rugged women’s wedges. Made of premium African leather, these shoes with a conscience are the epitome of great style. The world’s first Fair Trade Certified footwear company, Oliberte supports the rights of workers in sub-Saharan Africa and runs its own footwear manufacturing factory in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  Shop Oliberte's entire collection of Fair Trade shoes for men and women.

 

Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Cube Gift Boxes

Who doesn’t have a chocolate lover (or two) on their list?  Put a smile on their face with one of Chocolate Chocolate Chocolates' Cube Gift Boxes.  Made with Fair Trade Certified cocoa, these fancy boxes feature a variety of exciting treats from Almond Butter Toffee to Artisan Truffles.  To top it off, each handmade delicacy is carefully decorated to look as beautiful as it tastes!

 

Coyuchi Air Weight Towels

With Coyuchi’s rainbow of luxurious Air Weight Towels, your loved ones can step out of the shower and wrap themselves in Fair Trade every morning. Loomed from pure Fair Trade Certified organic cotton, these soft towels are designed to dry quickly on the towel bar and in the dryer.

 

Senda Design Your Own Soccer Ball

Make a statement on the field with these Senda Athletics soccer balls.  Stitched under Fair Trade conditions that strictly prohibit child labor, these high-quality balls are blank canvases that will put your creative side to the test.  We suggest drawing a big Fair Trade logo to make your do-good side known to everyone on the field.

 

Numi Tea by Mood Gift Set

For the person who seizes the moment and needs a cup of tea to pair with it, this thoughtful gift provides expert mood-based recommendations.  Containing a total of 40 tea bags, this gift set features eight different organic and Fair Trade Certified teas: Breakfast Blend, Aged Earl Grey, Emperor’s Pu-erh, Jasmine Green, Mate Lemon, Rooibos Chai, Moroccan Mint, and Chamomile Lemon.

 

Weavers Coffee Holiday Blend

‘Tis the season! This festive blend of Fair Trade Certified coffees is full-bodied and complex with a delicate chocolate finish, and Weavers donates a portion of every bag sold online to Coffee Kids to support education and nutrition for children in coffee-growing communities.

Stocking stuffers

If it’s stocking stuffers you are looking for, we've got you covered. Here are some festive ideas:

Alter Eco Truffle Medley

Badger Balm Lip Tint and Shimmer

Cisse Super Thins

Clean Candy Peppermints

Green Mountain Spicy Eggnog Coffee

HAE Now Beanie

Frontier Cinnamon

Lake Champlain Hot Chocolate

Nourish Argan Butter

SunSpire Peppertmint Patties

Third Street Festivus Chai

Vosges Chocolate Bars

Jenna Larson is the Communications Manager at Fair Trade USA.

What a high it was returning from the Paris COP21 conference this past weekend. However, pragmatists that we are, TriplePundit readers, sustainability advocates, people of the world, we must move directly into implementation -- strong implementation -- to ensure we're able to meet the assertive goals that are laid out in the agreement.

As Mark Campanale of CarbonTracker, producer of the game-changing stranded assets article report, "The $2 trillion stranded assets danger zone: How fossil fuel firms risk destroying investor returns," explains: "Decarbonization of the energy sector as we know it is just beginning."

It's true, 186 countries commited to reduce their emissions and to meet every five years to increase their reduction commitments. But now they actually have to do it. In order to meet the aggressive commitment laid out in Paris to stay far below 2 degrees Celsius of warming, each country needs to actually meet its individually determined national commitment (INDC) and then some. This is going to involve some regulation of the business sector. We will certainly see fits and starts as each nation works to meet its goal through a variety of methods. They have a number of options at their disposal, including subsidies for renewable energy, increasing the renewable energy standards for utilities, removing subsidies for fossil fuels, improving the fuel-efficiency standards for passenger vehicles, expanding biofuels, putting a price on carbon, shutting down coal-fired power plants, and dozens of other options large and small. But as close to the brink as we are, we'll likely need them all, and then some.

Many businesses were on hand in Paris to lend their support to a strong climate agreement, but oil companies were unsurprisingly mostly quiet.

For example, while BP acknowledges climate change and even the 2-degree limit, the growth plan it shares with investors revolves around expanding oil exploration and drilling. If these companies are to comply with their home countries' INDC plans, both are not possible. "They have to release info that explains how this is consistent," Campanele says.

