Webinar: A Sustainable, ‘Blue’ Transition for the Ports & Shipping Industry Tickets, Tue, May 4, 2021 at 9:00 AM

Prominent Northeastern grocery store chain Hannaford Supermarkets made headlines recently by declaring that for an entire year it had not sent any spoiled or outdated food to landfills, where the organic decomposition process produces methane, one of the most potent greenhouse gases. Instead, Hannaford, which operates in New England and New York, is contracting with an anaerobic food reprocesser to strip the food from its packaging, mix it with microbes and manure, and turn it into fuel, fertilizer and bedding for dairy cows.

Created by musician, producer, and entrepreneur Pharrell Williams, Humanrace is a skincare company that focuses on environmental and social impact. Products are made from vegan and cruelty-free ingredients and packaged in reusable containers made from 50% post-consumer recycled landfill plastic. To reduce waste, these containers can be replenished with recyclable refill cartons.

Covid-19 has shone a light on many social and environmental issues faced around the world. As action begins on rebuilding from the pandemic, the calls to rethink how businesses create value and tackle big challenges ahead grow louder.

Our recent report on chief sustainability officers (CSOs) in the U.S. revealed that women went from holding 28 percent in 2011 of the CSO positions to 54 percent in 2021. That’s a 94 percent increase.  It’s a positive development to see the playing field level for women in sustainability, but what’s driving this trend? And what are the implications for women’s leadership in business more broadly? Before diving into those questions, it’s interesting to look at the trends in gender and leadership in sustainability and business.