<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/18/why-tesla-was-kicked-out-of-the-sp-500s-esg-index.html" target="_blank">Three months ago</a>, Tesla was removed from the S&amp;P 500’s ESG (environmental, social and governance) Index for its approach toward sustainability and corporate social responsibility. Poor working conditions, including accusations about an ongoing culture of racism, have been part of the problem, but the company has also failed to track its carbon emissions. CEO Elon Musk responded by calling ESG reporting a “<a href="https://time.com/6180638/tesla-esg-index-musk/" target="_blank">scam</a>.” 

Yes, Tesla’s <a href="https://www.tesla.com/about#:~:text=Tesla's%20mission%20is%20to%20accelerate,to%20drive%20than%20gasoline%20cars" target="_blank">mission</a> is “to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy,” but the company was also placed No. 22 on the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s <a href="https://peri.umass.edu/toxic-100-air-polluters-index-current" target="_blank">Toxic 100 Air Polluters Index</a> (above ExxonMobil). This week, Tesla’s reckoning over its environmental practices continues. The leader in electric car manufacturing has been asked by the <a href="https://www.asyousow.org/resolutions/2022/04/27-tesla-report-on-policies-and-practices-to-reduce-climate-related-water-risk#_ftn3" target="_blank">majority of its independent shareholders</a> to become more transparent about its water usage. 

<h2>Draining regions of drinking water</h2>

“Be it resolved: Shareholders request the Board assess and report its ongoing water risk exposure, and all policies and practices to reduce this risk, from siting of facilities to preparing for water supply reductions associated with climate change, using quantitative indicators where appropriate,” reads the shareholder resolution, in part.  
     
The proposal, which was filed by the nonprofit shareholder advocacy organization As You Sow, will be hard for Tesla to ignore. After all, when your investors request change, it’s your bottom line that’s at risk. 

Then again, Musk has proven to be single-minded about what counts as sustainable in the past. When asked by a reporter in 2021 whether a new German plant would be a burden on the region’s water, Musk <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-08-13/musk-laughs-off-concern-tesla-german-plant-will-sap-water-supply#xj4y7vzkg" target="_blank">laughed</a> at the suggestion. Meanwhile <a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/tesla-faces-day-reckoning-water-supply-planned-german-plant-2022-02-23/" target="_blank">local German stakeholders</a> fought the diversion of their water resources to the plant. Claimants said the factory could drain the region’s drinking water. The plant requires 1.4 million cubic meters of water a year, the equivalent of a 30,000-person town. Local interests <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/tesla-germany-plant-receives-conditional-license-start-production-2022-03-04/" target="_blank">won</a> the lawsuit. 

More than half of Tesla’s active manufacturing plants are located in regions that may face high to extremely high water stress by 2030, according to As You Sow. And still, shareholders can’t know the extent of the impact the company is making. One of the significant issues they cite is that, unlike competitor car companies, Tesla doesn’t disclose its water usage data to CDP, an organization that runs a global disclosure system for environmental impact.

<h2>Other EV companies have demonstrated that reducing water use is possible</h2>

While Tesla leadership laughs off concerns about resource use, companies like <a href="https://www.aquatechtrade.com/news/industrial-water/the-blue-footprint-of-green-transport/" target="_blank">Audi and General Motors</a> are diminishing their water impacts, and still pushing the boundaries for electric vehicle technology. Audi is installing water treatment plants to recycle waste water. GM has been recycling and conserving water, and now requires about 40 percent less water to produce a car than it did in 2010. 

There may be a lesson here for other companies that have ambitions to be leaders in the environmental movement. Maybe the term “greenwashing” is dramatic in relation to Tesla, but as the company struggles to fulfill ESG expectations, it does still claim to prioritize the environment. And ESG standards do matter, as 3p's Tina Casey <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2022/esg-reporting-disney/745516" target="_blank">reported</a> back in May. So, if you’re pursuing innovation in sustainable technology, investors are going to want you to consider the whole of your environmental and social impact. 

<h2>Urging Tesla to rethink its definition of sustainability</h2>

And what would be a company’s motivation to pursue well-rounded sustainability? Here's what As You Sow’s president, Danielle Fugere, told U.K.-based <a href="https://www.edie.net/tesla-to-improve-water-risk-reporting-after-shareholder-pressure/" target="_blank">edie</a>: “Tesla’s leadership has been cavalier at times when responding to localized water concerns. Every company, especially those that assert themselves as environmentally forward-thinking, should hold themselves to the highest standards of transparency and accountability regarding their resource use.”

Setting internal motivation aside, perhaps it seems a stretch for investors to care about a company’s water use or employee treatment. However, if a company ignores its natural resources or neglects and abuses its employees, these are risks to its <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/social-license-slo.asp" target="_blank">social license to operate</a> in the eyes of the public and governing bodies. And this is the subtext to Tesla’s shareholder resolution. It reads like this: “We care about innovation, but we also care how you do it.”

Image credit: <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/9X3DmoEM64k" target="_blank">Austin Ramsey</a> via Unsplash

Tesla Shareholders Call for More Transparency and Accountability Around Water

Recent surveys show that American workers increasingly value DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) in the workplace. <a href="https://bhasinconsulting.com/" target="_blank">Inclusion expert</a> and <a href="https://ritubhasin.com/about/" target="_blank">authenticity advocate</a> Ritu Bhasin recently spoke with TriplePundit about the importance of uncovering bias and promoting authenticity in order to achieve an equitable work environment.

Ninety-two percent of people surveyed by <a href="https://justcapital.com/reports/americans-agree-that-advancing-racial-equity-starts-with-paying-a-fair-wage/" target="_blank">Just Capital</a> in 2022 agreed that it was important for businesses to foster racial equity. That’s up from 79 percent just a year prior, with Republicans making up most of that change — 87 percent concurred with the idea that racial equity is a corporate responsibility in 2022, compared with only 62 percent in 2021.

Despite this trend, not everyone agreed on whether or not there is still work to do. Thirty-two percent of all respondents reported that they felt large companies had done enough to meet their responsibilities on DEI already, down 4 percent from the year before. Broken down by race, these responses are telling. Whereas 87 percent of Blacks and 77 percent of Latinos said more work is needed, only 62 percent of whites saw room for improvement on the DEI front — suggesting that much of that work includes <a href="https://hbr.org/2021/08/talk-about-privilege-at-work" target="_blank">uncovering implicit privilege</a>. 

As a first step, Bhasin encourages corporate leaders to “dig deep into bias deconstruction work.” She recommends using online tools to measure where one is at in regard to unconscious biases, including the <a href="https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/user/agg/blindspot/indexrk.htm" target="_blank">Harvard Implicit Association Test</a>. “Leaders must go first,” she explained, encouraging them to share their journey with employees and “be very vocal about why they think authenticity is important.”

After biases are recognized and held in check, the second step Bhasin recommends is cultural competence on DEI challenges. She pointed to better understanding and less judgment as a result of learning about other cultures and groups. As an example, she discussed how it used to be normal to openly discriminate against transgender people in the workplace, but society in general now realizes it is no longer acceptable to do so. 

“DEI is all about creating an environment where everyone feels connected,” she explained. “Where they feel like they can develop their skills and bring their best.” 

By that measure, corporate efforts are lagging. Across the board, respondents to Just Capital's survey largely agreed that workers of color continue to face a number of obstacles in large companies, including less pay than white workers for the same job (90 percent agreed overall), harassment (89 percent), as well as getting skipped over for employment (91 percent) or promotion (92 percent). And yet, as Bhasin put it, “Belonging is everything.”

“The No. 1 issue that prevents building this environment [of belonging] is bias,” she said. “People feel like they can’t be authentic.” She went on to describe how this pressure to hide their authentic selves results in workers feeling like they cannot share their thoughts, voices or ideas. She encourages leaders to show their full selves, including celebrating their differences, as this will encourage others to be authentic as well. 

Likewise, equity strategist <a href="https://tarajayefrank.com/" target="_blank">Tara Jaye Frank</a> recently <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2022/return-office-dei-companies/743816" target="_blank">explained to TriplePundit</a> how Black women especially feel like they are under a microscope at work, which in turn makes many feel as if they can’t make a mistake and therefore limits their creativity and recognition in the office. 