But the writing is on the wall, and some type of regulation will be coming down in countries around the world if INDCs are to be met.

One strong component of all our climate mitigation efforts will certainly be the financial markets. As they better evaluate the true risk of inaction and properly price those stranded assets, companies will be financially incentivized to invest in renewables and efficiency to improve their financial standing. Campanele explains: "If markets can see the risk, prices will correct, but if the info isn’t in the public domain they can’t. Climate disclosures are material." That is to say, they are public information that certainly belongs on public companies' risk disclosure documents. This issue is now understood well enough that investors will be calling for the data. And it's working already!

Campanele told me that coal stocks have lost 90 percent of their value since the stranded assets report was published. The "stranded assets" issue also goes beyond accurate pricing of fossil fuel reserves. It extends to energy companies' future planning. "The assets exist but can never be developed. If they’re spending trillions searching for oil and gas but they can’t even burn what they have … that’s a misuse of funds," Campanele asserts. Suddenly, the business case for burning fossil fuels becomes a lot weaker.

My prediction is that carbon pricing -- via a tax or a cap-and-trade or whatever you want to call it -- will be a part of that puzzle, but probably not in the U.S. anytime soon, especially with a Tea-Party led House of Representatives.

President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry executed a mastermind strategy to circumnavigate the Republican-controlled House, while advocating for a strong agreement. We'll need more clever footwork in the years to come.

Luckily, businesses and organizations are already jumping into the fray to provide it. Teresa Fogelberg, deputy chief executive of the Global Reporting Initiative, shared with me her organization's plans to provide the data that will allow countries (or stock markets, for that matter) to take stock of corporate progress on climate change. "These businesses are already doing monitoring and measuring if you bring it to the national level, and if you do that in every country you already have a pretty substantial piece of solving the INDC puzzle."

Paris gave us a chance at a sea change. We'll need many innovative collaborations to bring it to fruition.

Image credit: Mark Dixon, Flickr

Critics insist that the Obama administration’s effort to scale clean energy is wasteful and misguided, but it can be argued that such focus in part led to the increased adoption and decreased cost of solar power. Now, the White House is jumpstarting another moonshot for water innovation in the hope that the private sector can find new ways to conserve and reuse this precious resource.

Announced earlier this week by Interior Secretary Sally Jewel, the new White House report, entitled Water Resource Challenges and Opportunities for Water Technology Innovation, offers two broad goals. First, the administration wants to increase water stewardship through the accelerated deployment of water reuse and efficiency technologies. In addition, White House officials say they want more investment in research and development that could help scale new water technologies.

This moonshot-for-water initiative in a large part is related to the increased stress on groundwater supplies across the United States. From Fresno County, California, the richest agricultural region in the United States, to north Texas and western Kansas, where ranching drives the local economy, aquifers have become depleted. The U.S. Geological Survey paints a depressing picture about the nation’s groundwater reserves: From 1900 to 2008, the amount of water within all of the aquifers in the U.S. decreased by twice the volume of Lake Erie (115.2 cubic miles). A recent report led by USA Today and the Desert Sun estimated that groundwater reserves have declined as much as 64 percent over the past 20 years. No matter how the data on groundwater is sliced and diced, the outlook is a miserable one.

As in the case of how many environmentalists (and their foes in industry) were unsatisfied with the administration’s 'all-of-the-above' energy policy, critics will find plenty to dislike about this proposed water agenda. Few will argue with the need for improved materials and manufacturing for water pipes as part of the solution, as anywhere from 14 to 18 percent of treated water is lost due to leaks. Other solutions will foment plenty of debate: for example, the Administration is calling for increased water reuse, to which consumers often blanch because of the “ick” factor. More efficient desalination is also under consideration, though many object because of the amount of energy required for removing salt out of seawater. White House officials are touting all of these ideas as they prepare for a water summit that coincides with World Water Day on March 22, 2016.

According to the White House, this attention focused on water is hardly something new. Rather than presenting a lame-duck initiative, the Obama Administration claims that it has been proactive on water challenges. For example, government agencies have been instructed to be more transparent about water data, in order to help local decision-makers develop long term strategies. President Obama also announced the National Drought Resilience Partnership, which aims to help both the private and public sectors plan at a time of increased water scarcity. Meanwhile, the USDA launched a program that encourages farmers to implement practices and technologies that help improve soil and air quality.

