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The Next Wave: Biodiversity (8) – Habemus propositum! Targets we have!

July 18, 2023

After some results at the COP in Vancouver, as well as efforts by the TNFD (Task Force for nature-based financial disclosure) – we finally (!) got the first ever Science -Based Targets for Nature (SBTN). It is a first release, however. So the question obviously is, how do these targets address the 5 key drivers of biodiversity erosion? Are the SBTNs worth their salt?

Definitions Finance Governance Labels

The Next Wave: Biodiversity (5) – Targets, Methodologies, Tools

November 23, 2021

Measuring Biodiversity, in terms of baseline (status quo), progress, and deliverable targets, is not a simple thing. Collateral damages are a serious risk.At the same time though, some companies use outcomes of tools, which where never intended to deal at all with biodiversity, as proxy vehicles. This of course raises the question: Where are we with tools, programmes, and measurement systems for biodiversity? Hereafter a look across what I found to be having (some) teeth - also in comparison to the more popular climate change topic. These are: TNFD, SBTN, as well as two management tools that might be helpful, FFFBB and BIA. Ask: If you are aware of others initatives 'with teeth' as of of writing (November 2021): do let me know and I’d be happy to list them also. Thank you!

Biz Strategy Governance Labels

Tools of the trade for the Doughnut business? A status quo comparison

November 10, 2020

In an earlier post I asked: How can business, a business, downscale the Doughnut and make it operational? In this post I look at three tools that praise themselves of being either part, or even all, of the support a business needs on the journey to integrate the Doughnut Economics concepts. Namely: Science-based Targets (SBTs), the B Impact Assessment(BIA), and the Future Fit Business Benchmark (FFBBM). What are their fundamental differences and similarities? Are they indeed a tool to help on the path to keeping within the Doughnut boundaries?

Consumer-ism Labels

‘Eco’ labels and buying outdoor kit: Which ones are worth their salt?

February 26, 2020

In a recent blog post, we referred specifically to ‘eco’ labels that you may find on an outdoor product – or its hang-tag. Of course the key question is: what labels that you may encounter when shopping for alpine kit, are (reasonably) trustworthy? Here an overview.

2019 - FFE - Retailer Sustainability Standards

Consumer-ism Labels

Retailer Sustainability Standards: A Top line Comparison

January 24, 2019

Every year at the end of January, the Future Fabrics Expo opens its door. In addition to over 5000 'better; fabrics, lectures and more, we collaborated to created an information poster on retailers' sustainability standards.

Governance Labels

Sustainability & Standards: Thoughts about best practice

March 12, 2016

Of the close to 500 eco-labels that exist worldwide, just over 100 apply to textiles, according to the Eco Label Index. Behind each label is, or should be, a standard that backs up the claim being made. Given the prevalence of standards, the following questions arise: Why do standards exist? What value do they deliver? What are their limitations? What is ‘best practice’ for standards, their development process? What about the proliferation of standards?

Future Tech Labels Supply Chain

From the trees to the wood: with GS1 beyond product codes, towards traceability

September 6, 2015

Barcodes, RFID tags, and QR codes have each introduced a new era of on-product information distribution and acquisition. In this article I would like to look at a family of digital solution components that many brands and manufacturers will already use and be reliant on, and that – if integrated – could be leveraged to provide full-depth traceability.

Labels Supply Chain

Scaling down for scaling up. Or: Why SMEs matter

March 14, 2015

Large corporations now habitually report on their sustainability achievements, have resource efficiency programmes firmly implemented into their operations, and are investing to make their enterprises ‘future proof’. But what needs to happen for SMEs to do the same? After all they make up way over 80% of national economies ...

Labels Supply Chain

Higg Index 101: Past, Status Quo, Future Development

February 25, 2014

The Higg Index is an apparel and footwear industry self-assessment standard for assessing environmental and social sustainability throughout the supply chain. The Higg Index 1.0 was released on June 26, 2012.

Labels Supply Chain

The Global Social Compliance Progamme: An Overview

November 6, 2013

Launched at the end of 2006, the Global Social Compliance Programme is a business-driven programme, and aims for continuous improvement of working and environmental conditions in global supply chains.

Greenpeace-Detox-develops-market-for-BlueSign

Labels Opinions Supply Chain

A closer look at Detox Commitments

October 23, 2013

Detox has been a repeat topic on this blog. Most recently after my visit in May to Performance Days, but also previously. While slowly but surely more and more brands (17 at the time of writing) – and retailers – have signed a Detox Solution Commitment with Greenpeace, and hence work in some way or other with ZHDC (Road map to Zero), a key threshold was passed event most recently: With the Italian fabric mill Canepa, the first manufacturer has taken the pledge.

