Per this article, these are the sustainability trends you should watch, and respond to, in 2025

• Course-correcting sustainability strategies – Just saying you are sustainable does not cut it. Sustainability MUST be a tool to maximize value.  If so, it justifies its existence financially and extends its life for the betterment of the environment.

• Scaling sustainable programs – We will see a lessening of many small projects and an increase in larger, company-wide programs that encompass the entire organization.

• A paradigm shift in corporate reporting – The days of making bold environmental / climate / carbon / sustainable promises, with no supporting data, are over. New laws will expose unsupported claims to financial, market and legal risks.  Starting in 2024 and expanding in 2025, compliance will force you to support your answers with data that can be verified.

• Sustainability continues to grow – While politics cause governmental pushback in some countries against ESG, sustainability continues to expand globally as many companies consider sustainability essential to their survival. Some companies are considering rebranding due to being exposed for greenwashing and others are choosing to adhere to global standards.

• Impact investing – Family offices are spearheading a transformative shift from wealth preservation to impact investing in order to achieve long-term global benefit.

• What else is being impacted? – We’ve always known there is a connection between environmental risks and social risks, such as food and water scarcity, mass migration and geopolitical impact. But until recently, we did not have the tools to capture the complexity of how these risks interrelate.  Now that we have the tools, we will be able to better understand, predict, prepare and address the broader risks that we are facing.

• The merging of climate change and biodiversity agendas – Climate change cannot be solved without addressing biodiversity. The 2025 COP30 will be held in Brazil, home to 60% of the dwindling Amazon rain forest.  As we strive for net zero, we need to add nature-positive targets.

• Green talent demand to outpace supply – There has never been a better time to pursue a career in sustainability. Supply will continue to lag demand, with a gap of 19% by 2030.  For those of you starting college, there are many other career choices that can offer the combination of demand, pay and fulfillment.

• Talent development and sustainability converge – Companies recognize the need to align employee growth with sustainability goals. That will increase in 2025 as talent development and sustainability converge in order to help companies address global challenges.

• Impact secondaries – A new breed of ‘impact secondaries’ that invest in Series A and B social enterprises is bringing liquidity to Impact Investing.  This new group is growing 85% YoY and reducing hold periods by 36%.  For impact founders, this gives them a middle path between maintaining their mission and providing returns for early investors.

• Bringing the being into business – The evolution to collaborative, purpose-driven, resilient, organizations that foster the IDG approach (being, thinking, relating, collaborating, and acting) will continue; and will integrate the UN SDGs.

• Corporations, social enterprises, and communities partner for sustainability – Complex challenges demand innovative approaches that combine all stakeholders working together toward a shared goal. The partnering of disparate groups happens when there is an emergency (ie, after a natural disaster); and that is what we are facing.

• The political dimension of social entrepreneurship – The world has entered an era of persistent, overlapping crises. Organizations that address social problems are being forced to become involved in politics to drive policy.

• Investment in climate change adaptation – As climate impacts intensify, companies are committing resources to predict financial risks associated with climate-related disasters, then adjusting operations accordingly.

• Non-executive leadership in an uncertain world – Non-executive board directors that have sustainability experience will play a bigger role in decision-making.

• Will AI be friend or foe? – In 2025 a key question will be: Will technology be a friend or foe in advancing our global sustainability agenda? We know AI brings the ability to automate complex reporting, improve data quality and produce insights.  But it also requires massive energy and water demands at a time when we are losing the global warming battle.  It also is expected to displace many vulnerable jobs, placing more of the world’s population into the ‘have not’s’ camp.  AI reminds us of a quote from Dr. Malcolm in Jurassic Park – “Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should.”

Buckle up!

Per this article, studies show that even in these inflationary times, consumers are willing to pay 10% more for sustainable products, BUT ONLY WHEN THEY TRUST THE ENVIRONMENTAL CLAIMS BEHIND THEM.

Consumers are catching on to companies that greenwash (exaggerate their environmental accomplishments).  Making the claim without being certified/verified will not generate the support and will also put your company at risk.

