"We're moving beyond understanding and measuring sustainability to a strong focus on actionable strategies [...] building purpose at the organizational level, understanding external expectations, and anticipating new risks through purpose-led shifts." Positive key insights from SB San Diego by Patrick! Read the full post below ⬇
CEO & cofounder at Carbon Maps - helping the food industry reduce its climate footprint 🌱🌎
It’s been a couple of weeks since Sustainable Brands in San Diego but I thought I’d share some of my personal insights from the different conferences and discussions I had the privilege of taking part in. Better late than never, right? 1. Brand Story vs. Regulation While Europe relies on regulations like the #CSRD, US sustainability efforts seem to be largely consumer-driven. American brands use sustainability stories as a competitive edge, often positioning themselves as "first educators" with transparent labels and messaging. Applegate’s DO GOOD DOG exemplifies this, performing twice as well for biodiversity compared to the category average, and setting new benchmarks in processed meat sustainability. 2. Scope 3 & Supply Chain Transparency Addressing #Scope3 emissions has become central, with companies intensifying efforts to improve supply chain transparency. Many are conducting Life Cycle Assessments (#LCAs) and collaborating with suppliers to boost data accuracy and accountability. 3. Collaboration for Regenerative Agriculture Regenerative farming was a major focus, highlighting partnerships between brands and farmers such as those by Walmart and PepsiCo, and Mars who are working directly with Delta Harvest to advance sustainable practices, a model we see echoed in ANDROS’ tripartite partnership with their fruit growers and Accor. 4. Innovation for Impact In the US, sustainability efforts emphasize process innovation over consumer consumption reduction, aiming for reduced environmental impact without hindering growth. The 50L Home Initiative is a powerful example, cutting daily water use from 500L to 50L. 50L Home Coalition TL;DR: The 4 days at SB highlighted a powerful trend: we're moving beyond understanding and measuring sustainability to a strong focus on actionable strategies. The emphasis was on building purpose at the organizational level, understanding external expectations, and anticipating new risks through purpose-led shifts. While the approaches vary—Europe leaning on regulation and consumer habit changes, and the US focusing on brand-driven stories and product innovation—the end goals are aligned. Thank you Tom Idle, Cara Mooses, Evan Peters, Lydia Perez Poole for an engaging roundtable discussion on Scope 3!