Bhasin advises corporate leaders to build an environment where everyone feels comfortable being authentic by taking into account workers’ responses to the question, “To what extent do I feel seen?”

Of course, for any of this to mean much, wages have to be equitable. “Not having a living wage affects everything,” she said, listing the way poverty impacts someone’s ability to access transportation and education, as well as its effects on physical and mental health. “A living wage is critical.”

Additionally, it’s important to make a point of being inclusive when it comes to people with disabilities who are too often left out of the DEI conversation. Bhasin described how this has to begin with recruitment and continue through every phase — and that each phase should be viewed through a lens that is conscious of implicit bias. She reiterated how important it is to champion people’s differences and accommodate them accordingly.

“Cultivate an agile work environment,” she advised. One way to do this is by allowing workers to connect virtually instead of coming into an office. Similarly, remote work has offered many workers — again, especially Black women — a <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-05/return-to-office-black-workers-are-happier-more-valued-working-from-home" target="_blank">reprieve from microaggressions</a> and even blatant racism, allowing them to <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2022/dei-remote-work/750136" target="_blank">feel safer and more authentic</a> in their jobs. 

“I prefer to call them micro-inequities,” Bhasin expounded. “Micro-inequities are how our biases show through in our behavior.” And they could help explain some of the results from <a href="https://www.goodhire.com/resources/articles/diversity-equity-inclusion-survey/" target="_blank">another survey</a> in which 64 percent of respondents claimed they had never witnessed discrimination or harassment in their place of employment. “People who come from communities who have experienced it, they see it. But when people come from the dominant cultures,” she said it’s easier for them to say, “I don’t notice.”

But that’s not an attitude that benefits business. Rather, Bhasin wants to remind everyone to deconstruct their biases, saying, “It’s really important to do the work because we recognize how meaningful it is and how it improves our interactions with others.” 

Image credit: <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/women-toasting-their-drinks-while-having-conversation-7490844/" target="_blank">RODNAE Productions</a> via Pexels

Successful DEI Implementation Requires Deconstructing Biases and Promoting Authenticity 

A near-total ban on abortion became law in Indiana last week, and one leading business in the wider medical field has already warned about potential consequences to the state’s economy. Other STEM employers in Indiana may sound the “brain drain” alarm, too. However, fight, not flight, is the only effective pathway back to full human and civil rights for all pregnant people throughout the nation.

<h2>Indiana rushes to the head of the abortion ban line </h2>

The new Indiana ban is significant because it is the first legislative action to follow the U.S. Supreme Court decision on the <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2022/corporate-hr-abortion-bans/751566" target="_blank">Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health</a> case, which effectively ended federal abortion protections. Other states had previously enacted “trigger” laws in anticipation of the Dobbs decision. Still others are seeking to revive existing laws that have been suspended for a generation, after the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision affirmed a person’s right to manage their own pregnancy.

Indiana was the first test of an open public debate on new law after Dobbs.

Republican lawmakers in Indiana were keenly aware that their post-Dobbs action could help set the standard for similar moves in other statehouses. Apparently, speed played a leading role in their thinking. The Republican majority engaged their state in an unseemly rush to first place. They were the first to pass new restrictions on abortion after Dobbs, and they were also the first state legislature to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/25/politics/indiana-legislature-abortion-ban/index.html" target="_blank">convene a special session</a> to take up an abortion bill after Dobbs.

The Indiana Chamber of Commerce was among those pleading for moderation after the session began on July 25. In a widely reported statement last week, the Chamber noted that “the Indiana General Assembly has debated a substantial policy change on the issue of abortion in a compressed timeframe.”

“Such an expedited legislative process — rushing to advance state policy on broad, complex issues — is, at best, detrimental to Hoosiers, and at worst, reckless,” the business group <a href="https://www.ibj.com/articles/indy-chamber-urges-pause-on-abortion-bill-says-acting-now-could-be-reckless" target="_blank">added</a>.

Editor's note: Be sure to <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/category/brands-taking-stands/59911" target="_blank">subscribe</a> to our Brands Taking Stands newsletter, which comes out every Wednesday.

The timing of the final vote could not have been worse for the inclusivity efforts of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce. Last week, the organization kicked off the nomination process for its Jackson Lewis Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Champion Award, aimed at recognizing organizations with outstanding progress on equity in the workplace.

“Equality is now a priority in the workplace — and the Indiana Chamber of Commerce is eager to celebrate those leading the charge in this area,” the Chamber <a href="https://www.indianachamber.com/one-week-left-for-dei-champion-award-nominations/" target="_blank">stated</a>.

“It can be daunting to feel like we’re constantly surrounded by division in today’s culture, but one real positive is seeing Indiana companies accomplish much in bringing equality to the workplace and helping underrepresented groups thrive in the modern economy,” added Chamber President and CEO Kevin Brinegar, whose words are now dripping with unintentional irony.

<h2>Top employers take a stand</h2>

Backers of the abortion ban lobbied for an absolute ban, which they did not get. However, the “moderated” version that became Indiana law accomplishes the same goals as other restrictive abortion bans. 

Cruelty and dehumanization are at the heart of any law that seeks to manage a pregnancy with all the force of a police state and <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2022/corporate-america-josh-hawley/750836" target="_blank">denies</a> a pregnant person prompt, appropriate care for their condition. Regardless of the purported intention, abortion bans <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2022/abortion-business-leaders/749556" target="_blank">fetishize biological functions</a> over all else. They sweep human agency under a carpet of idolatry.

The Indiana bill does include exceptions for rape, incest and the health of the mother. However, it still places biological systems over a person’s ability to make key decisions about their health and life. The bill also forces all non-hospital abortion clinics in the state to close, and doctors who fail to file the required paperwork for an abortion will lose their license to practice.

Eli Lilly, for one, was not having it. The company employs more than 10,000 workers at its Indianapolis headquarters, putting it among the state’s top employers. The company did not join hundreds of other businesses to lobby publicly against the ban before it passed. However, in a statement after the ban passed, Eli Lilly <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/biden-administration-eli-lilly-condemn-indianas-new-abortion-ban" target="_blank">expressed concern</a> over its ability to attract and retain “diverse scientific, engineering and business talent from around the world.”

“As a global company headquartered in Indianapolis for more than 145 years, we work hard to retain and attract thousands of people who are important drivers of our state’s economy. Given this new law, we will be forced to plan for more employment growth outside our home state,” the company emphasized.

That statement is not quite as forceful as it may sound. Eli Lilly already settled on the location for its latest major expansion all the way back in 2020. The city of Concord, North Carolina, will get Eli Lilly’s new $1 billion manufacturing facility and the <a href="https://investor.lilly.com/news-releases/news-release-details/lilly-announces-1-billion-investment-new-manufacturing-facility" target="_blank">600 new jobs</a> that come with it, partly on account of its proximity to universities with strong science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs.

Nevertheless, the company’s response to the Indiana abortion ban can be seen as a warning shot to state policymakers who seek to attract their business. North Carolina state law still protects a person’s right to manage their own pregnancy as they see fit, as do laws in a number of other states.

A similar tack was <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/06/business/indiana-companies-abortion.html" target="_blank">taken by Cummins</a>, another leading employer in Indiana.

“The right to make decisions regarding reproductive health ensures that women have the same opportunity as others to participate fully in our work force and that our work force is diverse,” Cummins spokesperson Jon Mills <a href="https://www.cummins.com/news/2022/08/06/indianas-abortion-law" target="_blank">said in a statement</a>.

“There are provisions in the law that conflict with this, impact our people, impede our ability to attract and retain top talent and influence our decisions as we continue to grow our footprint with a focus on selecting welcoming and inclusive environments,” he added.

Editor's note: Independent journalist Judd Legum of Popular Information this morning has just <a href="https://popular.info/p/corporations-are-outraged-about-indianas?utm_source=substack&amp;utm_medium=email" target="_blank">disclosed more details</a> about the political donations given to Indiana politicians by the aforementioned companies.

<h2>Fight, not flight on abortion rights</h2>

Cummins, Eli Lilly and other Indiana employers may take their business across state lines for now. However, a national ban on abortion is looming, and so is a rollback of the privacy protections that guarantee the right to use contraceptives.

