Roma McCaig

ESG isn’t just about ethics, it’s about economics. Solitaire Townsend argues that sustainability, DEI, and broader “social good” agendas don’t just respond to consumer confidence, they create it. When businesses and policymakers visibly invest in progress, people believe more in their own future. That optimism drives spending, investment, and growth - the self-fulfilling loop on which modern economies run. If Consumer confidence is the most powerful economic force we have, then visibly pursuing social and environmental progress isn’t “woke capitalism” - it’s a growth strategy. #ESG #Sustainability #ConsumerConfidence Source - https://lnkd.in/eN4cejAA

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Did you know that GreenBlue Org offers complementary advisory services to members of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) and How2Recycle® (H2R) programs? Yep, it's true! We're mission driven and will offer as much advice and guidance for free as we are able to within our capacity as a small non-profit team. For challenges that require deeper dives beyond just a few calls, we develop tailored scopes of work that include clear objectives, deliverables, timelines, and costs, to form the foundation of more robust consulting engagements. As a trusted, solution-agnostic, nonprofit advisory team, GreenBlue Navigate helps businesses successfully launch and scale sustainable packaging initiatives with real impact. Our expertise and offerings include: 📦 Sustainable Materials & Packaging Solutions: Responsible sourcing programs, renewable and alternative feedstocks, packaging design and optimization for material health and safety, and more 🏁 Strategic Planning & Impact Assessment: Goal setting and sustainability strategy and roadmaps; impact evaluations; and organizational design for sustainability success ♻️ Recycling, Recovery & Circular Systems: Packaging portfolio recyclability assessment and roadmapping; recyclability for innovative and challenging packaging formats; collection, recovery, and reuse models ⚖️ Claims, Certifications & Compliance: Making recyclability claims; navigating certifications and standards; and preparing for EPR Check out the overview of our services and areas of expertise, and know that we're here to help and happy to step in as your packaging sustainability team to help you make more progress towards your goals. If you'd like a free consult with our team, please comment or DM and I'll reach out. #sustainability #packaging #consulting

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The US Plastics Pact latest report provides insight for companies using plastics in their packaging, provided by retailers, NGOs, government leaders, and other activators who contributed to it. For companies, it is proof of their commitment to practical, scalable change, especially at this moment of chaos, which is critical as regulatory momentum builds around #EPR and #recycled content mandates. Despite companies being hesitant to share their stories of how they are making an impact out of fear of political backlash or isolation, the Pact's report now provides them the cover to amplify their work and innovations and engage with policymakers to show they're already ahead of the curve. This isn’t just about plastic packaging—it’s about reinforcing your values, building trust with stakeholders, securing your voice in shaping a #circulareconomy, and good for business. Leadership is louder when it's collective. That is why organizations such as US Plastics Pact, Recycled Materials Association (ReMA), and MacArthur Foundation have such a critical void to fill. Congratulations to US Plastics Pact for moving this conversation forward, via Recycling Product News https://lnkd.in/gGz39e8w #plastics #packaging

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Weekly Friday Personal Post: Too many recyclables are being lost at material recovery facilities (MRF). I'm excited to speak at the Packaging Recycling Summit in June in Dallas alongside other leaders about industry efforts to address this important issue. Up to 1 in 4 used beverage cans (UBC) are missorted at a typical MRF. These missorted cans are a missed opportunity for the beverage can industry to build on its average 71% recycled content and for MRFs to make additional revenue considering UBCs are consistently one of the highest value commodities in the recycling stream. Capturing missorted cans is one of the pillars of action in my organization's, Can Manufacturers Institute's (CMI), strategy to make progress toward our aluminum beverage can recycling rate targets. Thanks to funding from Ardagh Metal Packaging and Crown Holdings, Inc., we've financed can capture equipment grants with The Recycling Partnership and revenue shares with EverestLabs.AI for their robots. The eight grants with the Partnership have funded equipment that are collectively capturing nearly 150 million aluminum beverage cans per year. The two robots we've financed are capturing thousands of cans every week, and CMI gets 50% of the revenue from those captured cans that we can use to finance more equipment. The Founder and CEO of Everest Labs, Jagadeesh Ambati, will join me on the panel to talk about their work with CMI and others to leverage their technology to increase recovery at MRFs. Also, Megan Daum, VP of Sustainability at American Beverage (AB), will discuss how AB and its members have, among other activities, invested millions of dollars via Closed Loop Partners to invest in U.S. recycling and circular economy infrastructure to capture more beverage containers. I'm excited for this conversation, to catch up with friends and make new ones, and to learn from the other sessions and speakers. I've put the event website below that has more information on the agenda and how to register. #recycling #sustainability #circulareconomy #packaging #PRS25

