The Cradle to Cradle International Conference in San Francisco last month brought together leaders from business who are innovating how they make their products.

Highlights from the conference:

• Vanderlande Industries, a world leader in automated material handling systems, vividly reminded us of the behind-the-scenes world of moving things—in particular baggage at airports. Their new systems live up to the Cradle to Cradle® credo by eliminating the bad (conveyor belts made with PVC plastic) and replacing it with good (innovative C2C approved recyclable polyester).
• San Francisco-based method reminded us that we can be happy when we’re cleaning and we can clean in ways that are good for the environment. A method innovation of note is their laundry detergent. It’s highly concentrated, needs a smaller bottle, and is made with safe ingredients.
• I:CO, with their innovative ways of collecting used clothes and shoes, showed that Cradle to Cradle ideas are changing services as well as products as they work to close the loop and ensure materials are reused rather than thrown away.
• Aveda discussed the perfect alignment of Cradle to Cradle values with the values of Aveda’s founder and how their “products have been harvested with respect for the earth, in harmony with the web of life.”
• Desso, a bright light in the Cradle to Cradle movement, shared their leadership ideas and discussed how by adopting C2C in their business they are able to transform how they produce carpet and artificial grass in ways that go far beyond the traditional notions of sustainability.

Cradle to Cradle leaders photographed on May 24, 2012 in San Francisco from the left: Gert Bossink (CEO, Vanderlande Industries), Ken Alston (CEO, MBDC), Stephan Wiegand (CEO, I:CO), Bridgett Luther (President, C2CPII), Dr. Michael Braungart  (EPEA), and Rudi Daelmans (Desso).

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