Whether any of this makes a difference for water stewardship during the last remaining months of Obama’s presidency remains to be seen. Foreign policy and immigration have consumed politics and voters’ attention as another election season comes underway, so a rethink of conservation and water technology could very well occur under the radar. So far states have often been trying to solve these problems on their own, but with dubious results. The reality is that water scarcity is a challenge that is nationwide, so a coordinated effort should be welcomed--rather the than hundreds or thousands of competing water policies started by states and counties that together, so far, have done little to solve this massive problem.

Image credit: Kevin Cortopassi (Flickr)

By Eleni Polychroniadou

On Saturday, Dec. 12, the world saw a historical moment – world leaders shook on the first climate agreement that actually meant something, or as the Guardian put it, solidified the end of the fossil fuel era.

The 2015 United Nations climate change conference, commonly known as COP21, met in Paris and produced a 40-page text that finally has some substance, including procedures for monitoring, reporting, verification and assessment of progress. The most laudable clause is Article 14, which requires all signatories to evaluate the progress made toward keeping global warming below 2 degrees Celsius every five years and submit more stringent national targets, if necessary.

The inclusion of these measures separates this agreement from previous attempts to sign a global treaty, including COP15 in Copenhagen, which failed to provide a plan for reporting and enforcement. The focus on a bottom-up approach helped make Paris a success by placing the responsibility on individual nations. Negotiators came into this discussion with intended nationally determined contributions (INDCs) to cut emissions, as well as determination to introduce governance and transparency into the agreement.

This collective contribution of emission-reduction targets, as opposed to a top-down approach, caters to each nation’s unique circumstances but allows for a united front on one thing: Climate change is real, and we all need to act to mitigate the damage.  

Global governments have taken us further than we could have hoped and pieced together an outline for our future. But this is just the beginning.

As John Kerry said during his speech at the summit, “Governments need the help of the marketplace.” The marketplace needs to feel confident that the technologies that help reduce carbon dioxide emissions, whether they are renewable energy or clean technology, are worthy of investment.

Investor confidence comes in many shapes and forms, but ultimately it boils down to the relationship between risk and returns. Proven technologies such as solar and wind are fast emerging as attractive investment asset classes that provide investors with low technology risk and stable, higher returns over a period of 20 years or more. Now is the time for these technologies to take center stage in the financing world.

This agreement sends a clear signal to the private sector worldwide. “The transformation of our global economy from one fueled by dirty energy to one fueled by sustainable economic growth is now firmly and inevitably underway,” former U.S. Vice President Al Gore said of the agreement.

With the agreement signed, governments have done their job and sent a strong signal to the private sector. So, what should the next phase look like?

• Investors: Shift stock portfolios away from fossil fuels towards renewable energy industries such as wind and solar, which are cost competitive and hungry for capital.


• Venture capitalists: Divert attention to breakthrough technologies, such as energy storage, to help shift the electricity market away from natural gas.


• Large corporations, such as Goldman Sachs: Start funneling money into renewable energy projects to raise global penetration levels.

Each of these private-sector actions is a vital part of the solution. Think of it as a jigsaw puzzle: To create a clear picture of what a low-carbon future will look like, we need all the pieces, and the COP21 agreement is a giant step forward in making it possible for us to put them together.

Image credit: Pixabay

Eleni Polychroniadou was born in Athens, Greece, and has lived in London, Athens and the United States. Eleni is an account executive at Antenna Group, a strategic communications agency for transformative companies in energy and technology.

By Amanda Minuk

In sports, when a team is building for the future, it is understood that they won’t be as competitive as they were in the past. Fans understand the importance of a ‘rebuild’ and most have the patience to wait for better days ahead. In business, however, a company must always be competitive because employees, consumers and clients are often not as loyal (or forgiving) as sports fans.

High turnover, a lack of employee engagement and difficulty attracting top talent are common and costly employer challenges that can affect a company’s competitive edge. In 2016, the key to a strong future and a perpetually winning team lies with corporate social responsibility (CSR), community investment, social impact, corporate citizenship, sustainability or whatever term your company uses.

Not only do companies that invest in CSR do better financially, but they’re also better at attracting and retaining top talent -- millennials in particular. However, just because a CSR program exists at your organization does not mean you’ll win the talent war.

