Mobilizing Change: Reinforcing Responsible Sourcing

This Earth Day was a unique one. 

Not only were we marking 50 years of advocating for the environment, but we were also tasked with analyzing how we need to take action for the climate in our evolving world. At The GREEN Program, we gathered a group of global change-makers to discuss how we can all mobilize for the environment. In our 4-day Earth Week panel series, we uncovered how these change-makers were making strides for sustainability in organizations, such as NASA, NREL, Arup, Nike, ExxonMobil and more.

Throughout the week, the GREEN community asked ourselves… 

How can we take action for the climate today?

Reinforcing Responsible Sourcing

Get a behind the scenes look at how brands like Fitbit, Nike, and Grounded Upcycling are prioritizing sustainability in their supply chains and new initiatives.

A Panel of Global Change-Makers

Kevin Yuan

Global Sustainability Manager at Nike

Yuna Tae

Responsible Sourcing Specialist at Fitbit

Parker Reposa

 Founder & CEO at Grounded Upcycling

The GREEN Team’s Key Takeaways

1) Industries are trying to initiate circular economies  

From tech to agriculture to apparel, organizations are attempting to rethink their supply chains to take part in a circular economy, where goals of eliminating waste and continual use of resources are of top priority. According to Yuna from Fitbit, she’s excited to see a new trend in Tech to integrate recycled metals into their supply chain to jumpstart a circular economy within Tech companies.

Learn more about circular economies here.
 

2) Entrepreneurs should integrate their sustainability values into their company’s DNA 

As a young entrepreneur himself, Parker urges his young startup peers to bring in their values for sustainability as early as possible. When you have built a solid foundation for sustainability within your company, that is when your company’s output will move in a positive direction for a more sustainable world.

Learn more about Grounded Upcycling here! 
 

3) To reinforce responsible sourcing, companies need standards for accountability

With its own complicated history with sourcing and worker’s rights, Nike has integrated a standards system which involves third party organizations, such as NGOs and governmental organization, to promote transparency and circularity within their supply chain. With input and direction from organizations such as the United Nations, the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, and Smart Ways, Nike’s sustainability initiatives and sourcing practices are able to gain credibility and clout with their customers.

Explore Nike’s sustainability initiatives here. 

How can you take action for the climate?

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After learning from these global change-makers, you may be thinking, “So, what now? How do I get started?”.  Here are a few ways you can get started (or continue) to mobilize for the environment:

“In your next interview, when asked if you have any questions, ask the interviewer what their sustainability initiatives are! If that company didn’t care before, they will realize that young people today care and will need to be ready to answer that question.”
Kevin Yuan

More Mobilizing Change Panels

Boots on the Ground: Turning Passion into Action

with featured speaker, influencer, activist, and backpacking queen, Pattie Gonia 

Explore how The GREEN Program is fostering a community of global change-makers, including the GREEN Alumni from the above panel, through our short-term education abroad programs! If you would like to get in touch with our team, please reach out here: info@thegreenprogram.com