That may sound outlandish, but the 6-3 Republican majority on the U.S. Supreme Court has already thrown almost 50 years’ worth of pregnancy protections out the window with their decision in the Dobbs case. Abortion bans are just the beginning of a forced birth regime.

Business leaders who are serious about protecting pregnancy rights need to stop lobbying behind the scenes and get in front of the issue publicly. Despite the loud voices on the abortion-banning side, public opinion is firmly in favor of pregnancy rights. Last week’s abortion referendum in Kansas, for example, was a resounding endorsement of human and civil rights for pregnant people.

Business leaders can also support legal efforts to overturn state abortion laws. In Florida, for example, a diverse group of clerics is suing the state for interfering in their ability to provide counsel in accordance with religious beliefs that support the right to terminate a pregnancy. 

Ultimately, business leaders need to stop playing “both sides” of the political debate and start supporting Democratic candidates for state and federal offices. The partisan divide over abortion is clear as day, and there is no middle ground.

The only pathway out of a national forced-birth regime is to cement a Democratic majority in Congress and revoke the filibuster burden.

That will finally enable the Senate to pass laws by a simple majority vote, paving the way for new legislation that affirms equal rights for all, with or without any support from the Republican side of the aisle.

The six Republican-appointed justices on the Supreme Court have already played their cards and forced a national crisis. Business leaders can sit by and <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2022/dobbs-pregnant-people/750141" target="_blank">watch it unfold</a>, or help ensure that the Democratic message of diversity, equality and inclusion is heard loud and clear from now until Election Day. 

Image credit: <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/ArSvTDwBzMw" target="_blank">Steven Van Elk</a> via Unsplash

The Abortion Ban Brain Drain Is a Feature, Not a Bug

First, the positive news: The global pandemic, the effects of which were often brutal on communities of color, has left some silver linings, as in the number of Black founders and entrepreneurs who are building new businesses.

Here’s some even more encouraging news: While applications for new businesses have been surging across the U.S. over the past two years, it turns out Black and Hispanic counties are enjoying the establishment of new businesses at a rate 3.5 times higher than that of white-majority counties. By 2021, the number of new businesses had doubled in majority-Black counties compared to 2019, and majority-Hispanic counties saw business ownership rates rise by 58 percent. That 103 percent increase is almost double that of majority-white counties, <a href="https://www.aeequity.org/product/who-is-behind-americas-startup-surge" target="_blank">concluded research</a> by the Alliance for Entrepreneurial Equity.

The discouraging news? Black founders are scoring only <a href="https://www.blckvc.org/state-black-venture" target="_blank">1.4 percent</a> of all venture capital funds across the U.S.

Several underlying factors lie behind this spike in business activity. As the pandemic continued, Black business owners were <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2021/cleveland-black-business-owners/724256" target="_blank">less likely</a> to be equipped with the tools needed to cope with mandated business closures, largely due to the lack of access to such financial relief as emergency loans that otherwise could have provided them a financial lifeline. After the murder of George Floyd in May 2020, many U.S. companies promised their solidarity with Black Americans and pledged billions of dollars in funds to tackle the inequities rampant across society and the economy, but those promises <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2021/black-business-owners-social-change/727041" target="_blank">largely went unfulfilled</a>. The dearth of funds and opportunities was an especially <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2022/funding-black-women-entrepreneurs/737191" target="_blank">huge challenge</a> for Black women founders. So, many of them, along with their male peers, simply <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2021/black-women-entrepreneurs-access/718216" target="_blank">found creative ways</a> to strike out on their own.

Editor's note: Be sure to <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/category/brands-taking-stands/59911" target="_blank">subscribe</a> to our Brands Taking Stands newsletter, which comes out every Wednesday.

Black founders’ constant scrambling to seek funding is linked to one stubborn reality about the financial industry: Access to capital is a problem when only 3 percent of investors within the venture capital space are Black, a study led by the group <a href="https://www.blckvc.org/" target="_blank">BLCK VC</a> found earlier this year. In its extensive survey of the funding ecosystem available to Black business founders, the study’s authors concluded:

<blockquote>
“We believe the first step is to invite your partners and colleagues to have an open discussion and ask some difficult questions, including: Where do we recruit and source talent at junior and senior levels? What is the retention rate of Black investors at our firm? Do we think Black investors feel like they have a path to become a partner at our firm? Are we currently able to source Black founders through our existing networks? If another firm had a more diverse investment team and deal sourcing network, would that give them an advantage?”
</blockquote>

Unfortunately, U.S. society and its institutions usually don’t move fast enough to respond unless there is a senseless tragedy. In any event, platitudes or promises of “standing with Black Americans” won’t move the needle.

However, the financial industry, as well as companies of all stripes, can do one thing to show true commitment to Black business founders. In a <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/audio/2022-07-12/bloomberg-black-business-beat" target="_blank">recent episode</a> of the podcast Bloomberg Black Business Beat, <a href="https://valuespartnerships.com/team/#brandon" target="_blank">Brandon Andrews</a>, a senior impact strategist for Value Partnerships who heads diversity casting for the popular television series Shark Tank, said, “I believe in going where the entrepreneurs are versus making them come to us — going to the local coworking spaces, Black-owned coffee shops [and] Black-owned coworking spaces.”

Image credit: <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/lb9hi0NDjT0" target="_blank">Emilio Garcia</a> via Unsplash

Black Founders Keep Driving New Business Growth, But Funding Still Elusive

At the front door of global business, governments and news headlines are demanding companies step up as part of the solution to environmental, social and governance (ESG) challenges. At the back door stands the consumer — a stakeholder ready to vote for “doing the right thing” by use of the wallet in hand.

Research technology company Glow found that <a href="https://campaign.glowfeed.com/socialresponsibilityscore" target="_blank">88 percent of Australian consumers</a> say it is important for companies to be environmentally and socially responsible. Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) also said a company’s performance on those issues is a factor in their purchase decisions.

Glow’s results were similar for the United States and United Kingdom, and <a href="https://nielseniq.com/global/en/insights/report/2021/sustainability-connects-retailers-brands-with-conscientious-consumers/" target="_blank">NielsenIQ’s 2021 report for Canada</a> showed 82 percent of households deem sustainability an important issue. The value of ESG-positive company behaviors to consumers is global, per <a href="https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/industries/consumer-markets/consumer-insights-survey.html" target="_blank">PwC’s June 2022 Global Insights Pulse Survey</a>.

Statistics will shift from study to study, depending on what attributes, industries and population segments are measured with differing questions, but the trend is clear.

“It’s a rising tide,” said Tim Clover, founder and CEO of Glow, who has spent nine years digging into the “why” behind consumer behavior with a particular focus on ESG over the last two years, culminating in Glow now tracking and benchmarking consumer perception of the ESG efforts of over 500 brands globally.

<h2>Consumer action on ESG concerns is growing</h2>

Consumers not only want businesses to be good corporate world citizens. In greater numbers, they now also demonstrate a measured effort <a href="https://www2.deloitte.com/uk/en/pages/consumer-business/articles/sustainable-consumer.html" target="_blank">to live more sustainably</a> themselves, even despite — or perhaps because of — crises such as recessions and the global pandemic. 

They need brands to supply the choices that support these changes in lifestyle — and the percentage of U.S. retail consumers <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/gregpetro/2022/03/11/consumers-demand-sustainable-products-and-shopping-formats/?sh=7e6f541c6a06" target="_blank">willing to spend more on products</a> from socially and environmentally responsible brands increased across all generations over the last two years, according to a 2022 report from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Over the same time period, the premium they are willing to pay too has risen, particularly among Generation Z consumers, who also tend to influence their older family members.

Brand switching is another way that consumers cast ESG votes with their purchases. In May 2022, Glow found that <a href="https://campaign.glowfeed.com/socialresponsibilityscore" target="_blank">1 in 4 consumers</a> in the U.S., Australia and the U.K. started, switched or stopped use of a brand with sustainability and social responsibility concerns as a factor.

All of this is not to say that opinions about a company’s performance on sustainability, diversity or fair trade is the sole reason for switching brands. However, data shows these perceptions can be a significant decision point — and in a competitive marketplace among brands, <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/retail/our-insights/the-rise-of-the-inclusive-consumer" target="_blank">they can tip the scales</a>.

