The CSR Newsletters are a freely-available resource generated as a dynamic complement to the textbook, Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility: Sustainable Value Creation.

To sign-up to receive the CSR Newsletters regularly during the fall and spring academic semesters, e-mail author David Chandler at david.chandler@ucdenver.edu.

Wednesday, November 5, 2025

Strategic CSR - Amazon

I have written before about Amazon's plans to replace employees with robots in its warehouses (see Strategic CSR – Amazon). What I find illuminating about the article in the url below is that it quantifies the economic impact of the plan, very specifically, and in two ways. First, in terms of the number of employees the robots will ensure Amazon does not need to hire:


"Amazon is reportedly leaning into automation plans that will enable the company to avoid hiring more than half a million US workers. … Amazon is hoping its robots can replace more than 600,000 jobs it would otherwise have to hire in the United States by 2033, despite estimating it'll sell about twice as many products over the period."


Second, it quantifies the impact on Amazon's cost to deliver each package:


"Documents reportedly show that Amazon's robotics team is working towards automating 75 percent of the company's entire operations, and expects to ditch 160,000 US roles that would otherwise be needed by 2027. This would save about 30 cents on every item that Amazon warehouses and delivers to customers, with automation efforts expected to save the company $12.6 billion from 2025 to 2027."


The drive for efficiency at Amazon is fascinating, and no doubt creates a lot of value for society. Equally, I wonder what Amazon's customers would say if we asked whether they would be willing to pay an additional 30 cents for each package delivered in order to secure 600,000 jobs.


Take care

David

 

David Chandler

Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility: Sustainable Value Creation (6e)

© Sage Publications, 2023

 

Instructor Teaching and Student Study Site: https://study.sagepub.com/chandler6e  

Strategic CSR Simulation: http://www.strategiccsrsim.com/

The library of CSR Newsletters are archived at: https://strategiccsr-sage.blogspot.com/

 

Amazon hopes to replace 600,000 US workers with robots, according to leaked documents

By Jess Weatherbed

October 21, 2025

The Verge

https://www.theverge.com/news/803257/amazon-robotics-automation-replace-600000-human-jobs

 

Posted by David Chandler at 8:00 AM

Thursday, October 30, 2025

Strategic CSR - Mosquitoes

The heading in the article in the url below caught my eye:

"Iceland just found its first mosquitoes."

The article does not get any better, from there:

"Iceland's frozen, inhospitable winters have long protected it from mosquitoes, but that may be changing. This week, scientists announced the discovery of three mosquitoes — marking the country's first confirmed finding of these insects in the wild. Mosquitoes are found almost everywhere in the world, with the exception of Antarctica and, until very recently, Iceland, due to their extreme cold."

The article finishes with this uplifting sentiment:

"Mosquitoes, which tend to thrive in warmth and humidity, are likely to be one of the few real winners as the planet heats up."

For more information, please see the article in the second url, below.

Take care
David

David Chandler
© Sage Publications, 2023

Instructor Teaching and Student Study Site: https://study.sagepub.com/chandler6e  
Strategic CSR Simulation: http://www.strategiccsrsim.com/
The library of CSR Newsletters are archived at: https://strategiccsr-sage.blogspot.com/


Iceland just found its first mosquitoes
By Laura Paddison
October 21 2025
CNN

A Discovery in a Garden in Iceland: Mosquitoes!
By Amelia Nierenberg
October 25, 2025
The New York Times
Late Edition – Final
A9
 
Posted by David Chandler at 8:00 AM

Tuesday, October 28, 2025

Strategic CSR - (In)coherence

The article in the url below demonstrates the intellectual incoherence of the ESG 'movement' or, more accurately, the investment community that is driving it:

"Can a weapons manufacturer be considered sustainable?"

Sure it can – whatever you want. Without any coherent definition of the thing itself, the industry ties itself in knots every time it is challenged intellectually:

"Consider rare-earth miners. Companies that once pitched themselves as suppliers of elements needed for wind turbines and electric vehicles are now seen as vital for the defense sector, providing material used in F35 jet fighters and missile technology."

