Kind Atom Strategies

When Ewelina E. Pankowska was attending OCAD University in Toronto nearly a decade ago, one thing continually troubled her on her daily commute: garbage. Each day as she walked to her classes, she found herself constantly stumbling over household waste on the curb. The streets or the city were lined with it. Discarded items, set out and forgotten, littered the sidewalk, destined for the landfill. Ewelina especially noticed the furniture. An art student studying furniture design herself, she couldn’t help but think about how wasteful it was to see so many chairs, tables, and sofas being thrown away. She found herself puzzling over the same questions, day after day. Why is there so much furniture waste? Why was it ending up on the curb? Why wasn’t today’s furniture lasting longer? “It got right into my core,” Ewelina tells us. “I couldn’t stop thinking about it. And it became—almost instantly—my mission. How do I get rid of this problem?” That’s how the idea for Reforest, her sustainable furniture company was born. A small-scale operation based on the shores of Salt Spring Island, Ewelina and her staff take pride in their local, sustainable production processes and their vision of providing affordable, custom-quality furniture that’s accessible to everyone. In the new article on the Kind Atom blog, we explore how Reforest is embracing the circular economy and embedding sustainability in every element of their work. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/ePGEzjDT

As a result of climate change, the world is experiencing rising temperatures, higher sea levels, and an increase in extreme weather events and natural disasters, the effects of which are impacting people and the planet. Climate adaptation is the practice of identifying and addressing these risks, preparing for disruptions before they happen. Not only are such evolutions essential for protecting supply chains and ensuring the long-term health of a brand (experts point out that making key investments now has the potential to protect companies from serious risks down the line), but climate adaptation is also projected to be a savvy investment. Bloomberg reports that the climate adaptation market could be worth up to $2 trillion in the next five years. Here’s a taste of how global brands are investing in strategies to adapt their operations to the changing environment. For more on how brands are embracing climate adaptation, read our article on the Kind Atom blog: https://lnkd.in/eryDnCae

Back in the fall, Starbucks made a significant announcement—and no, it wasn’t the launch of yet another pumpkin spice product. The global coffee giant revealed that after a decade of research, they had successfully developed six coffee varieties specifically produced to resist the effects of climate change. Coffee beans, especially arabica (the most popular bean on the market, making up 70% of global production) are extremely sensitive to temperature changes, as well as other climate change-related impacts, including drought, freezing, and heavy rains. To ensure coffee production could withstand the impacts of a warming planet, Starbucks took a big swing, investing in the production of more resilient varieties. Now, they’re making the seeds available to farmers around the world for free, whether they sell to Starbucks or not. With this recent success, Starbucks joins the ranks of companies taking a new approach to sustainability. While many global brands are already investing in climate change mitigation—reducing carbon emissions to slow the pace of global warming and decrease environmental impacts—it’s becoming clear that companies must also address the impacts of climate change happening now. It’s an approach known as climate adaptation. Read more on how brands are investing in climate adaptation in our new article on the Kind Atom blog: https://lnkd.in/eryDnCae

When the The Alpine Club of Canada approached us to manage their rebrand, we were inspired. With over a century of history to draw upon, ACC is a renowned non-profit organization with a rich heritage deeply rooted in the exploration and preservation of Canada’s mountainous regions. Founded in 1906, this legacy institution has hosted elite and amateur explorers across Canada’s iconic natural destinations. Our challenge was to make the thrill of few the excitement of many, modernizing the brand and making it more inclusive while preserving the club’s heritage of trust and belonging. Adventure sports evoke a range of emotions: feelings of doubt, reflection, courage, fear, and awe, all culminating in a journey of self-discovery and gratitude for the natural world. Our strategy, “Find yourself in the mountains”, resonated with ACC’S 22,000 members across 25 regions in Canada, reinforcing ACC’s cultural truths of self-discovery and belonging. With the branding brilliance from our partners Daughter Creative, the new look is inspired by alpine colours, featuring a reimagined mountain icon and a rope metaphor and line system that represents the eternal journey through the mountains, as well as our own minds and selves. We couldn’t be more thrilled with the result. Take a peek (or perhaps a peak–that’s just a little mountaineering humour for you) to see the transformation for yourself. Visit the ACC website: https://lnkd.in/e5XeuVUk Learn more about our partners, Daughter Creative: https://lnkd.in/ecgbMk7Z

We believe in circular thinking. When you think in circles, you’re on a journey of constant improvement where the transformation of your brand offering, supply chain, governance, and market position help create positive change in the world. Now, we’re working to build a community of circular thinkers who are committed to supporting a more sustainable future. On this page, we’re sharing stories about growing the circular economy and building brands that are kind to people and the planet. Our goal? To move the conversation forward by spreading ideas and showcasing success stories. Sound like something you can get behind? Follow us to join the conversation.

