Our planet is facing unprecedented challenges. From environmental issues such as single-use plastics, deforestation and climate change, to increasing inequality between social classes, ethnicities and genders, our very sustainability is under threat. That’s why governments around the world are bringing in legislation to achieve net-zero emissions and level up society. It’s why sustainability reporting is now so important in business, influencing investors, potential employees and consumers alike.
At JDJ Creative, we’re privileged to have worked with many brands that have sustainability at their core. From those innovators creating ingenious ways to improve our environment to the businesses giving a voice to minorities in our society, here are six brands we’ve worked with who are changing the world…
The problem: Textile dyeing and finishing processes are responsible for over 3% of global CO2 emissions and 20% of global water pollution.
The solution: Alchemie has developed breakthrough digital dyeing and finishing technologies that both reduce energy consumption by over 85% and eliminate contaminated wastewater emissions.
Through the world’s first waterless textile dyeing process, Alchemie has found a way to dramatically reduce the carbon footprint of textile dyeing. In doing so, they’ve moved a step closer towards achieving their mission of creating a ‘world with zero pollution from textile dyeing and finishing’.
Find out more: alchemietechnology.com
The problem: Infrastructure is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions.
The solution: Funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) – the UK’s main agency for funding research in engineering and the physical sciences – the CSIC is a ‘world-leading centre in the development of smart infrastructure and data-driven solutions to enable smarter whole-life asset management decisions’.
The work undertaken at the centre provides leadership and influences change across the design, construction and operation of our infrastructure, enabling organisations to reduce carbon, increase resilience and preserve resources.
Find out more: www-smartinfrastructure.eng.cam.ac.uk/
The problem: The fashion/textile industry is responsible for 10-15% of global greenhouse gases emissions.
The solution: An advocate for a sustainable economy, Hide Biotech develops high-quality, sustainable biomaterials suitable for the fashion industry and provides a technology platform for creating collagen-based biomaterials for other industries.
Utilising protein chemistry and bioengineering technologies, Hide is able to develop customisable collagen-based biomaterials for use in the textile sector. For example, by using collagen derived from fishing industry waste Hide creates a biomaterial with similar properties to leather. Using this process, water consumption, waste and greenhouse gas emissions are all reduced compared to those created during the production of real leather.
Find out more: hidebiotech.com
The problem: The fashion industry is one of the major polluting industries in the world, accounting for around 20% of global industrial water pollution.
The solution: Colorifix is the first company to use a biological process to produce, deposit and fix pigments onto textiles, leading to huge reductions in water consumption and eliminating the use of harsh chemicals.
By going back to nature, Colorifix can colour match exact pigments to those already produced in nature by living organisms, such as plants or insects. Through online DNA sequencing, they can then identify which specific genes produce that colour, translate the code into a microorganism and produce the pigment in the same way it is created in the natural world.
The colour can then be grown through fermentation, with the resulting dyes used in standard dye machines, with no additional chemicals required to fix the colour.
Through this 100% natural process, Colorifix uses less water – just one-tenth of the water is consumed when dyeing synthetic fibres – compared to conventional methods.
Find out more: colorifix.com
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The problem: The way diversity and inclusion (D&I) is debated and considered in the UK is currently outdated or non-existent.
The solution: DIAL Global’s community of diverse, inclusive, aspirational leaders aim to create a more ‘open, diverse and inclusive society’ where organisations can grow authentic cultures to ‘unlock more innovation, more creativity and more profitability’.
Produced in partnership with Ipsos MORI, the United Nations GC and UpReach, their groundbreaking report – the McKenzie-Delis Packer Review – identified 10 holistic facets of diversity, inclusion and belonging, including ethnicity, gender, age and parenthood. The first of its kind, the report collaborated with leading UK businesses to provide an overview of how these businesses are performing when it comes to D&I.
By understanding where we currently are, the better placed we are to make plans that enable positive change to happen.
Find out more: dialglobal.org/review
The problem: Ethnic minorities are underrepresented in British boardrooms, with only five ethnic minority directors occupying a CEO position among FTSE100 companies.
The solution: This independent review considers how to improve the ethnic and cultural diversity of UK boards to better reflect their employee base and the communities they serve.
The report sets out objectives and timescales to encourage greater diversity, and provides practical tools to help business leaders to address the issue.
Recommending a ‘one by 2021’ target, of one member from a minor ethnic group on each FTSE100 board, the pace of progress has increased over the past year, with 81 companies now reporting that they’ve achieved that target.
Find out more: ey.com/en_uk/news/2021/03/significant-process-on-improving-ethnic-diversity-of-ftse-boards-reveals-new-data
We’re passionate about supporting organisations that are looking to make a difference to their local communities and the wider world. Whether creating a brand, promoting your activities through brochures or websites, or reporting on your sustainability through dedicated reports, we can support you to get your message heard.
Want to know more about our design services? Get in touch with our friendly designers today at hello@jdjcreative.co.uk or fill in our contact form.
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