In effect, if there is a change that poses a threat, then all you have to do is alter the underlying justification in order to rebalance the internal logic:

"There is a longstanding argument that investing in defense can't fit with strong socially responsible corporate values. However, in recent months, market participants in both sectors say that having a strong supply of energy, minerals and technologies reduces reliance on external sources and in turn creates more resilient supply chains able to play down new threats. That means more solar, wind and batteries being made and deployed inside state borders."

The graphic in the article demonstrates the real underlying driver of this revisionist definitional discussion. Needless to say, it is not construct clarity:
 

This demonstrates the futility in getting caught up in any excitement around the latest acronym or buzzword (see Strategic CSR – Buzzwords and Strategic CSR – Jeans). Is the latest "persistence" or "resilience"? Whatever it is, the associated conversation is a distraction. Instead, we need to focus on identifying the most productive solutions to the problems at hand, as well as scaling the viable solutions we currently have, rather than on (re)packaging the challenge in a way that is the most acceptable (or lest offensive) to all.

Take care
David

David Chandler
© Sage Publications, 2023

Instructor Teaching and Student Study Site: https://study.sagepub.com/chandler6e  
Strategic CSR Simulation: http://www.strategiccsrsim.com/
The library of CSR Newsletters are archived at: https://strategiccsr-sage.blogspot.com/


Green Investors Eye Weapons Producers
By Yusuf Khan
April 22, 2025
The Wall Street Journal
Late Edition – Final
B5

Posted by David Chandler at 8:00 AM

Wednesday, October 22, 2025

Strategic CSR - Walmart

Here are a few charts from the article in the url below about Walmart's turnaround that I find encouraging. Collectively, I believe (hope?) that the charts tell a story of an emerging stakeholder perspective and, in particular, the value of an organization treating its employees as its primary stakeholder. First is Walmart's decision, made back in 2009 and in response to extensive external pressure, to raise the hourly pay of its employees – a decision that played out gradually, over time:


Second is the growth in Walmart's annual sales, with a more motivated workforce, covering roughly the same period:
 

Finally, lagging behind, is the company's share price. Initially, the stock market responded negatively to Walmart's announcement of its intention to increase employee pay. This changed when the value of the company treating its employees well became apparent:
 

Much of the data in the article is taken from an upcoming HBS case that focuses on the decision by Walmart to improve the working conditions of its employees as driving its subsequent success. Perhaps even HBS has now come around to the benefits of a stakeholder perspective (and the value of an organization treating its employees as its primary stakeholder), after so many damaging decades of promoting shareholder primacy.

Take care
David

David Chandler
© Sage Publications, 2023

Instructor Teaching and Student Study Site: https://study.sagepub.com/chandler6e  
Strategic CSR Simulation: http://www.strategiccsrsim.com/
The library of CSR Newsletters are archived at: https://strategiccsr-sage.blogspot.com/


A Decade-Old Flop Is Now Held Up As Walmart's Shining Success
By Sarah Nassauer
October 18-19, 2025
The Wall Street Journal
Late Edition – Final
B1, B11

Posted by David Chandler at 8:00 AM

Thursday, October 16, 2025

Strategic CSR - Paper straws

The trouble with plastic is that it is really useful and really cheap, which means it is very difficult to replace:

"Most plastic alternatives have an element 'that doesn't work very well, or isn't biodegradable, or it could just be way too expensive,' said Dillon Baxter, chief executive of PlantSwitch, which uses rice husks—the sheath that protects a rice kernel—for its plastic replacement. 'If you're a company that wants to do the right thing, it's pretty hard' to find a workable option, he said."

