Olympic Sports ranked by sustainability

This week our Project Director, Polly Milne highlighted the analysis by the University of Birmingham's Centre for Responsible Business on the published sustainability strategies of the 34 international federations that govern all permanent Olympic sports.

Only seven sports achieved a "gold" rating as a result of the analysis, able to demonstrate clear leadership on sustainability initiatives within the Olympic movement:

🏃🏼‍♀️ Athletics
⛷️ Biathlon
🏑 Hockey
🏉 Rugby
⛵️ Sailing
⛸️ Ice Skating
🏂 Skiing/snowboarding

"While some sports are showing impressive leadership, others are falling behind. Some are not showing any signs of engagement with sustainability. Some are lacking ambition, limiting their sustainability strategies to small-scale efforts focused only on their own corporate offices, like encouraging employees to use less paper or to cycle to work. While such actions are creditable, this is a missed opportunity. Billions of people are watching the Olympics in Paris. Those governing our sports have a vital responsibility to use this incredible platform wisely." - Thomas Cuckston, Professor of Accounting and Ecology, University of Birmingham.

CSO Futures: B Corp considerations for Chief Sustainability Officers

After the recent case of Havas being stripped of its B Corp status for its work with Shell, our co-founder, Mike Penrose spoke to Melodie Michel from CSO Futures to discuss the importance of Chief Sustainability Officers fully understanding what the process of becoming B Corp involves and what B Corp certification is and isn’t.

Read the article here.

Wildsmith Skin announced as 'Natural Skincare Brand of the Year' finalist

Congratulations to FuturePlus member, Wildsmith Skin, after being announced as finalists for Destination Deluxe 'Natural Skincare Brand of the Year' in the 2024 awards.

The awards honour the leaders and pioneers in wellness and travel including hotels, spas, treatments, skincare and wellness brands that drive a remarkable luxury standard.

Researchers unlock £90m sustainable opportunity whisky distillery waste

Researchers at the University of Aberdeen and chemical manufacturer Ripcell have uncovered a groundbreaking method for extracting valuable bio-based chemicals from whisky distillery waste, potentially transforming an industry traditionally known for its environmental footprint.

Their pioneering technique could generate up to £90 million in revenue while significantly reducing carbon emissions. The whisky industry produces vast quantities of waste, including over 2.7 billion litres of pot ale, a yeast-rich by-product, and significant amounts of spent lees, a liquid residue from the distillation process.

These by-products are typically used in low-value applications, such as animal feed. However, the variability in distillery processes has historically made it challenging to repurpose these waste materials effectively.

The research team has developed a method using liquid chromatography to isolate and extract high-value compounds like lactic acid from pot ale, with the potential to apply the process to spent lees as well. Lactic acid and other extracted compounds are valuable for the pharmaceutical, food and drink, and cosmetics industries, offering a sustainable alternative to petrochemical-derived ingredients.

A lifecycle analysis suggests that if adopted globally, this process could reduce industry emissions by an estimated 392 million kilograms of CO2 equivalent annually.

With further industrial-scale testing planned, this innovative method could soon become a cornerstone of sustainable production, setting a precedent for reducing waste and carbon emissions across various sectors.