Exclusive: WWF issues call for green business game-changers

Has your company developed a genuinely innovative solution to an environmental challenge? Then WWF wants to hear from you.

The global environmental group will next week launch a major new initiative, dubbed Green Game-Changers, which is designed to identify and promote the best sustainable business case studies from around the world.

The crowd-sourcing exercise will invite firms to submit examples of green products, business models and government policies that have demonstrably helped to reduce environmental impacts or reduce biodiversity loss.

The initiative's website already features around 20 case studies, including a waterless washing machine developed by Xeros, Zipcar's car sharing model, and thin-film solar cell technology developed by companies such as Nanosolar and Solexant.

Dax Lovegrove, head of business relations at WWF, said the organisation was asking companies from around the world to submit further case studies that could then be used to promote sustainable products, services and business models.

"Every two years WWF produces its Living Planet report and the two defining trends are always that biodiversity loss is accelerating and our environmental impact is escalating," he said. "It is increasingly clear that we need to think differently about how we do business and the aim of this initiative is to provide working case studies that show to big blue chip firms that game-changing innovation is possible."

Lovegrove said WWF was seeking examples of products, business models and policies that were already up and running and having a positive environmental impact. "This is not about demonstrating pipe dreams," he added. "We will only provide case studies for ideas that are working and can be rolled out more widely."

The scheme will be moderated by WWF to ensure that the case studies that are published make accurate claims and have resulted in genuine environmental gains. It will also be supported by a LinkedIn group where participants are invited to exchange further ideas and suggestions on how to limit environmental impacts.