Right around this time eight years ago, heads of major corporations from the US
and around the world banded
together
and showed that, even in the face of sluggish bureaucracy and contrary
governmental priorities, the economic benefits of sustainability
action far
outweigh any perceived, short-term risks. As those in the Sustainable
Brands® (SB) community well know, it’s up to the business world to stay
the course to ensure long-term viability — for society and for itself.
In this era of environmental, social, political and climate-related turmoil,
businesses that remain committed to
improvement
regardless of the political and regulatory landscape will be the ones to stand
the tests of time.
Here are 6 themes that emerged last month at SB’24 San
Diego that
highlight the ever-growing, undeniable
benefits
of innovation and collaboration for the greater good — and show glimmers of a
resilient future for business and society:
-
AI — not yet, but soon to be, a net positive: With its already vast
applications for advancing
sustainability,
artificial intelligence was
naturally a hot topic throughout the week — but several discussions also
addressed its darker
side.
Along with diving into its role in creating healthier products and helping
save one of our most vital natural resources, a variety of experts explored
the work being done to rein in AI’s environmental impacts and assuage
the fears of reticent consumers — so, the technology can become a
net-positive force for the environment and society.
MOB Beauty and Pact Collective co-founder Victor Casale
-
Yes, it’s complex – but a circular economy is achievable: Discussions
throughout the week helped provide brands much-needed clarity about the
practicalities of shifting to a circular
economy — from
creating new value and material
flows
to the “strategic
patience”
needed to understand and address the many facets of circularity, and the
economic and operational benefits of doing so.
Circularity by Design: How to Influence Sustainable Consumer Behaviors
Join us Thursday, December 5, at 1pm ET for a free webinar on making circular behaviors the easy choice! Nudge & behavioral design expert Sille Krukow will explore the power of Consumer Behavior Design to drive circular decision-making and encourage behaviors including recycling and using take-back services. She will share key insights on consumer psychology, behavior design related to in-store and on-pack experiences, and how small changes in the environment can help make it easy for consumers to choose circularity.
Honda’s David Perzynski
L-R: The Regenerative Technology Project’s Danielle Lanyard and Jessica Groopman
-
DEI & sustainability teams are linchpins of future-proof
organizations:
Several rich
discussions
highlighted the importance of giving sustainability and DEI their rightful
attention, resources and integration within successful corporate
strategies — even in the face of pressure from anti-woke
naysayers.
(Left and right) Estakio Beltran and Kelly Dennis from the Department of Interior’s Office of Strategic Partnerships – Indian Affairs, with the American Sustainable Business Council’s Terrius Harris (center)
-
Resilience is now a KPI for business success: SB’s first-ever
Resilience
Summit
underscored the idea that building
resilience
is not just about reacting to environmental risks — we heard from some of
the many leaders and organizations leveraging insights from nature,
Indigenous wisdom, scenario planning and more to build systems,
businesses and
communities
designed to thrive in an uncertain future.
Logitech’s Prakash Arunkundrum
The momentum in these areas and so many others is heartening; but in this time
of shifting politics and
polycrises,
it falls on intrepid brands to stay the course and embrace sustainable innovation to drive
society forward — toward an equitable, climate-resilient future.
Be the change! Join the global SB community of business leaders and innovators
continuing to fuel the momentum. Join us next fall at SB’25 San Diego
— taking place October 13-16, 2025, at the Town and Country Resort —
where we’ll continue our focus on increasing business value by leveraging social and environmental innovation for brand growth. Let’s keep building on what we’ve started, strengthening our community and driving substantive progress as we work together toward a resilient future.
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Sustainable Brands Staff
Published Nov 15, 2024 2pm EST / 11am PST / 7pm GMT / 8pm CET