Grounded World

Since last being hosted in Paris in 1900, the Olympic Games has transformed quite a bit, hasn't it? Certainly not your Grandmother's Games! The staging, production and commitment to minimizing the negative impact of the event - on the athletes, spectators and the host city - keeps evolving. Women's empowerment, mental health and sustainability all took center stage this year at the 2024 Paris Olympics. So, in order of potential - for scale and impact - here's our medal ranking for ESG in Paris this year. We've also hand picked a few must reads and must sees to justify our ranking. And an epic article written by our own, Paloma Jacome covering the biggest win at the Games- Women Empowerment. Ready? Set? Go!! #ParisOlympics #WomenEmpowerment #GenderEquality #MentalHealth #Sustainability

Welcome to Framework Fridays! Yes...that's right! Who doesn't like a good framework to help navigate the matrix? Needless to say - as a strategist...a good framework has often got me out of squeeze and helped solve that riddle, wrapped in mystery inside an enigma. So...I thought i'd share a little about each framework, every Friday, along with the organization behind it...just in case they resonate 😎 🔥 First up... is the psychological flexibility Pyramid (for Social Change) Psychological flexibility is a crucial skill for navigating social situations, fostering collaboration, managing emotions (and difficult situations) and is also a great way of building resilience (so that difficult experiences don’t dictate future behaviors). In other words..one of the best and simplest frameworks I've ever come across for applying conscious leadership and good governance - inside and out. It's derived from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (so since its Friday and you probably just about made it through the week like me....I figured you could probably do with some!). The measure of a good framework is not necessarily what it is or what it means...or frankly even what it was intended to do... but how you decide to apply it to help see and process the world a little differently. ProSocial World use this in their ProSocial Action Lab training which is designed to help groups and organizations 'consciously evolve' to become more cooperative and collaborative. So I'll let you noddle on that one. You do you ;-) Big thanks to David Sloan Wilson, Jeff Genung and Paul Atkins for bringing this little marvel into our organization. #timetogetgrounded

Join me and inspiring impact leaders Grounded World, HAYVN Coworking Community, Grace Farms Tea & Coffee, and Halespring on Sept 24 in Westport to learn about building businesses with purpose. Phil White Heidi Schoeneck Felicia Rubinstein Michael Hermus Adam Thatcher B Local Connecticut

Large scale events like concerts, music festivals and world tours typically don’t have the best sustainability track record. And most musical artists don’t seem to bother. But Coldplay has taken a bold position for sustainability… “no music on a dead planet” In 2019, Coldplay promised fans that they wouldn’t tour again unless done more sustainably. Not only have they reduced emissions by 59% but are radically transparent about it— shutting down greenwashing allegations. Coldplay’s latest world tour implemented various innovative strategies including: ☀️ Solar panel installations 🚲 Powerbikes 🪩 Kinetic dance floor 🌳 Trees planted for every ticket sold 👕 Ethically-sourced merch 🚰 Free drinking water for refillables (banned plastic bottles) Coldplay’s entire Audio Visual production is powered by electric battery system that uses 100% RENEWABLE energy! Shoutout Coldplay for revolutionizing music tours and setting a precedent for the music industry to follow 🎶💚

California has passed a GROUNDBREAKING textile recycling bill — The Responsible Textile Recovery Act of 2024. Now officially a national leader in EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility), California has made history again with Senate Bill 707 (SB 707), a landmark, first-in-the-country, textile-recycling bill from Senator Josh Newman (Fullerton). SB 707 and the EPR program that it creates have the potential to develop previously untapped or underutilized upcycling and recycling clothing and fiber markets, as well as to support ongoing state efforts to encourage the repair and reuse of clothing and textiles. The bill will also strengthen the ability of thrift stores and charities to handle unsellable garments and combat textile waste by incentivizing the use of more sustainable and easier-to-recycle materials. In 2021, approximately 1.2 million tons of textiles were disposed of in California. Despite 95% of textiles being reusable or recyclable, only 15% are currently recycled or reused. Over the course of the legislative process, the bill has received widespread support, a testament to its importance and potential impact. This support includes the California Product Stewardship Council, IKEA, Goodwill Industries International, Sierra Club California, Republic Services, as well as numerous local governments, agencies, and sanitation districts. “The industry has really shown up for the stakeholder process for SB 707. As sponsors of the bill, alongside Senator Newman, we’ve led countless meetings, workshops, and presentations on the bill,” says Joanne B., Director of Advocacy from the California Product Stewardship Council, “The proposed program will provide equitable funding to reuse, repair, and recycling businesses and incentivize producers to adopt less wasteful production and greener designs.” “At IKEA, we have an ambition to become a circular business by 2030. To achieve this, we must partner with policymakers to support efforts in creating more circular systems for textiles and other products,” said Mardi Ditze, CEP, IKEA U.S. Sustainability Manager. “We applaud Senator Newman for leading a collaborative process with industry stakeholders on SB 707 and support efforts to increase textile circularity in California and across the U.S.” “Textile recycling is a growing industry domestically, creating jobs and reviving manufacturing in areas near recycling facilities,” said Peter Majeranowski, CEO of Circ®, a leading textile recycler. “We’ve seen the fashion industry really step up to adopt fibers and yarns with lower impacts. Circ® thanks Senator Newman for leading in California to incentivize funding for textile recycling.” EPR has a long way to go when it comes to solving our textile waste crisis, but California is pioneering legislation in the U.S. that will guide us to advancing circularity in the fashion industry. #EPR #SB707 #TextileRecycling #CircularEconomy