<h2>How technology aligns ESG efforts with consumer perceptions</h2>

Most studies provide a balcony view of trends and differ based on variables, so corporations must drill down to the data most relevant to their brands. That provides not only insight on how their customers feel about their specific ESG programs, but it also identifies “white space,” or new opportunities where few or no others are making an impact.

Technological advances make this process faster and easier. For example, shortly before the pandemic Glow launched Catalyst, an open-source research program to deepen the understanding about consumers’ priority issues. What started with climate change expanded with client and partner input to measure what are now 22 key issues most people expect businesses to address. 
  
“The research process that gathers this type of consumer opinion used to take 12 to 14 weeks, cost a huge amount of money, and require lots of specializations from people,” said Clover, who added that with Glow’s technology this type of assessment can be completed in one to a few days. “Now, you can jump on our platform and say, ‘I’m looking for 1,000 people in the States that represent the population from an age, gender and location perspective.’”

To further assist brands to respond to their audiences' ESG preferences, Glow then created a metric called the Social Responsibility Score (SRS), which measures a brand’s consumer perception on issues against its industry or a specific competitor. In a single metric, SRS gives a brand a snapshot in time of how it fares with consumers. Underpinning this is a diagnostic framework of <a href="https://campaign.glowfeed.com/socialresponsibilityscore" target="_blank">13 different drivers</a> of concern, such as plastics, supplier welfare, and education and employment, that can be used to guide investment and communications.

<h2>Greenwashing vs. greenwhispering</h2>

Consumers, as well as <a href="https://www.institutionalinvestor.com/article/b1tkr826880fy2/The-Trillion-Dollar-Fantasy" target="_blank">investors</a>, are getting better at recognizing corporate “greenwashing” — or overstating ESG efforts, including being a hero in one arena but a villain in another. Consumers aren’t the only ones with anxiety about ESG and corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance. As a study from Google Cloud found, even <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2022/executives-disconnect-sustainability/741391" target="_blank">corporate executives and managers worry</a> about their organizations being guilty of greenwashing, which damages brand reputation.

Clover, however, points out a business danger at the opposite end of the spectrum: “greenwhispering.” Out of fear of having ESG messages perceived as inauthentic, companies will often be too quiet or modest to share their successes with ESG programs. But he feels that reaching consumers with an education process, measuring how the program and the messaging are received, can counter that. 

“There’s a role of education here that’s critical for businesses. Consumers really want to understand the issues in more detail, to understand some of the science and the lengths to which companies are going to solve these problems,” Clover told us. 

“Companies that are brave enough to go and take the time to explain the depth of these issues and educate the market, they’re leading. They’re winning,” he added.

To avoid the greenwashing accusation, Clover recommends businesses talk about what’s been achieved rather than making vague planning statements, such as “we plan to be emissions-free by 2025.” Pledges carry less weight with wary consumers and are not as powerful as milestone  accomplishments, he advised.

<h2>Using technology to build trust</h2>

Using the education process Clover recommends can accomplish two critical goals: sharing successes that build reputation and helping consumers to live a more sustainable lifestyle. A company thus increases brand loyalty, product value and customer retention — all good for better returns on ESG efforts, market messaging and revenue growth.

In short: <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/understanding-the-ever-evolving-always-surprising-consumer" target="_blank">Earn the consumer’s trust</a>. “[The SRS] metric is highly correlated with trust,” Clover noted. While trust seems like a quaint concept, it’s fundamental to a company’s bottom line. Intuitively, satisfying complaining customers is cost-effective and profitable, but it took the <a href="https://www.acrwebsite.org/volumes/9603/volumes/v06/NA%2525252520-%252525252006" target="_blank">1979 White House</a> and <a href="https://www.assetbasedmarketing.com/marketing-news/myth-the-average-unhappy-customer-will-tell-10-people-about-the-poor-service-he-or-she-received.html" target="_blank">1981 Coca-Cola</a> studies, respectively, by Technical Assistance Research Programs (TARP) to prove it with the numbers. 
  
Today’s consumers still want useful, quality, taste-pleasing products at a fair price, and they want to feel their patronage is valued. They also want these things without companies harming the planet, human beings, animals or the trust they place in these brands.

Some will pay more to help make that happen. Many will switch brands if those needs aren’t met. Companies really do have to “do the right thing” and make sure consumers know that they are doing it. 
  
Clover offered an important reassurance to business: “With the advances that have been made with research technologies, guessing your way through these ESG processes is no longer required. There’s no need to put a finger in the air anymore.”

As for those consumers at the back door, business leaders can do themselves and all of us a favor— to borrow from Paul McCartney — open the door and let them in.

This article series is sponsored by Glow and produced by the TriplePundit editorial team.

Image credit: standret/Adobe Stock

Why Businesses Should Care What Consumers Think About Their ESG Efforts

Last week, Chloe Kelly scored what would become the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQ_tugHlEfA" target="_blank">winning goal</a> for England’s Lionesses in the UEFA European Women’s Championship. The Lioness celebrated by whirling her shirt above her head like a flag and racing across the field as fellow teammates flanked her. It’s an image that traversed the world. Some, like soccer pundit <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/08/01/gary-lineker-deletes-misogynist-tweet-about-englands-bra-celebration/" target="_blank">Gary Lineker</a>, made inappropriate comments about Kelly’s undergarment. Most saw Kelly’s yellow-card-earning moment as an expression of “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/aug/01/sports-bra-photo-england-womens-euros-win-chloe-kelly-goal-celebration" target="_blank">pure joy</a>” and inspiration. 

<h2>What’s in an image? Ask the Lionesses</h2>

“I had no idea how big just taking my shirt off would become — and what it would do for women,” Kelly told the United Kingdom’s <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11086153/Lioness-Chloe-Kelly-goal-celebration-says-shes-normal-young-girl-Euro-2022-win.html" target="_blank">Daily Mail</a>. Although images of women’s soccer inundated the media last week, the fact remains that female athletes only comprise 3 percent of the visuals used by media. And men are three times more likely than women to be shown playing a team sport by brands and advertisers. These <a href="https://custom.gettyimages.com/titleix/p/1" target="_blank">findings</a> were presented by Getty Images and the Women’s Sports Foundation as the United States’ Title IX <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2022/title-ix-50-years-womens-sports/748436" target="_blank">turned 50 years old</a> this year. 

Getty Images also reported a public hunger for gender inclusivity in sports: 56 percent of survey respondents said they want sports organizations to focus on inclusion, and 66 percent responded that female athletes are as capable as men but don’t receive the same amount of funding, training and coaching. The win by the Lionesses demonstrated how heeding this call to support women’s sports can pay off. The women’s final boasted a stadium of <a href="https://www.espn.com/soccer/uefa-womens-european-championship/story/4710176/england-win-womens-euro-2022but-the-tournaments-biggest-victor-has-been-the-sport-itself" target="_blank">more than 87,000</a> fans, which ESPN reports is a record for both men’s and women’s European championships. 
<figure role="group" class="align-center"><img alt="The Lionesses celebrate after winning the 2022 Euros on July 31 (Catherine Ivill - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="af675484-a31d-4975-84d3-a231a6810380" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Lionesses%20celebrate%20Euro%20win.jpg" width="4050" height="2700" loading="lazy" /><figcaption>The Lionesses celebrate after winning the 2022 Euros on July 31 (Image courtesy of Catherine Ivill - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>Nike has been investing in English women’s soccer for nearly a decade, the <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/2a88d3b1-62d6-4414-8f7d-1a5f728d4f16" target="_blank">Financial Times</a> (FT) reports. (It's no accident that Kelly’s now-famous sports bra features a Nike Swoosh.) The company sponsors 12 of 13 Lioness players and invests in three U.K.-rooted women’s soccer organizations. While companies like Adidas have had a foothold in men’s soccer — Adidas has provided every World Cup match ball since 1970 — Nike has had to think creatively to make a splash in the sport. Focusing on women has helped the company grow in innovative ways. 

Nike’s director of women’s research, Bridget Munro, told the FT that the company has doubled its investment in new women’s products over the past two years. And here’s where it starts to pays off: Since the start of the championship, women’s soccer gear has seen a <a href="https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/womens-soccer-gear-demand-after-historic-england-win-2022-08-05/" target="_blank">tripling of sales</a>. 

