GreenLink - Driving Sustainability And Social Change

Are these chocolate Fair Trade certified? How do I know this restaurant is using responsibly-sourced seafood?

With a plethora of environmental and social problems today, a growing number of consumers are seeking out for more sustainable products that minimize negative impacts on people and the planet.

In March 2018, Starbucks faced criticism and mounting consumer pressure over whether its cups are made from sustainable or biodegradable materials — a petition with over 1 million signatures urging the coffee giant to honor the promise it made ten years ago to develop recyclable cup. By July 2018, Starbucks announced that they are eliminating plastic straws from its stores worldwide by replacing them with fully recyclable sippy cups. This change will help eliminate more than 1 billion plastic straws globally per year.

Research also shows that many shoppers rely heavily on labels and certifications as a quick and easy way to identify more responsibly made products without having to become supply chain experts.

A report by Business and Sustainable Development Commission (BSDC) outlines how Asia will offer economic opportunities worth more than US$5 trillion by 2030 in the sustainability space, bringing momentous social and environmental benefits.

As sustainability goes mainstream, the number of different schemes and voluntary initiatives has grown exponentially in recent years. The Ecolabel Index, the largest global directory of ecolabels, currently lists over 460 labels in 25 different sectors. Most of these have emerged in the past two decades. But are they any good?

GreenLink seeks to solve these issues and more through its blockchain-enabled digital certification platform and loyalty rewards program that integrates consumers, brand owners, and certifying bodies in one ecosystem.