Sustainability and Social Impact Strategy
Future-proof your business: Sustainability at the Core
The brands that continue to thrive in business, are the brands that make life better for people. This requires that leaders lead with responsibility for creating solutions to some of the large issues we face in the world today. As a business you need to make a choice to make life better by creating meaningful connections between people and driving improved environmental and societal balance at the very core of the business.
How is your business impacting people’s live positively today? How is your business taking a stand and solving environmental, social and health issues through your company and your products?
The world calls for authentic and conscious leaders, who lead business focused on 5Ps, not just to grow the financial bottom line, but rather make life better and more meaningful. We work with you to set your own standard for success on the 5P bottom line: Passion, Purpose, People, Planet and Profits. (See our model for creating successful sustainable business below).
The new luxury is transparency and morals.
That you can be at peace as a leader, because of the decisions you make and the way you lead focused on leaving a positive dent on history for many generations to come.
It’s not about being perfect! It’s about being REAL and taking a stand for where you want to set in to become an increasingly positive contributor through your business and leadership practices.
A sustainable business mind-set is the most intelligent decision you can make for the longevity of your business success! Consumers simply will not support your business in the near future, if your leadership mindset is one of pure profits. Now is the time to grow, learn new skills, and develop a larger context awareness, so you can make sound and solid business decisions that fuel business on all these levels – also financially.
Business is built on trust. Trust is rooted in behavior and is a feeling. Trust is hard work to build – it takes consistency of messages and behaviors – from products, ingredients, packaging to leadership behavior and decisions – over time. It takes just one off behavior to break trust.
What’s the trick to making a brand meaningful? Focus on outcomes, not outputs. The criteria, says Haque, are simple: “Did this brand make you fitter, wiser, smarter, closer? Did it improve your personal outcomes? Did it improve your community outcomes? Did it pollute the environment? We’re trying to get beyond “did this company make a slightly better product” to the more resonant, meaningful question: Did this brand actually impact your life in a tangible, lasting, and positive way?” – Umair Haque
Good For Business and Planet
- 87% of Americans feel it is the responsibility of companies rather than the government to solve social and environmental issues, providing a renewed leadership opportunity for corporations. (Havas Meaningful Brands)
- Companies who are seen to put people’s well-being at the core of their business are more likely to be rewarded with consumer trust and loyalty. (Havas Meaningful Brands)
- “Consumers around the world are saying loud and clear that a brand’s social purpose is among the factors that influence purchase decisions,” said Amy Fenton, global leader of public development and sustainability, Nielsen. “This behavior is on the rise and it provides opportunities for meaningful impact in our communities, in addition to helping to grow share for brands.”
- A survey by Havas Meaningful Brands reveal consumers would not care if 82% of brands disappeared.
- 50,000 consumers in France, Spain, the U.K., Germany, Italy, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Argentina, China, Japan, India, and the U.S. were surveyed (Havas Meaningful brands) found that only 20% of the brands they interact with have a positive impact on their lives. And they feel that 70% of brands could disappear entirely without them noticing.
- More than half (51%) of consumers want to reward responsible companies by shopping there.
- 85% of consumers want companies to be engaged on global issues, but only 22% think they’re getting enough.
If we can help you with your sustainability and social business strategy – from initial steps with an introduction to Sustainability and Social Business, or you are ready for a deeper strategic plan, contact us here.
Sandja Brügmann
Sandja Brügmann