Tag: 3BL

WASHINGTON, December 10, 2024 /3BL/ – American consumers are concerned about the cost and quality of the groceries they consume every day, as evidenced by the results of the 2024 U.S. presidential election. Food brands should keep this in mind as they plan for 2025, particularly when it comes to their sustainability goals, because global trade trends will have consequences for Americans’ wallets and values.

Research commissioned by Fairtrade America and carried out by the independent insights firm, GlobeScan, in 2023 found that 61% of shoppers see inflation as the most important challenge facing the world. Poverty and climate change ranked second and third, respectively.

Fairtrade America forecasts the following trends for 2025 and calls on brands to strategize around them as the New Year approaches.

High Global Commodity Prices Are Here to Stay

The history-making coffee and cocoa price spikes seen in 2024 are not anomalies. Prices for commodities grown by smallholder farmers in tropical regions hit hard by climate change will increase due to reduced supply. For American consumers, this will likely mean paying more for bananas and other produce, herbs and spices, and nuts and oils, in addition to coffee and cocoa.

Smallholder farmers in these regions are unable to quickly adapt to climate change because of long-standing issues, including the exploitative underpayment of farmers, a lack of investment in aging farms that have lower production potential and rising production costs.

To lessen the sting of price fluctuations, commodity traders and food companies must invest more in the farms they source from. Only when climate change adaptation at the farm level becomes a shared responsibility across the supply chain will global market prices stand a chance of stabilizing.

Europe’s Regulations Will Redefine Expectations Globally

The European Union’s Deforestation Regulation and the European Commission’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive have set higher bars for environmental, economic and social sustainability that food companies will need to reach to sell into Europe. Seen by many as the strictest sustainability laws created to date, both signal greater scrutiny on and enforcement of responsible corporate behavior.

Supply chains are global. Food brands will be impacted by these regulations whether they are selling in Europe or not.

Even if U.S. policy continues its inaction on corporate sustainability and social responsibility, there is growing consumer demand among Americans for more sustainable products. Millennial and Gen Z shoppers, who are positioned to have the most purchasing power by 2030, are driving this trend. Considering that consumers have ranked national governments, international entities (like the United Nations) and large corporations as the most responsible for moving the needle on human rights and environmental due diligence, brands that become early adopters can capitalize on the lack of progress from the other two groups to gain consumers’ favor and strengthen their position on the global stage.

Consumers Demand Proof

Sustainability claims are no longer enough. Building shoppers’ trust in your sustainability efforts across environmental, economic and social issues is key. This is a challenge because concern for greenwashing has grown alongside rates of general corporate distrust.

Sustainability claims must be proven, or consumer trust will be lost. In today’s environment of information overwhelm, brands must concisely, transparently and repeatedly communicate the difference they are making and be able to back up their statements with evidence and impact reporting. Companies that make sustainability a core tenet of their brand will be well positioned to capture younger generations’ business come 2030.

“No amount of isolationism in U.S. politics will protect American shoppers and their wallets from these global realities,” said Amanda Archila, Executive Director, Fairtrade America. “Every day spent denying current crises puts affordability, livelihoods, and the very land needed to feed people at risk. Many consumers have recognized that climate change is no longer an existential threat, and their purchasing motivations have changed accordingly. Now, it’s on food companies to adapt.”

Fairtrade America urges food companies to consider these factors as they reevaluate their sustainability efforts for 2025. Steps brands can take to chart a more sustainable way forward in 2025 include:

Understand how climate change is affecting supply chains and invest in climate adaptation at the farm levelPrepare farmers in your supply chain to be compliant with evolving sustainability lawsPartner with Fairtrade America to source sustainable products and leverage our impact reporting and communications support

Find more information about Fairtrade and the process of certification at fairtradeamerica.org/get-certified.

Media Contact: Liz Davis, Media Relations Manager, Fairtrade America
ldavis@fairtradeamerica.org | 937-776-3493

About Fairtrade America
Fairtrade America works to rebalance trade, making it a system rooted in partnership and mutual respect rather than exploitation. It’s about businesses, shoppers, farmers and workers all working together so we can all experience the benefits of trade. Fairtrade America is the U.S. branch of Fairtrade International, the original and global leader in fair trade certification with more than 30 years of experience working for fair trading practices in more than 30 countries across the globe. A non-profit 501(c)3 organization, Fairtrade America is part of the world’s largest and most recognized fair trade certification program —part of a global movement for change. Learn more at fairtradeamerica.org, and by connecting with Fairtrade America on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Logitech Blog

In October, Logitech took International Wellbeing Month to new heights. Over the course of the month, we highlighted the connection between feeling good and doing great work, empowering our community to prioritize their wellbeing—both at work and in life. It was all about sparking a deeper understanding of how the digital environment plays a crucial role in our overall wellness journey.

