Today on The Sustainable Angler, I’m joined by Al Iannuzzi, author of one of my favorite sustainability books, Greener Products: The Making & Marketing of Sustainable Brands, and Al shares insights from decades of experience helping companies design, improve, and market more sustainable (greener) products.
Al is President and Founder of Iannuzzi Sustainability Solutions and a pioneer in corporate sustainability, with more than 35 years of experience. He’s held senior leadership roles at The Estée Lauder Companies and Johnson & Johnson, helping major brands embed sustainability into product design, sourcing, packaging, and strategy.
In this episode, Al explains why there’s no such thing as a “green” product—only greener ones—because sustainability is about continuous improvement, not perfection. He shares why the most important step any brand can take is understanding the full lifecycle impact of its products, from raw materials and ethical sourcing to end-of-life.
We also discuss why communicating your improvements is just as important as making them, how retail leaders like Walmart and REI have used market pressure to drive change, why brands need an “emerging issues process” to stay ahead of regulation, how circular economy thinking is reshaping product design, and why CEOs shouldn’t let the perfect get in the way of the good.
Al even shares how fishing—and the legacy of Jacques Cousteau—inspired his career in sustainability.
If you’re a brand leader, sustainability professional, or outdoor industry executive looking to turn sustainability into a strategic advantage—not just a compliance exercise—this episode is packed with practical wisdom.
Listen to the Interview
🎧 Listen now and learn how to build greener products, communicate your progress effectively, and embrace sustainability as the journey it truly is.
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This episode is brought you you by: A New Earth Project, the sustainability initiative of Atlantic Packaging, Emerger Strategies, and Ecolytics (don’t forget to mention The Sustainable Angler for a discount off your first year’s subscription!)
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