CSR Company, Product or Service Profile 2022 by Nancy Nowlan

Wilson tennis balls

nnowlan — 2022-01-08 23:49:21 UTC

In a cardboard recycled box rather than plastic. New technology so balls don't need to be stored under pressure. They last longer than regular balls. The company donates a (small) percentage of profits to sustainability non-profits. The price is comparable, tennis pros say the balls are as good. They may be hard to find though.

Rye Cycle ESB Beer - Bridge Brewing

2022-01-13 05:56:48 UTC

Bridge Brewing a Vancouver based brewery is known for having zero waste products. They even offer a beer called "Rye Cycle" that repurposes unused bread that was otherwise going to be wasted, to spice its rye flavoured beer. The bottle which is made from recycled materials pairs along perfectly with the repurposed ingredients, providing a low environmental impact. Moreover, the Rye Cycle beer has created a lot of buzz within the brewing community on how repurposed ingredients can be crafted into delicious products. This has generated a great brand reputation for Bridge Brewery on its sustainable practices.

This initiative is clearly signaled through the bottles logo which mimics traditional recycling symbols. Additionally, the name Rye Cycle is a play on words of Recycle. More information is displayed on the bottles packaging, explaining the sustainable initiative and the companies mission to provide minimal impact on the environment through its product selection.

Bridge Brewing is well known for its zero-waste initiatives. The company states "We take a zero waste approach when it comes to beer making - seriously - zero". 99.99% of materials they bring into their brewery comes out in either the beer products or into materials that can be reused. They focus heavily on their environmental footprint and it shows.

The Rye Cycle beer has great review through many online beer forums and professional critiques. There are very few tradeoffs that have to be made when selecting this beer as the beverage of choice. However flavour may come into factor as it is quite spicy and has a high alcohol content for a traditional lager. Consumers may choose more classic beer choices such as Molson, Bud Light, Corona etc... due to their cheaper prices and lighter flavour.

Tentree

JayHerbsen — 2022-05-10 04:43:49 UTC

Tentree is a Canadian-based company that focuses its mission on sustainability while making comfortable clothing. One of their biggest CSR initiatives is that for every item purchased, the company plants 10 trees (Tentree, n.d.). Not only are trees planted, but the company ensures that 10 trees survive the planting process. The goal is more than just planting trees, it really revolves around protecting the trees and ensuring that the planted trees can provide a livelihood for the local communities (Mcavoy, 2015).

To align with its goals of global sustainability, Tentree has pledged to eliminate all virgin packaging and single-use plastics from its supply chain by 2023 (Tentree, n.d.). Currently, their clothing, such as t-shirts are sold with a paperboard tag and corozo (material from a tagua nut) tree code token (The Environmentor, n.d.). Both the tag and the tree code token are recyclable or upcyclable (creative reuse). Every tag contains information about the positive effects of the company’s buy one, plant 10 trees model. However, most importantly, the tag reinforces Tentres' mission, which is to create a more sustainable world by planting trees to reduce climate change (Cision, 2021).

After every purchase, consumers can take the unique code written on the tree code tokens and see where their 10 trees are planted and the impact their trees are making (Staffenhagen, 2018). Additionally, Veritree (Verified Global Restoration Technology) audits the trees that Tentree plants (Altitude, 2022). Moreover, since 2020, Tentree has been listed as a climate-neutral company, whereby the company’s human activities leave no net effect on the climate system (Climate Neutral, 2021).

The most important factor of Tentrees' products is their positive environmental impact. Since 10 trees are planted with every purchase and the company practices sustainable manufacturing, each tree that is planted provides community gain and carbon sequestration (Teichert, 2020). While it may be hard to quantitively measure the community gain, it is not hard to see. For instance, in Mahabana (a village in Madagascar), the sheer number of trees planted has led to the restoration of the mangrove trees ecosystem, which has led to a rebounding fishing industry, the return of wildlife, and the ability for locals to sell fruit (Marrone, 2016).

Born in Canada, Tentree plants trees right here at home. However, the planting does not stop at the border. In fact, the company has planted trees in the US, Cambodia, Kenya, Malawi, Mexico, Nepal, Madagascar, Peru, Brazil, Haiti, Senegal, and Indonesia (Cision, 2021). Furthermore, the impact continues far past the ground that grows the trees. Since millions of trees have already been planted, Tentree's tree planting initiative has supported farmers and created full-time jobs in many of the countries where trees are being planted (Nudelman, 2019).

Founded in 2011, Tentree started becoming popular in 2016. By 2017 the company celebrated its 15^th million planted tree and became one of the fastest-growing North American apparel brands (Torres, 2017). Since its humble roots in Saskatchewan, Tentree has seen large amounts of positive feedback and press. After penetrating the market with a fresh new business model, the company has faced minimal competition because of its unique and simple sustainability approach (Bitti, 2012).

Operating within the apparel segment, Tentree competes with many large clothing brands; however, due to its buy one, plant ten trees model, the company really has only one competitor in the same sustainable market. TOMS Shoes! Based on a similar business model, except instead of planting trees TOMS has pledged that for every purchase, the company will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need (One for One) (TOMS, n.d.).

Perhaps the largest barrier for Tentree is the company’s high-priced items. While the average t-shirt costs $24.99 (Susanna, n.d.), Tentrees' t-shirts are priced between $35 and $58 (Tentree, n.d.). However, other than the higher monetary cost, consumers are not sacrificing anything. In actuality, the t-shirt's earth-friendly materials and slimming fit greatly complement the owner (Xue, 2022). Where other apparel brands, such as Nike, engage in child labour and other unethical practices (Bain, 2020), it is no surprise that many consumers are willing to spend the extra money for Tentrees' ethically sourced products (Banker, 2021).

Stefani Beverly

2022-05-10 19:04:16 UTC

The product line I chose is Sḵwálwen Botanicals which is a luxury Indigenous brand creating botanical skin care products. They honor traditional Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) plant knowledge, and incorporate sustainably harvested and sourced plants and organic, high-quality ingredients. The owner – Leigh Joseph- is a Skwxwú7mesh First Nation member who resides and began this journey in Squamish. Each product has a Squamish name to honor the place where this plant knowledge comes from. The website outlines the creation of the Sḵwálwen products, which begins with time spent on the land — forests, estuaries, or subalpine meadows — to harvest plant foods and medicines. Using Squamish cultural teachings, Leigh approaches the natural world gently and respectfully, harvesting with techniques that are ethical and sustainable.

Once the plants are harvested it’s time to process them. This usually includes scraping bark, cleaning, hanging to dry, infusing in oil and more. After processing, it’s time to create! Developing each recipe, pairing particular plants based on their healing properties with the highest quality oils, clays and plant butters.

Each batch of Sḵwálwen products is made with care and intention, bringing consumers a luxurious skincare product free from harsh chemicals, phthalates, synthetic fragrances, synthetic colors, and parabens.

These are my reasons why I believe Sḵwálwen Botanicals fits the “smart CSR” definition.

Sḵwálwen products packaging has 1 very subtle signal of CSR. It says on their packaging “Handmade in small batches Indigenous owned” Other than reading this small font on the packaging, they allude tranquility and peacefulness. Their Marketing of the products relate more to CSR, as they make it known packaging is compostable and primarily paper, glass and tin, they practice Land-Based Mindfulness practices and sourcing and harvesting their ingredients are done in a way that is sustainable for the plants and the species that depend on them.

As a botanist, Leigh the owner is passionate about plant identification. She observes plants throughout their growing season, looking for the cues and signs that a particular plant is ready to be harvested. This kind of awareness of one's surroundings leads to a connection to place and a knowledge that can only be developed over time.

When Leigh harvests plants she follows cultural teachings that ensure a sustainable relationship based on reciprocity. There are many ways to ensure plants regenerate if you understand their individual structures and lifecycles. Leigh takes care to not harvest too much of any one plant so as to ensure the plant will come back for years to come and can be used by other life forms that rely on it.

Many Sḵwálwen product ingredients come from seasonal harvests, meaning that some products are seasonal as well.