The work of PlantSwitch, which is featured in the article in the url below, makes clear that replacements are challenging. This is true along multiple dimensions, but cost is preeminent:

"The issue is that effective sustainable plastic replacements are still few and far between, and cost a lot more than their counterparts derived from fossil fuels. … Dallas-based PlantSwitch, for example, makes substitutes for plastic straws, containers, cutlery, plates and bowls. It does so by blending the husks with a bio-based polymer synthesized by microorganisms to create a resin that can be molded into the final product. An ordinary plastic straw costs around 0.7 cents, while the PlantSwitch version is 1.4 cents, the company said."

Fortunately, the legal context is shifting, which should incentivize companies to come up with an effective solution more quickly than they otherwise might:

"Meanwhile, businesses are bracing to meet new requirements including a packaging waste directive in the European Union. The rule will require all packaging to be recyclable, among other things. In the U.S., some states are adopting laws intended to make manufacturers financially responsible for where plastic ends up, but overall the country has taken a lighter touch."

Customers provide an even bigger incentive, which I would argue is the more important driver of lasting change:

"… some companies are opting for alternative materials to meet the demand of consumers seeking nonplastic options. A July survey from sustainability consulting firm Aura found that more shoppers in the U.S., Canada and Europe are eschewing certain products if the packaging doesn't seem sustainable. … Aside from concerns about pollution, consumers are increasingly unnerved by the impact plastic and tiny microplastic particles have on human health."

But, in order for customers to shift, efficacy is essential:

"The right packaging depends on what product it is supposed to be protecting. 'Cucumber wrapped in plastic extends the shelf life, so why wouldn't you do that?' said Ken Bowles, chief financial officer at Dublin-based sustainable packaging company Smurfit Westrock. 'But if you're using [corrugated board] for strawberries or raspberries, there's no impact on shelf life.'"

In essence:

 

"A nonplastic product has to be just as functional as plastic to catch on. Plastic producers say the material is essential for modern life, and other options can pale in comparison."


Given the challenges (which includes the overall economic context), companies are walking back some of their public sustainability commitments:


"Gartner said in a late July report that 75% of organizations with sustainable-packaging targets will roll them back, and look instead to comply with coming legislative guidelines. Coca-Cola faced criticism in December when it walked back a commitment to make 25% of its products with reusable packaging by 2030. The company also said it may be more reliant on plastic following tariffs on aluminum."


Take care

David


David Chandler

Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility: Sustainable Value Creation (6e)

© Sage Publications, 2023


Instructor Teaching and Student Study Site: https://study.sagepub.com/chandler6e  

Strategic CSR Simulation: http://www.strategiccsrsim.com/

The library of CSR Newsletters are archived at: https://strategiccsr-sage.blogspot.com/



Alternative Materials to Plastic Struggle to Get Off the Ground

By Clara Hudson

August 12, 2025

The Wall Street Journal

Late Edition – Final

B2

https://www.wsj.com/articles/plastic-waste-is-piling-up-but-alternative-materials-struggle-to-get-off-the-ground-f53bc6e3

 

Posted by David Chandler at 8:00 AM

Tuesday, October 14, 2025

Strategic CSR - Climate change

The eye-catching article in the url below is titled "The chart climate denialists can't ignore," while the chart itself is titled "Share of global land with record maximum temperature per decade":


I'm not so sure this is what it takes "to cut through the noise," which is what the article claims, but it is an interesting and highly concerning chart.

Take care
David

David Chandler
© Sage Publications, 2023

Instructor Teaching and Student Study Site: https://study.sagepub.com/chandler6e
Strategic CSR Simulation: http://www.strategiccsrsim.com/
The library of CSR Newsletters are archived at: https://strategiccsr-sage.blogspot.com/


A Chart Climate Denialists Can't Ignore
By Mark Gongloff
October 8, 2025
Bloomberg
 
Posted by David Chandler at 8:00 AM

Thursday, October 9, 2025

Strategic CSR - Thinking + inequality

The article in the url below makes the argument that "thinking is becoming a luxury good" and that, specifically, social media and cellphones (the absence of thinking) are driving inequality:

"The idea that technology is altering our capacity not just to concentrate but also to read and to reason is catching on. The conversation no one is ready for, though, is how this may be creating yet another form of inequality."

