Inspiration, Innovation & Hope: Issue 1

Plastic Free July

Yes...yet another #plasticfreejuly post. And we couldn't be more pleased!

With the growing popularity of ‘Plastic Free July,’ and people viewing the initiative as a personal challenge, there has never been a better time to get the word out about your plastic-free or green business, or indeed just challenge yourself to minimise your own plastic purchases. Although plastic pollution is only one of a myriad of environmental pollutants, it is, without a doubt, the one that has received the most media attention; mostly due to the ever-inspiring David Attenborough.

In July 2019, an estimated 250 million people across the globe took part in the Plastic Free July challenge from 177 countries. An IPSOS survey revealed that 29% of people surveyed worldwide were aware of the challenge.

What's caught our eyes

It seems only fitting that our focus this month should be on an innovation directly contributing towards the reduction of plastic pollution.

We’ve been drawn to a new natural deodorant brand, ‘Wild’. It ticks every box for us, being not only aluminium-free but also being sold in refillable packaging. The outer tin is sustainable yet beautiful and would make an attractive addition to any bathroom shelf. Refills are made from bamboo pulp which is widely recyclable and can be recycled alongside paper and card. Alternatively, they are also fit for home composting.

The Wild subscription service makes it easy to ensure you never run out, or forget to pick up replacements. With subscription services becoming increasingly popular, we expect that this will be a welcome option.

The Wild range includes a variety of different scents, depending upon your mood! Choose from Orange Zest, Coconut Dreams, Rose Blush, Mint Fresh and Bergamot Rituals.

For more plastic free product inspiration visit our Spotlight.

How to choose a Charity Partner

Kat Yukawa / Unsplash

Choosing a charity partner that has values that align with your own is key to the strengthening of your brand.

At Green Springboard we have put together our ‘5 tops considerations” in choosing the correct charity for your organisation.

Is size important? This is a contentious issue. You could opt to partner with a charity whose size reflects that of your own company. On the other hand,you could potentially have a relatively bigger impact if you partnered with a smaller charity.
Where does your money go? It is important that it is clear to your business where your contributions will be spent. It is also important to try to ensure that the charity you choose is able to effectively achieve what it sets out to deliver.
What is the core direction and focus of the charity? It is essential to understand where your chosen charity intends to allocate their funds and whether the impact that this will have is in line with the expectations and hopes of your organisation.
Any pre-existing charity links? If any of the staff in your organisation already support a charity, then it might be worth considering whether these charities are appropriate partners. If there is already some existing charity loyalty in the company, then this undoubtedly may drive personal and therefore company-wide productivity to ensure goals and financial contributions are met.
How do you plan to contribute? Whilst some companies will choose to donate a certain percentage of profits to their chosen charity, it is worth considering what your donation generating ideas are. Do you intend to hold monthly fundraisers? Or a single large annual fundraiser event? Think about your options and see what is likely to be easiest to manage and be the most successful in achieving your donation targets. Try to select key stakeholders within your company who will focus on building the relationship and thereby ensure goals are achieved.