The climate crisis and its impact on extreme weather, future carbon regulation, and the threat of this worsening are driving companies to manage risks and ensure a future for their business by setting aggressive goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions — but is it enough?   

Companies are increasing the diversity of foods used to not just deliver flavor and a unique sales angle, but to also support more resilient and sustainable production. 

Tim Greiner, co-founder of Pure Strategies, helps companies like Walmart, The North Face, and Seventh Generation deepen their corporate responsibility efforts. “I’ve been privileged to make a meaningful difference." 

CDP found that leaders have greater supply chain engagement contributing to their 67% higher return on equity and 50% lower volatility of earnings. To help companies build and improve their programs and achieve these gains, Pure Strategies is offering a June workshop that will explore best practices in sustainable sourcing and supply chain engagement.

Challenges to optimize the package’s end-of-life may persist that call for collaboration and new solutions with suppliers, competitors, and waste stream partners. TSC may be able to play a role in enabling these approaches and this was explored during the workshop.

Radio Flyer and Beautycounter stand among leading companies taking proactive steps to manage chemicals in their products and supply chains. These and just over twenty other firms benchmarked their programs and performance in the newly launched Chemical Footprint Project.

Engaging a group of suppliers through a specific product category survey is one of the most effective ways to tackle key product impacts, especially for retailers seeking to elevate the performance of an entire category of products, as opposed to select companies.

Companies should use World Food Day and the examples of these leaders as an opportunity to evaluate how they could strengthen their producer partners while improving the long-term food security of the communities they touch.

Walmart is a leading motivator for investment in product sustainability with nearly 80 percent of respondents that identified a retail-driver citing the company in an open-ended question. This was followed by Target at about 50 percent, Costco at 18 percent, and Nordstrom at 12 percent. Walmart and Target clearly stand out from crowd. These retailers’ priorities are trickling through the supply chain and influencing supplier product sustainability programs.

One fish, two fishRed fish, green fishSick fish, well fishFrankenfish, farm-raised fishSome fish you should not eatOthers that are a treatFrom fish caught with a dolphinTo fish caught far too oftenA glut of boats in the seaSome fish caught responsiblyKnowing which are idealHelps you enjoy your meal

World Food Day is the annual beacon illuminating the need to end world hunger and malnutrition. It reminds us that our current food system is falling short on feeding the population, while it also highlights agriculture’s destructive relationship with the environment on which it depends. We look to this year’s World Food Day with a view to silver linings and the hope emerging sustainability initiatives bring to the future.

Just one year ago, Walmart launched a novel tool that is proving to quickly and effectively align their massive supply chain on sustainability priorities — the Sustainability Index. Dairy suppliers were among the first to be brought into the Index through answering a category-specific survey about their performance in sustainability.

If your supply chain extends to China, it is a good time to step back and take a look at some useful resources for understanding this rapidly growing, complex country.

It’s not easy to align your supply chain with your company's sustainability goals. There are several first steps we recommend to based on our work with Stonyfield Farm as outlined in the attached article. Success starts with communicating your company’s commitment and vision to your suppliers and then moving on to substantive issue ares.