The biggest headline to come out of the #ParisOlympics was the powerful display of Women Empowerment— women athletes won big, stood in solidarity with one another, and beat the odds against them from gender policing to blatant body shaming. If you haven’t already, take a read through our latest article dissecting how women empowerment was the Olympics’ ‘Biggest Win’ authored by Grounded’s Content Manager and Associate Strategist, Paloma Jacome. #GenderEquality #WomenEmpowerment #GenderEquity

Is it possible the most inspiring #Olympics coverage is the #Paralympics? If you haven't yet taken a look at the Perfectly Unserious TikTiok series from the International Paralympic Committee, you're missing out! And once you realize the content is created by a group of four 20- to 30-something-year-olds, including two former Paralympians you can lean in and enjoy seeing the humanity while learning about the tenacity of these tremendous athletes. Trust me, it will be the best thing you've seen since Paris. https://lnkd.in/eXi83rTF

Empowering Athletes Beyond the Arena: The Paris 2024 Athletes' Entrepreneurs Incubator 🏅💡 In a groundbreaking move, Paris 2024 is redefining the legacy of the Olympics Games by launching the Athletes' Entrepreneurs Incubator in collaboration with the French Development Agency (AFD). This innovative program is designed to support athletes in transitioning from sports to successful business ventures, offering a unique blend of resources, mentorship, and funding. Why is this important? Athletes, with their unparalleled discipline, teamwork, and strategic thinking, are often underutilized in the entrepreneurial sphere. The incubator aims to change that by providing tailored support to help them harness their skills and experiences into impactful business ventures. This initiative not only facilitates career development for athletes transitioning from elite sports but also enriches the global business ecosystem with their diverse perspectives and experiences. Key highlights of the incubator include: 👥 Mentorship: Guidance from industry experts to navigate the entrepreneurial landscape. 💰Funding Opportunities: Access to capital to turn innovative ideas into reality. 🤝 Networking: Connect with a community of like-minded entrepreneurs and industry leaders. By investing in the future of athletes beyond their athletic careers, Paris 2024 and AFD are setting a new standard for Olympic legacies. This initiative exemplifies a forward-thinking approach to leveraging the unique strengths of athletes to drive positive change and innovation. As we look forward to the Paris 2024 Games, this incubator represents a powerful testament to the enduring impact of the Olympic spirit. It’s a reminder that the pursuit of excellence extends far beyond the sporting arena and into every facet of life and business. #Paris2024 #AthleteEntrepreneurs #Innovation #OlympicLegacy #Entrepreneurship #Legacy

We think a lot about the intention-action gap here at Grounded World...so these misconceptions around reducing your carbon footprint really hit home! Guess what......reducing your cabin footprint generally means flying / driving less..and eating less meat. Rocket science, it is not. 😏

What IS the state of recycling today? There’s all sorts of different data claims around recycling rates lately but The Recycling Partnership is doing the groundwork with thousands of communities across the U.S. to transform underperforming recycling programs by mobilizing accurate, real-time data. Their annual SORR report, The State of Recycling Report, does just that— reports the latest data in recycling in the U.S. Their report has revealed that the introduction of Extended Producer Responsibility #EPR is proving successful in increasing residential recycling rates. This is amazing news that validates the upcoming EPR era in the U.S. as more states pass EPR packaging bills. We’ve become very familiar with EPR earlier this year while assisting The Recycling Partnership with building out one of their many on-demand courses, “Introduction to EPR.” In addition to their online course catalog, The Partnership is constantly making behavior-changing resources that solve for circularity accessible on their Recycling Programs Solutions Hub as well as their website! If you’re interested in learning more about EPR, sign up for their FREE course below in the comments for an Introduction to EPR ♻️ #RecyclingRates #ExtendedProducerResponsibility #CircularEconomy #BehaviorChange