They focus on working with sustainable suppliers especially for the botanical ingredients. About 80% of their suppliers are based in B.C. and have direct relationships with the owner Leigh. Some of the ingredients are grown locally. Leigh and her team wild-harvest a portion of the ingredients, and source nettle and wild mint from Chickadee Farm, who grows all of their ingredients in B.C. they source other ingredients from B.C. or Canadian suppliers, including Voyageur Soap & Candle (Surrey) and New Directions Aromatics (Toronto). Working with local businesses gives opportunities to build partnerships. For instance, they’re working with Valley Buds Flower Farm (Squamish) on growing some of the wild plants and native species (e.g. yarrow) needed in order to reduce any pressure that wild crafting might have on local ecosystems. They’ve also worked with Valley Buds to bring Squamish Nation youth out to the farm to pot native plants, connecting them to their communities to plant. While also collaborating with Saanich Native Plants (Vancouver Island) on growing wild plants for their products, and together, on National Indigenous Peoples Day, launching the Hiýáḿ Project — which will distribute the seeds of native plants to First Nations communities.
Sḵwálwen Botanicals reviews are fabulous. Many articles have been written regarding these products and the owner. Leigh has interviewed with the likes of Elle Magazine and Flair Magazine to name a few. Elle has Sḵwálwen Botanicals listed as a "top 10 Indigenous Fashion and Beauty Brands You Need to Have on Your Radar"

The main barrier to purchasing this product is simply affordability. A facial oil or toner will run you $32 to $38 per 30ml bottle. A similar but not-so-CSR product can be purchased at your local Winners for as little as $5.99.

Anahita Moazami

2022-05-10 22:03:50 UTC

This business promoted the one-for-one model . Their shoes are made of sustainable materials.
According to their website, they are in business to improve people's lives. They raise funds to help communities in need. The majority of their products are Earthwise, which means that at least one of main components of each product must contain more sustainable materials at a minimum percentage.
As a certified B corporation, they collaborated with the Leather Working Group and Canopy to ensure the highest quality products while minimizing the negative impact on the environment and future generations. Based on environmental performance, the Leather Working Group certifies leather manufacturing facilities. TOMS gets all of their leather from gold and silver-rated leather manufacturers.
They also use 100% cotton, recycled cotton, recycled polyesters, and eco-friendly fibers such as hemp to make their products. In comparison to traditional fiber, these raw materials require less water and chemicals to be processed.
As previously stated, they collaborated with best-in-class organizations that have established a high standard for ethical and environmental responsibility. This allows customers to double-check all information if necessary.

"We believe in a more equitable tomorrow. That’s why we invest ⅓ of profits for grassroots good, including cash grants and partnerships with community organizations, to drive sustainable change." Toms website

TOMS' efforts are focused on the environmental and social impacts of every aspect of their operations, from the materials used to make the shoes to the boxes in which they are shipped. TOMS Shoes are made of natural hemp, organic cotton, and recycled polyester, and the boxes are made of recycled post-consumer waste and printed with soy ink (Momentum,2020).

Ben Linton

2022-05-11 01:02:17 UTC

Salt Spring Coffee is a sustainable local coffee company that places high importance on CSR both environmentally and socially. Although their CSR is a major component within marketing campaigns as seen in their slogan “Believe in being better”, Salt Spring Coffee is truly operating under this vision of “being better”. I believe Salt Spring Coffee fits the smart CSR definition based on environmental and social impact transparency outlined on their website that can be verified by numerous organizational certificates and awards including certified organic by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Fair for Life Certificate , B Corporation Certification, and being a 1% for the planet member. All of these awards and certifications can be found on their packaging along with a brief description of their mission statement and CSR practices.

When analyzing reviews of Salt Spring Coffee, all comments were on the flavour and strength of their beans, and none on questioning the integrity of the company. Along with the reviews, no negative articles or news posts could be found— I believe that the lack of negative press related to CSR is additional evidence of their ability to supply smart CSR products. As a Vancouverite there are very few barriers to purchasing their products, they are sold in most greater Vancouver grocery stores, are reasonably priced at $9 to $15, have a strong company image and brand, and have relatively high ratings in regards to flavour. Although, due to the saturation of the coffee bean market barriers are present as a result of the number of competing brands and substitute products thus resulting in tradeoffs within price and taste.

Joel Haymour

2022-05-11 01:51:14 UTC

The Soap Dispensary is a Vancouver based company who puts sustainability in the frontier of their brand image. The whole idea of this store is to sell kitchen plus bath supplies by using a refillable system instead of wasteful packaging. So instead of buying plastic containers of soap, shampoo, conditioner and cleaning supplies you can bring your refillable containers to the Soap Dispensary to refill resulting in zero waste shopping. In addition, their Kitchen Staples section provides consumers with bulk grocery items like nuts, rice, beans, pasta, and cheese that are normally locally made. I believe this fits our Smart CSR definition because of their transparent store front operations. People can actually physically see the zero waste store operate and how the environmental impact is incredibly positive compared to other larger grocery/convenient stores. Also because of the fact their support local farmers and businesses by carrying mostly local made products who support the same sustainable vision as them. This local company really pushes this message of zero waste by advertising their store being the first zero waste grocery store. The impact of this company can help push other larger corporations to start producing less waste as well and gives them proof it is possible to operate a zero waste business. The environmental impact this store can have if others follow in their footsteps could be significant. Just for a quick outlook, an estimated 300 million plastic bags end up in the ocean every year. And that doesn't include the plastic packaging the food often comes in or the plastic bottles soap and cleaning supplies often come in. A couple reviews from a local blog site called Happy Cow shows how customers like the environment of the store and not having large isle filled with packaging. More go on to say it's less stressful because they can fill up what they need and be on their way. Almost all the reviews emphasise how much vegan selection they have when it comes to the products they carry. The only barriers of this store I can think of is the items that need packaging frozen fruit/vegetables and other packages that come premixed that are very convenient for customers. Sometimes customers are looking for the easiest less time consuming way to get their meals and chores done and sometimes this is seen easier by buying ready to eat meals that come in frozen packages or quickly picking up shampoo on their way home from work at a convenience store. Overall I think this company has an amazing bright future ahead and I think a lot of other companies can learn a lot from their new way of business which could positively impact our future in many ways.

Mohammed Suliman - TESLA

2022-05-11 01:54:29 UTC

Tesla is an American electric vehicle and clean energy company that is based in Palo Alto, California (TESLA, Inc, 2021). The current product line of Tesla includes electric cars, battery energy storage in different scales, solar panels, and solar roof tiles, as well as other related products and services. Tesla’s main specialization is the production of environmentally friendly automobiles with the objective of minimizing its carbon footprints.

Enterprises do not necessarily need to follow a SMART CSR strategy in order to be profitable. Some companies implement such strategy in order to remain in the business for a long time, while others, unfortunately, do so to evade taxes. Although Tesla do not list their SMART CSR initiatives on their vehicles, most of this information can be found on the company’s website. Recently, Tesla had posted their 2021 Impact Report for consumers to review on their website. Since this 144-page report is widely available to everyone, any of Tesla’s claims about all of their products can be verified and understood just by reading the report.

In the year 2021, the global fleet of Tesla’s electric cars, energy storage and solar panels had enabled their customers to avoid the emission of 8.4 million metric tons of carbon dioxide gas (Tesla, 2021). Tesla continues to be innovative each and every day. To maximize their impact, Tesla plans to continually increase their production volumes and the accessibility of their products. In actual terms, Tesla is aiming to sell more than 20 million electric vehicles per year by 2030, as compared to 0.94 million in 2021 (Tesla, 2021). Also, the company is aiming to deploy more than 1500 GWh of energy storage per year, as compared to 4 GWh in 2021 (Tesla, 2021). Furthermore, Tesla is continually improving each step of their products’ lifecycle: from manufacturing to consumer use to recycling.

In terms of Tesla’s Human Rights policy, the company formulated such policy to be endorsed by and based on the definition of human rights set forward by the United Nations’s Universal Declaration for Human Rights (Tesla, 2014). Tesla’s Human Rights policy outlines many important and ethical practices including: Workers have the right to operate in a safe and healthy work environment. No form of slavery or forced labor or human trafficking is allowed to take place in any of the company’s properties and factories. Workers have the right to work in a workplace that values different backgrounds and perspectives. In each step of production, Tesla strives to reduce their impact on the environment by using renewable energy. Tesla strictly follows local and national laws restricting the employment of underage workers. (Tesla, 2014).

Tesla’s electric car lineup greatly stands out in the electric cars industry. The famous “Car and Driver” magazine/website had provided industry ratings for Tesla as compared to other manufacturers. In these ratings, Tesla’s electric cars were compared to the following manufacturers: VW Group, Hyundai Motor, BMW Group, Ford, GM, and Toyota Motor Corp. After closely examining all vehicles, the “Car and Driver” had reported the following ratings: Tesla’s 2022 Model 3 (8.5/10), Tesla’s 2022 Model S (9/10), Tesla’s 2022 Model X (6.5/10), and Tesla’s 2022 Model Y (7.5/10); (Car and Driver, 2022). In addition, Tesla’s biggest advantage over the competition is its fast-super charging ecosystem, that is available to all Tesla owners worldwide (Business Insider, 2020).