Labels

Spotlight on labels: the SCS Responsible Source standard

October 9, 2013

n this post, I’ll be looking at the CSC Responsible Source standard, which aims very clearly at the issue of (un)ethical, (in)transparent supply chains. The standard exists for 2 very specific area of expertise: precious gems and metals; and man-made fibres and textiles.

Book Reviews Labels

Results of 6 years Global Compact: The Proof of the Corporate Behaviour Paradox

September 19, 2013

The UN Global Compact (GC) report published at the beginning of September 2013, and which draws a conclusion on its achievements since 2007 (it was launched in 2000), shows that there is a behaviour-versus-statement gap at corporations. This is worrying.

Book Reviews Labels Materials

Spotlight on labels: Cradle to Cradle Practitioners in Apparel and Textiles

July 19, 2013

The Cradle to Cradle (C2C) idea has been around for a good decade now, longer if we’d track it right back to its inception. The first C2C fabric was developed sometime in the early 2000s, and flies now around the world as upholstery fabric on the A380 Airbus models.

Globalisation Labels

Spotlight on labels: Indian Standard for Organic Textiles (ISOT)

July 19, 2013

India, the largest producer of organic cotton in the world is all set to have an Indian Standard for Organic Textiles (ISOT) of its own. The unique selling proposition (USP) of this standard is that it will cover the life cycle of the cotton fibre right from crop to clothing. This is different to GOTS which is primarily concerned with the growing stage of cotton, and only includes minimum regulations for the subsequent manufacturing stages. From the Indian perspective, GOTS does not permit to maintain traceability and integrity of organic textiles.

Governance Labels Supply Chain

To Trust or Not To Trust is the question: Certification Authorities

May 9, 2013

Not all is well with certification labels and their respective audit authorities. Self-audits, peer-audits, frauds are just the top of the iceberg. It's more - economics suggest we're going wrong with them entirely ...

Consumer-ism Labels

Spotlight on labels: the Greenguard certification standard

April 17, 2013

It’s not news that there exist many, many labels out there that hope to convey low-risk or sustainability credentials to consumers (B2C) and/or buyers (B2B). Some of these are indeed so specialised, or hidden within the larger context, that indeed few people have seen or taken note of it. One such label is the Greenguard certification, which is focused entirely onto remedying negative health impacts in interior spaces: from furniture, to interior textiles, air filters, adhesives, flooring and floor finishes etc.

Globalisation Labels

Spotlight on labels: the Nordic Ecolabel

February 20, 2013

Nordic countries have been recognised for their advanced sustainability practices, particularly at a business level. The Nordic Ecolabel is a voluntary certificate 100% made in Scandinavia that was established in 1989 by the Nordic Council of Ministers. The original aim of the label was probably to respond to the needs of the new “green consumer” movement that strengthened in the 80s after the environmentalism wave of the 1970s.

Definitions Labels Supply Chain

The Primary Sustainable Cotton Labels – Briefly Explained

January 31, 2013

In this article a very brief run down of the main varieties of ‘better’ cotton that exist: Cotton made in Africa, Better Cotton Initiative, Organic and Fairtrade cotton, and 2 more generic good practise farming systems.

Labels Labour Supply Chain

Spotlight on labels: What is Oeko-Tex? – An overview

January 1, 2013

Oeko-Tex is, by numbers of products availale, both B2B as well as B2C, the most widely-used eco-label for textiles globally. What most people aren’t quite aware of is, that Oeko-Tex offers 2 fairly substantially different certifications

Future Fit Industries of 'Stuff': Governance, Responsibility, and the Age of Doughnut Economics

Labels

The Next Wave: Biodiversity (8) – Habemus propositum! Targets we have!

The Next Wave: Biodiversity (5) – Targets, Methodologies, Tools

Tools of the trade for the Doughnut business? A status quo comparison

‘Eco’ labels and buying outdoor kit: Which ones are worth their salt?

Retailer Sustainability Standards: A Top line Comparison

Sustainability & Standards: Thoughts about best practice

From the trees to the wood: with GS1 beyond product codes, towards traceability

Scaling down for scaling up. Or: Why SMEs matter

Higg Index 101: Past, Status Quo, Future Development

The Global Social Compliance Progamme: An Overview

A closer look at Detox Commitments

Spotlight on labels: the SCS Responsible Source standard

Results of 6 years Global Compact: The Proof of the Corporate Behaviour Paradox

Spotlight on labels: Cradle to Cradle Practitioners in Apparel and Textiles

Spotlight on labels: Indian Standard for Organic Textiles (ISOT)

To Trust or Not To Trust is the question: Certification Authorities

Spotlight on labels: the Greenguard certification standard

Spotlight on labels: the Nordic Ecolabel

The Primary Sustainable Cotton Labels – Briefly Explained

Spotlight on labels: What is Oeko-Tex? – An overview

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