<h2>Why was this year’s Women’s Euro historic?</h2>

For one, <a href="https://www.espn.com/soccer/uefa-womens-european-championship/story/4710636/englands-historic-euro-2022-victory-has-changed-the-face-of-womens-footballand-this-is-only-the-start" target="_blank">ESPN notes</a> the caliber of the playing seen at this tournament. Ian Darke writes that he saw a marked improvement in women’s soccer. “That [Alessia] Russo goal underlined the rapid improvement in the standards of women's football, as did Keira Walsh's brilliant pass and Ella Toone's delightful lob to open the scoring in the final. And don't forget Lina Magull's superbly taken equalizer for Germany, opening her left foot out to deftly place the ball into the roof of the England net. Wonderful technique.” 

Oh, and it might be worth mentioning that English <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/jun/13/how-the-fa-banned-womens-football-in-1921-and-tried-to-justify-it" target="_blank">women were excluded</a> from Football Association (FA)-affiliated grounds for about half a century, starting in 1921. This happened a year after a women’s game attracted 53,000 fans, with over 10,000 more denied entry. No soccer game in the country would surpass that level of attendance until London’s 2012 Olympics. As you might imagine, lacking access to large stadiums diminished interest in women’s soccer. It <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/england-women-win-euro-2022-hope-inspire-soccer-change-rcna40891" target="_blank">wasn’t until 2018</a> that the English Women’s Super League, the counterpart to the men’s Premier League, went fully professional. 

Sarina Wiegman, manager of the Lionesses, is known to keep her cards close to the vest, responding at times with a simple “no” at press conferences, Darke writes. But after her team’s European championship win last week, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4if7cUHTxw" target="_blank">Wiegman</a> didn’t hold back. “I think this tournament has done so much for the game, but also for society and women in society in England, but I also think across Europe and across the world,” she said. 

Image credits: Julian Finney - The FA/The FA via Getty Images; Catherine Ivill - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images

Sports Brands Should Take Notes After Lionesses Euro Win

On March 21, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) released a proposal for a <a href="https://www.sec.gov/rules/proposed/2022/33-11042.pdf" target="_blank">new rule</a> that would strengthen and standardize the way that public companies make climate-related disclosures. The SEC also requested public comment on the proposed rule change. 

The public comment period for the new proposal remained open until June 2022, and eight of the 10 largest asset managers in the U.S. responded to the SEC’s request for comment. In July, Morningstar, an investment research firm, released a <a href="https://www.morningstar.com/lp/sec-proposed-climate-rule" target="_blank">research paper</a> with key takeaways from those responses.

<h2>What’s in the SEC proposal?</h2>

The SEC is attempting to standardize climate-related disclosures and align them with international standards for reporting. The new proposed rules would require companies to disclose the risks from climate change that are likely to have financially impacts on them. 

One of the more hotly debated items in the SEC proposal is the requirement for very large companies with significant emissions — or a public commitment to a net-zero plan — to disclose their Scope 3 emissions. Scope 3 emissions are, in most cases, the largest source of a company’s emissions, but it is also the broadest category and the most attenuated from the company’s direct control. Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions are those emissions directly controlled by a company or from any electricity, heating, or cooling purchased by the company. Scope 3 emissions are any emissions occurring in the supply chain, downstream or indirectly from the company’s operations. 

For example, an oil and gas company might have reasonably low Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions if its company-owned or -controlled facilities are energy efficient. However, its Scope 3 emissions would encompass all of the emissions indirectly caused by the company, including all fuel consumption by drivers of gas-fueled cars.

<h2>Reactions from asset managers on Scope 3 climate-related disclosures</h2>

According to Morningstar, all eight of the responding asset managers support the SEC’s goal of providing investors with standardized and comparable climate-related financial risks. There was also broad support for mandatory disclosures of Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions and unanimous support among the asset managers for bringing SEC requirements in alignment with a globally-recognized framework like <a href="https://www.fsb-tcfd.org/" target="_blank">TCFD</a>, a leading <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2020/organizations-backed-12-trillion-demand-more-climate-risk-disclosure/86596" target="_blank">global framework</a> for climate-related risks and opportunities. 

The support for the SEC’s rule change did not extend to Scope 3 emissions disclosures, however. Capital Group was the lone firm to support disclosure of Scope 3 emissions. The remaining managers objected to the proposed Scope 3 disclosures, citing concerns such as data gaps and inconsistent methodologies that could be applied to climate-related disclosures.

<h2>Scope 3 is difficult, onerous and absolutely necessary</h2>

For some industries, reporting on Scope 3 emissions will be both challenging and costly. Companies will have to rely on data for such climate-related disclosures from suppliers, customers and clients, and obtaining that information could be financially burdensome. However, requiring only Scope 1 and 2 disclosures does not give the public an accurate measurement of a company’s carbon footprint, because it omits the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2020/scope-3-climate-change-action/708441" target="_blank">Scope 3 emissions</a> disclosures are critical for investors, and the greater public, to understand a company’s climate-related risks and opportunities, as well as the true measure of its greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, if firms are not required to account for their supply chain’s emissions, they would be incentivized by the reporting scheme to transfer emissions-producing operations to parts of their company not monitored by disclosure requirements. 

Capital Group’s response to the SEC proposal aptly summarizes the situation. It reads: “Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions data alone provide an incomplete (and potentially inaccurate) picture of a company’s overall carbon footprint and its ability to create and sustain long-term value through shifting consumer demands or changes in energy policies. Scope 3 GHG emissions data is thus a necessary supplement to Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions data.”

Whatever the outcome, the SEC has indicated that a final rule will be introduced in December and will require companies to comply by fiscal year 2023.

Image credit: <a href="https://pixabay.com/photos/sawmill-smokestack-smoke-chimney-1110288/" target="_blank">Lisa Johnson</a> via Pixabay

What U.S. Asset Managers Say About the SEC’s Proposed Rules on Climate-Related Disclosures

Not many college students can say they saved a major multinational company time, money and space. A partnership between the engineering department at <a href="https://www.ncat.edu/" target="_blank">North Carolina Agricultural &amp; Technical State University</a> (North Carolina A&amp;T) and <a href="https://www.hanes.com/" target="_blank">HanesBrands</a> (HBI) is allowing senior <a href="https://www.ncat.edu/coe/departments/ise/index.php" target="_blank">industrial engineering</a> majors to do just that by solving real-world organizational and time management problems for the clothing giant.

While any partnership between corporations and educational institutions has benefits, the ones that provide mentorships and hands-on experience are often the most coveted. “The company has to choose on what level it wants to be involved,” said Stephen J. Oneyear, an associate professor in the historically Black college’s school of engineering, who oversees the collaboration. “The biggest payback is when they dedicate time. Some partnerships are more time-involved than money-involved. The closer they can get to the students, the more likely they are to find students who fit their mold. It takes a while for companies to get involved on campus and recruit. Then there should be job offers.”

This year the partnership involved two different projects in two HBI facilities. Executives from the Winston-Salem, N.C.-based apparel company outlined the problems, drew up the standards and listed the improvements they needed. Student teams went to work, meeting with HBI personnel weekly.

“Our main goal is to share the experience of working together and develop students’ knowledge through practical, applicable projects,” explained Javier Chacon, SVP of global manufacturing operations at HBI, parent company to brands like Hanes and Champion.

<h2>Business support for HBCUs can drive the STEM pipeline of the future </h2>

Industry leaders and educators agree there needs to be <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2021/hbcus-tech-black-students/727656" target="_blank">more efforts</a> to expand science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education and job training in Black communities that have been historically underserved. The U.S. has about 100 historically Black colleges and universities, or HBCUs, which turn out nearly a quarter of all the STEM degrees earned by Black students. 

In particular, job-ready experience is critical for students at HBCUs like North Carolina A&amp;T, as the college graduates the highest number of Black engineers in the country. Many students come from lower-income families and often lack mentors. 

Given the scope and impact of HBCUs, corporations can make a difference by engaging with and supporting these institutions. Among the best ways to do that is through internships — especially paid ones — that offer practical experience and lead to full-time positions.