Tesla experiences many strengths and weaknesses as compared to other car manufacturers. As one of Tesla’s strengths, their Model S is capable of providing up to 600 kilometers on a single battery charge; while the Jaguar I-Pace is only capable of providing up to 420 kilometers on a single battery charge (Statista, 2019). As one of Tesla’s weaknesses, they continue to experience launch, manufacturing, and production delays for their vehicles. For instance, one of their delays had occurred when their new Gigafactory launch had delayed the assembly line production of the Model 3 (IndustryWeek, 2017).

In terms of the barriers that consumers might experience when planning their transition from gas-powered cars to electric cars can include a few factors. First, the price of Tesla’s models varies from the starting trim line for the Model 3 at $52,990 CAD to the fully packaged trim of the Model S at $199,990 CAD (Tesla, 2021). Second, only in recent years is when developers had started implementing electric charging stations in their infrastructures. Thus, if someone lives or works in a building that had not yet implemented such stations, it would be more convenient to purchase a gas-powered car instead. Third, it is obvious that from the moment we set foot in a Tesla vehicle, it is greatly apparent that the company did not use any luxurious materials whatsoever. Tesla consumers purchase such cars for the sole reason of electric charging and its performance. On the other hand, a gas-powered German car with an 8-cylinder engine such as the BMW M8 Gran Coupe serves its customers with both luxury and performance (BMW, 2022).

Jaxson Tennant

2022-05-11 02:56:03 UTC

Duer, formally Dish & Duer, is a Vancouver based company specializing in performance-oriented, durable denim and pants, for active lifestyles. The main premise of Duer is to reduce the churn in clothing you buy by offering a more resilient style of denim and pants made for multiple uses. Each product is made from renewable sources and in production uses a process that recycles the inputs to create more product. Duer's brand messaging is to be active and professional at the same time.

Many of the marketing materials are folks outdoors, riding bikes and lounging around fulfilling key areas of a persons lifestyle choices. Duers packaging, if you purchase online or in-store uses recycled materials and paper to reduce waste while protecting the product. Consumers can find various articles from neutral parties such as Forbes, NBC and CTV outlining the process in which the pants are made and various fabrics, such as tencel, which is widely used in bedding made from eucalyptus fibres.

Persons purchasing this product will find themselves purchasing less clothing to ensure less waste than the cheaper less resilient products you would find a store like H&M or Walmart. The environmental impact of this of this is substantial since a lot of clothing is made with one-time use inefficient processes that produce less than adequate quality clothing only meant to last one season. Purchaser Duer allows the consumer to not only reduce their own footprint but reduce overall carbon footprint by not supporting companies who's many focus is to have you purchasing clothing multiple times a year. With the increase in fuel prices many people are switching to greener alternatives such as cycling or taking transit. Having one piece of clothing that is light, comfortable and maintains multiple functions allows consumers to get more than one functional use out of a single piece of clothing.

With the use of more organic fibres comes the cost of reduces colouration in the clothing than using synthetic materials where the main purpose is to stand out. Some customers have found that the colour doesn't hold up to a wash or inconsistencies in the quality of the clothing. This is remedied, however, with Duer offering a free Denim repair program through their brick and mortar stores a long with free replacements of items within one year of purchase should the company not be able to adequately repair the item.

Some tradeoffs the consumer will make is the cost of the clothing itself. Duer charges a slight premium over its competitors like Nike or H&M. Both of those companies rely on the consumer purchasing "affordable" clothing but also with the assumption the clothing has a short shelf like so over time you will end up spending more with increased waste from having to discard the used clothing. Another trade off is the like of variety of clothing than a shop like H&M. H&M produces clothing enmasse to ensure that it keeps up with the latest fashion trends. This results in many consumers not knowing about Duer due to brand recognition and more available stores globally than Duer which only has 2 physical locations. When purchasing clothing, especially more expensive clothing, persons would prefer to try the clothing on to get correct sizing. Having limited brick and mortar stores is a limitation to reaching those consumers who prefer that.

Patagonia - Anastasiia Brovarets

2022-05-11 03:48:06 UTC

This American company is focused on outdoor clothing and been around since 1973. They consider themselves “an activist company” (Alaya,2022). Patagonia’s values include: building best product, cause no unnecessary harm, protect nature, and not being bound by convention.

It takes a big action trying to reduce environmental harm. Large part of their materials is made from previously recycled products. Patagonia business model is different from most of the brands by rejecting fast-fashion by making they products with high quality and lasting for a long time. Additionally, they offer repair and reuse program, where our can trade in your old Patagonia item and credit for future purchases. They also took part in research of microplastics impact. Patagonia even discourage customers from buying too many of their products by using “Don’t buy this jacket campaign”. Throughout their supply chain, brand has implemented activities of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Patagonia monitors their performance and shares information, which includes their carbon footprint and could be risky proposition by most other companies. They do welcome constructive criticism as part of growing process.

The company use renewable sources as a source of energy. 100% renewable electricity is used in US’s retail stores, distribution centers, offices and headquarter. Their goal is to become carbon neutral company by 2025.

Lush Cosmetics- Yitong Zhou

2022-05-11 04:09:34 UTC

Lush is a UK based brand whose main products are body, face and hair care products, known for being eco-friendly and eco-friendly as well as suitable and approved vegetarian. This all-natural business is committed to showing customers that they can get the same high-quality products from all-natural ingredients, without any animal testing or dangerous chemicals. （Stewart, 2022）

Lush gets rid of packaging when designing products to commit, and at the time of purchase, about half of their products can be taken home without packaging. By selling shampoo bars alone, we've saved nearly 6 million plastic bottles around the world. The total recycled content in all Lush packaging is approximately 89%. Prefer to use sustainably produced ingredients when purchasing raw materials. At the same time, their products have won praise from countless influencers and beauty bloggers around the world.

Cosmetics and other beauty products are known for their hazardous waste in plastic packaging and containers. As environmentalist sentiment runs high, many call for more sustainable beauty brands. Lush is committed to providing eco-friendly products and practices to its community, and the organization's incredible success and recycling programs have helped inspire other beauty brands around the world.

Negin Aghigh - Vessi Shoes

2022-05-11 05:10:04 UTC

Vessi shoes is a company by three Vancouveristies. Andy, Tony, and Mikaella decided to come up with stylish waterproof sneakers back in 2018. They had a common goal of making an impact and being committed to sustainable choices in the community by minimizing the environmental impact. Vessi Shoes are designed to be worn in any season whether it’s rain, snow, dirt, or mud.

Based on their website, Vessi is a smart CSR company because they are continually striving to implement sustainable practices into their brand and the way their shoes are made is by reducing carbon footprint in their facilities, materials, packaging, and manufacturing processes. Sustainability means alot to their brand. All of the products are made from vegan materials. The production process is by producing less waste while creating high quality products.

Packaging is 100% recyclable with zero use of plastic. If you flatten shoeboxes and scan the provided QR code received, you will get a special surprise.

Here is a review from a customer on their website: “Love these and when I found a piece of the sole peeling I contacted Vessi and had a virtually seamless experience getting replacements. These shoes are great and customer service was as well!”

This company has a huge potential to grow because of their stylish waterproof sneakers which are also comfortable and lightweight for any season and weather. This company is fully committed to being environmentally friendly.

https://ca.vessi.com

TOMS Shoes- Kartik

2022-05-11 05:11:24 UTC

TOMS was founded as a company in 2006 by Blake Mycoskie, an entrepreneur from Arlington, Texas. Blake believed in doing things differently and in challenging manner, but most importantly he wanted to make things better. The name TOMS derived from the term the "shoe for Tomorrow Project" and the first designs were based on the classic Argentinian Alpargata designs, also known as espadrilles. Blake started out by having a run of just 500 pairs made, within 6 months this had grown to 10,000. Blake used some of the profits from these sales to help with a range of community projects around the World and this is an ethos he has stuck to throughout Toms growth, since those early days he has helped with providing shoes, sight, water and safer birth services to the people that need it most.

The idea behind these steps has always been on the basis of creating a sustainable business model that makes a difference. In exchange for selling glassware they are giving away free eyecare, including tests, glasses and surgery where it is needed most. They have also started programmes to provide clean drinking water in exchange for their coffee beans and they’re avid fans of supporting our natural environments around the world.