As part of this activation, Logitech partnered with creators to emphasize the importance of wellbeing in the workplace and encourage their audiences to find balance and prioritize digital wellness.

These creators authentically connect with topics like mental health, wellbeing, and ergonomic living. Through sharing their personal stories and insights, our message resonated deeply with their communities and sparked meaningful conversations around wellness, balance, and ergonomics in our digital world.

At Logitech, our mission is to inspire others to understand that when we work better, we feel better—and ultimately, we do better.

Logitech Blog

In October, Logitech took International Wellbeing Month to new heights. Over the course of the month, we highlighted the connection between feeling good and doing great work, empowering our community to prioritize their wellbeing—both at work and in life. It was all about sparking a deeper understanding of how the digital environment plays a crucial role in our overall wellness journey.

As part of this activation, Logitech partnered with creators to emphasize the importance of wellbeing in the workplace and encourage their audiences to find balance and prioritize digital wellness.

These creators authentically connect with topics like mental health, wellbeing, and ergonomic living. Through sharing their personal stories and insights, our message resonated deeply with their communities and sparked meaningful conversations around wellness, balance, and ergonomics in our digital world.

At Logitech, our mission is to inspire others to understand that when we work better, we feel better—and ultimately, we do better.

Violence has uprooted thousands of people in the Abyei Region, which lies on the border between Sudan and South Sudan. Many of them, like South Sudanese Adut Monywiir, were forced to flee with what little they could carry.

Adut ran for her life in April 2022 due to this ongoing conflict. The Abyei Region, which is just over 3,800 square miles, has been claimed by both Sudan and South Sudan, who dispute the region’s status.

“I left because of the severity, for my children,” Adut said. “People burned houses at night. During the day war would erupt. They kill children and women. Anyone who gets in the way is normally killed. I decided it was better to run so we would not be killed.”

After fighting broke out in Abyei, local authorities advised Adut and her family to temporarily set up shelter in Akoong, South Sudan. The journey to safety was not easy — she and her five children trekked for six days on empty stomachs in the extreme heat. “My children and I traveled on foot. We did not travel by road,” she said. “We had to travel through the bush. If we were caught by the road we could have been killed. Hunger followed us on our walk. We had no food with us. We survived on wild fruit and leaves.”

There are more internally displaced people than ever before — at the end of 2023, 75.9 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) faced crises in their own country. In South Sudan, nearly 2.3 million people have been internally displaced, largely from conflict and climate shocks. Most, like Adut, are often forced to leave with little warning. Her story is not uncommon; in fact, many internally displaced persons (IDPs) have made similar journeys due to violence. For over two years, Adut has remained at an IDP settlement based in Akoong, where Action Against Hunger offers services for all displaced families.

When she arrived at the settlement, Adut was exhausted and hungry. She had very few items to her name. She had to watch over her children alone, since the intensity of the conflict prevented her husband from making the journey and joining his family.

Adut’s children were very sick from long days without water or food. One child was severely malnourished. Adut felt hopeless and uncertain of her family’s future. Her life was on pause as she waited to return home and wondered if it would ever happen. She set up a small living space in the IDP camp.

In Akoong, hundreds of other IDPs crowd in temporary homes made out of branches and sticks. Each family has very little space to shelter and rest. Resources in the area are very limited. “The challenge is food,” she said. “There is no land to cultivate, not for us IDPs.”

Three weeks after Adut settled in Akoong with her children, Action Against Hunger’s emergency team stationed in the area to provide nutrition services for hundreds of vulnerable families.

Action Against Hunger’s Multisectoral Emergency Team, nicknamed “MET,” helps communities facing urgent humanitarian needs. The MET often responds to some of the most remote, hardest-to-reach areas. Oftentimes, they are the only emergency teams for miles and miles. They provide lifesaving assistance until longer-term, more permanent programs can be developed. From urgent vaccine rollouts to postnatal care to treatment for deadly malnutrition, the MET works around the clock to provide services to those in need.

Oftentimes, the MET work in dangerous areas, with heightened levels of food insecurity and disease. With limited access to healthcare, the team is one of the only groups that can save lives and restore hope.

Adut was grateful for the support from MET. Her malnourished child was quickly treated and fully recovered. When they were discharged, Adut took advantage of Action Against Hunger’s water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) program, where she received a hygiene kit filled with basic necessities.

Adut was also able to access maternity support; increased access to clean water and sanitation services; and psychosocial support through private counseling, group counseling, and weekly classes.

