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Circular roundtable: How can businesses accelerate the resource revolution?
Sustainability and corporate responsibility managers from a range of businesses recently gathered in London for an exclusive roundtable hosted by edie and EDF Energy, to discuss how organisations are stepping up efforts to accelerate a circular economy.
Energy innovation: Delivering the smart grid of the future, today
The mission is clear: we must accelerate the shift to zero-carbon energy systems in order to slash emissions and mitigate global warming. But this mission IS possible: renewable energy costs are tumbling and new approaches to energy management such as battery storage and demand response are offering new ways for organisations to operate more sustainably.
Wake up and smell the coffee: our shared responsibility to manage food and drink packaging waste
As edie's Resource Management month draws to a close, circular economy experts Libby Sandbrook (BITC) and Debbie Hitchen (Anthesis) explore the challenges and opportunities behind two of the most talked-about packaging waste issues of our generation: coffee cups and plastic bottles.
Hubbub launches fourth waste-cleaning boat made from recycled plastics
Environmental charity Hubbub has launched a fourth waste-cleaning boat made from recycled plastic, after partnering with beauty brand Kiehl's to fund a further expansion to its 'plastic fishing' initiative.
Inside Kimberly-Clark's plastics packaging strategy
EXCLUSIVE: Kimberly-Clark's global sustainability lead for products and packaging Daniel Locke has outlined how the company is "revamping" its resource management ambitions as consumer pressure for plastic packaging reductions mounts.
Unilever: Innovation is the 'cornerstone' to plastics reduction
EXCLUSIVE: Product and systems innovations will be a "key cornerstone" in meeting Unilever's five-point plastics reduction strategy, which champions behaviour change and total phase-outs where possible alongside incremental reductions.
Coca-Cola and Merlin Entertainments extend on-the-go plastic recycling initiative
Coca-Cola Great Britain has announced it has extended a project to place onsite reverse vending machines for plastic bottles at major UK attractions including Alton Towers Resort, Thorpe Park, and Legoland Windsor, after a trial collected more than 26,000 bottles last year.
edie Explains: ISO 14001
This edie Explains guide, produced in association with NQA, provides an in-depth summary of the ISO 14001 Standard which is used to establish and maintain a continuous level of environmental performance improvements.
Survey: Almost half of UK SMEs failing to act on single-use plastics
A major survey of more than 1,000 UK small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) has found while the majority of businesses understand the importance of reducing single-use plastics, 40% are yet to carry out basic measures to reduce plastic waste.
Nestle unveils plastic-free packaging for snack bars
Food and beverage giant Nestle has unveiled a paper-based alternative to flexible plastic wrapping, which it is using to house its newest snack bar range.
Aldi to remove plastic packaging from toilet roll packs
Aldi could save more than 900 tonnes of plastic each year, after announcing trials to remove plastic packaging from toilet roll packs at 174 stores across the UK.
Going 100%: How landlords hold the key to corporate renewable energy targets
This brand-new edie report developed in partnership with Big Clean Switch and The Climate Group's RE100 campaign sheds light on the relationship between landlords and tenants on the big issue of renewable energy.
Businesses commit to phase-out eight 'problem plastics' by 2020
Companies signed up to the UK Plastic Pact have committed to removing eight "problem plastics" by 2020, including cutlery, cotton buds and polystyrene packaging, but the decision has sparked calls that self-regulated efforts won't be sufficient enough to avert plastics pollution.
Seven things sustainability professionals can learn from Hugh and Anita's War on Plastic
The BBC's docuseries exploring how the public, government officials and corporates are fuelling an unsustainable demand for plastics concluded on Monday (24 June). Here, edie highlights seven key lessons that the series can teach sustainability professionals.
Boots switches to paper bags across UK stores
Boots has become the first UK national pharmacy, health and beauty retailer to phase-out single-use plastic bags, having today (24 June) switched to brown paper bags.