The cause, the article argues, is related to the connection between reading and thinking:

"Long-form literacy is not innate but learned, sometimes laboriously. … It rewires our brains, increasing vocabulary, shifting brain activity toward the analytic left hemisphere and honing our capacity for concentration, linear reasoning and deep thought."

In contrast, social media and cellphones rewire our brains and thought patterns to discourage thinking:

"The habits of thought formed by digital reading are very different. … Social media platforms are designed to be addictive, and the sheer volume of material incentivizes intense cognitive 'bites' of discourse calibrated for maximum compulsiveness over nuance or thoughtful reasoning. The resulting patterns of content consumption form us neurologically for skimming, pattern recognition and distracted hopping from text to text."

Thus, the more time people spend with cellphones and social media, the more likely they are to affect their behavior:

"… literacy and poverty have long been correlated. Now poor kids spend more time on screens each day than rich ones — in one 2019 study, about two hours more per day for U.S. tweens and teenagers whose families made less than $35,000 per year, compared with peers whose household incomes exceeded $100,000. Research indicates that kids who are exposed to more than two hours a day of recreational screen time have worse working memory, processing speed, attention levels, language skills and executive function than kids who are not."

And the long-term implications could be serious for us all:

"What will happen if this becomes fully realized? An electorate that has lost the capacity for long-form thought will be more tribal, less rational, largely uninterested in facts or even matters of historical record, moved more by vibes than cogent argument and open to fantastical ideas and bizarre conspiracy theories. If that sounds familiar, it may be a sign of how far down this path the West has already traveled."

Take care
David

David Chandler
© Sage Publications, 2023

Instructor Teaching and Student Study Site: https://study.sagepub.com/chandler6e  
Strategic CSR Simulation: http://www.strategiccsrsim.com/
The library of CSR Newsletters are archived at: https://strategiccsr-sage.blogspot.com/


Thinking Is Becoming a Luxury Good
By Mary Harrington
August 5, 2025
The New York Times
Late Edition – Final
SR10
 
Posted by David Chandler at 8:00 AM

Tuesday, October 7, 2025

Strategic CSR - Meat

The article in the url below presents an interesting discussion around the environmental impact of our collective diet. In particular, it focuses on the impact of eating as much meat as we do:

"Food systems account for about a third of global greenhouse gas emissions, driven largely by animal farming, which is a major source of methane and a drain on land and water resources. Even if the world transitions away from fossil fuels, food alone could push temperatures past the 1.5°C threshold needed to limit warming. The onus falls disproportionately on the wealthy: The richest 30% of the world's population are responsible for more than 70% of food-related pressures."

And this says nothing of the negative health impacts to us, individually. But, it is challenging to see how this turns around any time soon, especially with this statistic about the number of cows in the world (see also Strategic CSR – Chickens):

"1.5 billion: The number of cows on the planet. Nearly 60% of agriculture's greenhouse gas emissions come from animal-based products, with cows among the biggest culprits."

Take care
David

David Chandler
© Sage Publications, 2023

Instructor Teaching and Student Study Site: https://study.sagepub.com/chandler6e  
Strategic CSR Simulation: http://www.strategiccsrsim.com/
The library of CSR Newsletters are archived at: https://strategiccsr-sage.blogspot.com/


Dinner without a side of global warming
By Agnieszka de Sousa
October 2, 2025
Bloomberg
 
Posted by David Chandler at 8:00 AM

Thursday, October 2, 2025

Strategic CSR - Microsoft

So, what should Microsoft do when it provides a platform for its employees to communicate openly and then doesn't like what they talk about? Well, clearly, they should shut down the platform, as detailed in the article in the url below:

"The company has shut down an internal communication channel used by employees to question senior executives and discuss hot-button societal issues, according to an internal post reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. It has also restricted employees' ability to enter certain buildings on its Redmond, Wash., campus, according to people familiar with the matter."