If you want to differentiate from your competitive peers and charge more for your product/service, become certified sustainable with 3^rd party verification.

If done right, the financial benefit to your company will far exceed the cost of becoming certified sustainable.

If you want to differentiate and charge higher prices, watch this master class; then contact us.

Unlimited Auto Wash of West Palm Beach, FL, is part of the six-location Unlimited Auto Wash Club that serves South Florida.  Unlimited Auto Wash is a 100% Full Service Hand Car Wash with over 175 employees.  It cares deeply about the environment and the community it serves and has renewed its Edenark Group ISO 14001 environmental sustainability certification through 2025.

The Edenark Group ISO 14001 is the world’s premier environmental sustainability certification program and allows SMEs (small to mid-sized enterprises) the ability to attain the world’s most popular environmental certification standard via a program designed and priced specifically for them.  This allows an organization to validate, via 3^rd party audit against the world’s top standard, its environmental / sustainability / green / eco-friendly actions.

The program, which allows companies to progressively improve at a pace that works for their needs, helps the organization define how it interacts internally, externally, and with the environment.  It incorporates energy/waste/water, employee health and performance enhancement, community involvement, procurement and suppliers, compliance and regulations, emergency/security, and stakeholder engagement.  Benefits include creating a culture of continual improvement, stakeholder engagement, lower costs, higher revenues and profits, improved employee performance, and…… doing the right thing for the environment for current and future generations.   

“We are the first, and only, environmentally certified sustainable car wash operation in Palm Beach County, Florida.   We do things the right way, raised the bar for our industry in 2024, and plan to keep the bar high in 2025,” says Kevin Dalton, CEO of Unlimited Auto Wash.  “The Edenark Group ISO 14001 sustainability certification program provides us the opportunity to show all our stakeholders – our customers, our employees, our vendors and our community – the kind of organization we are.” 

“Sustainability is not a one-and-done event.  It is a process of continual improvement.  Any organization that claims to be sustainable and does not have an annual certification via a globally recognized program with 3^rd party verification is greenwashing; they are not willing to have their actions validated.  When an organization attains and renews the Edenark Group ISO 14001 sustainability certification, they are not just doing it to see their costs go down and revenues and profits go up; they are setting a higher bar for their organization and sending a signal to all those around them,” says David Goodman, CEO of Edenark Group.  “They agree to adhere to the world’s Gold standard for sustainability certification; are choosing to be a leader and part of the solution, not the problem; and are joining an elite fraternity of over 300,000 organizations, in over 150 countries, that have committed to continually improve in every way.”

Unlimited Auto Wash can be reached at +1 561-WASH-ME-2

Edenark Group can be reached at +1 561.512.2257   

For the 20 – 40% of us who have one or two copies of the APOE4 gene from one or both parents, our chance of having Alzheimer’s is up to 12x greater than those of us that do not have the APOE4 gene.

For the 78% of us who have antibodies from at least one form of COVID, our susceptibility to all forms of cognitive decline (brain fog, dementia, Alzheimer’s, et cetera) is materially enhanced.  Some studies have shown COVID produced reduced memory and executive functions in 100% of those studied.

For those of us who combine the above by having the APOE4 gene(s) while also carrying antibodies from COVID, the prospect of cognitive decline should not be ignored.

If you listen to the audio in this article, it will tell you to incorporate the below six components into a program to defend your mental acuity and defeat cognitive decline.

The 3 Big Things You Want:

• Tools that increase your oxygen intake
• Tools that reduce your inflammation
• Tools that reduce your toxins

The 3 Additional Things You Want:

• Tools that increase your neurotransmitters
• Tools that enhance your neurotrophins
• Tools that reduce your stress

The Gym for the Brain program provides all six of the above.

If you choose to fight cognitive decline, contact us at info@gymforthebrain.com or +1 561-408-6890.

If you are willing to commit 146 seconds, this video will explain the physics behind global warming.

