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Starbucks to launch reusable cup sharing programme in the UK this year
Starbucks has announced plans to launch a reusable cup 'sharing' initiative in all British, French and German stores in the coming months, ahead of a roll-out across Europe, the Middle East and Africa by 2025.
Unilever forges fungi partnership to scale up plant-based protein
As part of a plan to reach €1bn in sales target for plant-based meat and dairy alternatives, Unilever has partnered with a food-tech firm producing fungi-based mycoprotein.
Circular economy: Arc'teryx launches resale, care and repair services
Outdoor clothing and equipment brant Arc'teryx has launched a new programme enabling consumers to resell, repair, upcycle and extend the life of their products.
Made.com launches giving platform for used homewares in circular economy push
Online home and lifestyle retailer Made.com has launched a new service enabling customers to list used goods for resale or free donation, as part of its drive to become a "truly circular business'.
Iceland boss Richard Walker: Collective business activism required to hold politicians to account
EXCLUSIVE: Iceland Foods' boss Richard Walker believes that 'collective business activism' is essential in driving policymakers to align with the sustainability movement, following a recent letter sent by food retailers to the Brazilian Government urging them to reconsider a new land bill that could increase deforestation.
Pandora to ditch mined diamonds over sustainability concerns
The world's largest jewellery brand, Pandora, has announced plans to stop sourcing mined diamonds and to switch to only lab-grown alternatives.
Ikea launches buy-back service in all UK stores
Following a string of Covid-19-related delays, Ikea has launched its long-awaited buy-back scheme for furniture across its UK stores.
Asda launches second-hand fashion offering in 50 UK stores
Following a successful trial in 2019, Asda is rolling out a second-hand fashion aisle to 50 of its UK stores, in a bid to encourage a more circular economy for clothing.
Regenerative and circular net-zero transition: Inside Mulberry's new sustainability strategy
In an exclusive interview with edie, Mulberry's chief executive Thierry Andretta explains how its new ambitions to reach net-zero by 2035 and champion transparency, regeneration and circularity will be delivered.
Regenerative agriculture and AI for solar: Google funnels €10m into projects tackling climate change
Google's charitable arm Google.org has outlined how it will allocate a €10m Impact Challenge on Climate funding, naming winners in fields including solar farm optimisation and regenerative farming.
Nike Refurbished: Shoe giant launches new service to help combat waste
Nike has launched a new service whereby shoes can be refurbished and resold, thereby extending their lifespan.
Additional $600m for low-carbon solutions as BlackRock forms new investment partnership
The world's largest investor, BlackRock, has forged a new partnership with Singapore-based Temasek to scale up investment in low-carbon technologies.
Most UK business travellers to fly less after lockdown, survey reveals
A survey of more than 1,400 frequent business travellers in Europe has found that UK-based professionals, in particular, are planning to fly less once Covid-19 restrictions lift.
Servitisation and the circular economy: How can businesses encourage shoppers to consume less?
Often, when businesses make resource efficiency commitments, they stop short of committing to shifting to business models that will see them selling fewer products. But why - and which businesses have overcome this challenge?
Building resilience post-Covid-19: Businesses urged to 'reinvent capitalism' and regenerate nature
If the climate crisis is to be averted and the UN's Sustainable Development Goals to be met, businesses must help to "reinvent capitalism" so the "true value" of nature and society are appreciated.
Why the circular economy is primed to improve social sustainability and value chain resiliency
EXCLUSIVE: The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the fragility of both society and the sprawling value chains that the economy relies on. Shifting nations to a circular economy could be key in delivering a green recovery that champions sustainable income and environmental stewardship.
Circular Economy Week: edie kicks off week of zero-waste themed content and events
Running from 22-26 March, edie's Circular Economy Week includes exclusive interviews, podcasts, reports, webinars and in-depth feature articles - all dedicated to embracing closed-loop models.