BBC War on Plastic: How Happy Meal toys and pellet production are piling on to the waste mountain
The final instalment of the BBC's War On Plastic tonight (24 June) will highlight just how broken the linear economy is, as Anita focuses on the mountain of free plastic toys from places such as fast food restaurants, while Hugh learns how the plastic industry plans to increase production by 50%
Naked vegetables: Aldi extends plastic-free fresh produce trial to England
Aldi UK is extending a trial of removing plastic packaging from fresh vegetable lines to parts of England, after a pilot programme in Scotland reduced more than three tonnes of plastic.
Coca-Cola GB launches its first 100% recycled plastic bottles
Coca-Cola's Great Britain arm has launched its first fully recyclable plastic bottles made using 100% recycled PET (rPET), under its Glaceau Smartwater brand.
War on Plastic with Hugh and Anita: 'Hidden' plastics placed in the spotlight
Episode two of the BBC's War on Plastic series on Tuesday night (17 June) saw presenters Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Anita Rani take a deeper delve into the UK's plastics addiction, exposing invisible plastic particles from unexpected sources. Could this be the start of a war on microplastics?
War on Plastic with Hugh and Anita: Supermarkets brace for further backlash on packaging
During the first episode of the BBC's much-anticipated War on Plastic last night (10 June), presenters Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Anita Rani shed fresh light on the UK's plastics waste problem - placing the so-called "Big Seven" supermarkets under increased scrutiny over their approach to packaging.
Sainsbury's removes plastic bags from produce and bakery aisles
Sainsbury's has pledged to remove all single-use plastic bags from its fruit, vegetable and produce lines by September, in what it claims will be a first for a UK supermarket.
Estée Lauder to develop refillable packaging as part of circular economy drive
US-based cosmetics giant Estée Lauder has vowed to develop reusable and refillable packaging by 2025, as part of a sweeping new set of resource efficiency commitments.
Keurig Dr Pepper sets sweeping new plastics packaging targets
US-based food and beverage giant Keurig Dr Pepper has committed to making 100% of its plastic packaging recyclable or compostable by 2025, as part of a new corporate responsibility strategy.
The Global Goals: Can the 'long-term North Star' guide businesses to value creation?
At edie Live, experts from the private and public sectors discussed business progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Here, edie explores whether there's still time left for sustainability and energy professionals to harness the Global Goals to truly transform business, for good.
Groceries 'Unpacked': Waitrose pilots packaging-free refill offering
Waitrose & Partners has started offering packaging-free refill options for hundreds of its own-brand lines, as part of a trial to gauge consumer appetite for container reuse and plastic-free sundries.
The Big Business Plastics Debate (Part One): Are we throwing the baby out with the bathwater?
Over two days at edie Live 2019, sustainability and resource efficiency experts from across the country gathered for the Big Plastics Debate - a live, on-stage panel discussion about the drivers, challenges and opportunities behind eliminating single-use plastics. Here, we summarise the first part of what was a highly provocative discussion.
Achieving a circular economy: New business guide launched by edie
Organisations looking to accelerate the transition to a circular economy now have access to a comprehensive 'edie explains' guide which breaks down everything there is to know about achieving a zero-waste world.
Insight, inspiration and innovation continue into final day of edie Live 2019
Members of the UK's sustainability and energy management communities have descended upon the NEC in their thousands, with sessions at full capacity throughout the first day of edie Live 2019 and the action now set continue into the second and final day (22 May).
Morrisons rolls out plastic-free fruit and veg offering nationwide
Supermarket giant Morrisons will roll out packaging-free fruit and veg across 60 of its UK stores this summer, following a successful trial at three of its stores.
Unilever unveils 'detectable and recyclable' black plastic packaging
Consumer goods giant Unilever has today (17 May) unveiled a new pigment which makes black plastics detectable by recycling equipment, as it strives to boost the recyclability of its packaging portfolio.
Bioreefs and plastic-free periods: Waitrose announces winners of £1m plastic challenge
A "bioreef" of mussels, an initiative that tackles ghost fishing gear and a behaviour change campaign that reduces plastic pollution from period products are among the winners of Waitrose & Partners' £1m plastic pollution innovation challenge.
