Speaking of Sustainability - The Impact Show

Every year around Christmas, we wonder... What happens to these millions of Christmas trees - after Christmas? What's the impact this has on our environment? Should we put up a fake Christmas tree instead? Ecochain's two Christmas enthusiasts Zazala Quist and Host Hanni Larma answer the pressing question: Which tree is more sustainable? A real or a fake Christmas Tree? In this episode: What's the difference between a good fake Christmas tree you use for years vs cutting down a real tree every year? Real vs. Fake Christmas Trees, where does the environmental impact come from? To the point: which one should you buy? And companies, how can you do your part in the conversation? Take a closer look at the research via our in-depth article. Don’t forget to connect with our host Hanni Larma on LinkedIn to keep up to date on the latest sustainability topics. ‘Speaking of Sustainability’ is a podcast where we speak to frontrunners, innovators and experts on how they make their field more sustainable. In our weekly episodes, we share the knowledge, tools, and tactics, that sustainable business leaders need to make an impact. Our topics range from climate science and environmental regulations to internal engagement on sustainability, environmental footprinting, and design.

MUD jeans is considered a frontrunner in the sustainable fashion space by insiders and the public alike. But what really makes them such a standout in the industry? To find out, we spoke to the man himself - Bert van Son the Founder and CEO of MUD Jeans. MUD Jeans being a client of Ecochain, we are very familiar with the measurement side of their sustainability, but we wanted to dig deeper. What do they do with this data and how do they operate sustainably? In the episode: What does it mean to be a truly sustainable fashion brand? You can’t do it all at once, but where do you start? How to use environmental data to back up your sustainability claims; Why sustainable product design has to be integrated into the business strategy; How can you overcome the financial challenges of being a sustainable fashion brand. And take a closer look at MUD Jeans sustainability journey via our case study and their 2021 sustainability report. Don’t forget to connect with our host Hanni Larma on LinkedIn to keep up to date on the latest sustainability topics. ‘Speaking of Sustainability’ is a podcast where we speak to frontrunners, innovators and experts on how they make their field more sustainable. In our weekly episodes, we share the knowledge, tools, and tactics, that sustainable business leaders need to make an impact. Our topics range from climate science and environmental regulations to internal engagement on sustainability, environmental footprinting, and design. Photo by: Russell Elloway

With energy prices rising exponentially in Europe at the moment, companies are paying attention. Paying attention to what their energy usage will ultimately cost them. Luckily there are company’s who can help them in this journey to energy efficiency - such as our guest and Ecochain's partner Sensorfact. The silver lining? Energy efficiency will also lower your company’s environmental footprint. With his head in the numbers, Sensorfact’s Founder and CEO Pieter Broekema was the perfect person for us to speak to on this topic. In the episode: How is the energy crises shifting discourse in companies; How does lowering your energy bill link to environmental impact; What can you do with energy usage data collected on your production processes? 5 steps to get started on lowering energy consumption and your environmental footprint. Learn more about our partner Sensorfact via their website. Don’t forget to connect with our host Hanni Larma on LinkedIn to keep up to date on the latest sustainability topics. ‘Speaking of Sustainability’ is a podcast where we speak to frontrunners, innovators and experts on how they make their field more sustainable. In our weekly episodes, we share the knowledge, tools, and tactics, that sustainable business leaders need to make an impact. Our topics range from climate science and environmental regulations to internal engagement on sustainability, environmental footprinting, and design. Photo by: Russell Elloway

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is the scientific method for measuring the environmental footprint of your products. It’s often perceived as something ‘too complex’ & ‘academic’. Let’s make LCA accessible to businesses. So today we are breaking it down. Our environmental specialist Emma Thunnissen has dealt with just about everything concerning LCA with our clients. That’s why we thought she was the perfect person for the task of explaining the ins and outs of LCA. In the episode: How does LCA work? What kind of footprint results do you get? How can you use your LCA results? And a concrete example: Measuring a snowboard’s environmental footprint. Want to know more about what LCA has to offer? Check out our easy product footprint tool Mobius. Don’t forget to connect with our host Hanni Larma on LinkedIn to keep up to date on the latest sustainability topics. ‘Speaking of Sustainability’ is a podcast where we speak to frontrunners, innovators and experts on how they make their field more sustainable. In our weekly episodes, we share the knowledge, tools, and tactics, that sustainable business leaders need to make an impact. Our topics range from climate science and environmental regulations to internal engagement on sustainability, environmental footprinting, and design.