Susan, a psychotherapist on Action Against Hunger’s emergency team, created The Women’s Center, where women like Adut can take classes to learn new skills and save money. Classes include embroidery, sewing with a machine, beadwork, and hair braiding lessons. At The Center, women like to join hands to share stories, dance, and heal together.

Adut attends private counseling sessions that are run by Susan, the psychotherapist. Here, she learns ways to cope with life without her husband.

“I have learned the skills of being patient without stress,” she said. “Even though my husband is not present I can just be patient, earn money, and feed my children until my husband returns.”

Despite the challenges of being a single parent, Adut has learned to be resilient. “I have learned that wherever you are, you need to work like a man,” she said. “As a woman, I can work hard. Right now, I am working while I wait for my husband. When you work you can earn money to feed your children, care for your home, and relieve your trauma. Before I would cry over my husband who is not here. Now, I have been taught to concentrate on the skills I have learned to help my family.”

Action Against Hunger’s emergency team advocates that “prevention is better than cure,” and Adut is committed to learning new ways to stave off illness and malnutrition. Today, she and her children practice good hygiene daily and rarely get sick or have diarrhea.

“My life before Action Against Hunger’s program compared to now is very different,” she said. “Before I enrolled in the program I was suffering. My children were sick. There was no way to get medication. My child was malnourished and there was no way to get treatment for malnutrition. When the emergency team intervened, my life changed.”

Now, if someone in her family gets sick, Adut has free and convenient access to medicine and health care. For the first time in years, she’s able to dream of a better future.

Adut aspires to open a hair salon one day and continue supporting her children with the techniques she learned from hair braiding classes. Her newly discovered passion has propelled her to move forward from her past.

“I am grateful to Action Against Hunger for the services they give, my child’s life has improved,” Adut said. “In addition, I ask Action Against Hunger to continue their work so that displaced children may also improve as my child has.”

About Action Against Hunger in South Sudan

Action Against Hunger is working to support internally displaced persons like Adut as they arrive in IDP camps. Along with malnutrition screenings and treatment, our teams provide psychosocial counseling sessions; ensure that families like Adut’s have access to clean water and sanitation services; distribute hygiene kits that include soap, buckets, plastic sheets, and water purification tablets; and supply mothers with medication and maternity care. Midwives deliver babies onsite weekly.

Action Against Hunger has worked in South Sudan since 1985. Last year, we reached over 1.1 million people. Our emergency programs help people fleeing the war in Sudan and a variety of intercommunal conflicts. We have provided hundreds of families who have been displaced by conflict with lifesaving, urgent assistance. Across the country, we are also distributing cash and building latrines.

Learn more about Action Against Hunger in South Sudan here.

Watch a video on the MET team here.

About Action Against Hunger

Action Against Hunger leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change, and reach 21 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across 59 countries, our 8,900 dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity, and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good.

**

Photos by Peter Caton

Violence has uprooted thousands of people in the Abyei Region, which lies on the border between Sudan and South Sudan. Many of them, like South Sudanese Adut Monywiir, were forced to flee with what little they could carry.

Adut ran for her life in April 2022 due to this ongoing conflict. The Abyei Region, which is just over 3,800 square miles, has been claimed by both Sudan and South Sudan, who dispute the region’s status.

“I left because of the severity, for my children,” Adut said. “People burned houses at night. During the day war would erupt. They kill children and women. Anyone who gets in the way is normally killed. I decided it was better to run so we would not be killed.”

After fighting broke out in Abyei, local authorities advised Adut and her family to temporarily set up shelter in Akoong, South Sudan. The journey to safety was not easy — she and her five children trekked for six days on empty stomachs in the extreme heat. “My children and I traveled on foot. We did not travel by road,” she said. “We had to travel through the bush. If we were caught by the road we could have been killed. Hunger followed us on our walk. We had no food with us. We survived on wild fruit and leaves.”

There are more internally displaced people than ever before — at the end of 2023, 75.9 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) faced crises in their own country. In South Sudan, nearly 2.3 million people have been internally displaced, largely from conflict and climate shocks. Most, like Adut, are often forced to leave with little warning. Her story is not uncommon; in fact, many internally displaced persons (IDPs) have made similar journeys due to violence. For over two years, Adut has remained at an IDP settlement based in Akoong, where Action Against Hunger offers services for all displaced families.

When she arrived at the settlement, Adut was exhausted and hungry. She had very few items to her name. She had to watch over her children alone, since the intensity of the conflict prevented her husband from making the journey and joining his family.

Adut’s children were very sick from long days without water or food. One child was severely malnourished. Adut felt hopeless and uncertain of her family’s future. Her life was on pause as she waited to return home and wondered if it would ever happen. She set up a small living space in the IDP camp.