VW aims to double EV sales in 2021
Volkswagen (VW) has committed to selling more than 450,000 electric vehicles (EV) globally in 2021 - more than double the amount it sold in 2020 - as part of its Covid-19 recovery efforts.
Circular economy models reduce costs and boost sales for major fashion brands
Outerwear brand FW and fashion platform Farfetch have revealed the results of two-year pilots of circular economy models, pledging to expand them following positive financial results.
The 2021 Sustainable Business Leadership Report
edie's annual survey reveals what "business leadership" looks like for sustainability, CSR and energy professionals across the UK, following our first two reports in 2019 and 2020. With businesses responding to the pandemic in different ways, leadership is being redefined.
Daimler prices €1bn green bond to help finance EV transition
Mercedes-Benz's parent company Daimler has priced its second major green bond at €1.02bn, with funds set to be spent on delivering its climate and electric vehicle (EV) targets.
P&G launches refillable shampoo bottles in the UK
Procter & Gamble (P&G) has launched a refill format that uses 60% less plastic across several of its most popular shampoo brands in the UK.
Volvo Cars to go fully electric by 2030
Volvo has outlined plans to stop selling petrol, diesel and hybrid cars by the end of the decade.
Drax unveils plans to host UK's largest carbon capture project by 2027
Drax has begun the planning process for its proposals to scale up bioenergy with carbon capture (BECCS) arrays at its Yorkshire power plant.
Survey: Circular economy businesses outperform those that take, make and dispose
Companies using circular economy models like refill, resale and repair generate have seen sharper revenue upticks than their traditional competitors, new market research has found.
eBay: Shoppers increasingly looking for 'eco' and 'sustainable' homewares during lockdown
eBay has revealed that searches for 'eco furniture' and 'sustainable furniture' have more than doubled year-on-year, suggesting that shoppers are increasingly looking for pre-owned and refurbished products due to lockdown.
From Audi to Volkswagen: How are big carmakers approaching the EV transition?
After Ford and Jaguar announced plans to go fully electric this week, edie looks at the commitments the world's biggest carmakers have made to electrify their vehicle portfolios.
Ford vows to only sell electric vehicles in Europe from 2030
Just days after Jaguar confirmed plans to only offer electric cars from 2025, Ford has committed to stop selling petrol and diesel models in Europe by the end of the decade.
Coventry unveils plans to host battery Gigafactory by 2025
Coventry City Council has partnered with a local airport to develop plans for a major battery Gigafactory that would help to scale up the local electric vehicle (EV) and energy sectors.
Jaguar to switch to fully electric vehicle portfolio by 2025
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) will stop producing petrol and diesel vehicles under its Jaguar brand by 2025 and switch to electric-only models, as part of a sweeping new business strategy.
Leeds and London to host new green finance research hubs
A new government-backed body dedicated to green finance research is set to launch in April, with physical "hubs" in Leeds and London.
HP unveils sustainability 'changemaker' and 'catalyst' schemes
Tech giant HP has launched a new scheme offering industry partners the resources and traning they need to accelerate sustainability progress, in the same week that Octopus Energy unveiled what it claims is the world's first energy technology research organisation.
Sustainability Leaders Forum: Five top tips for turning climate ambition into action
With the dust settling on three days of thought-provoking conversations at edie's Sustainability Leaders Forum (SLF), edie rounds up how businesses can make 2021 a super year for climate action, which turns ambition into action for corporate sustainability.
#SustyTalk: Enterprise's Iain Macbeth on fleet electrification in the time of Covid-19
edie's #SustyTalk interview series continues with an exclusive discussion with Enterprise-Rent-A-Car's director of electric vehicle (EV) strategy, Iain Macbeth.
Biodiversity loss: Agriculture 'threatening 86% of at-risk species', says major UN-backed report
Global food systems are the world's biggest driver of nature loss and urgent systemic change to address this will result in an uptick of plant-based diets, according to a major new report.
