Founder of Melina Bucher? ???? / Closing the Loop in the Leather Goods Industry / Expert on Biobased Materials & Circularity / Creative Consultant & University Lecturer
Happy #EarthDay or how I love to call it happy #WorldGreenwashingDay ?? ?? Earth Day is a global movement since 1970 with the goal to mobilize people for a greater #protection for our #planet. This year’s motto “Planet vs. Plastics” wants to shed a light on how harmful microplastics are not only for the environment, but also for human health. For some reason, companies – despite the clear call to action and cause – feel the need to use this exact day to talk about their #sustainability initiatives and commitments. What have they achieved? Here are some examples of yesterday’s posts here on LinkedIn: ? A billion-dollar company known for their very sweet coffees, announced to use some % of recycled plastics instead of virgin in their single use beverage cups (I thought we learned that this is not solving the health issues associated with microplastics?) ?? A billion-dollar fashion house presenting their material innovation lab (a LAB), where they have currently 4,000 material swatches of innovative materials at hand. No mention on if / how they are used in the actual products they are selling? ?? Companies having donated a certain amount of money to a good cause or planting even more trees on Earth Day weekend And some evergreens: ?? Companies creating 100% plastic products, but switching to paper-based packaging ??♀? Textile companies flexing with their % of recycled polyester used ?? Companies publishing a sustainability report full of goals they want to accomplish by some time far in the future without a concrete action plan or any concrete R&D activities Do you know what they all have in common? They lack PRODUCT INNOVATION. All of these initiatives clearly show that companies are willing to spend a lot of money as long as it doesn’t involve working on the products they are actually selling. And why? This is where the true work begins, where you need to do R&D that is costly, that is risky, that you cannot communicate immediately to your costumers. So as long as you read some great celebrate #EarthDay statement from a company pumping more plastic into the world with their plastic products, I would say this is nothing more than #WorldGreenWashingDay ;)
Word
Director of Communications at Entrepreneur Ready
11 个月Blow the whistle!