Brands Know How to Curb Their Climate Impact. Why Won’t They Do it?
On October 20, 2023 by Ken PuckerMost of the world’s biggest fashion companies have committed to radically reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Though it’s a complex challenge, how to deliver is no mystery. That is, in part, because there is a cottage industry of consultants advising brands on decarbonisation strategies. As but one high-profile example, trade group Global Fashion Agenda (GFA) […]
A Realist’s Guide to Investing for Good
On October 5, 2023 by Ken Pucker“How would you suggest that I invest my savings of ten thousand dollars to have a positive social and environmental impact?” The question came from a PhD student this time, but we get it a lot. Many people want their money to work for them—to preserve their financial security and to improve the world. In […]
Proponents and Critics of ESG Claim It Can Change Society. Both Will Be Disappointed
On August 23, 2023 by Ken PuckerFlooding from torrential rains recently led Vermonters to kayak through the streets of the state capital. A month later, Hawaiians were forced to flee to the ocean to avoid devastating blazes. All the while, toxic smoke from wildfires has imperiled the health of Americans across huge swaths of the country. All these alarming environmental developments […]
What Big Brands’ Sustainability Reports Won’t Tell You
On August 22, 2023 by Ken PuckerFor much of the last decade, advocates for sustainable businesses have argued that reporting on ESG measures would lead to a sustainable future. It hasn’t happened, writes Kenneth Pucker. https://www.businessoffashion.com/opinions/sustainability/fashion-sustanability-reporting-wont-tell-you-esg/?utm_source=newsletter_dailydigest&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily_Digest_220823&utm_content=intro
Why Mushroom Leather (and Other New Materials) Are Struggling to Scale
On July 13, 2023 by Ken PuckerLate last month, leading materials start-up Bolt threads said it had paused operations for its leather alternative Mylo. The company’s struggle to raise funds points to deeper challenges for the sector, writes Kenneth Pucker. https://www.businessoffashion.com/opinions/sustainability/next-generation-materials-innovation-mylo-bolt-threads-mushroom-leather/?utm_source=newsletter_dailydigest&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily_Digest_130723&utm_term=NAD7JRM5XRE2BA7JCY7ZD5EOKQ&utm_content=top_story_2_title
Further Reflections on Fashion’s Circularity Reckoning
On May 28, 2023 by Ken PuckerKen Pucker responds to his readers’ critiques of his Up for Debate article “A Circle That Isn’t Easily Squared” and reiterates his call for a systemic shift in how the fashion industry does business. https://ssir.org/articles/entry/further_reflections_on_fashions_circularity_reckoning
Circularity Is a Fashionable Fantasy
On May 26, 2023 by Ken PuckerThe buzzy concept is a chimaera that distracts from the root cause of fashion’s worsening environmental impact: overconsumption, argues Kenneth Pucker https://www.businessoffashion.com/opinions/sustainability/op-ed-circularity-is-a-fashionable-fantasy/?utm_source=newsletter_dailydigest&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily_Digest_260523&utm_term=3PNLIJGNHNEHBCFER4M45JG3V4&utm_content=top_story_3_title
A Circle That Isn’t Easily Squared
On May 25, 2023 by Ken PuckerIndustries ranging from soft drinks to furniture to electronics to fashion follow a one-way path of “make, take, and waste.” This linear operating system is straining resources, polluting oceans, and generating mountains of waste. Unrelenting pressure for growth continues to stress biodiversity and accelerate atmospheric warming, thereby increasing the intensity and incidence of drought, flooding, […]
Vanguard Confronts an Inconvenient Truth
On April 24, 2023 by Ken PuckerVanguard had previously joined the Net Zero Asset Manager’s initiative (NZAM) in 2021, but withdrew 21 months later, citing confusion about individual firms’ views. Vanguard is unique in its ownership structure, commitment to passive index-based low-fee funds, and focus on retail investors. It has taken a more cautious approach to ESG investing and doesn’t heavily […]
Why Patagonia’s Purpose Driven Model is Unlikely to Spread
On September 26, 2022 by Ken PuckerPatagonia founder Yvon Chouinard, his wife, Malinda, and their two adult children no longer own the outdoor gear and apparel company. But based on my experience as a former executive who is now an adviser and lecturer focused on sustainability, I don’t expect many other U.S.-based companies to follow their lead. Going forward, all of […]