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💣 Busting Sustainability Myths: Suppliers Care About More Than Just Financial Incentives  When we think about suppliers and their engagement in sustainability programs, one common myth I hear is: "Suppliers only care if there’s a financial incentive or contractual obligation." Let's set the record straight.  Yes, these types of carrots and sticks can be useful—but they’re not the *only* motivators. In my experience working with suppliers, I’ve seen firsthand how sustainability programs bring value beyond dollars and contracts. Suppliers are motivated by:  🤝🏻 Employee retention: Sustainability efforts create purpose-driven workplaces that help attract and retain top talent.   🌍 Investing in their future: Suppliers understand that building sustainable practices means strengthening their business and supporting the communities they depend on.   🏆 Competitive advantage: A commitment to sustainability helps suppliers stand out in the market, creating differentiation that drives long-term growth.  When we approach suppliers with an understanding of these broader benefits, we build trust and foster collaboration. It’s not just about compliance—it’s about creating shared value.  If you’re looking to engage suppliers in your sustainability journey, start by focusing on how you can work together for mutual value. Show that sustainability is a win-win, not just for the planet but for their business, their people, and their future.  What myths have you encountered in your sustainability work? Let’s bust them together in the comments. 👇  #Sustainability #SupplierEngagement #SharedValue #Leadership #ClimateAction #SustainableBusiness #SupplyChainManagement

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In a new Sustainable Brands article, Pure Strategies, Inc. VP of Consulting Cheryl Baldwin highlights how Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is driving the future of sustainable packaging. With California, Colorado, and Oregon leading with EPR laws, companies are being pushed to rethink materials, improve recyclability, and strengthen data systems. Consumers are demanding the same, preferring brands that deliver on recyclability and recycled content. This is the kind of alignment between regulation and market demand that creates real change. It’s time to refine, redesign, and reimagine! Cheryl shares lessons learned from Amcor, Bulldog Skincare, Carma Laboratories, Inc., Colbert Packaging, Dr. Bronner's, Stonyfield, and Cheer Pack North America. https://lnkd.in/e9rJMdmS She also authored Pure Strategies’ new report, The Next Era of Packaging, which dives deeper into how businesses can seize this moment. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/eCwicNmN

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Thrilled to share the results of the collaborative work behind MaCher's newly released Impact Report! 🔍 Key highlights: 🌏 Reduced Scope 1 & 2 emissions by 76% since 2019 💼 92% team engagement score 🎓 Funding of 4 scholarships and grants for Indigenous or low-income students since 2022. 🔁 40% of products meeting two or more circular design criteria. The numbers tell a story of commitment, but behind them are real people and communities experiencing positive change. 👉 Download the full report here: https://lnkd.in/gEf9qSK4 Special thanks to those who helped bring this report to life, especially Ben Denzinger, Marcus Thomas, Rochelle Turner, Jennifer K., Jamila J., Alex Roncal, Raquel Hewitt, Sherrae Rucker, Jonathen Lund, Diana Chipak 🇺🇦, Wafaa Sabil, Reetu Gupta, Gretchen Kish, along with the rest of the MaCher USA, UK and Switzerland team.