Inside P&G's plastics packaging strategy
EXCLUSIVE: Procter & Gamble's principal scientist and packaging technologist, Gian De Belder, has outlined the company's five-pillar approach to improving the recyclability of its packaging through science-based studies and "Holy Grail" collaborative projects.
The Body Shop launches in-store take-back scheme for plastic packaging
Health and beauty retailer The Body Shop has launched a multinational take-back scheme for its plastic packaging, after consumers voiced concerns that not all of the brand's packaging is accepted by local authorities under kerbside recycling schemes.
Henkel's black plastic solution and Amsterdam's diesel ban: 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.
Hubbub to roll out 'on-the-go' recycling scheme to Scotland and Wales
Environmental charity Hubbub is planning to launch its behaviour change scheme for recycling 'on-the-go' food and drinks packaging, backed by companies such as Coca-Cola GB, Costa Coffee and McDonald's, in Wales and Scotland this year, following success in Leeds.
Scottish Government unveils 20p deposit return scheme for plastic bottles
The Scottish Government has revealed the results of its consultation on implementing a national deposit return scheme for drinks packaging, confirming that it will introduce a 20p deposit fee for all PET and glass bottles as well as aluminium and steel cans.
Sainsbury's to remove black plastic packaging by March 2020
Supermarket Sainsbury's has committed to remove all black plastic packaging from its own-brand products by March 2020, as part of a sweeping new set of plastic reduction pledges.
edie Explains: The circular economy
This new and updated edie Explains guide breaks down everything there is to know about achieving a circular economy for your business.
SDGs In Action: How Tetra Pak is achieving Goal 13 - Climate Action
Welcome back to edie's new editorial series which breaks down exactly how businesses are turning the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into action. Up next: multinational food packaging firm Tetra Pak unveils how it is protecting futures by championing actions to mitigate climate change.
Australia's largest Coca-Cola bottler to launch 100% recycled plastic bottles this year
Coca-Cola Amatil (CCA) has pledged to double the amount of recycled plastic it sources for inclusion in plastic bottle production, after green campaigners criticised parent firm The Coca-Cola Company for its continued use of high quantities of virgin plastics.
How Lucozade's seaweed sachet trials are spurring lasting behavior change around plastics
EXCLUSIVE: Following a successful pilot at two races last summer, Lucozade Ribena Suntory (LRS) last week confirmed that it will hand out 30,000 drinks in edible seaweed sachets at this year's London Marathon. But will these events generate lasting changes to consumer behaviour surrounding plastics?
Evian unveils refillable device in bid to slash plastic waste
French bottled water company Evian is set to begin trials of a new refillable in-home water appliance next month, in a bid to gauge consumer appetite for lower-plastic alternatives to single-use bottles.
Diageo to remove plastic packaging from Guinness and beer multipacks
Beverage giant Diageo has today (15 April) revealed that it is investing £16m in an initiative which will see all plastic packaging removed from its Guinness, Smithwicks and Harp multipacks.
Three-course meal: How addressing food waste can deliver a triple win for sustainable business
Following the revelation that food banks around the world helped mitigate more than 10.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions while reducing food costs, edie explores whether the conversation on food waste needs to change to capture heightened calls for action on climate change.
Pushing back on plastic pollution: Six steps to tackling one of sustainability’s biggest issues
When it comes to tackling the global plastics crisis, we are only just scratching the surface. However, ambitious change initiatives are emerging and plastics is firmly in the public eye.
Co-op to halve emissions by 2025
The Co-op has announced new goals to reduce its direct emissions by 50% and product-related emissions by 11%, after reaching a previous carbon goal three years ahead of schedule.
Asda, TerraCycle and Ella's Kitchen launch baby food pouch recycling scheme
Recycling firm TerraCycle and baby food brand Ella's Kitchen have a launched a six-month trial partnership with Asda to increase the recyclability of baby food pouches.
Unilever launches 100% recycled and recyclable washing up liquid bottle
Unilever has launched a fully recyclable plastic bottle made from 100% recycled content under its soap brand Sunlight, marking a first for the consumer goods firm's South African arm.