A lot of positive reviews for TOMS shoes on the "Consumer Affairs" website is regarding their CSR initiatives. This shows that their strategy is working. https://www.consumeraffairs.com/online/toms.html?page=2

TOMS Shoes's top competitors include ASOS, Metalburgo, Colori and LoveBook.

As per Business Insider , Toms shoes were suffering loss because of their free donation community model. Company has sold 50% of its capital to blain capital and reintroduced their CSR initiatives. (I,Kim,2020). Instead of giving free stuff to the community, they have started using 100% organic cotton, recycled cotton, recycled polyester. They also started helping people with Ending Gun violence and Boost Mental Health. They went from donating free stuff to providing knowledge to help people. See their tracking in the Impact Report 2021.

Adidas group- Jazmin Medina

2022-05-11 05:41:28 UTC

Adidas is the second largest sportwear company founded in 1924. They focus on three key areas: environmental sustainability, human rights, and employee development.
In 2021, Adidas announced that it will use more than 69% recycled polyester in its shoes and eventually be at 100% by 2024.

Adidas has invested in creating a positive change in human rights by strengthening its engagement with their Tier 2 suppliers to ensure that their labor practices are being outlined internationally. In November 2020, Adidas was ranked the best company worldwide in the apparel industry with regard to ensuring human rights and labor rights in the supply chain.

They have a strong employee development which allows their employee to grow. Their "employer of choice" is still recognized worldwide and is very effective.

Adidas reviews aren't the highest on various platforms, on consumers affairs their rating is 2.7

Although their ratings are low, Adidas is working hard to become environmentally friendly by operating its own facility to generate energy.

Luna Hoyek - Sequoia Soaps

2022-05-11 06:21:49 UTC

Sequoia Soaps, a Canadian company that is 100% owned and operated by indigenous women. The design, production, and packaging of all the products is done in the working studio locally. None of the manufacturing is outsourced. In order to keep the next seven generations in mind, the production is sustainable, and ingredients are ethically sourced.

The packaging for their soaps is cardboard, and it is entirely recyclable. The packaging signals that the product is proudly indigenous. On their website it states indigenous made, consciously crafted, sulfate free, paraben free, gluten free and cruelty free. Consumers can verify some of the claims through many articles written by neutral bodies and health and wellness magazines and articles from 2005-2022.

This will motivate people to support Canadian companies, increase awareness towards indigenous owned companies, to purchase a vegan and cruelty free product that is better for the environment than some of the alternatives, uses non-plastic packaging that can be recycled, and increase the amount of people who are conscious about purchasing locally crafted items, such as soaps.

Levi's Jeans- Naresh Shankar

2022-05-11 07:04:02 UTC

Levi’s is an American clothing company known worldwide for its Levi’s brand of denim jeans. Levi’s is committed to reducing the amount of water used to produce their jeans and to ensure that this can happen, they have adopted the Water

To align with its goal of environmental sustainability, Levi’s jeans are sourced in better ways, from better materials and are high quality and durable. The desired outcome of their efforts is to effectively combat climate change. Becoming a more sustainable clothing brand is what drives them which is illustrated through their mantra: “Buy Better. Wear Longer.”

There are a lot of positive reviews for Levi’s jeans on the “Influenster” website. https://www.influenster.com/reviews/levis-11
People purchasing this product will find themselves purchasing jeans less often as a result of Levi’s extremely durable denim material. Consumers will verify that buying jeans from Levi’s is a better investment than buying jeans from other retail stores as they will definitely last longer. The environmental impact of this is substantial since Levi’s is producing items to last long rather than to be disposed off soon. By having this practice in place, they are reducing their environmental impact by continuing to reduce their water and waste usage.

The impact from this company is huge. The environmental impact is measurable through the benefits regarding water consumption. From their Water

There are multiple positive reviews regarding Levi’s CSR initiatives, especially in regard to their environmental impact. Levi’s strong commitments to sustainable denim production, namely significant water reduction, has been noticed and admired by consumers. They are also working on reducing greenhouse gases which also contributes to their reduced carbon footprint.

The largest barrier to purchasing Levi’s jeans would be the price. High quality usually means high price. Consumers aren’t really making any trade offs because they are paying a fair price for a durable good that will last long as a result of a sustainable manufacturing process. Levi's jeans can be expensive but you are paying for the utmost in quality.

Arc'teryx - Seckin Topac

2022-05-11 08:18:20 UTC

Local climbers found it in 1989, and Arc'teryx remains a gathering place of like-minded people. Their Design Centre is full of a hands-on think tank of active designers, materials experts, pattern makers, and product developers who know what they want, how it will be used, and why it works.

The brand is named after "ARCHAEOPTERYX LITHOGRAPHICA, the first reptile to develop the feather for flight". Climate change is a non-stop process, and the company notices it well; therefore, The urgency of the climate crisis broadens how they think about themselves and the way they approach business.

For instance, it is mentioned in the company's website that as an early signatory to the UN Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action (UN Fashion Charter), a member of the Outdoor Industry Association's Climate Action Corps, a co-founder alongside the Pembina Institute of the Catalyst Business Coalition and one of the first 400 companies to set a verified Science Based Target. Arc'teryx is embracing the power of the collaboration to make a structural change across industries to meet the Paris Agreement targets and scale low-carbon solutions targets. The company highly values its sustainability to become more impactful in the business; thus, its products are durable and climate-friendly.

Their business mindset always aligns with a better future.

They COMMIT to a Science-Based Carbon Target on Climate Action.
They COMMIT to working towards a circular economy.
They COMMIT to growing Outer Peace for people in our communities to whom it's been denied.
They COMMIT to Fair Trade certification & improving working conditions everywhere they build products.

Arc'teryx's approach to the complexity of the global problems they confront, being design-led means problem solving – a collaborative, humble, iterative process. Each step forward builds upon the last. This is the way they generate the momentum needed to catalyze systemic change. They commit to showing up and do not afraid of taking the initiative.

On the other hand, there are some comments on Fairify's website about the company that Arc'teryx does not take enough steps to entirely give up on non-renewable energy, unlike the company tries to demonstrate itself. According to the website, the company has ambitious goals, which is a good indication of success. It has set Science Based Targets to achieve its goals, it's committed to using 100% renewable energy in its owned operations by the end of 2020, and aims to set up renewable energy projects throughout its supply chain. On top of that, Arc'teryx's Sports wants to reduce its absolute Scope 1, 2, and 3 GHG emissions by 65% by 2030. The company has big plans for the future but is underperforming in action and transparency. Eventually, time will show us if their goals will become achievable or not soon.

https://arcteryx.com/ca/en/explore

https://www.fairify.io/en/brands/how-sustainable-is-arcteryx/

reBounces - Green Machines

justintee — 2022-05-11 09:58:55 UTC

ReBounces is an American sports utility company founded by a former high school tennis coach, Bill Dirst. They produce a line of products called "Green Machines" that serve the purpose of "pressurizing" tennis balls.

The most common ball used in professional, and amateur tennis are pressurized tennis balls. Pressurized tennis balls are typically thrown out after they lose pressure, which leads to a loss of “bounciness” from the ball. The rubber and felt composition of tennis balls are not recyclable, therefore it is very important to maximize the life of each tennis ball before they inevitably get sent to a landfill.

Consumers on websites such as “Tennis Warehouse” have cited using the product and having greater long-term success using the product compared to other alternatives such as “PressureBall”. Alternatives to “ReBounces” products typically utilize a “bicycle pump” and a “plastic bag” to facilitate the process of repressurization, but the plastic bags used suffer from having a shorter lifespan, and defeat the purpose of saving the environment as the plastic bags ultimately become waste. ReBounces utilize metal containers for their products, which leads to having a longer lifespan, greater repairability, and are completely recyclable.

The primary barrier to purchasing this product would be the price. The cheapest model from the company costs 339 USD, which is a very high price to pay considering that it would be equivalent to buying 68 cans of tennis balls (each can typically contain 3 tennis balls) all at once. The consumer would need to have a level of care about the environment to make the purchase, as it would be cheaper to simply purchase more tennis balls rather than purchase the machine for most consumers. Competitors such as “PressureBall” offer a similar product at a fraction of the price at $44 for a custom plastic bag and a bicycle pump, however their products are more harmful to the environment due to the nature of using plastic bags that only last for a short amount of time.

Seventh Generation – Shagun

2022-05-11 11:16:24 UTC

Since being founded in 1988, Seventh Generation, a company that produces paper, personal care, and cleaning products, has been focused on being eco-friendly. The reason I believe Seventh Generation fits the "Smart CSR" definition is because they claim that there mission is "to transform the world into a healthy, sustainable & equitable place for the next seven generations."