Hitting the beach is an integral item on any summer bucket list. But as you plan your beach days this summer, it’s also critical to think about how we can preserve our oceans and waterways for future generations to enjoy. Here’s what you need to know about protecting the beaches we love. Humans produce more than 430 million tonnes of plastic annually, two-thirds of which are single-use products that become waste in our landfills and oceans. And unlike other materials, plastic does not biodegrade. Millions of animals are killed by plastics every year when they become entangled in or swallow plastic waste. So, what can any of us do to address what feels like an overwhelming problem? One way to help is to support cleanup efforts. 4ocean PBC is a certified B Corp that is committed to saving the ocean for future generations through ocean cleanup operations and education. To date, they’ve recovered more than 36 million pounds of trash from the world’s oceans, rivers, and coastlines. Find out more about 4Ocean here: https://www.4ocean.com/ Want to dig deeper? Learn more about plastic pollution from UNEP: https://lnkd.in/ebmmDPKX

When we started working with Rocky Mountain Soap Co. close to a decade ago, their goal was to integrate sustainability across the company, from their values and branding to their processes and packaging. Together, we envisioned a brand committed to connecting consumers to nature through its products, building on their existing dedication to creating small-batch products using simple, natural and fresh ingredients. Since then, we’ve helped Rocky grow from a handful of stores to an award-winning brand with retail locations across Canada and helped expand their retail offering from soaps to a complete line of skin and body care. The brand story is simple—ingredients that take the best from nature to nourish, clean and moisturize your skin. Starting with an emphasis on toxin-free products and creating a deep connection between people and nature, the rebrand included deliverables across the business’ line from a new store concept, to packaging, logo, and messaging. Rocky has received national recognition for its commitment to 100% natural ingredients, toxin-free stores and the best natural skincare line Canada has to offer. Now, their team is taking the next step in their sustainability journey by committing to becoming a zero-waste company by 2025. We worked with them to conduct an ESG assessment, identifying their seven areas of impact on the environment and society and developing a framework to meet their sustainability goals. Rocky Mountain Soap Co.’s story is a powerful example of what happens when a company commits to making sustainability a priority across the business. From the beginning, the team at Rocky was firm about minimizing their footprint throughout their operations, including the packaging, operations, plants, offices, and the products themselves. We reflected that commitment in their branding, illustrating to consumers what makes Rocky different. And the consumers? They got behind the mission. The proof is undeniable. The growth and success of this brand serves as a promising case study for companies at the beginning of their sustainability journey.

When we speak with the brands we work with, we hear the same thing again and again. When you give back—to the community, the environment, the people around you—it brings innumerable benefits, with very few downsides. That’s just how kindness works. The more you give, the more you get. Something to think about as you make decisions for the future of your brand.

As Pride month kicks off, we’re thinking about what it means to be an ally for the LGBTQ+ community. For us, Pride is about more than attending a parade and raising a rainbow flag. It’s about doing what we can to support and advocate for the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people locally and globally. That’s why we’re inviting our friends and partners to take the opportunity this month to support a local LGBTQ+ charity or cause. These organizations transform lives by providing essential services such as support groups, advocating for greater equality, and educating communities about LGBTQ+ rights. Click the link to explore a list of organizations to support in Canada.

All brands have kindness at their core. Kind Atom is the partner helping you uncover it, understand it, build it—and create better, kinder tomorrows for us all. Bringing more than 25 years of experience working with brands of all disciplines from around the world, our focus is understanding how to make your brand more appealing to consumers, investors, and prospective buyers. We build brands from scratch, renew brands and make them relevant again, or scale them from small ventures into global enterprises. Our clients are rebuilding a world where the economy and sustainability can reunite. Is your brand ready for today's world? Reach out today to discuss what we can build together: https://lnkd.in/exWtPG2j