Hi there,

Welcome to newsletter #1 from The Business Pickle! Chances are that you’ve listened to one of our podcasts, attended an event, or downloaded a report. Whatever it’s been, we hope you’ve found it helpful.

In these newsletters, you can expect to find five interesting findings from our research, updates on our topics in progress, plus tools and resources to help you on your way to using business as a force for good.

1. Turning bananas into ketchup: to tackle food waste, condiments company Rubies in the Rubble first looks at what types of produce are generating greater amounts of waste, and then develops delicious new products using those ingredients. Their banana ketchup is the perfect example - which we learn about in this podcast episode.
2. Thinking about moving to circular packaging? There are four reusable packaging systems to look at: 1. Refillable bulk dispenser 2. Refillable parent packaging 3. Store returnable packaging 4. Transit (returnable) packaging.
3. "First...start with a posture of listening and learning and doing research on the areas and challenges that you want to play a role in." That's advice from Peter Yao, Chief Impact Officer at Thankyou, on taking a fresh approach  to corporate giving.
4. The universal recycling symbol ♻️ while well recognised by consumers, can be misleading.
5. Cotton is a popular natural fibre for clothing, but it’s also “a very thirsty crop, requiring 2,700 litres of water—what one person drinks in two-and-a-half years—to make one cotton shirt.”

Do you know something about environmental responsibility in the fashion industry? This is a topic we’re currently researching and would love your input. Hit reply to this email and share what or who you know with us!

Other upcoming topics:

• Going carbon neutral/negative
• Inclusive, sustainable housing

We recently surveyed leaders and managers in small to large organisations to understand where businesses stand on profit and impact, what needs to be done and importantly what's holding them back. Download the report.

The Business Pickle is here for leaders ready to do good.

We provide resources and strategic advice for teams to improve their impact. How is your business tracking when it comes to its social and environmental impact? Have you got a plan in place? Do you know where to focus your efforts? If you need a hand, reply to this email for a quick chat about how we might help.

And if you're after a new podcast, search for The Business Pickle wherever you're listening. We've just release part two of our series on the billion dollar question of corporate giving.

That's all for now, but we'll be back soon with more interesting findings and links to share.