How can we utilize the coffee grounds that we produced on a daily basis? How can we encourage vulnerable groups to be self-sufficient and reintegrate into the society? How can we help urbanite to reconnect to community and nature? Each of these questions is complicated and challenging in itself, however Xingeng Workshop, A local organization founded in 2006 with the mission of supporting sust…
On July 10th 2019, to get a closer look at how a circular economy might look like in manufacturing industry, we organized a tour to Interface’s Taicang factory to observe their closed-loop manufacturing process. UB Qiu, the sustainable Lead of North Asia from Interface gave a remarkable presentation about Interface’s journey of moving business beyond usual and later guided the tour in the plant…
For many firms who have invested significant time and resources into developing products where sustainable attributes are central to the offering, or have launched entirely new business units meant to deliver a sustainable solution, the market has proven difficult. Time and time again, consumers and stakeholders alike, will indicate a preference for supporting brands who are “more sustainable”,…
For many firms who have invested significant time and resources into developing products where sustainable attributes are central to the offering, or have launched entirely new business units meant to deliver a sustainable solution, the market has proven difficult. Time and time again, consumers and stakeholders alike, will indicate a preference for supporting brands who are “more sustainable”,…
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: Analyst Consultant Community Engagement Specialist If you seen an opening that excites you, and t…
With nearly 800 million urban consumers, the topic of food sustainability has been a great concern for many as the middle class have high quality standards. In China, r food security, affordability and safety are at their peak, the opportunities entrepreneurs and innovators to deliver innovations in product and process are growing by the day. To better understand the challenges, and the opport…
On May 17, 2019, Collective Responsibility (CR) brought together 20 executives together to learn about the work of David Yeung, Founder of Green Common, and Elaine Siu, APAC Managing Director of the Good Food Institute, to learn about the Future of Food Sustainability in China. To open the event, Richard Brubaker, founder of Collective Responsibility, provided some insights into the research an…
Last Friday, as part of our student program’s initiative, Collective Responsibility brought together a panel of speakers at Shanghai University to discuss corporate social responsibility and measuring social impact. To provide real world insights leaders and seasoned CSR practitioners, we therefore invited Richard Brubaker, Founder of Collective Responsibility, Joy Qiao, Senior Consultant at Co…
Ocean conservation is one of the major themes of environmental protection, but there are very few non-profit organizations in China that focus their efforts on this topic. Shenzhen Blue Ocean Environmental Protection Association is one of the very few, and we recently had the opportunity to speak with the Executive Secretary of Shenzhen Blue Ocean, Mr. Ma Haipeng to learn more about their work.…
Last week, as part of our “Circular Economy in China” forum, we brought together dozens of young professionals and entrepreneurs to learn and share about current environment, challenges, and future trends of circular economy. To bring tangibility this topic, which is often discussed academically as a critical “path forward”, we invited three speakers, Hannah Carter, Communications & Campai…
On April 18, 2019, the monthly Executive Luncheon has been held by Collective Responsibility at Octave - Thought for Food. The topic of this month’s luncheon is the development of China’s Circular Economy. It is a topic that has gained a lot of attention overseas over the last few years, however in China as we have seen through the recent import waste bans, disposable plastic bags, and industry…
According to the report of The Global E-waste Monitor 2017, only one-fifth of the 44.7 million tons of e-waste generated worldwide was recycled in 2016. In China, which generates the most e-waste by volume both in Asia and in the world (7.2 Mt), is estimated that by 2021, and the total amount of e-waste will dispose of more than 52.2 million tons. With the economic growth and the rapid upgradin…
“Many food waste treatment companies come to us, hoping to apply for the sale permit of fertilizers reprocessed from food waste. However, because there is no existing standard on such fertilizers now, we cannot issue any permits and [food waste treatment] companies cannot sell them to anyone. I think the absence of an official market will be a big challenge for those treatment companies.” — Shangh…
In this week's AsktheCollective, we answer a question about textile recycling, and speak to the recent news that H&M and Burberry have been incinerating their textile waste. A waste stream that we have covered recently as part of our work here in China. Part of the issue, as e have found, is that the process of recycling itself is one where there is a wide range of practices. Many of whi…
Over the last few years, as reading has taken a backseat to video, a large number of awesome podcast channels have begun to spring up. Many of which offer excellent insights, or interviews, on topics of sustainability, social innovation, and entrepreneurship. The below is a list that we have put together, knowing full well that there are many others. Which we invite you to list in the comment…