HanesBrands takes a holistic approach in its partnerships with HBCUs, ensuring that funding is one part of an overall package that includes access to mentors, hands-on experience, scholarships and internships. North Carolina A&amp;T engineering students are introduced to different jobs in the company’s distribution centers. They also work with HBI managers, engineers and supervisors to learn how they accomplish everyday operational tasks. 

“Typically, students are challenged to use their imagination and creativity, as well as their technical knowledge and skills, to help improve current operational processes,” Chacon said. “Among the skills that students practice are process control and improvement, project management, work area and layout design, and methods engineering. 

Students often tell their HBI mentors that having the opportunity to visit and work in the facilities was the most valuable. “We believe that this hands-on learning situation is a win-win for students and HanesBrands, as we both gain from the experience,” Chacon said.

<h2>North Carolina A&amp;T students put their creativity to the test in the real world</h2>

The semester-long assignments at the center of the partnership allow students to apply what they learned in the classrooms and prepare for their careers, Oneyear said. “We’re trying this so when they go out into the world, they can be successful,” he noted. “They start to see why we’re teaching what we’ve been teaching.” Students take a one-semester course before the program starts so they know what to expect, and many of the students have also had summer jobs in the industry. “They have to apply their knowledge.” Oneyear explained. 

The goal of most assignments was to get more done faster and with less effort. Students first analyzed the existing process HBI uses to accomplish a given task, then tested ways to improve it. “We touched on safety, time studies and plant layout,” Oneyear said, “with the overall goal to establish a standard.” 

For example, eight students, assigned to two teams, worked with an HBI distribution center in North Carolina and were assigned to develop a better system for a shipping and loading area and create new procedures for the product "picking" process. In one case, students devised a way to free up three more dock doors, speeding up the time to load trucks.

“Four students were involved with each project — and the aim was not only to teach engineering, but teamwork as well,” Oneyear said.

“These are lifelong skills that will be with them for their entire careers,” Chacon added. “Our seasoned engineers spend time teaching, coaching and mentoring different groups of students while they are in our facilities. Students spend some time learning the different ways we do things in our company and then they are able to go out on the floor and put that into practice.” 

<h2>A broader push to support STEM education at HBCUs</h2>

The legacy brand also announced in January 2021 a $2 million investment in three HBCUs. Besides North Carolina A&amp;T, HBI is working with <a href="https://pensolelewiscollege.com/" target="_blank">Pensole Lewis College of Business &amp; Design</a> and <a href="https://www.wssu.edu/" target="_blank">Winston-Salem State University</a> by providing scholarships, internships, mentorships and research grants. The college programs are part of the company’s broader aim to improve the lives of at least 10 million people by 2030.

The overall goal of these partnerships is to ensure that students acquire the skills, technologies and experience necessary to succeed and to further build a diverse and inclusive STEM pipeline. “As we send the graduates into the workforce, we want them to be very successful,” Oneyear concluded. 
  This article series is sponsored by HanesBrands and produced by the TriplePundit editorial team.

Image courtesy of North Carolina Agricultural &amp; Technical State University

HBCU Students Hone Their Engineering Skills with Hands-On Experiences at HanesBrands’ Facilities 

Many of us are <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2022/great-resignation-playlist-baby-queen/748521" target="_blank">still swooning</a> over <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2022/netflix-heartstopper-binge-watching/745051" target="_blank">Heartstopper</a>, three-plus months after Netflix released it this past spring. However, many in the LGBTQ community are now also furious that Netflix announced last week it is <a href="https://time.com/6203263/first-kill-cancelled-netflix/" target="_blank">canceling</a> the supernatural drama First Kill after only one season. Could it be because it centers around an interracial lesbian love story? We’ll never know, and —pardon the pun — we’ll never get a straight answer from Netflix. So, while LGBTQ content keeps improving, there still appears to be an unwritten rule that the main characters need to be light-skinned, wear a white dress shirt and tie, and attend an elite prep school or university. To that end, that’s where Thai BL (often referred to as “Y series” as well) waltzes in, literally — and it’s not a just a thing, it’s a phenomenon. 

<h2>What are so many of us cray over Thai BL?</h2>

Thai BL — i.e., boy love — is a genre of entertainment that has been the biggest hit across much of Asia since Korean dramas. And, sorry Heartstopper fans, but the boy-meets-boy story sans dystopian drama <a href="https://www.nippon.com/en/in-depth/d00607/" target="_blank">has been around for a while</a>: Thai BL's popularity has been increasing for <a href="https://www.nippon.com/en/in-depth/d00607/" target="_blank">almost a decade</a>, in fact. Like Heartstopper, this genre’s roots <a href="https://www.queerty.com/heartstoppers-got-nothing-thailands-boy-love-tv-shows-20220804" target="_blank">are in print and web comics</a> dating as far back as subtexts in <a href="https://yattatachi.com/history-of-boys-love" target="_blank">1970s Japanese manga</a> (specifically, yaoi).

For years, Thai BL stories were largely underground; until the early years of this century, such content was actually imported from Japan rather than produced domestically. Then the series <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OQl08Weel4" target="_blank">2gether</a> snowballed in popularity during the early months of the global pandemic, and <a href="https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2305042/asia-falls-in-love-with-thai-boys-love" target="_blank">virtual tours</a> of the various locations where the series was shot soon followed after. 

One cannot typecast Thai BL stories as simply homoeroticism or gay love stories. Just as the case with Heartstopper’s creator, Alice Osman, many of these boy love stories are authored by women — though in the case of these love stories, many of these women authors are actually writing for women. Think of them as same-sex romance stories, often with ridiculously hilarious plot twists and far too many awkward moments. Yet women are often an afterthought in Thai BL series, as on many occasions the female characters in these series are often distracted and are clueless about their gay peers as they are frequently obsessed with watching BL stories on their iPads. As the editor and writer Cameron Scheetz of Queerty <a href="https://www.queerty.com/heartstoppers-got-nothing-thailands-boy-love-tv-shows-20220804" target="_blank">sums up</a>:

<blockquote>
“The guys are cute, the stories are sweet and breezy, the music is upbeat, and they’re largely optimistic, free of anything too traumatic (seriously, it’s almost as if homophobia doesn’t exist in a great many of these shows). At a time when the general state of things *motions wildly* feels grim, it’s not hard to understand why people are gravitating towards BL shows.”
</blockquote>

<h2>Not 100 percent authentic, but Thai BL series are still a welcome break</h2>

To be clear, Thai BL <a href="https://lovewithoutgender.com/2020/04/01/thai-bl-series-its-all-a-matter-of-perspective-bl-female-authors-versus-gay-male-world-view-an-opinion/" target="_blank">isn’t exactly</a> a true representation of the LGBTQ experience in Thailand. The country’s LGBTQ rights record is <a href="https://www.equaldex.com/region/thailand" target="_blank">mixed</a>: not outright terribly oppressive, but the general public’s attitudes — as well as the laws on the books — evoke mere tolerance, not complete equality and acceptance, and gay marriage is <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/thailand-edges-closer-legalising-same-sex-unions-2022-06-15/" target="_blank">almost</a>, but not yet, legal. Further, we’ve still got the problem of most BL characters being fair-skinned and enrolled in elite schools. Nevertheless, at a time when many LGBTQ people feel like it’s the 1980s all over again with the response to the monkeypox outbreak, Thai BL series can offer an escape and respite, because let’s face it: Many in the LGBTQ community appreciate seeing queer people portrayed as protagonists instead of punchlines.

For LGBTQ fans of Thai BL, the way in which these series is delivered offers indulgence with a side of discretion. Among the streaming services, Japanese-owned Line TV has <a href="https://www.insider.com/boy-love-tv-shows-asia-queer-stories-2022-6" target="_blank">exploded in popularity</a> with its platform, which many fans choose to watch on their phones. The result, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jul/30/thailands-gay-romance-tv-dramas-help-revive-flagging-tourism-industry" target="_blank">explained</a> the Guardian's Rebecca Ratcliffe, is that these series don’t compete with conventional soap operas on Thailand’s television networks while largely going unnoticed by the more conservative elements of society within Thailand and other countries.