Finance and policy: The external drivers forcing businesses to take climate action
Sustainability professionals have often found frustration when trying to embed CSR across an entire organisation, but the mainstreaming of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investing looks set to create new momentum behind the green recovery.
Beyond net-zero targets: What role can businesses play in solving the climate emergency?
Recent months have seen the numbers of businesses committed to net-zero climate targets expanding exponentially. But beyond these long-term, high-level ambitions, how can firms of all sizes and sectors deliver change on the ground?
Robert Downey Jr launches ESG venture capital funds
Renowned actor and producer Robert Downey Jr. has launched a new Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) venture capital investment fund aiming to support sustainability products and services, clean energy and resource efficiency.
Waitrose Unpacked: Supermarket unveils next steps for plastic-busting refill scheme
After trials of packaging-free, refillable products proved popular with shoppers and reduced the supermarket's plastic footprint, Waitrose & Partners is planning to make the format easier to use - and to roll it out to more stores in future.
Exeter to play host to UK's first national circular economy 'hub'
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is investing £3.5m to create a new circular economy hub at the University of Exeter, which will be used to coordinate research and development across the country.
Hard coding sustainability action into governance structures
We are surrounded by enormous challenges but the mood has changed and 2021 comes with an expectation of progress. Amanda Powell-Smith of Forster Communications and Klara Kozlov of CAF discuss why sustainability leaders need to look at whether their organisation has the right governance structures in place to enable brave intentions to become reality.
Veganuary: Asda unveils plant-based 'butcher' as campaign gets record 440,000 sign-ups
The Veganuary campaign has received a record 440,000 sign-ups to its 31-day challenge - and, keen to grab a piece of the plant-based action, the UK's biggest supermarkets and food-to-go chains are debuting new products.
Survey: Three-quarters of UK businesses turning to sustainability to bounce back from Covid-19
A survey of 1,000 UK businesses has found that more than three-quarters are planning to increase their sustainability focus in 2021, as part of their plans to financially recover from Covid-19.
Lessons from Project X: Redefining risk and fear in times of environmental crisis
People have often asked me - why Project X? Why now? The answer is simple: We simply cannot sit around and see business destroying our environment much faster than it can be regenerated.
M&S expands plastic-free refill offering as UK lockdown lifts
Marks and Spencer (M&S) has launched its packaging-free refill offering for dried, ambient and frozen foods in a third store due to growing customer demand.
To meet our net-zero targets, we must make lasting and significant changes to our business
Last week's announcement from the Prime Minister marked a critical moment in the UK's journey towards achieving the country's net-zero target. Sky's chief executive outlines what this means for the business.
Half of Ikea meals to be plant-based by 2025
Retail giant Ikea has pledged to ensure that 50% of the main meals offered in its restaurants, and 80% of the pre-packaged foods it sells, are plant-based by 2025.
Garnier launches shampoo bars with reduced environmental impact
L'Oreal brand Garnier is launching a new range of shampoo bars, packaged in 100% recyclable materials, that offer a 25% reduction in environmental impact compared to liquid shampoos.
Unilever to halve food waste, sets €1bn sales target for plant-based food alternatives
Consumer goods giant Unilever has unveiled a new "future foods" strategy that will see the company commit to halving food waste, improving nutritional standards and set a €1bn sales target for plant-based meat and dairy alternatives.
#SustyTalk: Counting down to COP26 with Chapter Zero, the Green Alliance and Fundación Avin
for Net-Zero November, edie hosts a special #SustyTalk video panel discussion on preparations for COP26 with the Green Alliance's Shaun Spiers, Chapter Zero's Susan Hooper and Fundación Avin and the UNFCCC's advisory panel's Ramiro Fernandez.
Iberostar targets carbon neutrality by 2030, eyes nature-based insetting
Spanish hotel giant Iberostar has outlined plans to become carbon neutral within a decade, underpinned by commitments to sequester carbon at its seafront locations.
Can business models act as carbon sinks to reach net-zero?
