Rethink Recycling
Every Bottle Back
Nestlé presented IBM with a pressing issue demanding creative solutions. The environmental fallout from plastic water bottles polluting landfills and beaches tarnished their brand image and harmed the planet. In collaboration with Meijer, IBM took the helm, guiding the clients through a journey of innovation and self-reflection.
In my role, I navigated this process, urging the clients to confront harsh realities and charting a course toward distinctive and meaningful solutions. These solutions not only pleased consumers but also resonated with their business goals.
Back It Up
The task at hand was to assist Nestlé and Meijer in crafting, managing, and executing a sustainability innovation portfolio aimed at boosting recycling rates in Michigan—a testbed for broader initiatives.
To accomplish this goal, I spearheaded the team, conducting extensive research, interviews, and competitive analyses. I engaged in numerous interviews with business stakeholders and consumers, unearthing invaluable insights. This process yielded a trove of data and tailored personas to guide our design thinking sessions.
I orchestrated a comprehensive series of Enterprise Design Thinking (EDT) sessions, each boasting over 40 participants. These sessions, meticulously tailored for this unique endeavor, were conducted virtually amid the pandemic, with both clients and IBM collaborating in real-time. Notably, this marked IBM's inaugural sustainability-focused EDT series, featuring bespoke prompt modifiers throughout.
Recycling With the Community
The team crafted in initiative. Wellspring, a community-driven recycling initiative, merges Nestlé's tech prowess with Meijer's community-centric approach. Meijer acts as a knowledge hub, fostering consumer learning and engagement, while Nestlé provides advanced tools and technology.
This collaboration unfolds through a dynamic digital platform, offering diverse experiences. Utilizing state-of-the-art tracking, rewards, and gamification, Wellspring aims to shift consumer mindsets towards sustainability, empowering them to embrace impactful changes in their routines.
Wellspring emerges as a sleek and savvy answer to the hurdles of water bottle recycling. It meets consumers on their turf, carving out fresh pathways for recycling and breathing new life into every bottle. By offering a platform for active consumer involvement and acknowledgment, Wellspring taps into their craving for engagement and recognition.
Impact
Nestlé Waters and Meijer exhibited steadfast dedication to sustainability throughout our journey. Guiding them through unexplored territories of ideation, I steered them away from complacency and towards innovation. Our objective wasn't merely to implement ideas but to spark a revolutionary change within their organizations, unveiling untapped potential for their businesses.
A pivotal result of our brainstorming was inspiring Nestlé to set an audacious goal: transitioning to 100% recycled bottles, with a future vision of fully biodegradable solutions. This move sets a groundbreaking industry standard for sustainability, marking a bold stride towards a greener future.