Zero waste: the future of the weekly shop?

By Dr Sarah Montano and Dr Inci Toral Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham. As Tesco launches a zero waste shopping in 10 stores in the East of England, once again we ask ourselves are consumers seeking sustainability and will such zero waste stores encourage customers to swap brands? Zero-sum (waste) Game in Retail Consumption … Continue reading “Zero waste: the future of the weekly shop?”

Is Sustainable Fashion an Oxymoron? A Look at Fashion Week and Beyond

By Dr Charika Channuntapipat, Department of Accounting, Lloyds Banking Group Centre for Responsible Business Dr Solon Magrizos, Department of Marketing Professor Craig Smith, Department of Marketing  Fashion Weeks have been around for more than half a century and set the trend for fashion lovers worldwide. Recently, the term ‘sustainable fashion’ has become more popular and … Continue reading “Is Sustainable Fashion an Oxymoron? A Look at Fashion Week and Beyond”

The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and the wealth of nations

By Professor Sir Partha Dasgupta University of Cambridge In September 2015, the United Nations General Assembly agreed on an agenda for sustainable development in member countries. Nations committed themselves to meet 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), involving 169 socio-economic targets, by the year 2030. To measure progress in meeting those targets, it was proposed to … Continue reading “The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and the wealth of nations”

The Spice Girls and Comic Relief: from ‘girl power’ to ‘sweatshop scandal’

By Dr Charika Channuntapipat, Lecturer in Accounting Department of Accounting, University of Birmingham To the delight of many, the Spice Girls have announced a reunion tour starting in June this year. A group that has long stood for gender equality and female empowerment, the band have been credited with sparking the fourth wave of feminism … Continue reading “The Spice Girls and Comic Relief: from ‘girl power’ to ‘sweatshop scandal’”

Is recycling crisp packets enough for Walkers to become a responsible business?

By Dr Roshan Boojihawon, Senior Lecturer in Strategy Department of Strategy and International Business, University of Birmingham After its recent decision to make recyclable crisp packets in response to mounting pressure from its consumers, Walkers seems to have become known as the ‘responsible’ crisp manufacturer. Although some see this as a responsible move, I would … Continue reading “Is recycling crisp packets enough for Walkers to become a responsible business?”

Responsible business, time travel and intergenerational equity

By Professor Ian Thomson, Professor of Accounting and Sustainability, Lloyds Banking Group Centre for Responsible Business Centre Director Department of Accounting, University of Birmingham There is an implicit social contract between generations that requires businesses to consider justice across time. Businesses enable time travel; distributing costs, benefits, risks, liabilities and possibilities backwards and forwards through time and … Continue reading “Responsible business, time travel and intergenerational equity”