To make an LCA you first need DATA on your product(s). But what kind of data, often comes up in the conversation. In this podcast episode, we will go through the two main types of data - primary and secondary data. And what's the difference between them in LCA? So what kind of data do you actually need to make a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of your products? Think of the energy usage for your manufacturing and waste processes, data on your purchased & used raw materials, etc. Much data can be found in your own finance or purchase department. But with supply chain data (e.g. purchased raw materials) it’s trickier. How do you get to know the exact raw impact behind the specific materials you purchase? It’s information your suppliers hold. This raw supply chain data is called primary data. And it’s crucial for credible footprint calculations. The other option is secondary data. Meaning already existing scientific databases collected by previous researchers. To get a comprehensive look into the differences and uses of each of these types of data, we spoke to Ecocahin’s Zazala Quist - who recently did a deep dive into all things data. In this episode: The difference between primary and secondary data in LCA Which form of data is the best? And what you can conclude, based on the data you have used. And take a closer look at these two different types of data in Zazala’s thorough article. Don’t forget to connect with our host Hanni Larma on LinkedIn to keep up to date on the latest sustainability topics. ‘Speaking of Sustainability’ is a podcast where we speak to frontrunners, innovators and experts on how they make their field more sustainable. In our weekly episodes, we share the knowledge, tools, and tactics, that sustainable business leaders need to make an impact. Our topics range from climate science and environmental regulations to internal engagement on sustainability, environmental footprinting, and design.

Navigating the world of sustainability claims has become hard work. When can you claim what and how do we know when claims are legitimate? Our consensus: It comes down to transparency. Companies must show their sustainability data, detail their methods of measuring AND talk about their failures. We spoke to Femke Lotgerink the sustainability manager of O My Bag, to find out her thoughts on the topic. With her sustainability expertise came a strong commitment to transparency. And a willingness to admit the sustainability actions that still require progress at O My Bag. Sustainability is a multifaceted topic. As Femke puts it, the Amsterdam-based bag company values the focus and direction their environmental data has given them, on their sustainability efforts. In the episode: How measuring/sharing your product’s environmental footprint is crucial for positive change; You can’t do it all at once, but where do you start? How to collaborate with suppliers; How to use yours (and other’s) sustainability fails as learnings; And why sustainable product design has to be integrated into the business strategy. And take a closer look at O My Bag's sustainability journey via their website. Don’t forget to connect with our host Hanni Larma on LinkedIn to keep up to date on the latest sustainability topics. ‘Speaking of Sustainability’ is a podcast where we speak to frontrunners, innovators and experts on how they make their field more sustainable. In our weekly episodes, we share the knowledge, tools, and tactics, that sustainable business leaders need to make an impact. Our topics range from climate science and environmental regulations to internal engagement on sustainability, environmental footprinting, and design. Photo by: Russell Elloway

Have you ever thought about the environmental impact sitting in your closet? Yes, clothing can still have an impact even when it leaves the factory or shop shelves. This is called the ‘use phase’ of a product. Something our guest Olof Hoverfält is very familiar with. Olof conducted an extensive study where he documented EVERY single piece of clothing he wore every day (for 3 years!!) - And monitored the amount he used each piece. This taught him a thing or two about the value and environmental impact of the clothing we use. At Ecochain we have seen time and time again with our clients that the use phase in Life Cycle Assessments can be a major contributor to a product's environmental footprint and therefore very important to take into account. Just like Olof found. In the episode: Findings from Olof’s study - why clothing products' use phase can make all the difference; Concrete examples of how to pivot to designing for durability; And how to invest in value creation in your products rather than gross profit. Find out more about Olof’s study from this article!  Don’t forget to connect with our host Hanni Larma on LinkedIn to keep up to date on the latest sustainability topics. ‘Speaking of Sustainability’ is a podcast where we speak to frontrunners, innovators and experts on how they make their field more sustainable. In our weekly episodes, we share the knowledge, tools, and tactics, that sustainable business leaders need to make an impact. Our topics range from climate science and environmental regulations to internal engagement on sustainability, environmental footprinting, and design. Photo by: Russell Elloway