In Akoong, hundreds of other IDPs crowd in temporary homes made out of branches and sticks. Each family has very little space to shelter and rest. Resources in the area are very limited. “The challenge is food,” she said. “There is no land to cultivate, not for us IDPs.”

Three weeks after Adut settled in Akoong with her children, Action Against Hunger’s emergency team stationed in the area to provide nutrition services for hundreds of vulnerable families.

Action Against Hunger’s Multisectoral Emergency Team, nicknamed “MET,” helps communities facing urgent humanitarian needs. The MET often responds to some of the most remote, hardest-to-reach areas. Oftentimes, they are the only emergency teams for miles and miles. They provide lifesaving assistance until longer-term, more permanent programs can be developed. From urgent vaccine rollouts to postnatal care to treatment for deadly malnutrition, the MET works around the clock to provide services to those in need.

Oftentimes, the MET work in dangerous areas, with heightened levels of food insecurity and disease. With limited access to healthcare, the team is one of the only groups that can save lives and restore hope.

Adut was grateful for the support from MET. Her malnourished child was quickly treated and fully recovered. When they were discharged, Adut took advantage of Action Against Hunger’s water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) program, where she received a hygiene kit filled with basic necessities.

Adut was also able to access maternity support; increased access to clean water and sanitation services; and psychosocial support through private counseling, group counseling, and weekly classes.

Susan, a psychotherapist on Action Against Hunger’s emergency team, created The Women’s Center, where women like Adut can take classes to learn new skills and save money. Classes include embroidery, sewing with a machine, beadwork, and hair braiding lessons. At The Center, women like to join hands to share stories, dance, and heal together.

Adut attends private counseling sessions that are run by Susan, the psychotherapist. Here, she learns ways to cope with life without her husband.

“I have learned the skills of being patient without stress,” she said. “Even though my husband is not present I can just be patient, earn money, and feed my children until my husband returns.”

Despite the challenges of being a single parent, Adut has learned to be resilient. “I have learned that wherever you are, you need to work like a man,” she said. “As a woman, I can work hard. Right now, I am working while I wait for my husband. When you work you can earn money to feed your children, care for your home, and relieve your trauma. Before I would cry over my husband who is not here. Now, I have been taught to concentrate on the skills I have learned to help my family.”

Action Against Hunger’s emergency team advocates that “prevention is better than cure,” and Adut is committed to learning new ways to stave off illness and malnutrition. Today, she and her children practice good hygiene daily and rarely get sick or have diarrhea.

“My life before Action Against Hunger’s program compared to now is very different,” she said. “Before I enrolled in the program I was suffering. My children were sick. There was no way to get medication. My child was malnourished and there was no way to get treatment for malnutrition. When the emergency team intervened, my life changed.”

Now, if someone in her family gets sick, Adut has free and convenient access to medicine and health care. For the first time in years, she’s able to dream of a better future.

Adut aspires to open a hair salon one day and continue supporting her children with the techniques she learned from hair braiding classes. Her newly discovered passion has propelled her to move forward from her past.

“I am grateful to Action Against Hunger for the services they give, my child’s life has improved,” Adut said. “In addition, I ask Action Against Hunger to continue their work so that displaced children may also improve as my child has.”

About Action Against Hunger in South Sudan

Action Against Hunger is working to support internally displaced persons like Adut as they arrive in IDP camps. Along with malnutrition screenings and treatment, our teams provide psychosocial counseling sessions; ensure that families like Adut’s have access to clean water and sanitation services; distribute hygiene kits that include soap, buckets, plastic sheets, and water purification tablets; and supply mothers with medication and maternity care. Midwives deliver babies onsite weekly.

Action Against Hunger has worked in South Sudan since 1985. Last year, we reached over 1.1 million people. Our emergency programs help people fleeing the war in Sudan and a variety of intercommunal conflicts. We have provided hundreds of families who have been displaced by conflict with lifesaving, urgent assistance. Across the country, we are also distributing cash and building latrines.

Learn more about Action Against Hunger in South Sudan here.

Watch a video on the MET team here.

About Action Against Hunger

Action Against Hunger leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change, and reach 21 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across 59 countries, our 8,900 dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity, and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good.

**

Photos by Peter Caton

Every day we are using our materials science to create a better, more sustainable future – and I couldn’t be prouder.

Growing up, I wasn’t sure what kind of career I wanted, but I did know I wanted to make a positive impact on people’s lives and on the world. Eventually I followed in my grandfather’s footsteps, joining Dow, and every day I go to work for a company that is addressing some of the world’s greatest challenges, including climate change.

I am proud to work for a company that is committed to decarbonization and accelerating the clean energy transition. Dow is doing its part, not only by utilizing renewable energy sources within its own operations, but also by delivering renewable solutions to the market.