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Not every corporate sustainability action will grab headlines, nor should they. The landscape has changed considerably in recent years -- for the better, I'd argue. There’s more rigor, more skepticism, much better data and a sharper focus on results than there was five or ten years ago. It’s become clear that real progress requires committed, consistent work that prioritizes impact, addresses the real-world implications of our operations and aligns with long-term business strategies.    And while the quieter, unflashy moves that occur “behind the scenes” might not be making major headlines, they're just as critical as the big ones. They help us stay focused on our goals, execute against our plans, and deliver results over time. With that in mind, I thought I’d use this space to highlight some of the more subtle initiatives we’re driving forward at Levi Strauss & Co., alongside our bigger swings. When added together, they demonstrate how we’re embedding sustainability across our operations, learning and adapting along the way as we work to drive progress across our three main sustainability pillars of climate, consumption, and community. For now, I’ll call it #sustainabilityspotlight (but I’m open to suggestions about the name).   For example: many suppliers want to make their operations more sustainable but don’t have access to the capital they need to make changes in their infrastructure and processes. So, we’re collaborating with the IFC - International Finance Corporation and their Global Trade Supplier Finance program to address the financing gap, helping suppliers that perform well on our Supplier Code of Conduct find the funding to strengthen foundational compliance measures – such as employee education on labor rights and chemical labelling. Over the years, we’ve refined our approach with IFC to not only improve compliance but also unlock broader sustainability initiatives, including renewable energy adoption. Through this program, Epic Group—one of our key suppliers—has accessed more favorable financing by steadily improving their Code of Conduct scores and then used that funding to drive improvements in water use, energy efficiency and waste reduction at the factory level. Financing solutions like this are not one-size-fits-all, so it’s important we, as sustainability practitioners, take note of what’s working and how we can leverage those learnings elsewhere. Read more about how the program supports suppliers here: https://lnkd.in/gNhNqPCA And check back soon for my next #sustainabilityspotlight on the work we’re driving forward at LS&Co..

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What is happening to CSOs? Unilever just hired a new executive to be its Chief Corporate Affairs and Communications Officer, with additional oversight for sustainability. The new leader was a Partner of Communications at McKinsey & Company and a Senior Advisor at Edelman (whose clients include Shell, ExxonMobil and the API - American Petroleum Institute). In keeping with a change made a year ago, Unilever, one of the world’s exemplars for sustainability does not have a discrete executive reporting to the CEO, responsible for #sustainability. According to the Financial Times and recruiters in sustainability…. 📔 "Chief sustainability officers, were, until recently often hired as “strategic storytellers” - generalists able to influence broad strategy rather than than as “technical experts.” The change in political climate made those executives “ineffectual.” “It kills two birds with one stone by ensuring audit-ready ESG metrics and messaging consistency,”  ⚖️“Since 2023, the number of CSOs in the US reporting through a company’s legal function has doubled from 10 per cent to 21 per cent, according to the US specialist recruiter Weinreb Group Sustainability Recruiting.” Double-badging is also on the rise. In some cases, sustainability responsibilities have been added to the chief strategy or chief operating officer jobs, as environmental risks rise in prominence. 🤫 In a new survey of Chapter Zero members, including FTSE 100 chairs and non-executive directors, about three-quarters of boards still saw sustainability as a driver of innovation and growth, and part of core business strategy — but were not talking about it as much. “[In future] sustainability may not actually exist as a function at executive level itself”. Seems to me to be a diminution of the importance of sustainability - from a starting point that was already inadequate. Thoughts? Adam Rome Christopher Marquis Alison Taylor Gil Friend • Sustainability OG • CxO Coach Bill Weihl Auden Schendler Tom Lyon Andrew King Aniket Shah, PhD Joel Makower John Elkington Jonathon Porritt Brendan May Heather Clancy Lisa Sachs Annie Sanders Maxine Bédat Dominique Chantale Alepin Felix Keser Mike Toffel Ellen Weinreb Kurt Harrison Eric Orts Bill Baue Benjamin Leffel Tim Mohin Matteo Capellini https://lnkd.in/eaGd4Yx9

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🌱 What happens when farmers, wild harvesters, brand leaders, and herbalists all come together to listen to plants? That’s the heart of a Sustainable Herbs Initiative Learning Journey. These gatherings are designed to deepen connection across the herbal sourcing ecosystem, creating space to learn from one another and from the landscapes and plants that sustain us. In southern Oregon, forty people representing every step of the supply chain spent three days walking fields, sharing stories, and asking big questions: - How do we create sourcing networks that are truly sustainable and ethical? - - What can the plants and places teach us about our role in this work? This video offers a glimpse into that journey, held at @OshalaFarm and @HerbPharm and produced by Terrence Youk with additional footage by Kristof Reygel. Andy Thornton, Chanté Wiegand, David Gordon, Briana Buckles, Alexandra Sangster all help bring this work alive in this video, and the work we do is created by everyone involved, too many to tag here! Thank you all. Reach out to me if you'd like to learn more about how to get involved in our work.

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