If you want to be effective at strengthening your organization and attracting and retaining top talent, make sure you take the following into consideration:

1. Authenticity in purpose and communication

Now, more than ever, employees are looking for work with a purpose and a paycheck. According to a Nielsen survey, 67 percent of employees prefer to work for a socially responsible company. Attracting and engaging your employees is no longer about the perks of a ping-pong table or free food; it’s about connecting them to your core mission -- why you exist.

Authenticity in CSR is about being an organization that not only stands for something, but also acts accordingly. It’s about saying what you mean, and meaning what you say -- both internally and externally. Authentic CSR has the potential to provide a sense of higher purpose that your employees are looking for and infuse meaningful work into the organization.

Signs of authenticity:

• CSR means more than good PR for your company


• Transparent communication practices exist both internally and externally


• Senior leadership supports, believes and espouses company values (they ‘walk the talk’)


• Employees understand your CSR program and how their efforts contribute to the business and the greater cause


• Your company has a B corp designation (or is working toward one)

2. Business objectives

CSR is not a one-size-fits-all approach. While it’s about being true to your brand, your stakeholders and your culture, your CSR program ultimately needs to make sense for your business.

The saying “what gets measured gets done” is true for CSR, and leaders in the industry know that for CSR to be truly embedded within the organization there has to be business value and need. Ultimately, CSR must be tied to business objectives.

Signs your CSR program is tied to business objectives:

• Performance metrics measuring CSR are created and communicated internally and externally


• There’s a natural ‘fit’ between your company’s CSR efforts and the business


• Senior leadership supports and champions the CSR initiatives


• CSR is not siloed within the organization; there’s more than one person in your company dedicated to CSR


• There’s an element of CSR in everyone’s job description and performance reviews

3. Your employees

A CSR program is often only thought of from an external perspective -- meaning: how the business is being a good corporate citizen. But CSR should be about more than just your responsible community practices. By only looking externally, you miss the biggest opportunity for doing well by doing good -- your employees.

Prioritizing your employees' needs (not just extracting value from them) signals you care, which in turn will help increase engagement and retention. According to recent research, the leading career need is related to development and growth. Consider the fact that 58 percent of millennials cite career growth and professional development as their primary career goal. Further, a lack of growth is the leading reason employees leave their current employer.

Signs you consider employees:

• Your company has a formal or informal mentorship and/or development program


• Employees have the autonomy, encouragement and support to work on personal side projects


• Employees are recognized and rewarded for their contributions both formally and informally


• Optional skills-based and physical volunteering opportunities are provided (employees are not forced to get involved or have to give up their weekends to contribute)

Building for a stronger future should be your No. 1 priority in 2016. The mere existence of a CSR program is not enough to create a winning team; it needs to be authentic, tied to business objectives and considerate of your employees. Use the checklists as a litmus test to understand how well your organization is doing and if you can’t answer yes to most of the points, then use this as an opportunity to grow as a company. Focusing on CSR will not only strengthen your company today but also build for the future without losing your competitive edge.

***

Amanda Minuk is a co-founder and CEO of Bmeaningful, a career site for social impact jobs. Bmeaningful helps companies showcase their impact and professionals find jobs with a purpose and a paycheque in corporate social responsibility, social good and nonprofit. Connect with her @impactjobamanda and @b_meaningful 

It is not easy for airlines to become sustainable when so much of their impact is due to the amount of jet fuel all those airplanes require. True, new airplanes are becoming more efficient, mostly because of lighter building materials including carbon fiber. But sustainability managers at these companies still have a lot of challenges, including sorting out how to manage mane kinds of waste.

So, when an airline decides to to re-brand or update the interior of its aircraft fleet, the result is a heap of materials that not only consumes space in rapidly-diminishing landfills, but is also expensive to haul away. Alaska Airlines, however, found a solution when the company decided to reupholster more than 6,000 seats within its fleet.

The air carrier’s self-described green team decided to find takers for all of that leather that was still of high quality. After all, airline seat coverings, whether they are leather or synthetic, are processed to withstand the abuse of hundreds of humans a week sitting in them.

To that end, Alaska Airlines distributed unwanted blue, grey and tan leather to 11 different organizations. The company estimated a total of 18,000 pounds (8,200 kilos) of leather was diverted from local landfills. Some went to a Boy Scout troop, some to a prison and much of it ended up with creative designers.

