Encouraging Social Responsibility

One image just disrupted a £22 billion fashion empire more effectively than a thousand sustainability reports. 🔥 This isn't an official SHEIN campaign gone wrong. It's artist Emanuele Morelli's AI creation—a haunting visualisation showing what fast fashion's "affordability" really costs us. The image speaks volumes: a SHEIN billboard where the model's flowing dress transforms into a cascade of textile waste. Art communicating what statistics alone cannot. 5 uncomfortable truths this image forces us to confront: 1. The scale of fashion waste is staggering → 92 million tonnes of textile waste produced annually  → The equivalent of one rubbish lorry of textiles dumped every second  → Most fast fashion items designed to be worn fewer than 10 times 2. The business model depends on our amnesia → Constantly changing trends keep us buying  → Ultra-low prices remove financial friction  → Digital marketing creates artificial scarcity and FOMO  → We're trained to forget yesterday's purchases 3. The true cost isn't on the price tag → Environmental damage from production chemicals  → Microplastics shedding into water systems  → Supply chain ethics compromised for speed and cost  → Communities near production sites bearing health consequences 4. Our definition of "affordable" is broken → When clothing is cheaper than a coffee, someone else is paying  → True cost spread across communities, environments, and future generations  → Psychological cost of constant consumption never factored in 5. Solutions exist but require systemic change → Circular fashion models gaining traction  → Rental and resale markets growing rapidly  → Consumer awareness rising but needs to translate to behaviour While SHEIN isn't the only culprit in the fast fashion ecosystem, Morelli's artwork throws a spotlight on an uncomfortable reality we've normalised. What we wear reflects our values more than our taste. What is your wardrobe saying about yours? Image: Emanuele Morelli ♻️ Found this helpful? Repost to share with your network.  ⚡ Want more content like this? Hit follow Maya Moufarek.

Sustainability Value Creation Framework for Investors 🌍 The PRI’s new framework offers a clear structure to help investors in private markets translate sustainability into financial outcomes. Developed with Bain and NYU Stern, the Sustainability Value Creation framework reflects input from over 400 investors across regions and asset classes. Rather than treating ESG as a reporting exercise, the framework positions sustainability as a driver of operational efficiency, risk reduction and growth. It shows how sustainability can unlock financial value through improved customer trust, stronger employee engagement and increased resilience. The framework addresses both investment firm level actions and portfolio company strategies, recognizing that value creation happens across the lifecycle. At the firm level, the focus is on aligning sustainability with business objectives and embedding it in every stage of investment decision making. At the portfolio level, it is about identifying material ESG topics, prioritizing initiatives with financial relevance and tracking performance over time. Organisational enablers such as leadership buy in, quality data and aligned incentives are central to delivering results. The framework is part of a multi phase effort. Phase Two focuses on methodologies to quantify the financial impact of sustainability. Phase Three will assess how ESG contributes to real liquidity events. Evidence suggests that the financial relevance of sustainability will increase and that firms equipped with credible ESG strategies will be better positioned for the future. This is especially relevant for private markets where access to data and long term engagement allow for deeper integration and clearer accountability. The framework is an invitation to build stronger investment strategies using sustainability as a lever for performance rather than compliance. #sustainability #sustainable #business #esg