While the company was reacting to behavior by employees, not only speech, it seems like curtailing speech was the company's response to curtailing the behavior it found objectionable. And, while they are at, how about back-tracking on promises made during Covid about working practices and company culture?

"On Tuesday, the company also told employees they will need to report to an office three days a week."

Sounds like a good week at the office.

Take care
David

David Chandler
© Sage Publications, 2023

Instructor Teaching and Student Study Site: https://study.sagepub.com/chandler6e  
Strategic CSR Simulation: http://www.strategiccsrsim.com/
The library of CSR Newsletters are archived at: https://strategiccsr-sage.blogspot.com/


Microsoft Curbs Staff After Office Sit-In
By Sebastian Herrera
September 10, 2025
The Wall Street Journal
Late Edition – Final
B1, B4
 
Posted by David Chandler at 8:00 AM

Tuesday, September 30, 2025

Strategic CSR - COP 21

In the midst of the largely pessimistic review of progress on climate change since COP 21 in Paris in 2015, the article in the url below contains a ray of sunshine:

"It took almost 70 years from the invention of the solar cell, in 1954, for the world to install its first terawatt of solar power, in 2022. The second one came two years later. The third? Perhaps later this year. In 2024, renewables provided more than 40 percent of the world's electricity, and twice as much money was invested in them than in fossil fuels — even though renewables offer, generally speaking, less return on investment. Ninety-three percent of new power worldwide came from clean sources, meaning that for every new unit of dirty capacity brought online in 2024, there were 24 units of the good, clean stuff. This is not yet enough to push global emissions downward. But in a battle between old energy and new, it represents an obliterating margin. As soon as next year, it is estimated, renewables will be the world's largest source of electricity."

The article suggests that, in spite of the current political climate that discourages some of the scientific rhetoric around the threats posed by climate change, progress on the transition to carbon free energy sources continues:

"… global leaders may be talking less about the risks of warming and the necessity of limiting it, these days, but on the ground, decarbonization is nevertheless racing ahead."

Nevertheless, the article also concludes something that seemed obvious even a decade ago:

"In certain ways, the story is one that moderates and skeptics long predicted: that decarbonization could not be reliably imposed from above on moralistic terms and would have to be powered instead by market forces, private investment and the informed consensus of a price-conscious public."

Or, in other words:

"Polls show that voters don't actually prioritize decarbonization and, crucially, aren't willing to pay much to bring it about."

Take care
David

David Chandler
© Sage Publications, 2023

Instructor Teaching and Student Study Site: https://study.sagepub.com/chandler6e  
Strategic CSR Simulation: http://www.strategiccsrsim.com/
The library of CSR Newsletters are archived at: https://strategiccsr-sage.blogspot.com/


It Isn't Just the U.S. The Whole World Has Soured on Climate Politics
By David Wallace-Wells
September 16, 2025
The New York Times
 
Posted by David Chandler at 8:00 AM

Wednesday, September 24, 2025

Strategic CSR - Amazon

The article in the url below indicates how far Amazon has gone to integrate robots into its warehouse operations (very different, and far more advanced in terms of developing a business case, than A.I.): 

"The automation of Amazon.com facilities is approaching a new milestone: There will soon be as many robots as humans."

The article also reminded me of how big Amazon is:

"The e-commerce giant, which has spent years automating tasks previously done by humans in its facilities, has deployed more than one million robots in those workplaces, Amazon said. That is the most it has ever had and near the count of human workers at the facilities."