To kickstart edie's Net-Zero November, carpet manufacturer Interface's head of sustainability Jon Khoo reflects on the company's own ambitious Climate Take Back strategy, as well as discussing how business mindsets and models can "act like carbon sinks" to transform corporates into zero-impact organisations.
Action on plastics: Has Covid-19 stopped the refill revolution?
Many retailers and brands backtracked on plastic-free refill pledges in a bid to stop Covid-19 from spreading earlier this year. But are we really headed back towards single-use in the long term, or will there be a different "new normal" for packaging?
Burger King teams up with TerraCycle for reusable packaging pilot
Burger King will bring reusable coffee cups, soft drinks cups and burger boxes to restaurants in the US and Japan early next year as part of a partnership with TerraCycle.
P&G to launch refillable shampoo bottles in 2021
Procter & Gamble (P&G) will launch a refill format which uses 60%less plastic across several of its most popular shampoo lines in Europe next year.
Asda opens 'sustainability store' with refill stations and plastic-free groceries
Asda has installed refill stations, reverse vending machines and a vintage clothing aisle to one of its busiest stores, to gauge consumer attitudes and logistical considerations to more sustainable offerings.
What makes a sustainability leader? Meet award-winning brewer Toast Ale
With the 2021 Sustainability Leaders Awards entry deadline approaching, this new feature series showcases the achievements of the 2020 winners and reveals their secrets to success. Up next: The winner of our SME of the Year, Toast Ale.
Ikea unveils national buy-back scheme for used furniture in drive to become 'fully circular'
Ikea will start buying back customers' used furniture at stores across the UK and Ireland next month, in an effort to discourage "excessive consumption" and become a "fully circular" business by 2030.
edie launches new explains guide to creating a circular economy for electronics
Organisations looking to understand the benefits and opportunities of reusing and recycling used electronics can now access a free 'edie Explains' guide breaking down everything they need to know about preventing e-waste.
Credit Suisse raises $212m for 'world's first' ocean health impact fund
Swiss investment bank Credit Suisse has partnered with Rockefeller Asset Management to launch an impact fund that will finance projects improving ocean health, raising $212m pre-launch.
Tesco to increase sales of meat alternatives by 300% to reduce environmental impact of products
Tesco has become the first UK retailer to set public sales targets for plant-based meat alternatives, pledging to increase sales of those products by 300% by 2025 as part of an ongoing commitment to halve the environmental impact of the average shopping basket.
How partnerships can fast-track action against the SDGs
Mondi's group head of sustainable development Gladys Naylor outlines why partnerships are key to fast-tracking progress against the Sustainable Development Goals.
Why business must take the lead in our green economy
Ella's Kitchen's chief executive Mark Cuddigan outlines why returning to a sense of normality does not mean reverting back to business as usual, with his latest blog outlining the importance of corporate's spurring the green recovery.
L'Oréal launches bottles made from 100% recycled plastic and rolls out Maybelline recycling scheme
L'Oreal has confirmed that bottles of Paris Elvive will be made from 100% recycled plastic, on the same day that its Maybelline brand launched a UK recycling programme in partnership with TerraCycle.
Sustainability must be at the heart of C-Suite thinking for the 'new normal' in the wake of Covid-19
Covid-19 has been a wake-up call for many CEOs when it comes to sustainability. While many companies had already increased their actions and commitment to sustainability pre-Covi-19, the pandemic has seemingly acted as a catalyst for urgent action on climate change.
Patagonia: Regenerative agriculture is the next sustainability frontier for fashion and food
EXCLUSIVE: Patagonia's vice president for social & environmental responsibility has told of how she witnessed a "groundswell" in regenerative farming in recent months, of a scale that has been unprecedented during her 10+ years working across supply chains.
Report: World could reach peak plastic production in 2027, risking billions of dollars for oil majors
Global oil majors are planning to invest $400bn in virgin plastic production within five years - but much of this investment is at risk as governments beef up plastics and climate targets, and as consumers continue to push for plastic-free products.