Along with their plant-based products made of ethically and
sustainably sourced ingredients, Seventh Generation adheres to the same environmental principles in packaging. Packaging materials used by the company are recyclable and the packaging itself is designed so that it can be recycled.

Their goal is for 100% of their products and packaging to use
biobased or post-consumer recycled material , and like
Patagonia, Seventh Generation aims to become a zero-waste
company by 2025.

Below is the review of one of the satisfied customers of Seventh Generation- "This detergent is made entirely of plant-based components. This laundry detergent thoroughly cleans my clothes. It is quite effective at removing grime and stains, but it is also very gentle on the skin. There are no dyes, optical brighteners, or synthetic perfumes in this product. I like that it's a natural detergent that's suitable for the whole family to use".

In addition, it promotes environmental advocacy and community involvement too. From supporting the
Sierra Club's Ready For 100 campaign to offering grants to nonprofit
organizations through their foundation, the Seventh Generation Foundation, Seventh Generation fights to make sure their impact
doesn't simply end after their sustainable products get to your door (Ames et al., 2022) .

Ames, C., Says, I., Ipappa, says, S., Support, & The Appetizing World Behind Gummi Sugar – Counsel Listings says: (2022, May 9). The 15 most environmentally friendly & sustainable companies (2022). Grow Ensemble. Retrieved May 11, 2022, from https://growensemble.com/environmentally-friendly-companies/

Oatly- Wilson Lin

2022-05-11 12:42:02 UTC

Oatly is a Sweden based corporation that focuses on providing better dairy alternatives to consumers. Its founders are the inventors of oat milk which has been thriving across the world and widely adopted in coffee shops because of its satisfactory foaming results (Ewing-Chow, 2020). Oatly has been founded for about thirty years. Its primary product is oat milk, whereas it also offers oat milk based ice-cream, yoghurt (Oatghurt), and oat cream. This company reckon that crops shall not be grown to feed animals for human consumption, and it should instead be consumed directly by human. Oatly’s next goal is to develop vegan cheese and to further challenge conventional dairy industry. Its vision is to provide more nutritional food with minimal environmental impacts. A U.S Department of agriculture research has revealed that a 10,000-milk-cow dairy farm could produce 3575 pounds of ammonia, 33,092 pounds of methane, and 409 pounds of nitrous oxide every day (Perry, 2011). Therefore, Oatly’s products can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emission and energy use by reducing dairy products consumption. Moreover, 87% of Oatly’s packaging is from renewable sources. Furthermore, Oatly has also launched a pilot project in Iowa, which offers monetary incentives for corn and soy farmers to planet oats on their field to increase the soil diversity. The program was created based on the research that reveals that adding grains, such as oats, along with other crops can improve the land and alleviate pest issues (Wetzel, Kharouba, Robinson, & Holyoak, 2016). Therefore, less nitrogen fertilizers and pesticides would be applied on the soil. The incentives offered by Oatly help farmers to improve their soil and save some costs, whereas it also diversifies Oalty’s supply chain. The barrier in purchasing this product is its higher price range comparing to conventional animal-milk, and that it is not 100% gluten free outside North American market. For instance, at Target, Oatly's The Original Oatmilk is priced at $4.99 USD per 0.5 gallon whereas 2% Milk in Seattle is sold at $3.19 USD per gallon.

Works Cited

Ewing-Chow, D. (2020, 9 30). Björn Öste, Inventor Of Oat Milk, On The Road To Number One. Retrieved from Forbes: Björn Öste, Inventor Of Oat Milk, On The Road To Number One

Perry, A. (2011, 7 19). How Dairy Farms Contribute to Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Retrieved from USDA: https://www.ars.usda.gov/news-events/news/research-news/2011/how-dairy-farms-contribute-to-greenhouse-gas-emissions/

Wetzel, w. C., Kharouba, H. M., Robinson, M., & Holyoak, M. (2016). Variability in plant nutrients reduces insect herbivore performance. Nature.

Sugar Sheet Copy Papers (Social Print Paper)

ebramazloum — 2022-05-11 17:46:54 UTC

Social Print Paper is a Canadian company that has noticed the short life cycle of a paper and the amount of forest damage generated by regular paper production. Also, they know that paper is essential for businesses, and there is a need for a better alternative.

Therefore, they introduced a sustainable option that uses agricultural fiber waste to produce paper. A sugar-based agricultural component called Bagasse is the main component for making Sugar Printing paper. This component, "bagasse," is created after the sugar cane is harvested for sugar, alcohol, and biofuel. This company is helping reduce the cutting of forests as it's marketed that every two boxes of Sugar sheet paper help save a 30-ft tree. By using the agricultural waste, they are helping to reduce the emission caused by burning it. The company is proudly advertising its product to be "Forest Free" on the package, as forests are the main component of making paper. The paper is eco-friendly and biodegrades faster and better than regular paper. Many studies refer to this product as the best alternative for regular wood fiber paper.

The potential impact of this product is that if it is used primarily instead of regular paper, there will be a decrease in deforestation and less air pollution. It takes 24 trees to make about 200,000 sheets. Contrarily, sugar cane waste agriculture will either be used as biofuel or burnt to eliminate it. Thus, using it in making substitute paper will save trees and protect the environment from combustion pollution.

The University of British Columbia and the federal government are one of the most significant two clients using Sugar paper instead of regular paper. The company enjoys a high rating of 4.7 by consumers in Google reviews and Facebook reviews. The leading competitor is companies that offer other options for sustainable paper. The industry leaders have been reshaping their business model to adapt to the current needs. Accordingly, hp (Howard Packard) and Norpac are two of the main competitors for Social print sugar sheets.

While reviewing the competitors, a noticeable point was the price point. Sugar papers are sold at a higher price point than competitors, which is the only barrier consumers will have to overcome to purchase this product. The product feels and is used like regular tree paper.

Lululemon (Jenson Yuen)

2022-05-11 20:02:12 UTC

Based in Vancouver, Lululemon is known for their comfortable and expansive clothing lines. Whilst competing at the top in their industry, they are also able to operate in a sustainable fashion. They fit the "smart CSR" definition as they are constantly finding ways to reduce the amount of waste. Lululemon measures their "company-wide waste footprint to learn how much waste [they] produce globally to better understand how [they] can reduce it." (Lululemon, 2022)

Lululemon's product message follows the principles of keeping packaging to a minimum, with an emphasis on using fully recyclable materials. Their most recent initiative was to switch paper-based packaging to FSC-Certified materials. Lululemon is moving towards materials that are considered "the "gold standard" ethical production". (Taylor, 2022) This allows consumers to verify claims as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is very legitimate.

Lululemon preaches equity, wellbeing, and sustainability. They are constantly pushing this message to their consumers and increasing knowledge of how to become more sustainable. Specific harm reductions include avoiding plastics and materials that damage the environment. They also impact the fields of affordable and clean energy, responsible consumption and production, and climate action. Substantiating data, including in-depth percentage increases and decreases, is provided in their yearly impact summaries which can be easily found on their website.

Found on an article titled "How Ethical Is Lululemon?", the author stated that the environmental impact is "Not Good Enough". The author stated that Lululemon uses eco-friendly materials that is minimal when compared to the other harmful materials that remain. Other regards include how immeasurable their claimed actions are relating to reducing or eliminating hazardous chemicals.

A main barrier is Lululemon's relatively expensive products. As high-quality fabric and their remarkable product-quality are great, but it causes their pricing to match.

Lululemon competes with other athleisure companies. Adidas is an examples that performs worse in the CSR category, but provides more affordable products. Adidas has offended workers' rights as they pay excessive wages to executives, while workers lower in the supply chain are vastly underpaid.

https://info.lululemon.com/sustainability/our-footprint/waste
Lululemon. (n.d.). Packaging and waste. Packaging and Waste | lululemon athletica. Retrieved May 11, 2022, from https://info.lululemon.com/sustainability/our-footprint/waste

Taylor, L. H. (2022, February 4). Why should I buy FSC Certified Wooden Furniture? The Spruce. Retrieved May 11, 2022, from https://www.thespruce.com/what-does-fsc-certified-stand-for-2736657#:~:text=In%20short%2C%20a%20product%20can,environmentally%20conscious%2C%20and%20economically%20viable.

Wolfe, I. (2022, February 22). How ethical is lululemon? Good On You. Retrieved May 11, 2022, from https://goodonyou.eco/how-ethical-lululemon/

Patagonia - fair trade program

poncecristian676 — 2022-05-11 20:02:18 UTC

Patagonia is an American brand founded by Yvon Chouinard in 1973. This brand is usually associated with sustainability due to its several attempts to send messages through its actions on how a retail business should act successfully.