An expanding population requires more energy, further driving demand for renewables. Dow is keeping pace by delivering solutions that improve the efficiency, reliability and durability of our customers’ products, while lowering greenhouse gas emissions.

Providing critical materials to solar technologies

We are using our materials science expertise to deliver innovations that help drive the world’s transition to a low-emissions future. One example is our solutions for solar energy, which is the fastest growing source of energy globally.

For more than 40 years, we have been a leading player in the solar industry and a global leader for the supply of thermal fluids used in concentrated solar power (CSP) systems. In fact, more than 50 large-scale CSP sites around the world are built with our versatile DOWTHERM™ A Heat Transfer Fluid, including Noor Energy 1, the world’s largest CSP project. Combined, these 50 sites generate a total capacity of more than 3 gigawatts of power, enough to meet the needs of 1 million homes, and save more than 6 million metric tons of CO2 emissions each year.

Our materials are also helping to enable the longevity and reliability of photovoltaic (PV) modules, more commonly known as solar panels. Optimized performance, lower lifetime costs, reliability and thermal management are crucial to solar panel manufacturers, and products like Dow’s ENGAGE™ PV Polyolefin Elastomers, DOWSIL™ Adhesives and Sealants and DOWSIL™ TC-5860 Thermally Conductive Compound can enable businesses to create more innovative solar panels and harness more power for the long term. Additionally, Dow’s portfolio of DOWSIL™ Adhesives and Sealants enable reliable sealing performance regardless of weather conditions or climate, preventing water from entering into the PV modules and contributing to their durability and longevity.

PV inverters are another critical component of renewables, converting the energy solar panels generate into the energy that powers our homes. However, these inverters can generate a massive amount of heat and need to keep working even in harsh outdoor environments. DOWSIL™ TC-5860 Thermally Conductive Compound provides PV inverters with long-term, reliable thermal management to deal with the heat generated as well as protection from outdoor elements.

Powering the energy grids of tomorrow

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, renewable energy sources are projected to provide 44% of the United States’ electricity by 2050, compared to approximately 21% today. As the energy sector transitions to renewable energy and upgrades the existing electrical grid, demand for reliable high-voltage cables intensifies. The pressing need to decarbonize also means that cable manufacturers are seeking to create products with added sustainability benefits.

Dow’s ENDURANCE™ Compounds are used in high voltage transmission cables and can significantly reduce cable degassing times, resulting in lower CO2 emissions during the manufacturing phase. These innovative materials not only help our customers keep up with industry demand, but they also ensure their products meet both sustainability requirements and the needs of tomorrow’s power grid.

At Dow, we are making a positive impact on our world by delivering solutions that help our customers harness the power of the sun and support global decarbonization efforts. Every day we are using our materials science to create a better, more sustainable future – and I couldn’t be prouder.

Mastercard

Trawling the supermarket aisles for dinner, most people’s eyes gravitate to the price tag and preparation time. An oven-ready beef lasagna might look like a more attractive option than a vegetable stir-fry that requires chopping, sautéing and cleaning up.

However, by prioritizing cost and convenience, shoppers often ignore one factor — the carbon footprint that dinner leaves behind. It’s not that most people are impervious to their environmental impact; in fact, recent surveys show the majority want to live a more sustainable life. But amid price pressures and time constraints, more sustainable choices all too often fall by the wayside.

It’s a gap London-based entrepreneur Freddie Lintell is confident he can close by making it easier to make those choices. His company Reewild offers an AI-powered carbon tracking meal planner app that includes emissions data from 1.2 million products and provides recipes measured by carbon usage.

But since launching his business three years ago, he’s realized most U.K. consumers need more incentives to start tracking their carbon footprint in the same way they might monitor their calorie intake.

That’s why Reewild is now piloting an eco-reward solution that takes inspiration from airline frequent flyer programs. It offers points for buying low-emissions products that can be swapped for rewards such as energy bill discounts or free e-bike rentals.

“The wider vision is to offer points for low-impact products that you buy across every consumer packaged good, which can then be redeemed back into the green economy to enable a virtuous cycle of better behaviors,” he says.

With the spending power of “eco-active” consumers tipped to soar from $500 billion to $1 trillion by 2027, Reewild is tapping into the growing pressure on brands to burnish their sustainability credentials to meet regulatory requirements and help consumers understand the impact of their purchases.

After working for seven years in sustainability-focused jobs, including helping build a carbon-neutral subscription business for flowers, the 33-year-old, who is married to a professional chef, began developing the idea for Reewild after discovering food systems generate a third of global emissions.

Brainstorming how he could use his experience working with brands and retailers to communicate their environmental impacts, he began delving into the complexities of carbon food labelling and building a network of contacts.