9 in 10 sustainability professionals excited by green recovery opportunities, survey reveals
EXCLUSIVE: An edie survey of more than 240 sustainability, energy and CSR professionals has revealed that 89% believe the implementation of Covid-19 recovery plans is an opportunity to accelerate climate action.
The Green Recovery Business Roadmap
Much has been said about the need to deliver a green recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. But what new ways of working should businesses be exploring to assist with a just and low-carbon transition? This new report outlines EIGHT key considerations.
Timberland targets net-positive nature impact by 2030
Fashion giant Timberland has pledged to ensure that it has a net-positive impact on nature within a decade - a vision underpinned by commitments to regenerative agriculture and the circular economy.
Lego becomes Ellen MacArthur Foundation member in bid to spur circular economy progress
Toymaker the Lego Group has joined the Ellen MacArthur Foundation for a three-year period, as part of its efforts to increase product reuse and recycling.
HSBC signs up for new $1bn natural capital investment fund
HSBC has partnered with Pollination to launch what it is describing as the first large-scale investment fund focused solely on nature conservation and restoration.
Report: Global fashion sector will emit double its Paris Agreement limit by 2030
The global fashion sector is currently generating more emissions each year than the UK, Germany and France combined, and will fail to align with the Paris Agreement without transformational change over the next decade.
How can businesses accelerate circular economy progress beyond Covid-19?
Earth Overshoot Day - the date at which humanity has used all available natural resources for the year - came almost a month later in 2020, largely as a result of Covid-19. But how can companies innovate and actuate to deliver lasting, holistic reductions in their environmental impact going forward?
Available on demand: edie’s Earth Overshoot Day webinar
edie’s webinar exploring the circular economy to mark Earth Overshoot Day 2020 is now available to watch on-demand, featuring expert speakers from the Ellen Macarthur Foundation, DS Smith and Toast Ale.
Nestlé launches vegan tuna alternative after record plant-based 'meat' sales
Nestle has launched its first plant-based seafood alternative, a tuna substitute called Vuna, after its sales of plant-based meat alternatives surpassed £166m last year.
John Lewis kick-starts furniture leasing trials as Ganni unveils rental-only collection
Department store John Lewis has launched a new furniture rental service, in the same week that luxury fashion brand Ganni debuted a new denim collection that is available to rent but not to purchase.
Retail giants prepare to launch TerraCycle's 'zero-waste' refill service in stores
Following successful online launches, retailers including Tesco in the UK and Carrefour in France are planning to bring TerraCycle's refillable model, backed by businesses like Danone and Unilever, to stores.
Resale, repair and environmental labelling: Selfridges accelerates efforts to sustainably 'reinvent retail'
Selfridges has outlined a string of new commitments and pilot projects around sustainable materials sourcing, environmental communications and resource-efficient business models like repair, resale and rental.
Coca-Cola's plastic-free packs and V2G bus depots: The sustainability success stories of the week
As part of our Mission Possible campaign, edie brings you this weekly round-up of five of the best sustainability success stories of the week from across the globe.
Bus garage in London now hosting 'world's largest' V2G trial
A bus garage in North London has been fitted with vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology and 100 buses adapted for bi-directional charging, as part of what is being described as the largest project of its kind in the world.
John Elkington: Businesses should 'think like insurgents' to spur green recovery efforts
EXCLUSIVE: Many organisations will need to "regenerate" approaches to environmental, societal and economic business models in the wake of the financial damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic, according to Volans' chairman and chief pollinator John Elkington, who has called on companies to "think like an insurgent".
BP vows to cut fossil fuel production by 40% by 2030
BP has unveiled plans to transition away from being an oil company and to become an integrated energy company instead, headlined by a commitment to decrease fossil-based hydrocarbon production within a decade.
Google owner issues largest corporate sustainability bond in history
Google's parent company Alphabet Inc. has issued $5.75bn (£4.4bn) in sustainability bonds, in what it claims is the largest sustainability or green bond issued by a corporation to date.