Usually, their messages are related to eco-friendly messages and how to be socially responsible.

For retail businesses is very easy to harm the environment in order to save money by reducing costs or ignoring policies that could give a more positive eco-friendly image. However, Patagonia has managed to change this stereotype by implementing the fair trade program which allows the company to be more socially responsible, for example, 85% of clothing line in Patagonia is fair trade certified, which helps manufacturers a lot by placing a premium fee on top of the established price of an item. This premium fee is given to manufacturers in Bangladesh where they get that extra money directly into their hands.

Besides being an eco-friendly company that not only runs all their stores with 100% renewable energy in the US, they also try to make a difference with their workers, but around +64,000 workers have also been helped since Patagonia's participation in the fair trade program. If that wasn’t enough Patagonia is proud to say that they turned 527 tons of plastic waste from oceans by turning fishing nets into gear.

This company is now aiming to start the implementation of regenerative organic certified material for their clothing, having already +550 farmers working with this already. This will reduce greenhouse emissions and improve soil health.

When purchasing a Patagonia item where you would find a tagged item saying that the product purchased is a fair trade certified sewn style, currently, 85% of their items are certified so there shouldn't be any barriers when buying products from here. In comparison to other retail stores like Abercrombie or Hollister who are less aware of their CSR, you can tell the difference in how their approach to these topics.

https://www.patagonia.com/our-footprint/fair-trade.html

https://www.patagonia.com/social-responsibility/

https://www.patagonia.com/core-values/

Pela - World's First Compostable Phone Case - Nimar Randhawa

2022-05-11 20:46:40 UTC

Pela began in 2010 in Kelowna, British Columbia, when it’s founder Jeremy Lang, saw first-hand the damage incurred on our oceans due to plastic pollution when on vacation. Lang and Pela are taking steps towards making sustainable, plastic -free products, the new normal with a product that we hold every single day. The company prides itself on creating the “World’s First 100% Compostable Phone Case” and is on a quest to prevent 1 billion pounds of plastic from being by 2028.

According to Pela, The phone industry has a huge problem. Greedy companies use cheap, polluting plastics for their phone cases. But this firm has decided that our planet and consumers deserve better, therefore have created world’s first compostable phone cases, which produce 30% carbon emissions during production, allow 34% less water usage and overall 80% reduction in waste production. Additionally, the packaging is based on recycled materials as well which biodegrade into CO2, water and biomass.

Consumers can find various articles posted by various international publications and media outlets such as Forbes, Martha Stewart, CNN, Ellen Degeneres Show and BuzzFeed. Additionally, hundreds of first hand consumer testimonials are available on the company’s website which support its claims and provides evidence of massive carbon foot print left behind by competitors.

With the help of consumers, the company has managed to sell over a million cases to date, which equates to 587,280 pounds of plastic that was prevented from entering the waste stream, based on the average conventional plastic case and packaging which weighs around 0.33 pounds. It is a humble beginning with an aim to remove 1 billion pounds of plastic from the water streams by the end of 2028.

The only negative information available which goes against The Pela cases is the “Price”. Some consumers claim it to be placed on the expensive side, as they usually cost between $39.95 and $59.95 depending upon the edition. And only 1% of this value goes towards Planet sustainability which some have claimed to be less.

For a head to head comparison, Pela has provided evidence by comparing a conventional case against their own product by making them run through a compost test at their local office in Kelowna, BC. Images after 12 weeks of rigorous testing shows Pela case completely broken down into compost while the conventional case stays intact highlighting the negatives of using plastics for manufacturing.

https://pelacase.com/pages/our-story

SolarAdventure, Blinds That also Function as Solar Panels - Jack Rainer

2022-05-11 20:46:59 UTC

1: SolarAdventure is a Vancouver based start-up company attempting to create blinds that double as solar panels to power homes. I believe SolarAdventure fits the smart CSR definition because the companies mission appears to be creating a product that contributes to renewable energy more so than simply generating profit.

2: The product is still in the development phase so there is not yet packaging the companies website (https://www.solaradventure.ca/) emphasizes it's focus on renewable energy but does not aggressively signal it's corporate social responsibility actions. In my opinion this is a sign of a genuinely responsible company that is not simply greenwashing.

3: There is no neutral body or certification that can verify the claims made by SolarAdventure. However the power generated by SolarAdventures blinds can be monitored with smart devices. So consumers can see how much power is actually saved and used by a renewable source rather than traditional sources. However SolarAdventure provides this feature so it would need outside verification.

4: This product has the potential to lower the amount of energy generated by fossil fuels in addition to acting as a mirrored curtain which cools houses during the summer and keeps them warm during the winter reducing the need to use power on temperature control. Again this data can be measured by the monitoring service offered by SolarAdventure.

5: The project focuses particularily on developing nations with higher population density where traditional rooftop solar panels are not an option and where power supply is limited. (https://empoweredstartups.com/research-project-between-solar-adventure-ltd-and-the-university-of-british-columbia-receives-two-year-grant/) The company has received a grant from angel investor Mitacs in partnerhip with UBCO to develop the project. Competitors are other sustainable homebuilding companies. Examples include
DCBEL https://www.dcbel.energy/
Haus.Me https://haus.me/
and Zanbur https://zanbur.co/
However these companies focus on traditional solar power generation methods or sustainable homes or "passive homes" and are not focused specifically on blinds like SolarAdventure is.

One issue I was not able to find out any information on was where SolarAdventure gets it's solar panels from (or where they are planning to get them from) solar panels although generating zero emission power can create a significant amount of emissions to actually manufacture (https://kubyenergy.ca/blog/the-positive-and-negative-environmental-impacts-of-solar-panels). Some solar panel manufacturers are more environmentally friendly than others. To be a truly socially responsible/sustainable company SolarAdventure should have some information on this.

6: The barrier to purchasing this product is that it is still only a prototype in addition to the much higher cost than regular blinds. Another foreseeable issue is that certain buildings would not be suitable to use the product because the sun may not shine on that window enough. Unlike a roof which always is exposed to the sun unless it is cloudy.

Ben & Jerry's Smart CSR by Farzad Moayedi

2022-05-11 20:59:49 UTC

Ben & Jerry’s has always had a strong socially responsible stance. Ben & Jerry’s uses quality dairy in their products. The company carefully monitors and avoids dairy that contains artificial growth hormones to avoid illnesses such as “Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH)”. Ben & Jerry’ actively advocate in events happing around the globe and support such causes. Sustainable packaging, Fair Trade ingredients and non-GMO ingredients are the main CSR key points for this company. Fair Trade Ingredients Logo: fair trade standards ensures that employees are in good conditions where they announced in 2013 to become a fully Fair-Trade business. In addition, On the back of each Ice Cream packaging, there is a message in big font signifying that Ben & Jerry’s “source non-GMO ingredients, Fairtrade ingredients, cage free hens and happy cows”. Demographic and consumer insight of Ben & Jerry’s by Numerator^1*

shows that its customers would repeat the sale by 53% and spend roughly $25.07 a year on this brand of Ice Cream. Amidst of the Covid pandemic in 2020, The brand loyalty increased by 20% while most of the other brands suffered.

Ben & Jerry’s employ roughly 2000 employees that work under Fair Trade Standards. In addition, Ben & Jerry’s outsource majority of their ingredients from farms and other establishments that must be up to Fair Trade standards.

Ben & Jerry’s aside from having a social responsibility role in their products, they are also heavily involved in political debates and stands. They have made a tweet about impeachment of the US president which can be very controversial. In addition, the company has demanded to halt the profit of companies such as Facebook and Instagram to profit of spread of “hate news” and racism.

Ben& Jerry’s is considered a premium product in stores where research shows 49% of consumers are from the high-income class and 70% of consumers belong to Gen X and Millennials demographics. There are many cheaper Ice-Cream brands such as Pillsbury, Unilever and Haagen Dazs where their values on Fairtrade ingredients and vision of CSR are not up to level with Ben & Jerry’s.

¹* https://www.numerator.com/snapshots/brands/ben-and-jerrys

https://www.zippia.com/ben-jerry-s-careers-16592/

https://bjsocialresponsibility.weebly.com/

https://www.benjerry.com/whats-new/2014/corporate-social-responsibility-history

Faisal Alsalimi - Lucid Motors

2022-05-11 22:59:58 UTC

Founded in 2007, by Bernard Tse and Sam Weng, Lucid Motors is an American EV manufacturer that has really started to earn the respect of the people the past few years. Ironically though, no one has really taken delivery of the cars, except for motor journalists and testing professionals.

