Election, Regulation, Sport, Ecodesign & Chelsea Flower Show

1. Business backs Labour

This week, more than 120 businesses made headlines by signing a letter backing the Labour Party in the upcoming General Election. Signees included senior figures from household brands such as Heathrow , J.P. 摩根 , Aston Martin and Wikipedia , all asserting their belief that now is the time for change. And we don’t disagree.

But whilst we’ll be the first to commend companies for standing up for what is important to them, the letter left us wanting. What specific policies do these businesses want to see? Without concrete demands, support for the odds-on favourite incoming government who are yet to release their party manifesto feels more symbolic than practical. Or is it enough for businesses to express a desire for change without knowing the answers they’re looking for?

Additionally, with economic growth being the sole focus of the letter, it’s a shame that green growth part of the conversation. If businesses are serious about future-proofing our economy, policies which will enable a fair and equitable transition to net zero are essential.

It's encouraging to see businesses taking a stand, but we need more than just statements of support. Let’s hope these companies follow through with concrete actions and clear demands for the policies they want to see.

2. Down in the disclosure dumps

Reporting fatigue getting you down? A recent survey by Mitie found seven in ten sustainability professionals are overwhelmed by the demands of non-financial reporting, with many feeling it detracts from more impactful work. But another recent survey provides a glimmer of hope.

While the complexity of new reporting requirements can be overwhelming (and we have a lot of sympathy if you do), it’s worth remembering that the intent behind them is – ultimately – to change behaviour. If you’re required to talk about what you are (not) doing, then you are more likely to take action, and that is certainly what we are finding in conversations with many clients.? New non-financial reporting regimes such as the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) are sparking new conversations at senior levels of the organisations we work with, focusing attention on targets and policies to support action, and encouraging businesses to concentrate on unlocking opportunities that may arise, as well as managing impacts and risks. All of this can, in the long run, only be a good thing.

And according to a recent report from the Morgan Stanley Institute for Sustainable Investing, 85% of large businesses do in fact view sustainability as a means to create value within their long-term corporate strategies – for them, sustainability is a strategic imperative that can add value to their business, rather than simply a regulatory burden eating away at their resources. Morgan Stanley's chief sustainability officer, Jessica Alsford, emphasises that sustainability strategies are merging with core business strategies, which will in turn encourage innovation and resilience.

It's entirely possible that those pointing to the value of sustainability in their organisations are not those currently struggling with the burden of delivering CSRD-compliant sustainability reports. But for hard-pressed sustainability teams, we’d encourage them to take heart from this perspective, and remind themselves of what they have always known, which is that sustainability isn’t just about managing risks and certainly not just about reporting what you are doing. It’s about long term value creation that supports better outcomes for everyone.

3. Protecting pitches and the planet

Sport England recently launched its first-ever sustainability strategy and action plan, Every Move. This commits ￡45 million to restore flooded sports pitches, help sports clubs become more energy efficient and encourage people to get active in nature.

We need better understanding and integration of sustainability practices in the sport sector. Only 46% of adults consider environmental sustainability important in their sport and physical activity choices, yet by 2050, it is predicted that 23 out of 92 English league football grounds will be at risk from flooding every season and half of the cities that have previously hosted Winter Olympics will be unreliable hosts of winter sports.

One of the most interesting aspects of Every Move relates to implications it has for the organisations it funds. All 130 of Sport England’s partners, including the national governing bodies of all major recognised sports in England, will be required to have robust sustainability action plans in place by March 2027 as a condition of continued funding. We think this is a positive step in the right direction for funding bodies, and is evidence of a broader commercial trend where customers are demanding more from their suppliers in terms of sustainable action (see our previous Friday 5 story on royal warrants here).

It's refreshing to see a central grant-making body like Sport England flexing their financial muscles to push towards sustainability, encouraging organisations that otherwise may not prioritise it (perhaps because they are small enough to escape mandatory reporting requirements) to take action and deliver positive change. Take Whalley Range Cricket and Lawn Tennis: they have reduced mowing and planted native trees on the outskirts of the field to soak up excess water. And Wimbledon? They’re donating used tennis balls to become cozy homes for harvest mice.

4. Ecodesign, reduce, recycle

This week the European Commission announced new regulation for an Ecodesign Framework. Keen regulation fans may remember the Ecodesign Directive of 2009, which covered 31 energy-related product groups and apparently led to a 10% reduction in energy consumption by the in-scope products. Following its success, the Commission has decided to expand the scope to virtually all physical products. By setting product requirements around durability, reparability and environmental footprints, the Commission believes the Directive will create energy savings equivalent to around 150 billion cubic meters of natural gas by 2030. To put that into context, that is almost equivalent to the EU’s total imports of Russian gas.

The new product requirements, which all products to be sold in Europe, including exports, will have to meet, are at the heart of the legislation. In addition, products will need to hold a “product passport”, which will give consumers and retailers information on its environmental sustainability, including attributes such as durability, spare part availability and recycled content. This is an exciting development which will make it easier to compare products, while also giving people the knowledge they need to adopt a more circular style of consumption.

We also think the regulation will act as a further spur for business adaptation. Fashion giants including H&M and Primark have joined the ReModel initiative run by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation , which focuses on helping businesses change their business model to decouple profits from sale of new clothes by offering services such as resale, repair and rental.

I hope we’re not the only ones excited by the prospect of better understanding our products, so we can buy well and consume even better!

The Goods: Blooming sustainable

?At last week’s Chelsea Flower Show, there was a spotlight on sustainability, with one the themes being ‘the greenest Chelsea ever’. At last week’s Chelsea Flower Show, there was a spotlight on sustainability, with one the themes being ‘the greenest Chelsea ever’. And, amidst the spectacular blooms in the Great Pavilion and sustainable show gardens on Main Avenue, a quiet war for the RHS Chelsea Sustainable Garden Product of the Year raged on.

This year’s winner was the POTR Pot, an ingenious origami-style, flat-pack planter made from recycled plastic. The POTR pot, with its innovative self-watering mechanism, can be mailed directly through your letterbox, making plant care effortless and eco-friendly.

Next up, Twool's Sustainable Garden Net impressed with its biodegradable, durable netting made from British wool. Offering an alternative to plastic nets used to grow climbing plants like sweatpeas and beans, it drew praise for its innovative use of renewable resources.

Also in the running was Lindum’s Species Rich Turf, which turns your boring and wildlife-freelawn into a species rich haven that’ll have insects making a beeline for your garden; the Sneeboer Handspade, produced using renewable energy in the Netherlands, is designed to make gardening more accessible for those that find a regular spade too large and heavy; and last but not least, Hannah Marchant’s Plantable Calendar that puts a floral spin on planning, with pages that can be planted in your garden or a pot when the month comes to an end.

Each finalist highlighted the horticultural industry's growing commitment to sustainability and ecological responsibility. Get your hands on these products to have your most sustainable summer of gardening yet!