What are the Biggest Companies Doing to Appear More Eco-Friendly?
Major corporations are generally stereotyped as uncaring and unfriendly entities. However, many are making a genuine effort to change that negative perception by making a genuine effort to mitigate their environmental impact.
It's our opinion that they should be celebrated for doing so. Here, we'll be doing just that by putting a microscope on a few of the big brands that are doing the most to make sure our planet lives to see another century.
Vodafone
Mobile network provider Vodafone is not shy to admit that their sector is rife with environmental waste. Indeed, on their 'responsibilities' page they even mention the three main sources of waste that are inherent to the industry: the masts and their associated baggage, their offices and stores and the unused phones and accessories which are thrown away every day. They have genuine, workable solutions to all three problems. They use specialist contractors to make sure their equipment never ends up at the landfill; they have a policy for reducing office and store waste; they encourage their customers to keep their phones for longer and offer a very competitive reuse and recycle service.
Walmart
As one of the most visible names in US retail, Walmart makes a sizeable noise when it comes to its eco-friendly practices. They operate four core strategies; utilising affordable, renewable energy; increasing the energy efficiency in their stores and offices; improving the efficiency and performance of the refrigeration systems in their retail stores; improving the safety and sustainability of their delivery vehicles. They are one of the few major US chains that are willing to admit that climate change is real (thanks YOU Donald Trump) and have signed the "We Are Still In" declaration, which means it is dedicated to following the structure and the rules of the Paris Agreement, even though the US has turned its back on the potentially planet-saving treaty.
Unilever
One of the most visible names in global retail, Unilever owns hundreds of brands, the vast majority of which are grocery brands that use a lot of packaging. Indeed, the official Unilever website admits that the company uses a staggering 2 million tonnes of packaging every year. As a company that heavily reliant on packaging, it surely makes sense that they would be leading by example when it comes to catalysing a 'circular economy' where plastic packaging is 100% recyclable. Start-ups and smaller businesses may find this transition easy as services providers such as First Mile are able top help solve this problem. For larger businesses, it is as much a business decision as it is an environmental one, as the global economy loses around $80 billion a year due to plastic waste.
Mondelez
Perhaps Unilever's greatest competitor, Mondelez is just as concerned with environmental issues. They commit to eco-friendly practices by singling out the areas with the greatest impact and setting achievable goals to make changes in those areas: agriculture and packaging. Mondelez have made genuine strides to reduce emissions, save water and use packaging designs that use the least materials possible. 75% of their packaging is also fully recyclable. If other brands follow the lead set by these brands, we might be on our way to solving the environmental crisis once and for all!