Ribena bottles to be redesigned in bid to boost recycling rates
Beverage giant Lucozade Ribena Suntory (LRS) has unveiled plans to redesign its range of Ribena bottles so that they can be easily recycled within the UK's existing waste management facilities.
Big-name corporates collaborate to spur plastics recycling progress in Africa
A group of four multinational corporations – Unilever, Nestle, Diageo and The Coca-Cola Company – have launched a joint initiative aimed at expanding the plastics recycling economy in Africa's Sub-Saharan region.
George at Asda to use recycled plastic bottles in clothing and homeware ranges
Asda's fashion and homeware brand, George, will incorporate recycled plastic bottles in its products, as part of a commitment to only use polyester made from recycled materials by 2025.
Tesco trials plastic-free fruit and veg selection
Supermarket Tesco is trialling packaging-free fresh produce at two stores in Watford and Swindon, in a bid to monitor whether the remove of plastic packaging for select products will impact levels of food waste.
HP pledges to make all printed pages 'forest positive'
HP will help customers transition to a low-carbon and resource-efficient future, after pledging that every page printed using an HP printer will be "forest positive".
Aldi targets plastic glitter phase-out by 2020
Supermarket chain Aldi has pledged to remove plastic glitter from 100% of its own-brand products by 2020, starting with its Halloween 2019 range.
UK's first nationwide recycling scheme for plastic six pack rings unveiled
Plastic six pack ring producer Hi-Cone has partnered with recycling firm TerraCycle to launch the UK's first national recycling scheme for the packaging.
Aldi removes plastic packaging from fresh vegetable lines
Aldi has removed the flexible plastic wrapping from five of its fresh vegetable lines in its Scottish stores, in a bid to explore consumer attitudes to loose produce.
Leon and Veolia partner to launch reverse-vending scheme in London
Restaurant chain Leon and waste management firm Veolia have collaborated to install a reverse vending machine at London King's Cross Estate, in a bid to encourage consumers to recycle.
Walkers collects 500,000 crisp packets in recycling scheme
Walkers has posted the first update on its nationwide crisp packet recycling scheme, revealing that more than 500,000 packets have been collected since its launch in December 2018.
Nestlé's plastic-free pouches and James Bond's electric car: 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.
Business giants unveil new plastics pledges after joining global Ellen MacArthur Foundation commitment
A coalition of more than 150 businesses has revealed new pledges to reduce their plastics use and waste, after joining the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's new Global Commitment, which was launched late last year.
Europe's largest Coca-Cola bottler reveals progress on plastic reduction
Europe's largest independent Coca-Cola bottler used 27.6% recycled content in its plastic bottles last year - more than ten times the beverage sector's global average proportion of 2-3%.
Asda removes 6,500 tonnes of plastic from own-brand packaging
UK supermarket Asda has removed 6,500 tonnes of plastic from its own brand packaging over the last 12 months, the equivalent weight of around 600 million empty plastic bottles.
Lidl to trial removal of all plastic bags at Welsh stores
Plans have been announced by supermarket retailer Lidl to remove all 9p plastic bags from its stores in Wales.
KP launches national snack packaging recycle scheme
A national recycling scheme for prepacked nuts, popcorn, crisps and pretzels has been launched by KP Snacks.
Amazon launches box 'grouping' service to slash packaging and emissions
Online retailer Amazon has launched a service that enables customers to choose a set delivery day and 'group' their orders, which will help the company reduce its packaging footprint and optimise its delivery routes.
SC Johnson launches industry-first 100% ocean plastic bottle
Home cleaning product manufacturer SC Johnson has developed the industry's first plastic bottle made entirely from recycled ocean plastic for its Windex cleaning brand.
How employee engagement has pushed Henkel's sustainability ambitions to new heights
EXCLUSIVE: Henkel's decision to bolster its sustainable packaging strategy last year was largely driven by the ambitions of a workforce of 'sustainability ambassadors', the company's director of sustainability management has revealed.
