Welcome to this week’s Regenerative Insights. Featured this week is an in-depth article, "Regenerative Business," which I recently published on Forbes that highlights how Guayakí Yerba Mate is setting a new standard in regenerative business practices. Discover how their innovative "Market-Driven Regeneration™" model not only sustains but actively enhances environmental and social systems, demonstrating a powerful blueprint for businesses aiming to make a meaningful impact.
In addition to our Featured Article, the Essential Reads section showcases a broad range of innovations driving sustainability across diverse industries. From single-use solid personal care tablets to biodegradable algae-based water bottles, new developments continue to push the boundaries of eco-friendly packaging and product design. These cutting-edge solutions illustrate how businesses can align their products with circular economy principles while enhancing convenience.
Companies in the hospitality sector are also focusing on circularity and regeneration, with products like Piana Sleep’s Rinnovo mattress reducing environmental impact throughout its lifecycle. Other initiatives such as Petaluma’s reusable cup trials offer practical insights into changing consumer habits. Furthermore, the launch of refurbished office furniture demonstrates how companies can reduce waste by rethinking their product life cycles.
In this week’s Research Corner, we highlight an academic paper that delves into the role of customer involvement in driving sustainable consumption. The study shows that by engaging consumers in sustainability activities, companies can cultivate a sense of psychological ownership, bridging the gap between sustainable purchasing intentions and actual buying behavior.
Let’s explore these stories and the innovations shaping a regenerative future.
Featured Article:
Regenerative Business
Guayakí Yerba Mate leads the way in regenerative business practices with its innovative "Market-Driven Regeneration™" model. Unlike traditional sustainability efforts that focus on maintaining the status quo, Guayakí actively enhances environmental and social systems. Founded in 1996, the company sources yerba mate from Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina through shade-grown, regenerative organic farming that preserves the rich biodiversity of the Atlantic Forest. Guayakí’s commitment extends beyond agriculture to include fair trade practices and community development, ensuring that every worker receives a living wage and that local communities are empowered. CEO Ben Mand highlights how their approach aligns product demand with positive environmental and social outcomes. By streamlining their supply chain and fostering long-term partnerships, Guayakí not only produces high-quality yerba mate-based beverages but also contributes to ecological restoration and community well-being. This holistic model demonstrates how businesses can thrive while making a meaningful impact.
Read more: Brewing Change: The Impact Of Fairtrade Fonio In The Global Beer Industry
Essential Reads:
Solid-State Personal Care
MASSCON's AllThatSolid(R) introduces single-use, tablet-sized personal care products emphasizing zero-waste packaging. This innovative design offers instant dissolution, improved hygiene, and aligns with eco-friendly goals, marking a shift towards sustainable personal care solutions.
Read more: Food, Fashion, Furniture & Circular Materials
Eco-Friendly Mattresses
Piana Sleep's Rinnovo mattress, targeting the hospitality industry, reduces CO2 emissions by 46%, energy use by 52%, and is 31% lighter. The product supports sustainability through a zero-waste recycling program, minimizing environmental impact from production to end-of-life disposal.
Read more: Don’t Just Dream About Changing the World, Do It in Your Sleep
Reusable Cup Trial
In Petaluma, CA, a three-month trial tests reusable beverage cups across 30 businesses, including major chains like Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks. The initiative aims to collect data on return rates, consumer acceptance, and operational challenges, promoting a shift towards sustainability in the food and beverage industry.
Read more: Why Burger King, KFC, and Starbucks Are Teaming Up to Test Reusable Cups
Biodegradable Algae Bottles
Bottles made from biodegradable algae biopolymers offer a sustainable alternative to plastic. These bottles decompose naturally, reducing pollution and supporting eco-friendly practices in packaging, contributing to the reduction of plastic waste and environmental degradation.
Read more: Biodegradable Algae Water Bottles Industry to Witness Massive Growth
Sustainable Pet Food Program
Mars Petcare launches the Next-Generation Pet Food Program, focusing on scaling sustainable innovations in proteins and fats. This initiative, in collaboration with partners, aims to reduce carbon emissions in pet food production and foster sustainability in the industry.
Read more: Major Brands Cultivating Regenerative Supply Chains
Refurbished Office Furniture
Humanscale launches an online store for refurbished office furniture, starting with the “Freedom” chair. This initiative supports the circular economy by reducing furniture waste in landfills, aligning with the company's sustainability goals, and offering consumers eco-friendly office solutions.
Read more: Humanscale Launches First Branded Online Store for Refurbished Office Furniture
Research Corner:
A recent study from the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science explores how customer involvement in corporate sustainability can close the gap between consumer intentions and actual sustainable purchases. It finds that fostering psychological ownership can motivate more sustainable choices, particularly when sustainability is core to the business. These findings offer advice for businesses aiming to better align their sustainability efforts with customer behavior.
The regenerative business practices and sustainability innovations highlighted in this week's Regenerative Insights directly tackle the critical issues of corporate responsibility and social equity explored in my recent book, The Profiteers: How Business Privatizes Profit and Socializes Cost.
Quick Takeaways:
Single-use sustainability: Solid personal care products reduce packaging waste and improve hygiene with eco-friendly, dissolvable designs.
Green hospitality solutions: Lightweight, recyclable mattresses cut CO2 and energy use, reshaping sustainability in hotels.
Reusable shifts in F&B: Reusable cup trials across 30 businesses assess consumer behavior and operational sustainability.
Plastic alternatives: Algae biopolymer bottles offer biodegradable packaging, helping reduce plastic pollution.
Sustainable pet food: New initiatives in pet food production focus on scaling sustainable proteins and fats.
Circular economy in action: Refurbished office furniture cuts waste and promotes eco-friendly workspaces.