BMW unveils new 10-year climate plan, vows to slash emissions per vehicle by one-third
The BMW Group has pledged to reduce its emissions footprint by one-third by 2030, on a per-vehicle basis, as part of a new climate plan underpinned by science-based targets and electric vehicle (EV) development.
DPD reaches 2020 fleet electrification target ahead of schedule
Delivery giant DPD has integrated the 700th electric vehicle (EV) into its UK fleet this week, meaning that more than 10% of its UK van fleet is now pure-electric.
2020 will be 'watershed year' for plant-based foods, investor coalition predicts
Investor coalition FAIRR has documented a tenfold increase in the plant-based-food-related assets its cohort manages over the past four years and found that four in ten food giants now have dedicated teams for plant-based products.
Vivobarefoot launches resale platform for repaired shoes
Shoe brand VivoBarefoot has launched an online resale platform for repaired and returned shoes, in what it claims is a world first.
Microsoft targeting one million tonnes of carbon removal by October
Microsoft has unveiled plans to capture one million metric tonnes of carbon from the environment by the end of the fiscal year, as part of its commitment to become carbon-negative by 2030.
Banking giants team up for Task Force for Nature-related Financial disclosures
AXA and BNP Paribas are among a group of 10 major banks backing a new initiative intended to help corporates measure, disclose and minimise their nature-related financial risks.
Putting young people at the heart of a greener post-Covid recovery
At the start of 2020, few of us could have predicted the changes and upheaval that we have experienced together in the first six months of this year. As we emerge tentatively from lockdown across Europe, we now face the challenge of recovery as local, national and global communities, with the many social and environmental imperatives that Covid-19 has brought to the fore.
WEF: Invest in nature-led Covid-19 recovery to reap $10trn economic opportunity
By embedding 'net-positive' nature requirements into their Covid-19 recovery strategies, governments and businesses could collectively realise a $10trn (£7.9trn) economic opportunity and create 395 million new jobs within a decade.
In the Loop: Tesco and TerraCycle pilot 'zero-waste' refill service in the UK
TerraCycle has today (15 July) launched its zero-waste shopping platform in the UK in collaboration with Tesco, after a delay due to Covid-19.
Environment Agency unveils five-year plan to bolster 2030 net-zero target
The Environment Agency (EA) has outlined its plans to boost climate resilience, improve natural resources and foster green growth through to 2025, after setting a 2030 net-zero target late last year.
VW to remove petrol and diesel vehicle manufacturing lines from key factory
Volkswagen (VW) is set to remove production lines for all internal combustion engine vehicles from one of its key factories this year, replacing them with electric vehicle (EV) production capacity.
Green recovery: Why resilience through the lens of sustainability is the only strategy
Business can never be the same again. If there is one lesson as we emerge from lockdown, it is how unacceptably vulnerable the machinery of commerce upon which our livelihoods depend is to shocks beyond our control.
#SustyTalk: Farfetch's Tom Berry on spurring circular economy models for fashion
edie's #SustyTalk interview series continues with Farfetch's global director of sustainable business Tom Berry, who discusses circular economy engagement and innovation in the fashion sector.
Fashion footprint: Farfetch's new tool to highlight the environmental impact of clothing
Luxury fashion platform Farfetch has launched a new tool helping online customers to choose products with lower environmental impacts, including secondhand goods and those made using innovative renewable materials.
John Elkington on Green Swans, Covid-19 and green market shifts
In a viewpoint written exclusively for edie's Mission Possible 2020 report, Volans' chairman and chief pollinator John Elkington discusses a new "age of miracles" whereby the once impossible belief that sustainability could dictate market actions now becomes the core lever of an economic recovery.
Oxford's zero-carbon homes and L'Oreal's eco-fund: The sustainability success stories of the week
As part of our Mission Possible campaign, edie brings you this weekly round-up of five of the best sustainability success stories of the week from across the globe.