Closed-loop solution for black plastics receives £800,000 Government backing
A project aimed at creating a solution for hard-to-recycle black plastic that places recycled content into food-grade packaging has been awarded £800,000 under the UK Government's Innovate UK grant scheme, in order to bring the technology to market.
Iceland removes plastic packaging from fresh produce lines in 'greengrocer' scheme
Supermarket Iceland is trialing the removal of plastic packaging from its fruit and vegetable lines at one of its largest UK stores, in a bid to gauge whether consumers are willing to buy loose produce.
Cross-party MPs back call for nationwide ban on single-use plastics by 2025
A group of MPs from across the political spectrum have given their backing to a new draft bill on plastic pollution, which calls for all "non-essential" single-use plastics to be banned across the UK by 2025.
Business giants team up to combat plastic pollution 'leaks'
Adidas, Dow Chemical Company and McDonald's are among the 18 big-name businesses to have co-founded a new alliance aimed at creating frameworks to measure, map and reduce plastic and microplastic pollution across the globe.
Hovis launches nationwide bread bag recycling scheme
British bread brand Hovis has announced a new partnership with recycling specialist TerraCycle to make it easier for its fully recyclable plastic bread bags to be correctly disposed of by households.
edie's Plastics Thinkathon results (Part One): The Lazy Lunch and shampoo bars
With businesses continuing to make plastic-reduction pledges in the face of ever-growing stakeholder pressure, edie recently hosted the world's first 'Plastics Thinkathon' to co-create scalable solutions to the issue. In this two-part feature, Sarah George reveals the potentially game-changing results.
All in or on-the-go?: Green economy reacts to Defra's deposit return scheme vision
The consultation on the UK's waste management process has sparked new debates on standardised waste collections and the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regime. But the green economy wants to go "all in" on deposit return systems.
Government unveils deposit return scheme blueprints as part of waste management revamp
The UK Government has launched a 12-week consultation to explore how a "world-leading" tax on plastic packaging, standardised waste collections across the country and varying deposit return schemes for single-use items could overhaul and modernise the national waste management system.
Eurostar turns to phase-outs and recycled content to lower plastics footprint
High-speed rail service Eurostar will phase-out plastic water bottles from its business lounges during 2019, in a move that will reduce the organisation's plastics footprint by more than 100,000 bottles annually.
Carlsberg progressing towards carbon-neutral status
Onsite renewable arrays and low-carbon packaging innovations have helped Carlsberg to achieve a 20% reduction in its relative carbon emissions since 2015, as it strives to become a 'net-zero' carbon business by 2030.
Sustainability Leaders Awards 2019: Meet the Winners
Welcome to the winners report for the 2019 Sustainability Leaders Awards. Organised by edie, these awards recognise excellence across the spectrum of sustainable business; from the best efficiency programmes through to product innovation, from stakeholder engagement and CSR initiatives to the people making it happen.
Ben & Jerry's pledges to ban all single-use plastics by 2020
Ice cream brand Ben & Jerry's has pledged to remove all single-use plastic items and packaging from its products and stores by the end of 2020, replacing them with biodegradable or compostable alternatives.
Samsung to remove all virgin plastic from consumer-facing packaging
South Korean technology firm Samsung has pledged to phase out all virgin plastic components from its consumer-facing packaging lines within the first half of 2019.
SC Johnson and Ellen MacArthur Foundation partner to spur circular economy progress
US-based consumer goods firm SC Johnson has forged a new circular economy partnership with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, in a bid to scale-up closed-loop solutions to the global plastics pollution problem.
Thinkathons and Hackathons: How new ways of thinking could solve the plastics problem
With awareness of plastic pollution at an all-time high, the onus is now on corporates to harness young and creative minds in innovative ways to solve the issue. Could 'Hackathons' and 'Thinkathons' hold the key?
edie Explains: Demand response
Organisations with an interest in using demand response to manage energy use now have access to a new 'edie Explains' guide which breaks down all of the key information required to deploy the technology.
