On September 23rd SMH held the online workshop on Grow Green to highlight that businesses can grow when the production and supplychains are turn towards being CO2 neutral and fossil free. There were six participants wherein 4 were invited speakers from the companies L’OREAL, Oriflame, Chromafora and SSAB; one from an NGO for policy makers i.e. International Chemical Secretariat as well as one from the financial sector, SEB. They presented their views on growing green businesses and the demands set before companies and policy makers. Stockholm university presented a project on the environmental friendly membranes as a last minute substitute for the absence (due to personal reasons) of Zurich based OEKO-TEX®’s Secretary General.
It was clear that the companies have already worked for a long time on reducing their CO2 emissions and it was clear that the whole chain across suppliers, production and end users need to work together for the common goal of achieving zero emission by 2045. This vision is as well shared by policy makers. Large investments on new technologies need help from society to be successful was clearlyexplained by Jonas Larsson from SSAB when he was telling the story of their new pilot plant for fossile free steel. Beatrice Fahlkvist of L’Oreal clearly showed how their company was able to cut carbon emissions ca 80% while still growing the business by ca 20%.
There were 26 participants in the workshop, and the last panel discussion at the end was lively and continued a little longer than planned. Thank you for all the speakers and all participants!