One company is Mariclaro, a Canadian company that repurposed blue and grey leather into satchels, handbags and wallets. Buyers of the dozen or so items Maricloro offers have to be patient—each bag or billfold purchased is custom ordered and takes up to five weeks to complete. Another design house, Looptworks, offers a similar collection of accessories, but uses shades of tan leather it received from the airline. Looptworks estimates the use of recycled leather conserves up to 1,500 gallons of water per item.

Other airlines are hopping on the upcycling bandwagon. Southwest Airlines, for example, also worked with Looptworks on a suite of accessories using leather covering from old airline seats. The “LUV Seat Collection” is still for sale until the end of the year, and was part of what Southwest described as a waste diversion effort that prevented 43 acres of leather from going to landfill.

For Alaska Airlines, its leather recycling initiative is just one part of a fairly proactive agenda to be as as sustainable as possible. The company has experimented with alternative fuels, and claims it is the only U.S.-based air carrier to collect mixed recyclables (as in: aluminum, plastic, glass and paper) on each and every flight. It will be years before alternative fuels can truly have an impact on airlines’ carbon footprint. Nevertheless, Alaska’s programs prove that the aviation industry can do a lot to mitigate its environmental impact.

Image credit: Mariclaro

Today, TriplePundit, SAP and our esteemed panel of millennials came together at #SAPYouthChat for a special Twitter chat, reflecting on the state of the world before entering 2016. Next year is the year to “Create the World” they want to live in!

Our chat special guests and audience members addressed the following topics and more:

• What “the world youth want to live in” means for today’s millennials


• What society is doing globally to create just that


• What is or isn’t working so well, and the effects


• How leading corporations can truly empower youth to become the workforce of the future


• What the phrase “the future in your hands” means to today’s youth


• SAP’s 2016 vision for millennials

According to a United Nations report, “Millennials are increasingly acting as the agents of change in society, calling for institutions that are more responsive not only to their needs, but to national or global concerns, and providing the energy, creative ideas and determination to drive reform.”

Millennials are a driven crowd. Seventy-four percent of millennial leaders believe they can make a difference in the world. Civically-engaged millennials who are motivated to create these philanthropic changes are prime candidates for future leadership positions.

"Big IT players like SAP, whose mission is to help the world run better and improve people's lives, recognize and embrace this generation: “In the next 10 years, today’s youth will determine whether businesses win or lose the game. These young people are pushing businesses to innovate – to do things simpler, faster, smarter, and more sustainably, in ways that will ultimately change the world.

"If we equip early talents with the best technology and empower them to be bold, I think we’ll watch the next greatest generation do incredible things. The pressure is now on us to unleash their spirit and entrepreneurism.”  – Bill McDermott, CEO of SAP SE

Interesting Facts:

• In 2014, 8,557 millennials joined SAP -- comprised of new grads, early talents and young professionals.


• In 2015, 22 percent of all full-time new hires at SAP are recent graduates.


• For 2016, SAP’s goal is to ensure that 24 percent of new hires are recent graduates.  


• 1,000 tech positions are currently open for new employees!

Despite these incredible efforts to tackle youth unemployment, today’s rising workforce faces 75 million unemployed with a yawning skills gap.

What can you do to “Create the World you want to live in," one that this generation deserves. What better way to learn than directly from those who will become decision-makers and are already the youngest leaders and influencers representing the millennial generation.

Featured guests:

• Erik Finman (@ErikFinman) -- Global Community Manager of SmartUp and Founder of Botangle


• Taylor Trudon (@TaylorTrudon) -- Life editor at MTV News


• Aditi Singh (@AditiSinghus) -- SAP Customer Engagement Executive


• David Saddington (@EnvironmentDave) -- Climate Change Communicator & Enviropreneur

Moderators:

• Nick Aster (@NickAster) -- TriplePundit Founder and Publisher


• Marissa Rosen (@MarissaR1) -- TriplePundit Director of Social Media


• Jen Boynton (@JenBoynton) -- TriplePundit Editor-In-Chief


• Mary Mazzoni (@Mary_Mazzoni) -- TriplePundit Senior Editor

This will was the last in a series of four Twitter chats that TriplePundit and SAP hosted in 2015 to open the dialogue around empowering youth. Stay tuned for our upcoming chats in 2016!  

