Hennes & Mauritz AB or H&M, the Swedish fashion giant, is in big trouble. According to its quarterly report released on 27 March 2018, the world's second-largest clothing retailer is now sitting on $4.3 billion of unsold garments and accessories. To reduce the stockpile, the company is planning to cut prices, slow expansion in stores, and boost its e-commerce instead. It may even get unsol…
One of the largest health disparities present in China is the inequality between rural and urban healthcare. In particular, rural patients face barriers to equal resources to healthcare access. There are less than half as many medical institution beds and licensed physicians per 1,000 citizens in rural areas compared to urban areas. In even more isolated areas where there are only small township h…
Over the last few months, we have been fortunate to be engaged on a number of what we consider to be “best in class” projects. Projects where the opportunity to help our clients change their systems, be it reduce waste or deliver a new product to the market (that solves big problems). Each of these had the support of executives and teams who were engaged on the issues of sustainability, were com…
In the coming years, China is facing significant challenges in the healthcare sphere and one of the most formidable will be public perception. A particularly pervasive and damaging perception in China is the distrust of physicians. Without well-established patient-physician trust, the mission of delivering quality healthcare is significantly set back. DOCTORS ARE NEEDED, BUT NOT TRUSTED Being a…
With China’s recent “plastic ban”, the recent National Geographic Magazine cover, and reports of brands banning straws, the story of plastic is one that is becoming more widely understood in China, and it is the focus this episode of AsktheCollective where I answer the questions of one viewer who would like to know more about China's recent plastic ban, what other regulations are coming, and when…
To accomplish the mission and goals that we have set for ourselves, for our clients, and for the community, we are constantly on the look out for people with the passion and tools to solve big environmental, economic, and social challenges, and this month we are specifically looking for: Business Development Director Sustainability Analyst If you seen an opening that excites you, and t…
With an exploding urban population and a rising middle-class, China is rapidly increasing material use and consumption. Alongside its burgeoning economy is a proliferation of consumer waste. While most debates are around the wastage of food or packaging materials like plastic and paper, little attention is paid to the old clothes that people clean out of their wardrobes. Chinese dump roughly 26…
In this episode I answer a question about whether or not I think corporate social responsibility (CSR) gives companies license to do bad. It is a question with roots in the recent Freakonomics Podcast Does Doing Good Give You License to Be Bad? () and the rebuttal by Chris Jarvis on the Engage for Good Podcast Does Doing Good with CSR Really Give Companies, Employees License to be Bad? As…
A significant trend in the current and future trajectory of Chinese healthcare is the increasing privatization of medical hospitals and clinics. This development is driven by both consumer desires for a more patient-centered experience and government initiatives that aim to distribute the burden of care from public hospitals. Despite the rapid expansion of private options, several barriers prevent…
Yesterday, we were excited to host our second Shanghai Sustainable Ambassador Appreciation Reception. An event to celebrate the work of sustainability professionals and business leaders who are looking to drive sustainability through their business, participants had a chance to network and share ideas over relaxed drinks and delicious hors-d’œuvres. The guests were a group of passionate and…
The unprecedented speed at which science and technology are advancing has resulted on the development of numerous household chemicals that have slowly become indispensable to people. On the long term, the unsafe use, storage, and disposal of these chemicals may pose a threat to human and animal health. In fact, places like China have seen a rising number of hospitalizations of thousands of childre…
With big corporations including Tencent and Alibaba already investing heavily in the healthcare industry, there is a lot of speculation as to what the future of healthcare will look like, and also how corporations, startup companies, investors, physicians, and hospitals will collaborate in this space. Some Context China has undergone concerted development over the last two decades to improve hea…
Apologies for the absence, but after 6 months away, we are relaunching the Ask The Collective Series. The goal of this series remains no different than when we launched it: to help answer your questions about sustainability in China (and now Asia), and we are hoping that you will find some time to re-engage with us, let us know what is on your mind, and given us the chance to help you move your…
China’s recent waste import ban has led to increased conversations globally on the topic of waste management. In China, one conversation that comes up in particular, among the general public and Chinese government alike, is the need to have a better system of household waste categorization for the millions of residents that live in Shanghai. The call is for a sorting system that is more aligned to…
Last week, as part of a continued process to address the growing waste problem that China’s urban waste systems are facing, the Shanghai government announced a new regulation focused on reducing food packaging waste. A problem that has grown with changes in urban lifestyles, which are often convenience focused, the soaring food delivery industry brings huge amounts of plastic packaging into the…