Unlimited Auto Wash of Jupiter, FL, is part of the six-location Unlimited Auto Wash Club that serves South Florida.  Unlimited Auto Wash is a 100% Full Service Hand Car Wash with over 175 employees.  It cares deeply about the environment and the community it serves and has renewed its Edenark Group ISO 14001 environmental sustainability certification through 2025.

The Edenark Group ISO 14001 is the world’s premier environmental sustainability certification program and allows SMEs (small to mid-sized enterprises) the ability to attain the world’s most popular environmental certification standard via a program designed and priced specifically for them.  This allows an organization to validate, via 3^rd party audit against the world’s top standard, its environmental / sustainability / green / eco-friendly actions.

The program, which allows companies to progressively improve at a pace that works for their needs, helps the organization define how it interacts internally, externally, and with the environment.  It incorporates energy/waste/water, employee health and performance enhancement, community involvement, procurement and suppliers, compliance and regulations, emergency/security, and stakeholder engagement.  Benefits include creating a culture of continual improvement, stakeholder engagement, lower costs, higher revenues and profits, improved employee performance, and…… doing the right thing for the environment for current and future generations.   

“We are the first, and only, environmentally certified sustainable car wash operation in Palm Beach County, Florida.   We do things the right way, raised the bar for our industry in 2024, and plan to keep the bar high in 2025,” says Kevin Dalton, CEO of Unlimited Auto Wash.  “The Edenark Group ISO 14001 sustainability certification program provides us the opportunity to show all our stakeholders – our customers, our employees, our vendors and our community – the kind of organization we are.” 

“Sustainability is not a one-and-done event.  It is a process of continual improvement.  Any organization that claims to be sustainable and does not have an annual certification via a globally recognized program with 3^rd party verification is greenwashing; they are not willing to have their actions validated.  When an organization attains and renews the Edenark Group ISO 14001 sustainability certification, they are not just doing it to see their costs go down and revenues and profits go up; they are setting a higher bar for their organization and sending a signal to all those around them,” says David Goodman, CEO of Edenark Group.  “They agree to adhere to the world’s Gold standard for sustainability certification; are choosing to be a leader and part of the solution, not the problem; and are joining an elite fraternity of over 300,000 organizations, in over 150 countries, that have committed to continually improve in every way.”

Unlimited Auto Wash can be reached at +1 561-WASH-ME-2

Edenark Group can be reached at +1 561.512.2257   

As this article states, “Corporations across the economy are at risk of losing financial value by either underplaying or overplaying their hand when it comes to sustainability.”

There is a cost attached to greenwashing (ie, overstating your sustainability achievements) and there is also a cost attached to not having a sustainability program or having one and greenhushing (ie, not promoting your validated sustainability achievements).

Both greenwashing and greenhushing are hurting company bottom lines. 

If your sustainability claims are not validated/certified and you are promoting them, it negatively impacts your brand and value.  On the other hand, if you do not have a sustainability program; or if you have a valid/certified sustainability program but are not talking about it; that also negatively impacts your brand and value.

As an example, per the study, if Microsoft did a better job of talking about its sustainability program, it could add approximately $1.5 billion to its overall company value.

Pepsi could add $500 million, or 3%, to its overall value, if it did a better job of promoting its sustainability program.

On the other hand, Tesla, which does not score well on social sustainability or governance, has $4 billion, or 6% of its value, at risk, due to over-promotion of programs that are not certified and are not as good as they claim….and the market sees it.

The key takeaways for your company:

• Like it or not, consumers are evaluating your company on its sustainability effort
• A meaningful part of your company’s value is tied to its sustainability effort
• Greenwashing (promoting a sustainability effort that is not validated/certified by a 3^rd party) will hurt you
• Greenhushing (not promoting a sustainability program that is 3^rd party validated/certified) will hurt you
• You need a 3^rd party certified/validated sustainability program that helps you promote your real/accurate sustainability efforts
• This masterclass explains what to look for in a program

A study discussed in this article reports

• 98% of CEOs believe they need to make their businesses more sustainable
• But 58% believe sustainability is in conflict with growth

Response:  If you believe, as the 58% do, that sustainability is in conflict with growth, you are talking to the wrong sustainability advisors.