In addition, Thai BL is doing more than challenging the entertainment industry. It could inspire a new genre of travel as well.

<h2>Book yourself that Thai BL tour, folks</h2>

About Thai BL tourism: It’s already happening, and not just virtual tours like the ones focused on locations seen in 2gether. Take the epic 2020 series, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuG1D7KVM1I" target="_blank">I Told Sunset About You</a>, along with its follow-up drama, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFbs_SwsxaE" target="_blank">I Promised You the Moon</a>. Count in one small business that’s already cashing in: a café in Phuket that sees one particular table booked solid far in advance, as it’s where the two leads in both series often sat and experienced their romance bloom. “They scream so much that I would like to call an ambulance,” quipped the restaurant’s owner during a recent interview with <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jul/30/thailands-gay-romance-tv-dramas-help-revive-flagging-tourism-industry" target="_blank">Ratcliffe of the Guardian</a>.

Judging by the success that two video distributors had after <a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2022/07/02/films/thailand-boys-love-tourism/" target="_blank">setting up booths</a> at a recent Thailand-themed festival in Osaka, Japan, enthusiasm will keep growing and could help revive the tourism sector in the country which is still lagging due to the lingering effects of the pandemic. Representatives of the country’s tourism ministry were reportedly at the festival as well, <a href="https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2022/06/b80956bb7d10-feature-thailand-betting-on-dramatic-boys-love-tourism-boom.html" target="_blank">passing out pamphlets</a> on Thai BL. Similar exhibitions <a href="https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2022/02/8dbca6f91ea6-feature-thailand-brings-boys-love-back-to-japan-with-homegrown-dramas.html" target="_blank">have been held</a> in Tokyo and other cities across Japan in recent months, as the Japanese tend to be the most devoted fans of Thai BL. But as the genre’s popularity expands, more opportunities to welcome tourists from other nations will emerge as well. 

Thailand has long been visited for its beaches in the south and cultural riches in the north, along with a dicey side, as in <a href="https://www.asianage.com/travel/311221/bangkoks-newest-museum-chronicles-its-notorious-nightlife.html" target="_blank">Patpong</a>, the infamous Bangkok neighborhood. But Thai BL fans who are visiting the country can bring with them a new dynamic, similar to how Iceland and Croatia (<a href="https://www.asianage.com/travel/311221/bangkoks-newest-museum-chronicles-its-notorious-nightlife.html" target="_blank">Game of Thrones</a><a href="https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/4/4/18293965/game-of-thrones-tourism-croatia-iceland-ireland-spain" target="_blank">)</a> and Crema, Italy (<a href="https://www.vogue.co.uk/arts-and-lifestyle/article/call-me-by-your-name-travel-guide" target="_blank">Call Me By Your Name</a>, before Armie Hammer creeped out and even <a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2021/03/the-fall-of-armie-hammer-a-family-saga-of-sex-money-drugs-and-betrayal" target="_blank">horrified</a> his fan base) saw new influxes of tourists. 

These fans would also engender niche of tourism that would be far more responsible and sustainable. We’re not talking about the types of visitors that would overrun historical ecologically fragile destinations, nor are we discussing backpackers on Khao San Road polishing off cans of Singha beer — after all, these traveling fans have their sights set on the neighborhoods, cafes, restaurants and buildings where the most epic Thai BL series were shot on location. Therein lies a boost for many small businesses, such as the one in Phuket with the popular corner table — travelers always need to eat, rehydrate and, sure, occasionally shop. With close to 20 new Thai BL series <a href="https://travelnoire.com/gay-romance-tv-shows-bring-a-rise-to-thailands-tourism-industry" target="_blank">produced this year alone</a>, the results could benefit the struggling Thai tourism sector while allowing a more localized form of travel to thrive.

The popularity of LGBTQ-themed shows such as <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2022/2sebastian-croft-allyship-lgbtq/748986" target="_blank">Heartstopper</a>, <a href="https://www.out.com/television/2022/7/01/9-first-look-photos-netflixs-young-royals-season-2" target="_blank">Young Royals</a> and, yes, Thai BL series shows that there’s a craving for compelling and entertaining content — and the next country full of creative types who can capitalize and produce such content might just witness a wave of visitors who wish to see where further acceptance of their community was filmed.

Image credit: <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/33iKv_A1E2s" target="_blank">Honey Fangs</a> via Unsplash

Want to Revive Sustainable Tourism? Film and Stream More LGBTQ Romance Series, 'Thai BL' Style

Bet you’re feeling this intense heat. So are many of the roughly one in 10 Americans who <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/04/07/who-relies-on-public-transit-in-the-u-s/" target="_blank">ride public transportation daily</a>. Climate change poses a real threat to mass transit systems. In 2021, <a href="https://www.c40knowledgehub.org/s/article/Reducing-climate-change-impacts-on-mass-transit?language=en_US" target="_blank">extreme heat damaged</a> Portland’s streetcar wires and deformed Seattle's roadways, triggering suspension of service as so-called “sun kinks” from extreme temperatures can bend tracks and lead to a derailment. Scorching heatwaves this summer have <a href="https://www.democraticunderground.com/11303550" target="_blank">had an impact</a> on transit agencies in central Texas, Oklahoma and even New York City.

Public transportation officials have a duty, of course, to operate transportation systems resilient to changing climate impacts as they also aim for net-zero carbon emission. More transport planners find it essential to collaborate with climate adaptation or resilience teams in their cities to adapt to critical weather events for their riders’ safety.  

Increasingly, municipal policymakers and planners are developing and adopting climate-sensitive design for public transit stops and transportation, from buses to trains.  Some cities, such as <a href="https://www.rtcsnv.com/ways-to-travel/summer-heat/" target="_blank">Las Vegas</a>, have raised awareness of the dangers of extreme temperatures to their transit riders. Las Vegas has modified its transit service schedule as part of its “beat the heat” initiative, and others are rerouting buses to reduce wait times and passengers’ exposure to the heat. Making operational adjustments often cost less than building and maintaining new physical infrastructure. 

In heat-stricken Austin, Texas, in 2019, two University of Texas researchers <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/2/463" target="_blank">studied</a> transit ridership and concluded that tree planting at bus stops can prove more effective than bus shelters because trees mitigate climate change. In <a href="https://www.eenews.net/articles/deadly-heat-waves-lesson-this-is-the-future-we-all-face/" target="_blank">Portland</a>, misting systems at public parks and stadium shelters that remain open through the night have been improvised as a method of cooling off during this summer’s extreme heatwaves. Spokane, Wash., public libraries have extended their hours to accommodate people seeking refuge from the heat, and the city doesn’t collect transit fees for passengers using the libraries as cooling centers.

In general, city planners and transit officials can take several initiatives to reduce their transit passengers’ heat stress while waiting for and taking public transportation. One essential: public officials must develop extreme-weather emergency plans and identify and adopt adaptation actions.

More specifically, they can: cool pavements on transit routes and transit station roofs via higher solar reflectance to lower surface temperatures; shade main walking and cycling routes to public transportation; use low-energy ventilation systems on buses and metro trains; paint buses white and tint windows to shade off the sun; install thermometers inside buses and trains for riders to monitor temperatures; set up misting systems in waiting areas (while being conscious of water and energy demands); and install drinking fountains in public spaces.

As for riders, what can they do when taking public transportation during off-the-chart heatwaves? They can stay hydrated, use a handheld fan, choose light and airy clothes, travel when it’s cooler, avoid needless trips, and avoid sugar and salt that can aggravate thirst. When possible, they should avoid the sun and be prepared for delays. 

In other words: stay cool.

Image credit: <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/timelapse-photo-of-bus-stop-136739/" target="_blank">Scott Webb </a>via Pexels

Heatwaves Are Perils for Public Transit Users: What Transit Systems and Riders Can Do

In case you missed it, the sky has fallen as the restaurant chain, overnight RV parking scion and rest stop staple Cracker Barrel recently <a href="https://www.facebook.com/crackerbarrel/photos/a.207628002620308/5288633637853027/" target="_blank">decided</a> to serve the Impossible plant-based sausage patty as an option on its breakfast menu.