🚨 Redefining #ESG and #SustainableInvesting ✨ What’s new about Stuart Kirk’s theses? Recently, I had the pleasure to listen to his keynote speech at the FuW Forum Beyond #Sustainability in Zurich. You may remember the former HSBC Head of Responsible Investing from the Financial Times Moral Money Summit, where he famously downplayed the financial risks of climate change, referring to warnings as "unsubstantiated, shrill, partisan, self-serving, apocalyptic." This had caused quite a stir in the sustainable investor scene. So, how provocative are his theses nowadays? Here is my assessment: 1.    Input or output ESG (responsible versus sustainable) - ESG should be split in two Actually, ESG has already been split in three kinds of approaches: a.    For #ethical investors who want to sleep well (exclusions) b.    For #risk-aware investors considering ESG to be financially material additional data to assess investments c.      For #impact-oriented investors, who believe the full assessment of investments needs to consider the impact as well (#DoubleMateriality) The different approaches are enshrined in Art. 6 to 9 EU #SFDR, numerous regulations on fund names and recognised by labels such as Forum Nachhaltige Geldanlagen e.V. 2.    Admit you cannot have higher returns and lower risk This is a tautology from the Markowitz model. It holds true for the entire market or if you operate at the model’s “efficient frontier”. But most funds do not. So, if you can process additional financially material data, the potential for higher risk-adjusted returns is clearly there. 3.    Realise that sustainable investing does not focus on returns It does focus on returns by helping you to: a.    Identify truly future-proof business models b.    Consider additional risks emanating from global challenges c.    Engage with companies to bring a long-term view d.    Collaborate with other investors “to build the (regulatory) field” for sustainable companies to thrive 4.    Find sustainable funds that align with your values. This vindicates the EU SF Disclosure Regulation, which forces sustainable funds to disclose their approaches to help investors chose funds according to their values. 5.    If you are an equity investor, have an activist mindset. Vote! ...yes, and engage even more! That is common sense. What is maybe still new: you can engage with companies even if you don’t own them. It is the carrot you are holding.   6.    Don’t forget the power of credit and other forms of direct funding Agreed, but the impact you can have as credit investor in creating “rollover risk” has long been acknowledged. My summary: I am glad that the sustainable investing market is sufficiently developed and differentiated and transparent for everyone to find their preferred approach, from minimum exclusions to impact. radicant bank #InvestInSolutionsNotProblems Sasha, Nico, Eve Morelli, Arlette, Matthias 

Many people ask me, 'What is the real impact of #sustainableinvesting?' I am pleased to share an insightful paper that addresses this important question: 'The Impact of Sustainable Investing: A Multidisciplinary Review,' authored by Emilio Marti, Martin Fuchs, Mark DesJardine, Rieneke Slager, and Jean-Pascal Gond, and published in the Journal of Management Studies. Key insights: 💡 Three #Impact Strategies: Sustainable investors utilize three primary strategies to influence corporate #sustainability: portfolio screening, shareholder engagement, and field building. Each strategy plays a distinct role, with portfolio screening and shareholder engagement creating direct impacts on companies, and field building driving change through broader systemic influence. 🏢 Direct Impact on Companies: Portfolio screening and shareholder engagement primarily result in direct impact on companies by reallocating capital to sustainable firms and engaging directly with corporate leadership. This can lead to changes in corporate practices, from reducing carbon emissions to improving supply chain ethics. 🔗 Indirect Impact through Other Shareholders: Sustainable investors also influence other shareholders by shifting their perceptions and encouraging them to adopt sustainable practices. This indirect impact is crucial as it amplifies the efforts of early movers, creating a ripple effect across the investment community. 🏛️ Indirect Impact via the Institutional Context: Field building goes beyond influencing individual companies or shareholders. It reshapes the very institutional contexts in which businesses operate, through activities such as establishing voluntary standards, supporting regulatory changes, or delegitimizing harmful business practices. This broader impact is essential for driving industry-wide change. 🔄 Shareholder Impact as a Distributed Process: Sustainable investing is not a one-time effort. Impact emerges gradually, as different types of shareholders—both mainstream and peripheral—build on each other's efforts. This collaborative and distributed process underscores the importance of diverse investor involvement in achieving meaningful, long-term change. 📈 Implications and Future Research: The authors argue that understanding sustainable investing's impact as a distributed process opens up new avenues for research. Future studies should focus on the interaction between direct and indirect impacts, why shareholders choose different strategies, and the limitations of specific strategies. These insights will help refine our understanding of sustainable investing and its ability to drive systemic change toward a more sustainable economy. In my view, this paper offers a profound and multifaceted understanding of how sustainable investing influences not just companies, but entire industries and the institutional frameworks that shape corporate behaviour. #ESG #ImpactInvesting #CorporateSustainability #FutureofFinance