Available to watch on demand: edie's single-use plastics business transformation webinar
Sustainability professionals seeking insight on reducing and eliminating single-use plastics can now watch a free webinar that took place Thursday 17 January at 2pm, featuring expert speakers from A Plastic Planet, Sky and Cranswick.
edie opens applications for 'Plastics Thinkathon' at Sustainability Leaders Forum
Sustainability, energy and resource efficiency professionals are being called upon to help businesses collectively solve the problem of plastics pollution by taking part in a unique 'Plastics Thinkathon' on the sidelines of edie's Sustainability Leaders Forum in London next month.
Nestlé set to launch its first plastic-free packaging in 2019
Food and beverage giant Nestlé has published a sweeping string of new sustainable packaging commitments, including plans for its first plastic-free packaging, and achieving 'plastic-neutrality'.
A Plastic Planet: Businesses must do more than recycle to stay relevant
EXCLUSIVE: In an era of unprecedented consumer demand for plastic-free packaging and products, companies making their offerings recyclable are no longer doing enough - they must radically transform their business models to stay relevant and retain consumer trust.
Ocean Rescue: How Sky's plastics campaign has ignited a wave of transformation
EXCLUSIVE: Two years on from the launch of its global campaign to educate and inspire the public and businesses to phase-out single-use plastics, Sky's head of Sky Ocean Rescue Fiona Ball sits down with edie to discuss the transformational impacts the project has had both inside and outside of the company.
UK's first national recycling scheme launched for contact lenses
Consumer goods giant Johnson & Johnson has teamed up with Boots Opticians and recycling firm Terracycle to launch the first UK-wide recycling scheme for contact lenses and their packaging.
Lush to open UK's first plastic-free cosmetics store in Manchester
Health and beauty brand Lush has unveiled plans to open its first plastic-free shop in the UK this week, following the success of its 'naked' stores in Germany and Italy.
Crunch time for crisp makers as EU waste targets loom
The European Commission has set an EU-wide objective for all packaging to be recyclable or reusable by 2030. But crisp packets are a particular headache for policymakers and the recycling industry because they are so small and lightweight.
Swindon eyes up ground-breaking facility that recycles 'all plastic'
Swindon Borough Council has today (7 January) announced that it is working on plans to deliver an advanced recycling facility for practically all plastics, including crisp packets and plastic film.
Iceland collects more than 300,000 plastic bottles in reverse vending trial
Frozen food retailer Iceland has unveiled the results of its trial of an in-store deposit return scheme for plastic bottles, revealing that the scheme has captured more than 300,000 bottles since its launch in May 2018.
Sky and Cranswick confirmed for edie's single-use plastics webinar
edie is bringing together a selection of leading retailers, manufacturers and circular economy experts for a special one-hour webinar taking place on Thursday 17 January to discuss how business can collaborate, innovate and actuate to eliminate single-use plastics.
From puddings to packaging: Inside the UK's Christmas waste problem
It's the most wonderful time of the year - and also one of the most wasteful. With Christmas less than a week away, edie rounds-up some of the most shocking sustainability statistics of the festive season.
Major packaging reforms spearhead Resources and Waste Strategy
A huge overhaul of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system has been proposed today (18 December) in the Government's Resources & Waste Strategy, which also includes plans for separate household food waste collections and a nationwide deposit return scheme.
Ribena to launch lightweight bottles made from 100% recycled plastic
Soft drinks firm Lucozade Ribena Suntory (LRS) is set to launch a lightweight redesign of its Ribena bottles in the new year, in a bid to further reduce its plastic output.
Resources and Waste Strategy: Green business community reacts
In the newly-launched Resources and Waste Strategy, Defra has pledged to make producers pay for the full costs of recycling or disposing the packaging they produce. But how has this commitment, alongside the Strategy's other key measures, been met by members of the green community?
Plastics action, energy storage and climate warnings: The top sustainability stories of 2018
As 2018 draws to a close, the edie team reflects on the key stories which defined corporate sustainability and drove new levels of action in 2018.
Sugarcane shoes and silicon energy storage: The best green innovations of the week
A number of eye-catching and potentially transformational innovations have emerged that could help businesses and nations deliver on resource efficiency, low-carbon transitions and combat climate change. Here, edie rounds-up six of the best.
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