Laughter. This is the sound that will forever remind me of my week in Cuenca, Ecuador, with the women of Casa María Amor. It was the first day of our two-day Women’s Entrepreneurial Empowerment Workshop. As an introductory ideation activity to demonstrate the concept...
The buyer-supplier relationship is changing in more ways than you might imagine. Consumers and retailers are increasingly demanding that suppliers demonstrate their sustainability: How are buyers and suppliers collectively adapting to changes in the market, as well as...
Cobalt is key in emerging low-carbon technologies, specifically lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles. It forms part of the cathode active material (for example, lithium cobalt oxide, LiCoO2) that receives positively charged lithium ions during the battery’s...
Report: Dell: Upcycling Ocean Plastics Through Supply Chain Innovation (.pdf abstract) Purchase the full report on WDI Publishing (Case study #7-949-121) – published 06/2018, 30 pages Developed by: Daniel Partin, Luke Sawitsky, and Allison Ward. This case was...
What does an apparel company do when it’s already a leader in environmental manufacturing and has summited the peak of sustainable clothing? If it’s Patagonia, it decides to not only become carbon neutral by 2025 but also build a plan that inspires change across the...
Each year, Erb Institute students join various clubs at the University of Michigan, the Ross School of Business and the School for Environment and Sustainability. One club that many Erb students join sits at the intersection of business and sustainability: the Social...
The University of Michigan, as a Research and Independent Non-Governmental Research Organization (RINGO), sent a delegation to COP23. The team included 12 graduate students from across the university, including van der Schaft, who is studying sustainable systems,...
Using solar energy technology to address the global water crisis At the Erb Institute, our students collaborate with students across campus—from both other schools and other programs. By nature, they are curious and driven to make a difference in the world using their...
Have you ever stopped to think about how many people were involved in making the clothes you buy? Chances are you have heard about or read The Travels of a T-shirt in a Global Economy or listened to Planet Money’s piece on making a t-shirt. Both are incredibly...
Before joining the Erb ranks, I worked as managing partner for my family’s cherry and apple farm in Traverse City, Mich. Farmers love to tell stories, especially stories about dramatic, devastating weather events. As the sixth generation to lead our business, I grew...