The hotel buffet is no longer a symbol of abundance and is now one of hospitality’s biggest contributors to food waste. One third of allllll food produced globally is wasted, which is just wild and to be honest unacceptable! And in hotels, the buffet breakfast remains one of the biggest offenders. Rows of pastries, trays of eggs, bowls of fruit a symbol of abundance, but also of waste. By the end of service, much of it ends up in the bin. This morning in Barcelona, I decided to test out Too Good To Go an app designed to rescue surplus food. Two minutes from my front door, a NH Hotel Group Hotel listed a “magic bag.” For €4, I walked out with perfectly fresh food that would otherwise have been discarded. It could be considered a small act, but a powerful reminder: solutions already exist. Guests and even non guests are willing to play their part. So why hasn’t the hotel industry itself caught up? For decades, the buffet has been marketed as a luxury. But the definition of luxury has shifted. Guests value sustainability, responsibility, and experiences that align with their own ethics. The model of waste-as-standard simply doesn’t fit anymore. The encouraging news is that some leaders are challenging the status quo. Emma Banks, VP of F&B Strategy at Hilton, has been at the forefront of initiatives like Zero Waste Heroes, which reimagine dining with purpose. It’s about shifting kitchens from excess to intentionality and turning sustainability into something you can actually taste. Because food waste isn’t just about costs on a P&L sheet. It’s about the climate impact of what we grow, ship, and serve and the opportunity for hotels to re-position themselves as part of the solution....not the problem. This morning’s experiment showed me two things: 1. Guests are ready to embrace change; whether through an app, or directly from the source. 2. Hotels have the chance to lead, not lag. Until buffets evolve, it will be apps, innovators, and conscious guests closing the gap. But the real transformation will come when hotels themselves take ownership of the problem and make zero waste a cornerstone of hospitality, not just a campaign. Has anyone else tried Too Good To Go or similar in your city? Would love to know how you found it! ______________________________________ We are The Agency for Hospitality. | Subscribe to The Digital Concierge 📩 🎙️ | Follow For Digital Sakes 🎥✨| Set the 🔔 for me in the 🔝 right

Looking beyond profit In a world where businesses are more than just profit-driven entities, social responsibility is the heart of sustainable growth. Small businesses, in particular, hold immense potential to champion positive change within their communities and beyond. Here’s how: Community Engagement: Small businesses are woven into the fabric of their local communities. Engaging in community-centric initiatives like supporting local causes, sponsoring events, or initiating volunteer programs not only builds goodwill but also nurtures a stronger bond with customers and neighbours. Sustainability Practices: Implementing eco-friendly practices, reducing waste, and opting for sustainable sourcing can significantly impact the environment. Simple steps like reducing plastic usage or adopting energy-efficient measures can make a substantial difference and set an inspiring example. Ethical Business Practices: Upholding ethical standards in business operations is key. Fair wages, ethical sourcing, and transparent dealings not only build trust but also contribute to overall social well-being. Giving Back Initiatives: Introducing philanthropic efforts such as donating a percentage of profits to charitable causes or creating products/services that directly support a social cause can channel business success into meaningful impact. Employee Well-being: Prioritizing employee well-being through fair wages, a supportive work environment, and growth opportunities not only fosters a positive workplace culture but also contributes to the broader social fabric. Small businesses wield the power to be catalysts for change, driving impactful social initiatives that resonate with their core values and resonate with their audience. The beauty lies in the ripple effect; a small action can inspire larger movements and shape a better tomorrow. How do you champion social responsibility in your small business? Share your thoughts and initiatives! Let's inspire each other to make a positive difference. #SocialResponsibility #SmallBusinessImpact #CommunityEngagement

Disposable textiles and fast fashion are fuelling a growing environmental crisis. Every second, a garbage truck load of clothes is dumped or burnt. Land, rivers, and oceans are becoming more polluted from cheap, easily discarded items. And, according to UN Environment Programme data, the textile value chain is responsible for up to an estimated 8% of global carbon emissions. This year #ZeroWasteDay is focused on waste in the fashion and textiles industry, highlighting the environmental and social challenges of overproduction and overconsumption. Left unchecked, millions of tonnes of textiles will continue to be discarded every year. But change is possible. We need to focus on a circular economy approach that values sustainable production, reuse and repair. By working together, consumers, industry and governments can support genuinely durable fashion and help reduce our fashion footprint. Learn more about good practices taking place across the world this International Day of Zero Waste: https://lnkd.in/dsenhEgv Together, let us all strive to reduce our fashion footprint to #BeatWastePollution.