The result has been a gift that keeps on giving after the company posted the menu item on Facebook, as the faux outrage began (the following responses were copied verbatim):

<blockquote>
“I Use to Love your store Now No Way”

“I can’t believe Cracker Barrel has bought into this ‘fake meat’ junk!”

“Its not about being triggered. When a company like CB buys into the Woke Burgerking Crap, and even calls it "impossible", they have lost all touch with the individuals they are marketing to. I can assure you this will proof to be a bad misstep! There would be nothing wrong with a Vegetarian menu item, but the fact they choose this timing and type of language, is another matter.”

“Read the room and understand your base. It’s not that there are options, it’s that yet another woke company will bite the dust with this one.”

“I just want to know why all these companies feel that they have to follow the leader on all of this crap. Cracker Barrel is a great company and they got great Without Woke Meat. Get the message most people don't want this crap. You are only appealing to a small percentage of people. I still love Cracker Barrel but please stick to your roots.”
</blockquote>

The joy of this saga, of course, is in the responses, and something is going on with Meta’s algorithms as the more mocking comments — not necessarily the ones expressing “vegan, yay!” — have filtered their way toward the top of the comments section, including:

<blockquote>
“Imagine being angry that a restaurant is adding an item to their menu for non meat eaters.”

“Holy sheet. Lmao y'all act like the Cracker Barrel staff is gonna come out and cram impossible sausage down your throat. Honestly, for some of y'all, I'd buy a ticket to that event.”

“I go there to eat peanuts off the floor pretty soon they'll replace them with vegan peanuts what is the world coming too...”

“Such is the toxicity of our time: Menu options are now perceived political slights. What a world.”

“Imagine being triggered that people will have an alternative that’s not a mf salad. Cracker Barrel should add mushroom gravy to their menu too!”

“I often wonder if Mark Zuckerburg envisioned that his little project to rate girls on the internet would turn into a forum for thousands of old people to yell at Cracker Barrel for adding a menu item they didn't want. Absolutely wild.”

“Next time I'm at a Cracker Barrel, I'm ordering everyone in the restaurant one side of Impossible Sausage (no substitutions) then I'm going to sit back, enjoy my coffee, and watch the tantrums ensue.”
</blockquote>

The angst toward Cracker Barrel hasn’t abated quite yet, as a post earlier today about its <a href="https://www.facebook.com/crackerbarrel/photos/a.207628002620308/5300031910046533/" target="_blank">stuffed cheesecake pancakes</a> with a side of curbed delivery pickup provoked comments such as “I hope it’s not dairy free.”

The <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cracker-barrel-impossible-sausage-patty-backlash/" target="_blank">response</a> of Cracker Barrel so far to this spit-spat has been understated yet brilliant. When asked by CBS News about the kerfuffle, a company spokesman replied that it “appreciate[s] the love our fans have for our all-day breakfast menu,” and that the company has a goal “to satisfy every taste bud — whether people want to stick with traditional favorites like bacon and sausage or are hungry for a new, nutritious plant-based option like Impossible Sausage."

Granted, Impossible sausage shouldn’t be remotely as triggering as what has been going on with volatile issues such as <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2019/spotlight-unilever-employee-activism-confronts-pr-firms-us-immigration-policy/84561" target="_blank">immigration</a>, <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2022/businesses-transgender-rights-texas/739146" target="_blank">LGBTQ rights</a> and <a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2022/dobbs-pregnant-people/750141" target="_blank">abortion</a>. Nevertheless, the episode involving Cracker Barrel this week shows some timely lessons — overall, it’s all right to take a stand on a social (real or perceived) issue. Those who are upset will most likely stick around; you might score some new customers; and even if politicians take up the mantle and try to gaslight the public by passing legislation that singles your company out, the odds are that the system of checks and balances here in the U.S. still prevails ... at least for now.

Image credit: Cracker Barrel via <a href="https://www.facebook.com/crackerbarrel/photos/a.207628002620308/5288633637853027/" target="_blank">Facebook</a>

The Social Media Fuss Over Cracker Barrel Shows Why Companies Need to Just Be Authentic and Carry On

Venture onto most companies’ websites, and you’ll see statements about their commitments to taking on climate change. The problem, however, is that the numbers don’t add up — specifically, the number of dollars these companies are diverting toward lobbying efforts to defeat any meaningful climate change legislation. Even more problematic is that many of America’s leading companies are doing this by proxy, as in funding the work of groups like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Business Roundtable.

Now, these lobbying organizations are focused on <a href="https://www.uschamber.com/taxes/u-s-chamber-warns-tax-increases-prescription-drugs-price-controls-will-discourage-investment-and-undermine-economic-growth-and-innovation" target="_blank">defeating</a> the latest iteration of the “<a href="https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2022/activism-climate-bill-back/751336" target="_blank">Build Back Better</a>” bill, titled the <a href="https://www.democrats.senate.gov/inflation-reduction-act-of-2022" target="_blank">Inflation Reduction Act of 2022</a>. The bill, which includes investments for taking on climate climate change along with investments in healthcare, <a href="https://www.businessroundtable.org/tax2022" target="_blank">is facing opposition</a> from the U.S. Chamber and Business Roundtable, largely over a proposal to tax companies with more than $1 billion revenue at a rate of 15 percent.

The legislation had been largely tossed aside until Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia reached a deal with the U.S. Senate’s leadership. “Tax fairness is vital to our nation’s economic future. It is wrong that some of America’s largest companies pay nothing in taxes while freely enjoying the benefits of our nation’s military security, infrastructure and rule of law,” Manchin said in a <a href="https://www.manchin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/manchin-supports-inflation-reduction-act-of-2022" target="_blank">public statement</a> late last month. “It is commonsense that a domestic corporate minimum tax of 15 percent be applied only to billion-dollar companies or larger, ensuring that America’s largest businesses are no longer able to operate for free in our economy.”

Meanwhile, the money keeps flowing from groups who oppose the legislation. Accountable.US has estimated that lobbyists have funneled <a href="https://accountable.us/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/2022-06-08-Corporate-Opponents-to-Biden-Inflation-Plan-FINAL.pdf" target="_blank">$9 million</a> in corporate money to legislators who are determined to block or defeat any version of Build Back Better. At the same time, Business Roundtable itself has spent more than <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/federal-lobbying/clients/summary?cycle=2022&amp;id=D000032202" target="_blank">$9 million</a> this year on lobbying. Political action committees with ties to the U.S. Chamber have so far spend more than <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/us-chamber-of-commerce/summary?id=D000019798" target="_blank">$19 million</a> during 2022.

As independent journalist Judd Legum has pointed out, some companies that would benefit from the Inflation Reduction Act, such as GM, have <a href="https://popular.info/p/corporations-versus-the-climate?utm_source=substack&amp;utm_medium=email" target="_blank">very strong ties</a> to these business groups — GM’s CEO, in fact, is currently the Business Roundtable’s chairperson. Legum has also cited a survey that <a href="https://itep.org/report-illustrates-how-70-corporations-could-be-affected-by-minimum-tax-proposal-in-the-build-back-better-act/" target="_blank">concluded</a> at least 70 companies with more than $1 billion in revenues have paid less than a 15 percent federal corporate tax rate. 

At least one noteable CEO is calling out his peers for their funding of lobbying efforts designed to prevent companies from paying their fair share of taxes, while also urging them to support Build Back Better. In a recent LinkedIn post, Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/companies-stop-hiding-behind-us-chamber-commerce-business-gellert/?r=4nsxg&amp;trackingId=KszGdCYLQTu3X1pWP%2FNx2A%3D%3D&amp;utm_source=substack&amp;utm_medium=email" target="_blank">urged the U.S. business community</a> to support the act, concluding with:

<blockquote>
“Many companies that belong to these organizations talk a big game on climate — just look at their websites. They should no longer remain silent while the Chamber and Business Roundtable do their dirty work. If you talk about how your company is going to protect the planet, you need to pay your fair share to help scale solutions for things like clean power, transportation and manufacturing. It’s time for the business community to unite in support of the Inflation Reduction Act.”
</blockquote>

Image credit: <a href="https://pixabay.com/photos/capitol-dome-government-building-2377995/" target="_blank">Mikdev</a> va Pixabay

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Editorial Team

We report the business case for sustainability.

Leon Kaye

Tina Casey

Mary Mazzoni