About SAP

As market leader in enterprise application software, SAP (NYSE: SAP) helps companies of all sizes and industries run better. From back office to boardroom, warehouse to storefront, desktop to mobile device – SAP empowers people and organizations to work together more efficiently and use business insight more effectively to stay ahead of the competition. SAP applications and services enable more than 293,500 customers to operate profitably, adapt continuously, and grow sustainably. For more information, visit www.sap.com.

Depending on one’s point of view, the popular dating app Tinder has either made meeting people easier or has completely demolished the dating scene — perhaps for most of us, it's just another way dating continues to be “horrific and weird.” Love it, hate it or mock it, (and then continue to swipe when you should be working or paying attention to your friends or family at the dinner table). Tinder is most likely here to stay.

Even though it generates almost no revenue, this West Hollywood, California-based startup, part of IAC (along with Match.com), is worth anywhere from the tens of millions to billions of dollars, depending on who you ask.

But this oft-maligned while oft-downloaded app will raise awareness about an important life-and-death issue across the pond over the next couple weeks. In the United Kingdom, Tinder is partnering with the National Health Service (NHS) to raise awareness about organ donations.

Tinder users from the ages of 18 to 35, an important demographic for the NHS as it seeks organ donors, are the target of this campaign. Users who happen to swipe right while accessing Tinder will receive a message urging them to sign up as a donor. A link will take them to the NHS’ Organ Donor Register with the aim to increase the possibility that future organ transplant recipients will have shorter wait times for a chance for a new life. According to the NHS, there are currently 7,000 U.K. nationals on the country’s organ transplant waiting list; 6,000 patients have died while waiting for an organ transplant over the past decade.

The NHS is complementing this effort with a #TimeToSign social media campaign, and has enlisted the support of a few celebs: 2012 Olympian Jade Jones, the first Brit to win a gold medal in taekwondo; actress Gemma Oaten, cast on the long-running British soap opera "Emmerdale"; and Jamie Laing, who starts on the reality series "Made in Chelsea." All three of them have Tinder profiles that will appear on the app with the NHS’ “The Wait” logo.

A similar campaign could sure benefit patients on this side of the Atlantic. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, over 120,000 people were on a waiting list for an organ transplant in 2013. While it is true that patients can be listed on multiple organ registries, approximately 29,500 patients received an organ transplant last year. While 120 million Americans are currently registered as potential organ donors, thanks in a large part to registering them when they receive or renew a driver’s license, an expanded list would certainly help. If Tinder can “empower” users to make new connections, then it may just have some more social value as well.

Image credit: NHS

Editor's note: The following is an excerpt from "The Art of Leading Collectively" published by Chelsea Green.

By Petra Kuenkel

Sustainability is on the agenda of every nation, every organization, and many citizens today; it is a global movement that cannot be ignored. If we do nothing, unsustainable global trends will impact businesses over the next 20 years, as well as governments and civil society organizations. These trends range from climate change to ecosystem decline, from energy insecurity to water scarcity. They affect resource management, poverty, economic justice, food security, demographic change, population growth and more.

Those who are confronted with sustainability challenges notice another global trend: Solutions cannot be found in isolation. As Margaret Mead famously said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

Collaboration among different actors is not only paramount, but it is also the sole route to successfully addressing the challenges we face. In a global survey of more than a thousand CEOs, 84 percent were convinced that the corporate world could have a decisive impact on global sustainability challenges if there was a strong commitment to collaboration across sectors and to collective efforts for transformation. Myriad examples speak for themselves.

Developing a mainstream sustainability standard for worldwide green coffee requires a joint approach among major coffee traders, standard organizations, international NGOs, coffee producers, and governments. Improving the infrastructure in southern Africa—railways, ports, telecommunication, and roads—cannot take place without dialogue and collaboration between public and private actors in many fields. Implementing sustainable water management worldwide requires collective action on the ground—by municipalities, companies, civil society organizations, and communities—and an exchange of best practices across nations, regions, and continents. Moving a nation’s energy supply away from nuclear energy or fossil fuels entails consensus and collective action among many stakeholders inside the country; the surrounding countries may need to be engaged in the vision as well. Regaining a community’s traditional land rights and ensuring sustainable land use necessitates cooperation between public and private stakeholders. Dealing with the consequences of climate change requires the combined efforts of governments, civil society, and the private sector.