The impact of robotics on the overall number of employees, as well as the overall efficiency of those workers, is illustrated in the two charts accompanying the article:
 

Take care
David

David Chandler
© Sage Publications, 2023

Instructor Teaching and Student Study Site: https://study.sagepub.com/chandler6e  
Strategic CSR Simulation: http://www.strategiccsrsim.com/
The library of CSR Newsletters are archived at: https://strategiccsr-sage.blogspot.com/


Amazon Nears Robotics Milestone
By Sebastian Herrera
July 1, 2025
The Wall Street Journal
Late Edition – Final
B1, B4
 
Posted by David Chandler at 8:00 AM

Thursday, September 18, 2025

Strategic CSR - Words

The article in the url below, which focuses on declining reading rates (and the associated ability to concentrate) among Gen Z university students, contains a pretty alarming graphic – the "average words per sentence in popular books," measured over 100 years. As you might expect with the ubiquity of smartphone screens and popular apps, such as TikTok, the story is not encouraging:


The Economist suggests that, in addition to a heightened inability to concentrate, "decreasing literary sophistication may lead to decreasing political sophistication," and has found plenty of support that this lack of sophistication is reflected in today's politicians:

"Our analysis of Britain's parliamentary speeches found that they have shrunk by a third in a decade. We also analyzed almost 250 years of inaugural presidential addresses. … George Washington scored 28.7, denoting postgraduate level, while Donald Trump's came in at 9.4, the reading level of a high-schooler."

I wonder how bad things can get.

Take care
David

David Chandler
© Sage Publications, 2023

Instructor Teaching and Student Study Site: https://study.sagepub.com/chandler6e  
Strategic CSR Simulation: http://www.strategiccsrsim.com/
The library of CSR Newsletters are archived at: https://strategiccsr-sage.blogspot.com/


The perils of book-spurning
September 6, 2025
The Economist
Late Edition – Final
71-72
 
Posted by David Chandler at 8:00 AM

Tuesday, September 16, 2025

Strategic CSR - BlackRock

The article in the url below reveals the challenges for organizations responding to multiple stakeholders with competing interests:

"BlackRock Inc. has lost a mandate worth €14.5 billion ($17 billion) with one of the largest pension funds in the Netherlands, amid concerns the world's biggest money manager isn't acting in the best interests of clients when it comes to climate risk. PFZW, which oversees about €250 billion ($290 billion), will instead rely on Robeco, Man Numeric, Acadian, Lazard, Schroders, M&G, UBS and PGGM to oversee an equity portfolio worth some €50 billion, a spokesperson for the pensions manager told Bloomberg on Wednesday."

The article suggests that, having been so outspoken on climate change in prior years, BlackRock has now created this conflict due to its willingness to retreat on previously umambiguous positions:

"PFZW is the latest asset owner to voice discontent with US money managers that have retreated from climate alliances amid an all-out assault on net zero policies by the White House. PME, another Dutch pensions manager, told Bloomberg earlier this year it's reviewing its mandate with BlackRock, valued at some €5 billion."

And, of course, each of BlackRock's stakeholders has its own set of stakeholders that are helping shape decisions and priorities in a ripple effect:

"Dutch pension funds have been under pressure from a local nonprofit, Fossil Free Netherlands, to end their ties with BlackRock. The 'Break with BlackRock' initiative asked savers to urge their pension funds to act, and thousands have done so, according to the nonprofit's website."

Inauthentic values that are applied inconsistently can earn short-term gains at the expense of long-term credibility, and with very real costs:

"PME's senior strategist for responsible investing, Daan Spaargaren, told Bloomberg the €57 billion pension manager's concern was that BlackRock wasn't doing enough to distance itself from the anti-climate rhetoric of the administration of US President Donald Trump. BlackRock and other US asset managers 'aren't condemning what Trump is doing and how he is operating and how he is handling issues like climate change and demolishing the judiciary,' Spaargaren said at the time. 'We are worried about that.'"