The study then asked Next-gen leaders for advice and was told to

• Make sustainability more human, then determine how to do so profitably
• Think long-term and allow sustainability initiatives time to scale
• Broaden the definition of success and collaborate across your ecosystem

Response:  Not sure how many of those next-gen leaders are sitting in the CEO chair.  All three of those solutions suggest reducing or diluting the focus on profit which is not an appealing option for most CEOs.  We suggest the opposite – use sustainability as a profit-driver and prioritize sustainability projects that have the highest ROI.

Simple fact:  For-profit companies are for profit.  Their advisor should build their sustainability program to support that.  This webinar speaks to that point.

Unlimited Auto Wash of Palm Beach Gardens, FL, is part of the six-location Unlimited Auto Wash Club that serves South Florida.  Unlimited Auto Wash is a 100% Full Service Hand Car Wash with over 175 employees.  It cares deeply about the environment and the community it serves and has renewed its Edenark Group ISO 14001 environmental sustainability certification through 2025.

The Edenark Group ISO 14001 is the world’s premier environmental sustainability certification program and allows SMEs (small to mid-sized enterprises) the ability to attain the world’s most popular environmental certification standard via a program designed and priced specifically for them.  This allows an organization to validate, via 3^rd party audit against the world’s top standard, its environmental / sustainability / green / eco-friendly actions.

The program, which allows companies to progressively improve at a pace that works for their needs, helps the organization define how it interacts internally, externally, and with the environment.  It incorporates energy/waste/water, employee health and performance enhancement, community involvement, procurement and suppliers, compliance and regulations, emergency/security, and stakeholder engagement.  Benefits include creating a culture of continual improvement, stakeholder engagement, lower costs, higher revenues and profits, improved employee performance, and…… doing the right thing for the environment for current and future generations.   

“We are the first, and only, environmentally certified sustainable car wash operation in Palm Beach County, Florida.   We do things the right way, raised the bar for our industry in 2024, and plan to keep the bar high in 2025,” says Kevin Dalton, CEO of Unlimited Auto Wash.  “The Edenark Group ISO 14001 sustainability certification program provides us the opportunity to show all our stakeholders – our customers, our employees, our vendors and our community – the kind of organization we are.” 

“Sustainability is not a one-and-done event.  It is a process of continual improvement.  Any organization that claims to be sustainable and does not have an annual certification via a globally recognized program with 3^rd party verification is greenwashing; they are not willing to have their actions validated.  When an organization attains and renews the Edenark Group ISO 14001 sustainability certification, they are not just doing it to see their costs go down and revenues and profits go up; they are setting a higher bar for their organization and sending a signal to all those around them,” says David Goodman, CEO of Edenark Group.  “They agree to adhere to the world’s Gold standard for sustainability certification; are choosing to be a leader and part of the solution, not the problem; and are joining an elite fraternity of over 300,000 organizations, in over 150 countries, that have committed to continually improve in every way.”

Unlimited Auto Wash can be reached at +1 561-WASH-ME-2

Edenark Group can be reached at +1 561.512.2257   

Per the study in this article, new evidence is suggesting our long-term memory is not solely dependent on our short-term memory.

“The prevailing theory suggested a single pathway, where short-term memories were consolidated into long-term memories. However, we now have strong evidence of at least two distinct pathways to memory formation — one dedicated to short-term memories and another to long-term memories. This could mean our brains are more resilient than previously thought.”

Playing this out, if someone is suffering from short-term memory loss (dementia, Alzheimer’s, long-COVID, brain fog, et cetera), it may not mean their entire memory function will be lost.

Further, if we add this study to studies like the one in this post, which suggests that the brain continues to rebuild even when people are older, it may be possible, with the proper tools, to keep the long-term memory strong as we fight to reduce the inflammation and toxins that have weakened the short-term memory.

Point is, if you have a loved one suffering from short-term memory loss, don’t give up.

Give us a call at Gym for the Brain if you would like to discuss.