Then, to nudge consumers in the right direction, his team began building Reewild’s meal planner app, which rates product emissions using “carbon calories” with one gram of CO2 equaling one carbon calorie. Based on its calculations, for example, five ounces of “very high” impact shrimp are worth 1,924 carbon calories, or the emissions equivalent of driving five miles by car.

Linking users to supermarkets to buy ingredients, the app helps people easily plan meals with carbon-rated recipes from popular chefs such as vegan stuffed mushrooms at 283 carbon calories and beef tacos at 5,023 carbon calories — almost 20 times more than the mushrooms).

Lintell also wants to challenge the notion that shopping sustainably costs more.

He calculates that people can save up to $1,800 a year by using the app while slashing 35% from their carbon emissions.

“We’re really trying to set the cheapest product and the greenest product as the default for customers,” Lintell says. “That’s one of the most influential ways of nudging consumer behavior.”

Now Reewild has joined Mastercard Start Path, the company’s startup engagement program, as part of a climate-focused set of startups working with the Mastercard Sustainability Innovation Lab to create ecosystems that make more possible. Harnessing the Mastercard’s expertise, technology and connections, Lintell hopes Start Path will help Reewild scale up its rewards program, currently being piloted with CH&CO, which is owned by the food services giant Compass Group PLC, which runs the cafeterias at University College London.

So far, the Reewild rewards are proving popular with UCL’s eco-conscious students, who are using the points they accumulate from choosing low-impact lunches to redeem free coffees or vegetarian meals.

With ambitions to eventually take Reewild’s rewards scheme global, Lintell is confident countries will standardize ways to display carbon footprint data alongside nutritional food labels to make it easier to choose more sustainable options – benefiting the environment as well as consumers’ wallets.

Originally published by Mastercard

Follow along Mastercard’s journey to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere.

Mastercard

Trawling the supermarket aisles for dinner, most people’s eyes gravitate to the price tag and preparation time. An oven-ready beef lasagna might look like a more attractive option than a vegetable stir-fry that requires chopping, sautéing and cleaning up.

However, by prioritizing cost and convenience, shoppers often ignore one factor — the carbon footprint that dinner leaves behind. It’s not that most people are impervious to their environmental impact; in fact, recent surveys show the majority want to live a more sustainable life. But amid price pressures and time constraints, more sustainable choices all too often fall by the wayside.

It’s a gap London-based entrepreneur Freddie Lintell is confident he can close by making it easier to make those choices. His company Reewild offers an AI-powered carbon tracking meal planner app that includes emissions data from 1.2 million products and provides recipes measured by carbon usage.

But since launching his business three years ago, he’s realized most U.K. consumers need more incentives to start tracking their carbon footprint in the same way they might monitor their calorie intake.

That’s why Reewild is now piloting an eco-reward solution that takes inspiration from airline frequent flyer programs. It offers points for buying low-emissions products that can be swapped for rewards such as energy bill discounts or free e-bike rentals.

“The wider vision is to offer points for low-impact products that you buy across every consumer packaged good, which can then be redeemed back into the green economy to enable a virtuous cycle of better behaviors,” he says.

With the spending power of “eco-active” consumers tipped to soar from $500 billion to $1 trillion by 2027, Reewild is tapping into the growing pressure on brands to burnish their sustainability credentials to meet regulatory requirements and help consumers understand the impact of their purchases.

After working for seven years in sustainability-focused jobs, including helping build a carbon-neutral subscription business for flowers, the 33-year-old, who is married to a professional chef, began developing the idea for Reewild after discovering food systems generate a third of global emissions.

Brainstorming how he could use his experience working with brands and retailers to communicate their environmental impacts, he began delving into the complexities of carbon food labelling and building a network of contacts.

Then, to nudge consumers in the right direction, his team began building Reewild’s meal planner app, which rates product emissions using “carbon calories” with one gram of CO2 equaling one carbon calorie. Based on its calculations, for example, five ounces of “very high” impact shrimp are worth 1,924 carbon calories, or the emissions equivalent of driving five miles by car.

Linking users to supermarkets to buy ingredients, the app helps people easily plan meals with carbon-rated recipes from popular chefs such as vegan stuffed mushrooms at 283 carbon calories and beef tacos at 5,023 carbon calories — almost 20 times more than the mushrooms).

Lintell also wants to challenge the notion that shopping sustainably costs more.

He calculates that people can save up to $1,800 a year by using the app while slashing 35% from their carbon emissions.

“We’re really trying to set the cheapest product and the greenest product as the default for customers,” Lintell says. “That’s one of the most influential ways of nudging consumer behavior.”