Take care
David

David Chandler
© Sage Publications, 2023

Instructor Teaching and Student Study Site: https://study.sagepub.com/chandler6e  
Strategic CSR Simulation: http://www.strategiccsrsim.com/
The library of CSR Newsletters are archived at: https://strategiccsr-sage.blogspot.com/


BlackRock Loses $17 Billion Mandate at Dutch Pension Fund PFZW
By Frances Schwartzkopff
September 2, 2025
Bloomberg
 
Posted by David Chandler at 8:00 AM

Wednesday, September 10, 2025

Strategic CSR - Fur

In class, when I want to demonstrate to students how most things (other than the natural sciences) are social constructs and society's values can shift, relatively quickly, I use the example of fur. 50-60 years ago, I argue, wearing fur was a sign of status; today it is unacceptable, but who knows what society will think about fur in the future. After all, we have used parts of animals for all of our existence – there is nothing objectively 'wrong' about wearing fur. What society thinks about wearing fur is impactful, however, especially if you are a company producing fur or using it to make clothes. I find that trying to understand how society changes its opinion so dramatically (and occasionally rapidly) on such issues is extremely challenging. All of a sudden, or over a long period of time, we stop believing one thing and start believing something else. And logic often has nothing to do with it.

Anyway, the article in the url below suggests I need to update my example as, apparently, fur is back:

"A few weeks before the Manhattan Vintage Show opened this month, its owner, Amy Abrams, was predicting a "fur-a-palooza," with vendors fielding an uptick in demand for fur. … The racks of fox, mink and Mongolian at booths, including the Igala NYC and the Jennie Walker Archive, which was selling a sable coat for $2,495, were swarmed by shoppers, many already wearing fur."

The shift seems sudden, and turns back a slide away from fur that played out over decades:

"It happened slowly — Calvin Klein banned fur in 1994; Ralph Lauren in 2006 — and then all at once. After Gucci announced in 2017 that it would eliminate real fur in its collections, the big luxury fashion houses followed: Michael Kors, Burberry, Prada, Versace, Tom Ford, Marc Jacobs and more. Since introducing her label in 2001, Stella McCartney has been a fiercely vocal animal and cruelty-free advocate. Fendi, which was founded in 1925 as a fur and leather shop in Rome and is owned by LVMH, remains one of the last luxury holdouts."

As a result, the "fur industry" may not be positioned for the revival:

"According to the Fur Free Alliance, global fur production is down 85 percent in the last decade. Roughly 20 million animals were killed as part of the fur trade in 2023 versus 140 million in 2014. The number of fur farms in the European Union fell to 1,088 in 2023 from 4,350 in 2018."

The moral compromise that many appear to be making is that they are wearing "pre-owned" fur clothes, which aligns with the recent rise in popularity of thrift shopping:

"For years, in much of the United States and Europe, wearing real fur has felt taboo. Except, suddenly, some people don't seem to care — especially if the wearer can assert the mantle of 'vintage,' as no animals were freshly killed and upcycling old clothes is more virtuous than buying new."

Some are even presenting vintage as the sustainable option:

"'I think people are really misunderstanding vintage fur versus faux fur,' [Carly Mark, the designer of the fashion line/art project Puppets and Puppets] said. Vintage, in her eyes, is the superior sustainable option. She cited plastics and microplastics in faux fur fibers, often made from petroleum-based materials, as 'worse for the environment in the big picture.'"

Understandably, animal rights activists are not impressed:

"Animal rights groups see vintage fur as a dangerous trend. "If someone sees a person wearing used fur and they don't know it's used, they could very well go buy new fur," said PJ Smith, the director of fashion policy for the Humane Society of the United States."

Take care
David 

David Chandler
© Sage Publications, 2023

Instructor Teaching and Student Study Site: https://study.sagepub.com/chandler6e  
Strategic CSR Simulation: http://www.strategiccsrsim.com/
The library of CSR Newsletters are archived at: https://strategiccsr-sage.blogspot.com/


Wearing It Proudly, and Pre-Owned
By Jessica Iredale
February 16, 2025
The New York Times
Late Edition – Final
ST11
 
Posted by David Chandler at 8:00 AM
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