Lucid is all about corporate social responsibility. Firstly, they're building zero-emission cars, which can be powered using renewable energy resources. It's whole purpose is to create a sustainable future, revolving around sustainable transportation, with the responsible use of earths resources. Their vehicles are built with efficiency in mind, as well as "materials from the most responsible suppliers", potentially making use of recycle material, where possible.

Although these cars do not come in packages, it is very easy to notice their desire for a sustainable future by their whole image, as well as their mission statement; "Lucid Motors is on a mission to inspire the adoption of sustainable energy by creating the most captivating electric vehicles, centred around the human experience".

The easiest way to verify the claims of Lucid Motors, which point at their environment friendly principles, is to checkout www.greencarreports.com who announced Lucid Air as the best car to buy in 2022, who acknowledge just how efficient lucid motors is, and how little energy their vehicles really use.

The launch of Lucid alone will definitely have a direct impact on individuals, as they will stop relying on internal combustion engines, fuel/diesel filled vehicles. This will first and foremost save them a fortune on gas, especially with gas prices nowadays. Secondly, they would be one less person emitting harmful byproducts of burning gas into the air. In terms of the effects of Lucid on the environment, I think it will make a difference, but not majorly. I think it will need more than Tesla and Lucid to be on the road to really see a difference. The difference is measurable using air quality reports. An example of this was during the beginning of the pandemic when people were working from home, we noticed a huge improvement in air quality as there was no ice vehicles on the road.

The company is still in its early stages, but we can confidently say that people love it. Their cars are sold out worldwide already, and there's a huge waitlist if you want to order one. Their main competitor would be Tesla, who might have faster cars, but Lucid has them beat on efficiency, thus, longer range vehicles.

The main two barriers to purchasing this product would simply be the shortage of supply, as well as the high price tag that comes with it. As I mentioned previously, the waitlist to get a Lucid vehicle is over a year, and even then, you will have to pay a minimum of $69,900 USD, which isn't exactly affordable for most people. The tradeoff I see that people would have to make, specifically car enthusiasts, is the boring aspect of driving an EV. There is something about the sound of ICE vehicles, the smell, and the linear torque progression that is simply irreplaceable with EV's.

Overall, I believe Lucid Motors is truly onto something, especially as they keep the environment and CSR in mind. I think it is just a matter of time and they will stand their ground against Tesla, and other EV manufacturers.

Londre Bodywear- Amiya Narang

2022-05-11 23:36:42 UTC

1. Londre Bodywear is a brand from Vancouver, Canada that believes in recycling waste plastic bottles by making swimwear and beachwear for women.
They use a minimum of 6 plastic bottles per suit to create them. All their workers are paid well above the minimum wage and their factories are based in Vancouver.

2. They have sustainable packaging which is made out of corn. Their website states "Since day one, we've been committed to making the most flattering and high quality swimsuits with the lowest possible impact on the planet." Their packaging is minimal and mentions that it can be composted as it is made out of corn. This is a good sign for a brand to incorporate sustainability as a huge part of their business.

3. Their fabric and products are from textile factory which is OEKO Tex 100 certified factory in Taiwan. This is mentioned on their website which is a standard certification used which prevents brands from using harmful chemicals in their fabrics and makes sure that the products are environment friendly and sustainable.

4. The potential impact of this is brand is to reduce the waste as much as they can. They have been able to donate a portion of their earnings to the "ocean clean up project" for the betterment of the environment which removes plastic from the ocean and makes it a safer environment for our aquatic animals. They produce in small portions in their production houses in order to reduce wastage. They also have a recycling program where if the customer wants to get rid of their old swimsuit, they can email the brand and they will send a return label with free shipping and a 15% code for next purchase as a thank you for contributing to reducing waste.

5. The reviews for their swimwear have been great for the most part. However, because of their minimal wastage and less production, the shipping takes some time and people have said that at times they can be expensive. Overall, even though they are not completely sustainable since they are made out of plastic, they try to reduce waste as much as possible which is a good change as most companies do not think much about the long term effects of their products and wastage.

6. Barriers to this product would be the price of these swimsuits since they take more work to build a product that is better for the environment, it costs money. A customer can be willing to trade off if a product like the swim line that was introduced by Kylie Jenner. Her product was expensive and because of her brand, a lot of customers were interested in purchasing them. However, they were disappointed as the quality of her products were labelled "transparent" and "thin". The price range for her swimsuits was between $100- $150. Websites like Buzzfeed have posted articles on the amount of backlash the brand had faced.
To be able to get something that is much better in quality, helps the environment by recycling the waste, and uses no harmful chemicals while being inclusive of all sizes for women is a much better trade off.

https://www.londrebodywear.ca/pages/about-sustainability

https://www.chinaimportal.com/blog/oeko-tex-standard-100/

https://schimiggy.com/londre-review-multiway-swimsuit/

https://kyliejenner.com/collections/all-products

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ellendurney/kylie-jenner-swim-backlash-over-terrible-quality-reviews

Salt Spring Coffee - Jesse Missio

2022-05-11 23:37:03 UTC

For over 25 years, Salt Spring Coffee (SSC) has been dedicated to far more than just a great cup of coffee. Since its founding, SSC has always strived to not only be a financially sound business, but also one that supports the community and environment, with their main aspiration being "to be change makers through coffee - doing our part to make the world a better place".

One of the ways they manage to make the world a better place, is through their ethical farming standards. As visible on all of it's packages of coffee, SSC prides itself on it's various certifications such as: using certified organic "fair-trade" and "fair-for-life". What this means is that it is not enough to simply pay the farmers well; to SSC, it is essential that across the entire supply chain, human rights were not violated and the environment and local community were unharmed (Fair-for-Life). Furthermore, SSC is a certified B Corporation. In order to achieve this certification, SSC has proven its commitment to the the global environment, global communities, it's employees and being transparent (B Corp).

With the efforts that SSC makes, it is hard to say how many people may be positively affected by their actions. Their efforts of sustainable farming practices will certainly have a positive impact in the areas in which they source their coffee from. In many cases, large-scale coffee farms cause massive deforestation and chemical build up in the soil. This can lead to chemicals being dumped into rivers, which in turn hurts the local communities, and their environment (Ohio State). However, with the ethical farming practices of SSC, this problem is lessened. SSC grows their coffee in the shade of the forest canopy, and aims to protect the soil from eroding. These practices not only help the local community, but it also help to protect the ecosystem.

Besides their commitment to social responsibility, it is also worth noting that SPC makes a really good cup joe. However, these qualities bring one drawback: it is a bit more more expensive than the average bag of coffee. If you take a quick look at the coffee options available on Amazon Canada, one can see that the a similar brand such as Kicking Horse Coffee (another coffee company that strives to be socially responsible), with very similar reviews, offers a similar product at a cheaper price. As such, some buyers may be inclined to choose a cheaper alternative.

Works Cited:

https://www.saltspringcoffee.com/pages/sustainability

https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/certification

https://www.fairforlife.org/pmws/indexDOM.php?client_id=fairforlife&page_id=about&lang_iso639=en

https://ohiostate.pressbooks.pub/sciencebites/chapter/a-bitter-brew-coffee-production-deforestation-soil-erosion-and-water-contamination/

https://www.amazon.ca/b/?_encoding=UTF8&node=7351105011&bbn=6967215011&ref_=Oct_d_odnav_d_7351102011_1&pd_rd_w=wI3Uo&pf_rd_p=110291c5-558c-4e37-9cc9-ac65b1ccefbc&pf_rd_r=B9SX6GDC4TRPREYGSXR3&pd_rd_r=cb6f3761-8b0f-4feb-8ceb-f02516855b2f&pd_rd_wg=As4nz

Intel by Tainou Hoeve

2022-05-11 23:37:48 UTC

In 2020 Intel announced their 2030 RISE strategy which outlined corporate social responsibility goals for the next decade which are aimed at accelerating the integration of responsible, inclusive, and sustainable best practices and innovative approaches in their operations and supply chain.

By 2030 the company plans to be reliant on 100% renewable energy, a fact that is detailed on the packaging of many products and on their company. Intel made progress on this front in 2020 by increasing renewable energy from 71% to 82%. They also conserved 2.1 billion gallons of water in 2020.

These claims can be cited and verified by Intel receiving for the fourth consecutive year in a row, a Leadership score in CDP's Supplier Engagement Rating for their work in persuading suppliers to expand their climate and water disclosure.

