Corporate responses to social issues

Here are some recent examples of businesses responding to growing consumer awareness and concern about environmental challenges such as plastic pollution, deforestation and the sugar content of foods and drinks.

In each case, businesses must consider their own commercial interests with a wider conception of the stakeholders involved in production and consumption. Ultimately one can argue that decisive steps to lower carbon footprint, reduce sugar content and address the negative externalities associated with waste is good for the bottom line too.

Examples:

• Iceland supermarkets to ban palm oil in all products
• Waitrose pledges to phase out disposable coffee cups in stores by the end of 2018
• Why Ribena fans have been left with a bad taste in their mouths
• Apple is now completely green

Follow the tweets below for more on each example.