ECOM's Smarter Cocoa Charter: Progress and Future Plans

Environmental sustainability is becoming more and more common, driving industries—especially food and manufacturing— to adopt innovative solutions. Consumer demand plays a key role in this shift, from packaging to plant-based alternatives, here are three latest trends reshaping the industry for a more sustainable future. https://lnkd.in/gQ5z8yYX

The McGill Sustainable Growth Initiative, anchored at Desautels, partnered with The Chinese University of Hong Kong on a workshop exploring food waste solutions. McGill Desautels Professor Javad Nasiry contributed to conversations on consumer behavior, sustainability, and the role of technology in food redistribution. https://lnkd.in/e9mqHjdQ

Sustainability isn’t abstract. It’s tangible, alive, and sitting right here in these fresh cocoa beans. 🌱 This freshly cut cocoa pod, showing the fresh white beans inside, is more than the start of chocolate. It’s a reminder that sustainability begins at the source - on farms, with families and communities whose livelihoods depend on it. Each pod tells a story of hard work, resilience, and the challenges farmers face in the midst of climate change and shifting markets. As sustainability leaders, our role is to connect global commitments with local realities by: 🌍 Building traceable supply chains from farm to consumer 🤝 Ensuring farmers earn a fair and dignified living 🌳 Supporting climate-smart practices that protect ecosystems Sustainability is not declared - it is nurtured. These fresh cocoa beans remind me to keep asking: Are we making choices today that leave tomorrow’s food systems more resilient, inclusive, and just? Because in the end, sustainability isn’t a destination - it’s a daily practice we share with intention and responsibility. 🌱 #SustainabilityLeadership #CocoaValueChain #ClimateResilience #FairTrade #FutureOfFood

The circular economy in Italian companies is no longer a long-term vision, but a concrete reality that drives competitiveness, cost savings and innovation. 72% of businesses are already investing in sustainability projects, with clear benefits also for the seafood supply chain: advanced waste management, recyclable packaging and energy optimization in cold chains. The future of competitiveness is green. 👉 Read the full article and discover how the circular economy is transforming Italian industry and the seafood sector. https://shorturl.at/WGRUI #CircularEconomy #Sustainability #ESG #Innovation #SeafoodIndustry #GreenTransition #CleanTechnology #ItalyBusiness

🌿It's been a busy week for sustainability news. Grab a coffee and catch up on all the good news!🌿 Lion has become a certified B Corp, following several sustainability achievements, including being the first major brewer to source 100% renewable electricity for all its Australian operations. “Being a force for good has always been part of Lion’s DNA, but B Corp Certification has given us a framework to go even further,” says Lion Group CEO, Sam Fischer. DLA Piper breaks down the key takeaways and implications of the International Court of Justice’s recent Climate Change Advisory Opinion in this article: https://lnkd.in/dzJQ-qdk SBC’s CEO Mike Burrell and Head of ESG, Jay C. were delighted to join the latest episode of The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited’s Scigest podcast. The discussion ranges from personal sustainability journeys to Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring and what the Star Wars universe can teach us about shaping a more sustainable future. Listen here: https://lnkd.in/g-NqZ4sE The successful strategy that has enabled Phoenix Recycling Group to establish a nation-wide recycling service aligned with a net-zero, circular economy is profiled in Bank of New Zealand’s latest Growth Levers Insight report. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/g-NqZ4sE Keep up to date with all things sustainability in our latest edition of Pānui:  https://zcu.nz/P6mZ?m=0 #sustainability #climatechange #sustainablebusiness

Spotlight in this week’s Sustainable Business Council NZ pānui 🌏 BNZ’s Growth Levers report calls out the innovation and leadership needed to unlock New Zealand’s sustainable growth potential — and Phoenix Recycling Group is proud to be part of that conversation. Our inclusion highlights the role of resource recovery and circular economy models as critical levers for long-term competitiveness. From urban mining lithium batteries to repurposing metals and renewable energy components, we’re proving that waste can be designed out of the system — keeping valuable resources in play and emissions down. In a climate where resilience and adaptability are key, collaboration between finance, industry, and sustainability leaders will be what drives transformation. Metals NZ Toitū Envirocare WasteMINZ New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC) #SBC #BNZGrowthLevers #CircularEconomy #Sustainability #LowCarbonFuture #ResourceRecovery #Collaboration

🌎 For a Sustainable Future Stay at the forefront of food sustainability with the IFIS Sustainability database. From waste management to consumer behaviour, explore the key issues driving change in the food industry. 🍽️♻️ Discover more: https://bit.ly/4mxGpF2

♻️ Green finance is reshaping the future of food. Investors are no longer just looking at profit margins - they’re asking how food brands are tackling waste, building resilience, and aligning with sustainability goals. This piece highlights what’s changing in 2025: from integrating food waste reduction into ESG metrics to proving transparency in supply chains, the pressure (and opportunity) for brands to innovate has never been greater. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/d-DZKR6u #foodwaste #sustainability #greenfinance #circulareconomy #impactinvesting

In a circular economy, byproducts become building blocks that help companies address rising landfill costs, changing regulations, and growing stakeholder demand for measurable progress on ESG goals. It’s proof that environmental responsibility and business growth go hand-in-hand. https://bit.ly/3KaeHjG #Sustainability #FoodManufacturing #CircularEconomy

Together with ASR Group, we are advancing human rights in the sugar supply chain across Brazil and Philippines. These efforts, as documented in their latest Sustainability Report FY24 include: 🌱 Brazil 🪴 Using income from the Bonsucro Credit Trading Platform, the Bonsucro Impact Fund (BIF) supports projects that promote sustainable sugarcane production. One such project, co-founded by ASR Group, Barry Callebaut Group, General Mills, The Hershey Company, and Nestlé, and led by Proforest and Imaflora, created a practical toolkit that guides mills through the due diligence process and offers tools to help implementation. The aim is to improve human rights in sugarcane mills, as well as among suppliers and service providers. 🌱 Philippines 🪴 In 2024, the Responsible Sourcing from Small Farmer (RSS) in the Philippines Sugar Sector Program in North Negros Occidental celebrated its eighth anniversary. Since its inception, the program has supported around 4,300 farmers from 102 Agrarian Reform Beneficiary Organisation (ARBO) groups, covering nearly 3,300 hectares. Each year, selected ARBOs receive active support from RSS. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eBAiZ3HF