Now Reewild has joined Mastercard Start Path, the company’s startup engagement program, as part of a climate-focused set of startups working with the Mastercard Sustainability Innovation Lab to create ecosystems that make more possible. Harnessing the Mastercard’s expertise, technology and connections, Lintell hopes Start Path will help Reewild scale up its rewards program, currently being piloted with CH&CO, which is owned by the food services giant Compass Group PLC, which runs the cafeterias at University College London.

So far, the Reewild rewards are proving popular with UCL’s eco-conscious students, who are using the points they accumulate from choosing low-impact lunches to redeem free coffees or vegetarian meals.

With ambitions to eventually take Reewild’s rewards scheme global, Lintell is confident countries will standardize ways to display carbon footprint data alongside nutritional food labels to make it easier to choose more sustainable options – benefiting the environment as well as consumers’ wallets.

Originally published by Mastercard

Follow along Mastercard’s journey to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere.

Originally published in Lenovo’s 2023/24 ESG Report

As Senior Vice President and Chief Legal & Corporate Responsibility Officer, it is a pleasure to share our 18th annual Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Report for FY 2023/24. I write this letter with the knowledge that our world is at a critical juncture across all elements of ESG. This past year was measured as the hottest year on Earth in recorded history, economic uncertainty and division remains for many around the world, and artificial intelligence has proven itself as a powerful tool that must be used thoughtfully. It’s more important than ever to take action credibly, collaboratively, and with full accountability.

With these values in mind, Lenovo was proud to fortify our participation as a member of the United Nations Global Compact by joining the Forward Faster initiative in 2023. Through this initiative, Lenovo has committed to accelerating impact for the UN Sustainable Development Goals as they relate to climate action and water resilience. After announcing the validation of our net-zero targets by the Science Based Targets initiative in January 2023, joining the Forward Faster initiative further demonstrates our commitment to credible action through collaboration with others who are serious about mitigating climate change and conserving our planet’s resources.

While we are on track to meet our near-term 2030 emissions reduction goals – the first milestone in our journey to net-zero by 2050 – we know that innovation is perhaps the most critical strength for our journey. Our people are core to our ability to innovate and it’s important that our teams are composed of diverse perspectives to ensure we’re getting the best ideas from a wide range of viewpoints. Workforce diversity not only supports stronger solutions to problems, but it helps us better meet the needs of our diverse, global customer base.

To better understand the diversity of our employee base, we launched a Self-ID Campaign in 2023. The Self-ID Campaign gives employees the opportunity to voluntarily provide information on their gender identity, disability status, and racial or ethnic background. With alignment from local leadership, it has rolled out in the US, the European Union, and he United Kingdom. We look forward to extending it to key markets in the Asia Pacific region in the months to come. This campaign and the aggregate workforce data it provides is critical to ensuring the safety and well-being of employees by increasing awareness of external dynamics and helping to support the development of stronger internal policies. It also provides insights for our employee resource groups, as they work to foster a sense of belonging in our workforce across seven diversity segments, many intersections, and many interest groups. Our Product Diversity Office can also leverage this data for awareness of internal stakeholders as they review new products and solutions and ensure our smarter technology is truly for all.

Lenovo is an industry leader in the inclusion of women in the workforce and representation of women in our technical teams. We remain focused on our executive representation goals for FY 2025/26, working to reach 27% female executive representation around the world and 35% representation of executives from historically excluded backgrounds in the US. To bolster this work, we’ve focused on our diverse talent pipeline. We continue to see success from our Women’s Leadership Development Program (for Director-level women around the world) and Mosaic Leadership Development Program (for Directors from historically excluded backgrounds in the US). Recently Lenovo has added the Courageous Leadership Development Program to better retain and grow managers who are from historically excluded backgrounds in the US and not yet at the Director level.

In FY 2023/24, we were proud to receive the highest-ever engagement score on our Annual Lenovo Listens employee survey. We see this reflected in our employees’ energy for our global philanthropy efforts. In 2023, employees grew our grassroots-driven Love on Month of Service for the seventh consecutive year, tracking more hours volunteered than ever before. Employees in Colombia, Brazil, the US and India gave back with our charitable partner Wine To Water to help provide access to clean water for local communities. Additionally, employees engaged with our Work for Humankind initiative in India, helping rural farmers in the Kanthaloor state revitalize cultivation of the ancient millet grain.

As we continue our sustainability journey, we are proud of recognitions that signal progress. In the past year we were proud to be recognized as one of Fortune Magazine’s Most Admired Companies. We were also named a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion by the Disability:IN, maintained our placement on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index for LGBTQ+ inclusion, and received our highest score to date on Workplace Pride’s Global Benchmark Score. Our customers and partners are recognizing our efforts, as Lenovo was honored with the Canalys Sustainability Champion Award in 2023. We know that these accolades are the result of strong governance that we will persistently reinforce through our policies, decisions, behaviors, and the workplace culture they create.

