As businesses become more and more engaged in sustainability around the world, we are presented with an increasing range of examples of active companies. However, when I speak with students and faculty, they say that they often hear about the same examples from the same international companies over and over again.
In an attempt to share some new best practice examples, I asked a handful of faculty members from around the world about their favourite classroom examples of local companies that are actively involved in sustainability. Here are some examples from Australia, Malaysia and Ukraine.
Nicola Pless, University of South Australia, Australia
Jurlique, an international luxury cosmetics company based in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia, has been pursuing an entirely sustainable production process based on biodynamic agriculture and an anthroposophic philosophy from its start. The company was founded by Ulrike Klein and her husband in the early eighties and is built on a vision to inspire people to well-being, through purity, integrity and care (for self, others, and the planet) – based on awareness and passion. 95% of their pure-plant based ingredients are grown on their certified biodynamic farms in the Adelaide Hills providing the basis for the purest and natural skin care for customers to enjoy.
Haigh’s chocolates was founded in May 1915 and is a boutique-style, high-end and iconic chocolate maker from Adelaide that grows sustainably with a vision to delight chocolate lovers around the world. Haigh’s is the only Australian bean-to-bar chocolate manufacturer to have achieved UTZ certification, which stands for sustainable farming of coffee, cocoa and tea with better opportunities for farmers, their families and the planet.
Priya Sharma, Monash University Malaysia, Malaysia
Earth Heir is a social enterprise, that began with the desire to reduce the exploitation of craftspeople and help them prosper directly from their labour. Bringing humanity to business, Earth Heir helps vulnerable communities such as the Orang Asli (natives) sell their craft works fairly and ethically so that they may achieve sustainable livelihoods.
Biji-Biji Initiative is a pioneering social enterprise in Malaysia that champions sustainability. The organisation maintains a sharp focus on operational efficiency, people development, investment analysis, and building, partnerships across public, corporate and NGO sectors. It focuses on building valuable products from waste, such as bags from discarded seatbelts and championing sustainable living.
Svitlana Kyrylchuk, Lviv Business School of Ukrainian Catholic University, Ukraine
Walnut House is a social enterprise started by one of our alumni. The company offers catering services and a bakery and gives 40% of the income to the social projects of the Walnut House Fund and to support the Center of Integral Care for Women in Crisis. Over 90 women have found shelter in the «Walnut House», with over 80% managing to recover and make a new start in life.
Kormotec the a leading company of Ukrainian market of prepared animal feeds. Social responsibility is one of their core values. Since 2013, the company has implemented projects that teach humane attitude towards animals among schoolchildren and adults; provided support to shelters in different regions; promote professional development of Ukrainian veterinary healthcare system. Kormotech also develops infrastructure of the local communities around its production facilities.
Laska Store is a charity shop that sells clothes made by Kyiv designers as well as selling clothes given for charity by friends and friends’ friends. You can give any item of clothing driven by the idea of conscious charity. Laska was acknowledged as “The Best Ukrainian Social Project” in 2015. Also this project is in the top-ten business-ideas for sustainable development “STALO”.
PRiMEtime 