Ecochain Webinar series #GotData. This is the first webinar in our new monthly webinar series #GotData. Every month we will discuss another topic in environmental footprinting with our own Environmental Specialists and inspiring guests. From practical topics on footprinting (data collection, how to model products, analyzing footprint results, etc.) to real-life examples & insights from companies embracing their sustainability journey. We got you covered - Stay tuned!   GotData - Webinar 1: How to do Data Collection in Environmental Footprinting  - With Ieke Bak, Environmental Specialist at Ecochain  Data on your usages & emissions, utilities, transport, ingredients, etc. Measuring the environmental footprint of products (whether it’s your portfolio or individual products) always starts with data collection. We discuss:  - Who is responsible for collecting this data? - What data do you need for environmental footprinting- from who? - Where do you collect this data from? - What data processes do you need to set up? About Ecochain: Ecochain’s environmental intelligence tools enable you to measure and improve the environmental footprint of individual products (Mobius), or your entire product portfolio (Helix). - More about our easy sustainable product design tool Mobius + the free trial: https://ecochain.com/solutions/mobius/ - More about our portfolio footprint tool Helix: https://ecochain.com/solutions/helix/ Wonder which tool(s) fits you best? Request a demo: https://ecochain.com/demo/

With EMMA Safety Footwear’s passion for creating a safe working environment for its customers and having social sustainability at its core, it only made sense that sustainability was the logical next step in their business practices. They had already implemented many sustainable improvements in their manufacturing processes & supply chain. But, lacked measurable environmental insights on the effectiveness of these initiatives. So - they measured the environmental footprint of their shoes with Ecochain Mobius. To find out about how and what they discovered we had a chat with Iris van Wanrooij, the Program Manager of CSR, at EMMA Safety Footwear. In the episode: How do they approach innovation in materials used in their products; How material choices can impact the entire environmental footprint of your product; What can measuring the use phase of products tell us; And why measuring FIRST is crucial to making real sustainable improvements in your products. Want to know more about how EMMA Safety Footwear measured and improved their products’ environmental footprint? Check out our case study here! Connect with our host Hanni Larma on LinkedIn! ‘Speaking of Sustainability’ is a podcast where we speak to frontrunners, innovators and experts on how they make their field more sustainable. In our weekly episodes, we share the knowledge, tools, and tactics, that sustainable business leaders need to make an impact. Our topics range from climate science and environmental regulations to internal engagement on sustainability, environmental footprinting, and design.

We're accustomed to getting 'new' and ‘improved’ electronic products at a fast pace. Companies are racing to create the next best thing, so they don’t lose out on business. Is it time we re-evaluate the definition of 'new' and 'improved'? Jessica Klodnicki, Chief Marketing Officer at Skullcandy definitely thinks so. One of the biggest problems? Batteries. Audio lifestyle brand Skullcandy’s employees & customer base are made up of passionate outdoor enthusiasts. They care about the health of our planet and it hurts them to see its current condition. An emotion that reflects in their way of doing business. Jessica Klodnicki has been a part of the sustainability shift at Skullcandy since the beginning. From measuring their products’ environmental impact to opening their minds to inspiring & creating a sustainable consumer electronics industry. And the results are impressive. Today Skullcandy has significantly improved many of its products’ environmental footprints- and changed its design guidelines for ALL future products. This is how. In the episode: How measuring your products' environmental footprint is crucial for positive change; The surprising design element with the BIGGEST environmental impact; How to collaborate on sustainability within different teams; Why the end of the battery war is essential to sustainable change in the consumer electronics industry; And why sustainable product design has to be integrated into the business strategy. Find Jessica Klodnicki via her LinkedIn. And take a closer look at the amazing sustainability work of Skullcandy via their website or our case study. Don’t forget to connect with our host Hanni Larma on LinkedIn to keep up to date on the latest sustainability topics. ‘Speaking of Sustainability’ is a podcast where we speak to frontrunners, innovators, and experts on how they make their field more sustainable. In our weekly episodes, we share the knowledge, tools, and tactics, that sustainable business leaders need to make an impact. Our topics range from climate science and environmental regulations to internal engagement on sustainability, environmental footprinting, and design. Photo by: Russell Elloway