As a global technology company, we continue to navigate new challenges. However, we know that our persistent commitments to collaboration, credibility, and accountability will continue to power us forward on our sustainability journey.

Laura Quatela

Senior Vice President, Chief Legal & Corporate Responsibility Officer

Lenovo Group Limited

Read more

Originally published in Lenovo’s 2023/24 ESG Report

As Senior Vice President and Chief Legal & Corporate Responsibility Officer, it is a pleasure to share our 18th annual Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Report for FY 2023/24. I write this letter with the knowledge that our world is at a critical juncture across all elements of ESG. This past year was measured as the hottest year on Earth in recorded history, economic uncertainty and division remains for many around the world, and artificial intelligence has proven itself as a powerful tool that must be used thoughtfully. It’s more important than ever to take action credibly, collaboratively, and with full accountability.

With these values in mind, Lenovo was proud to fortify our participation as a member of the United Nations Global Compact by joining the Forward Faster initiative in 2023. Through this initiative, Lenovo has committed to accelerating impact for the UN Sustainable Development Goals as they relate to climate action and water resilience. After announcing the validation of our net-zero targets by the Science Based Targets initiative in January 2023, joining the Forward Faster initiative further demonstrates our commitment to credible action through collaboration with others who are serious about mitigating climate change and conserving our planet’s resources.

While we are on track to meet our near-term 2030 emissions reduction goals – the first milestone in our journey to net-zero by 2050 – we know that innovation is perhaps the most critical strength for our journey. Our people are core to our ability to innovate and it’s important that our teams are composed of diverse perspectives to ensure we’re getting the best ideas from a wide range of viewpoints. Workforce diversity not only supports stronger solutions to problems, but it helps us better meet the needs of our diverse, global customer base.

To better understand the diversity of our employee base, we launched a Self-ID Campaign in 2023. The Self-ID Campaign gives employees the opportunity to voluntarily provide information on their gender identity, disability status, and racial or ethnic background. With alignment from local leadership, it has rolled out in the US, the European Union, and he United Kingdom. We look forward to extending it to key markets in the Asia Pacific region in the months to come. This campaign and the aggregate workforce data it provides is critical to ensuring the safety and well-being of employees by increasing awareness of external dynamics and helping to support the development of stronger internal policies. It also provides insights for our employee resource groups, as they work to foster a sense of belonging in our workforce across seven diversity segments, many intersections, and many interest groups. Our Product Diversity Office can also leverage this data for awareness of internal stakeholders as they review new products and solutions and ensure our smarter technology is truly for all.

Lenovo is an industry leader in the inclusion of women in the workforce and representation of women in our technical teams. We remain focused on our executive representation goals for FY 2025/26, working to reach 27% female executive representation around the world and 35% representation of executives from historically excluded backgrounds in the US. To bolster this work, we’ve focused on our diverse talent pipeline. We continue to see success from our Women’s Leadership Development Program (for Director-level women around the world) and Mosaic Leadership Development Program (for Directors from historically excluded backgrounds in the US). Recently Lenovo has added the Courageous Leadership Development Program to better retain and grow managers who are from historically excluded backgrounds in the US and not yet at the Director level.

In FY 2023/24, we were proud to receive the highest-ever engagement score on our Annual Lenovo Listens employee survey. We see this reflected in our employees’ energy for our global philanthropy efforts. In 2023, employees grew our grassroots-driven Love on Month of Service for the seventh consecutive year, tracking more hours volunteered than ever before. Employees in Colombia, Brazil, the US and India gave back with our charitable partner Wine To Water to help provide access to clean water for local communities. Additionally, employees engaged with our Work for Humankind initiative in India, helping rural farmers in the Kanthaloor state revitalize cultivation of the ancient millet grain.

As we continue our sustainability journey, we are proud of recognitions that signal progress. In the past year we were proud to be recognized as one of Fortune Magazine’s Most Admired Companies. We were also named a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion by the Disability:IN, maintained our placement on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index for LGBTQ+ inclusion, and received our highest score to date on Workplace Pride’s Global Benchmark Score. Our customers and partners are recognizing our efforts, as Lenovo was honored with the Canalys Sustainability Champion Award in 2023. We know that these accolades are the result of strong governance that we will persistently reinforce through our policies, decisions, behaviors, and the workplace culture they create.

As a global technology company, we continue to navigate new challenges. However, we know that our persistent commitments to collaboration, credibility, and accountability will continue to power us forward on our sustainability journey.

Laura Quatela

Senior Vice President, Chief Legal & Corporate Responsibility Officer

Lenovo Group Limited

Read more