It is clear that businesses must start making changes in order to become sustainable. The way in which the global economy has worked and how companies have operated is no longer viable. If we continue down the same track of negligence and unsustainability, the consequences could be dire.
However, there are many brands, including some global businesses, that are already taking steps to change their habits. As more companies follow suit and improve their sustainability, the world and its population will benefit. In the article below, we shed light on five different companies that have made efforts to become sustainable.
Adidas – designer fashion and sports attire
Fashion is one of the business sectors that needs to improve its sustainability. Many companies in this industry have historically operated unethically – using facilities known as sweatshops and allowing their workers to work under appalling conditions for miserly wages, just to make cheap goods.
Adidas is not one of these businesses. It is continually making changes to improve its sustainability and is demonstrating the importance of sustainable campaigns. You can check out its sustainability reports but essentially, it is rethinking multiple aspects of its business to improve its sustainability. This includes using recycled fabrics and reducing its carbon footprint. Adidas promotes the reduction of plastic waste and is one of the largest fashion companies to make big changes for positive sustainability.
Patagonia – outdoor clothing
You may not find anything about Patagonia in issues of the World ECR but it is consistently one of the top-rated sustainable outdoor clothing brands. The company has been operating in a sustainable manner long before it became popular and for over 35 years, has given 1% of its sales turnover to conservation projects.
Aside from this monumental undertaking, Patagonia also uses raw materials that are largely organic or organically grown, and has the aim of becoming carbon neutral by 2025. It doesn’t end there – the company has various initiatives too, such as the Patagonia Action Works initiative that brings together customers with local activists in their communities. In terms of sustainability, you will be hard-pressed to find an outdoor clothing brand that does it better.
Seventh Generation – personal care and cleaning products
You would not think that personal care companies could be sustainable due to their typical reliance on plastic packaging and single-use containers. However, Seventh Generation goes against the grain and proves that it can be done.
This company produces paper, cleaning products and personal care products (quite the mix!) and has always had a focus on eco-friendly operations since it was founded in 1988. It even has a business mission to “transform the world into a healthy, sustainable, and equitable place for the next seven generations”.
To do this, it makes plant-based products with only ethically and sustainably sources materials. Additionally, its packaging is made from recycled materials that can also be reused.
All Birds – clothing and footwear
Despite being a carbon neutral company, All Birds is still implementing changes to become more sustainable. Most companies typically invest in carbon offset projects that are meant to balance the emissions they make.
However, All Birds wants to make active changes to make its carbon footprint zero. The company offers full transparency and you can read about its progress on their website. Additionally, it made an open-source tool that other businesses can use to track their carbon footprint! All Birds’ footwear remains fantastic and puts the cherry on the cake when it comes to this incredibly sustainable fashion brand.
Typology – skincare brand
Oftentimes you associate things like skincare with horrific things images of animal testing. However, this skincare brand couldn’t be further from this. Typology specializes in vegan and cruelty-free skincare products and its B Corp certification is currently pending. Once they get this, it will cement their status as a sustainable company, as it is currently one of the best certifications that businesses can get to show their conformity and dedication to the cause.
This is just a small selection of the well-known brands that are championing sustainability. With big names such as Adidas leading the way, we will hopefully see a large shift in the mentality of companies. It may take time, but it appears that things are starting to get better. Hopefully, 2023 will be the year in which we truly witness a transformation into a global sustainable economy and a better future for us all.