Sometimes being proven right is really depressing 🗿 🧵 Back when we started our fossil fashion campaign looking into the rise of synthetic fibres and the links to rising emissions and overproduction/consumption, I was told time and again that all fibres were the problem, and that singling out fibres like polyester was naive. 👚 Fast foward to today, and new research from Apparel Impact Institute reveals that "in 2023, apparel sector emissions increased 7.5 percent from the previous year, to 944 million tonnes (roughly 1.78 percent of global GHG emissions)" and ⚠️ "The primary reason for the increase in emissions is a growth in polyester fiber usage (and ultimately garment production)." ⚠️ 🪡 The report goes on to say that methodological considerations notwithstanding "we assume that the rise of ultra-fast fashion brands is a key contributor to this increase." So while we must work to ensure natural fibres are reduced in impact, plastic fashion is still the engine of emissions, growth and a big cause of fashion's awful consumption and waste problem. 🏭 For our ongoing fashion work at Action Speaks Louder with Ruth MacGilp pushing the industry on clean heat and RE procurment, here's the proof point of why that matters: Tier 2 - textile processing - remains the largest source of emissions (55 percent). This is where fashion's decarbonisation game needs to accelerate. Full report from Aii here: https://lnkd.in/epwmK4A8

Human rights violations and abusing natural resources go hand-in-hand in the fashion industry. #SHEIN is trending (yet again) for reported inhumane working conditions. Laborers in their Chinese factories are putting in 75+ hour work weeks, with minimal to no breaks, AND not making a living wage. Their environmental impact is also astounding, with up to 10,000 new items dropped online DAILY (per NPR). Made of materials like polyester, nylon, and acrylic, they’re mostly synthetic—AKA partially plastic and fossil-fueled. When washed, these fibers leach microplastics and end up in our waterways and ocean. And many low-quality items end up in landfills and contribute to the global waste crisis (there is an entire landfill in Chile of unused, discarded clothing). Zara, H&M, Forever 21, and more fast fashion leaders are guilty of similar injustices, but this issue goes beyond low-cost brands. Luxury fashion is no exception to the greater problem at hand. One of the largest global luxury fashion houses, LVMH and its Italian subsidiary Loro Piana sell garments made of the finest wool for a fortune. Just one Vicuña coat goes for $30,000+ USD. But they’re profiting off the backs of skilled Indigenous laborers who’ve been herding Vicuñas in the Andes Mountains for centuries. These artisan workers are expected to sheer the camelids for them FOR FREE in what’s being called quiet slavery. The most recent Peruvian poverty survey found 41% of the local population lives on less than $91 USD a month and survives mostly on farming. Truly unconscionable. Moral of the story? Fast fashion or luxury fashion, synthetic fibers or the most expensive natural fiber on Earth… You could unknowingly be contributing to the interwoven problem of human rights & natural resource abuses. So what’s the solution? Fashion industry reformation. Platforms and brands have a role to play moving forward, and consumers deserve transparency. We need to know about working conditions and materials, so we can support brands paving the way for equitable, sustainable practices. Not sure where to start? Some reputable resources for the conscious consumer include Good On You, Conscious Fashion Collective, Bluebird Climate (powered by rePurpose Global), Delve, and more. Let’s use our collective purchasing power to spark change! (Pictured: the massive clothing landfill enveloping and polluting Chile’s Atacama Desert) #FastFashion #FashionIndustry #ConsciousConsumer #HumanRights #EnvironmentalJustice

Innovation for the sake of innovation is boring. True innovation when you can build products with purpose and impact. Building purposeful products that address the toughest social impact challenges in the world is hard but can be the most interesting to Product Managers who love solving tough problems. They also set themselves apart from the rest. 📣 How can PMs differentiate themselves as purposeful PMs? ➡️ Deeply engage with your customers to understand their needs, challenges, and aspirations. Understand the context they live in and the broader social impact needs of the community. ➡️ Ensure your product goals align with broader social impacts. Consider how your product can contribute to societal well-being. ➡️ Design for diversity by making sure your products are accessible and usable by people of all backgrounds and abilities. ➡️Go beyond traditional metrics and measure impact. Evaluate the social and environmental impact of your products alongside business performance. ➡️ Work closely with teams across the organization to integrate purpose into every aspect of the product lifecycle. ➡️ Continuously learn about new technologies and methodologies that can enhance your product's positive impact. ➡️ Champion ethical practices in product development, from data privacy to fair labor practices, ensuring integrity in your process. ➡️ Foster a culture of purpose across the team to embrace a purpose-driven mindset, making it a core part of your company culture and daily operations. ➡️ Build relationships with communities and stakeholders to understand their perspectives and incorporate their feedback into your product development. ➡️ Promote sustainable development by creating products that contribute to environmental sustainability, reducing waste, and promoting responsible use of resources. ➡️ Incorporate long-term thinking by assessing the long-term impact of your products, considering how they will evolve and continue to provide value over time for your customers, business, and the communities we operate in. #productmanagement #purposefulproductmanagement #socialinnovation #productleadership