The most direct impact of this company lies in regard to the environment. By focusing on renewable energies, they substantially reduce their carbon footprint and thereby contribute less to climate change. Water shortages in some regions such as southern California, which is also of interest to environmentalists, is also diminished. This means there is more water available for agricultural purposes as well as densely populated areas where water supply is a major concern.

Intel has also launched 'the Alliance for Global Inclusion', a coalition focused on creating a shared set of diversity and inclusion metrics in four critical areas: leadership, representation, inclusive language, inclusive product development and STEM readiness in underserved communities.

Furthermore, Intel is focused on expanding diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusion in their global workforce. They do so by advocating for public policies and laws that combat discrimination and inequities affecting employees and the wider community at large. In their own organization, Intel plans to double the number of women and underrepresented minorities in senior leadership positions and increasing representation of women in technical roles by 40 %.

https://csrreportbuilder.intel.com/pdfbuilder/pdfs/CSR-2020-21-Full-Report.pdf

Tentree by Dhruv Nagpal

2022-05-11 23:49:50 UTC

Tentree

Everything they do is motivated by the desire to do better for our world, such as planting trees. They plant trees since it is one of the most effective means of ensuring a more sustainable future. We're always exploring for new ways to produce clothes with the least possible carbon footprint and to establish more circular supply chains. To put this in context, a tentree sweater consumes 75% less water to manufacture than the other hoodies in your closet.

Earth-First is their commitment to make decisions in a world where the earth and its people are always first.

Every tentree product, whether purchased online or in-store, has a unique code that the client may enter on the tentree website to see where his or her ten trees are planted across the world. Tentree had been planting trees prior to the registration code campaign, but the codes enabled a degree of connection between the client and tentree that is becoming increasingly popular in CSR programmes.

Pangea- Pim Nilsriphaiwan

2022-05-12 00:46:04 UTC

Pangea is a beauty product that have a strong mission to bring consumers the first plant-based and truly sustainable collection of bioactive, highly efficacious formulas within completely plastic-free packaging. Regarding to Pangea’s mission, the company is perfectly fit the “smart CSR” which focus on social responsibility.

In Pangea’s packaging they mainly use Sugarcane Bio-resin which is an eco-friendly alternative material. This switch reduces the need for RAW materials, and this material is recyclable, compostable and decreases carbon footprint.

Significantly Pangea uses plant-based bioactive ingredients in its products. The company also connects with more than 50+ the organic local farms to support the local farmer and get the natural pure ingredients to its products.

According to those points being said, the company strongly concentrates on social responsibility and environment which will lead a huge change in skincare and cosmetic industry. Comparing to other viral company, Pangea is outstanding in the way of sustainable product.

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pangea-introduces-plant-based-potent-plastic-free-skincare-301519411.html

LUSH - Adam Zielinski

2022-05-12 00:59:09 UTC

Lush is a British cosmetics retailer thats primary focus revolves around producing cosmetics that are free from animal testing, producing and delivering fresh ingredients, using 100% vegetarian and 80% vegan products, selling "naked" or unpackaged goods to curve waste, and finally producing handmade products. Lush ensures every product is made with the either zero or virtually zero preservatives. If that wasn't enough, Lush even has numerous charities it donates too including the Rainforest Foundation, which is donated to through the 100% of their sales of their "Jungle" conditioner. 75% of their products are synthetic free and the ones that do use them are ensured to be safe through long standing research.

In regards to packaging, every product is either sold unpackaged or with only the minimalistic of packaging to reduce waste. In addition, most products are sold with the name of the worker that handmade/assembled it. 65% of their products come without packaging and ones that do are made from recycled waste. In regards to the ones that need to be packaged, like liquid products, Lush uses fully recyclable packaging and even worked with their manufacturers to produce a bottle that was 10% thinner and saved 13,000 pounds of plastic. They even have initiatives to use plastic found in the ocean!

Ethical consumer website has highlighted that Lush scores extremely well in workers rights, animal testing, social finance, and good company ethos. It also states that Lush however is not perfect, and that it has said things that were no longer true, like saying they were no longer using Palm Oil in their products only to keep adding it after it became near impossible to source. An article on ethical unicorn stated that Lush is in fact very transparent with their ingredients list, they truly do NOT test products on animals, and their initiatives are always aimed to produce the lowest environmental impact. This article author, through her investigating, gave Lush an 8/10 score.

Lush did confirm that they removed up to 250 tonnes of palm oil from their products in response to save the orangutangs. They have 50 new local composting partners for their shops and divert 2700 pounds of waste from landfills annually and 60% of their annual energy usage comes from renewable energy. For certain specific products, they also guarantee 100% profits to go to charitable causes and annually donate to initiatives globally that are creating more ways of sustainable living. Their platform in total has raised $3.5 million in support of global issues.

The barriers to purchasing these products include paying a premium for these products since they are being produced in a socially responsible way and that due to the lack of preservatives in their products, things can tend to go bad quicker and must be used in a shorter time frame.

https://www.lush.ca/en/home

https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/company-profile/lush-cosmetics-ltd

https://ethicalunicorn.com/2018/03/28/how-ethical-is-lush-cosmetics-holly-rose-investigates/

https://justmeans.com/blogs/csr-at-lush-the-biggest-independent-green-cosmetic-company#:~:text=Lush%20supports%20different%20charities%20based,goes%20towards%20supporting%20these%20charities.

Lush Cosmetics (sheavon mcdougall)

2022-05-12 01:01:24 UTC

Lush Cosmetics has a large impact and influence in ethical buying, vegan products, fighting animal testing, sustainable packaging, and clean natural products.

Their packing shows a “V” indicating that it's vegan. Their website has a full section for “Our Impact” and goes into detail how they perform as an ethical and sustainable brand. With specific campaigns, they’ll label their packaging with info on which charity the proceeds are going towards.

A consumer can verify these claims from neutral analyst reports on Lush’s cruelty-free stance. And was awarded number 2 in the top 10 most ethical companies of the last 30 years.

The environmental impact is their actions in reducing the ecological footprint, climate change, reducing single use packaging, and more. A quote from their website states, "
We got 50 new local composting partners for our shops, helping divert almost 2,700 lbs of organics from the landfill annually, which is the weight of six female polar bears."

The only trade off is that their packaging isn't 100% organic, but comparable to most cosmetic companies they definitely have much larger goals and strategies in ethical and sustainable products.

https://www.lush.ca/en/home
https://weare.lush.com/press-releases/awards/

MUD Jeans - Vishal Jangra

2022-05-12 02:15:54 UTC

MUD Jeans, established in the Netherlands, is a sustainable and fair trade certified denim brand. MUD In 2013, MUD introduced their Lease A Jeans program, a model that frees consumers from the environmental anxiety of buying a new pair of jeans. Instead, you borrow MUD Jeans’ material in the shape of jeans, and return it once you’re done using it. Through this program, MUD jeans avoid the landfill and encourage a less wasteful lifestyle. The brand specifically focuses on its water usage, carbon emissions, land use, and recycling. With these initiatives, MUD has made an incredible impact. The denim is created from a blend of GOTS-certified organic cotton and GRS-certified post-consumer recycled cotton. The manufacturer can assure that the pair of jeans can be recycled and re-incorporated into production at the end of its life cycle by using mono materials. In other words, using old/ used jeans to make brand new MUD Jeans.

References-
https://mudjeans.eu/pages/our-mission-about-us
https://mudjeans.eu/pages/sustainability-our-impact

TELUS by Sara Padyab

2022-05-12 02:26:46 UTC

TELUS Corporation is a national telecommunications business based in Canada that offers a wide range of products and services, including internet access, phone, entertainment, and healthcare. The company's roots charity assistance has been spearheaded by thirteen Canadian community boards and five overseas boards. TELUS International's five Community Boards, each with a US$100,000 yearly donation budget, are making a significant effect in the Philippines, Guatemala, El Salvador, Bulgaria, and Romania.
Team members and retirees have donated over $820 million (CAD) and 1.6 million days of service since 2000. The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) recognized TELUS the most outstanding charitable firm in the world, making it the first Canadian company to achieve this distinguished worldwide honor.
TELUS International's women's network, Connections, aims to build an inclusive community by connecting the needs and interests of women in the organization while supporting their career and personal growth.
HOPE is a life-changing initiative for Central American students that teaches them English and employment skills while also providing them with a monthly allowance from TELUS International. Students are offered satisfying jobs in the firm at the completion of the programme, allowing them to support themselves and their families. During the company's long-term cooperation with the Philippines' Gawad Kalinga, they built two new communities and hundreds of homes for some of the country's poorest households. Volunteers from the team continue to teach life skills, instruct children, and enable formerly homeless individuals to take charge of their lives in the communities.