If we envision a planet in ecological balance, social justice around the globe, and an economic system that serves humankind while keeping the earth healthy, we must admit that sustainability demands global collaboration. As Eric Lowitt puts it in "The Collaboration Economy": “We have just begun our journey. Much work remains . . . to create a new era of prosperity that benefits our lives today while enhancing future generations’ ability to meet their needs in perpetuity.”

No matter our own chosen task—managing scarce water resources, adapting to climate change, securing access to adequate nutrition, or creating responsible value chains—the challenges of sustainability are urgent. They require new forms of collaborative inventiveness and, above all, people who are willing to implement change jointly at all levels of society.

This means that we need to acquire new competencies—or revive existing ones—to create change collectively on a broad scale. When speaking about the need to work with multi-stakeholder groups, Unilever CEO Paul Polman admits, “It is an enormous learning curve as no one has been trained for this.” The learning includes developing our human capacity for outcome-oriented dialogue, effective collaboration, and future-oriented collective action across institutional or national boundaries.  Isolated action needs to be replaced by collective leadership—a paradigm shift in how individuals find their leadership roles in the spirit of collaborative co-creation and contribution to the common good.

An African proverb that has been cited many times in the last few years says, “If you want to go fast, travel alone; if you want to go far, travel together.” The route to sustainable development is long and winding. We can only travel together. It is helpful to have a map to understand the geography, and it is even more helpful to have a compass.

"The Art of Leading Collectively" will help you navigate the collaborative journey. Its goal is to encourage and empower those who have started this journey and those who would like to join.

Large companies may adopt sustainability strategies as a result of public pressure, but they soon realize that the internal structures enabling them to learn faster in collaboration with their stakeholders also accelerate business opportunities. Governments increasingly realize that they cannot prevent connectivity and transparency and that staying in a structured dialogue with their citizens is a more peaceful and prosperous way to move forward. Civil society organizations see their impact increase through collaboration with other sectors. Turning the challenges of complexity, interdependency, and urgency into opportunities requires more than passion, intuition, or excellent plans. We need to learn faster together, collaborate more efficiently, and enhance collective action for more sustainable human behavior—on an everyday basis at the local, national, and global level.

"The Art of Leading Collectively" will take you backstage, behind the scenes of what the world will need more of if we want to co-create a better future: successful collaboration. It is founded on years of work that has shown there is no perfect leader, no perfect project manager who can navigate complex settings collaboratively without the occasional sleepless night. Conflicts, misunderstandings, failures, and hidden agendas are part of the journey. Human beings need to negotiate the road map into the future. There is no other choice. Addressing sustainability challenges requires people in all sectors to work together in more fruitful and constructive ways. No single actor has the best solution for sustainability issues, but each may contribute a piece of the puzzle.

This book will help you implement more outcome-oriented and constructive co-creation on a day-to-day basis—for yourself, your team, your organization, and—above all—your cross-sector collaboration initiative. It equips dedicated change makers in public, private, and civil society organizations with a tool for better co-creation. My experience is that the dimensions of collective leadership for sustainability can be made transparent. They can be learned and enhanced—individually and collectively.

Perhaps you are trying to start a complex cooperation project, or are in the midst of one you’re trying to improve. Or maybe you’re trying to rediscover the world of fruitful human interaction, shift the mind-set of your organization toward collaboration, or find new ways to work out difficult challenges. If so, the tool presented in "The Art of Leading Collectively"—the Collective Leadership Compass—helps you keep your collaboration journey on track and find the necessary course corrections. With it, you can:

• Prepare for your journey into collaboration from the outset.


• Locate where you are, defining what is present and what’s missing.


• Map the path, adjust your strategies, and know what to shift, to strengthen, or to focus on.


• Convince your colleagues that leading collectively for sustainability can change the world.

Your collaboration journey starts with the first step—understanding your own contribution to better co-creation. You are the fractal that can make a difference in the world, the member of a group of thoughtful citizens that can change the world. You are a leader when you begin to engage with the future, when you draw people into collaboration, when you commit yourself to a larger goal. You are not alone on the journey; you are part of a community for change.

Better co-creation is all about us human beings—you and me, and the many others out there, all around the world. The challenges are as manifold as there are opportunities for dedicated people to make a difference.

Petra Kuenkel is the author of "The Art of Leading Collectively" published by Chelsea Green.