how can brands plan to be sustainable?

We are living in a historic moment where the Covid-19 pandemic is changing our habits and our lifestyle. Companies need to adapt quickly, and being sustainable is the key to their success. It is a big challenge, for sure, but it is vital to surviving. As an agency, we understand the importance of creating brands and products that will last, while taking care of people and the environment that surrounds us. Brands need to be more aware of these changes, and have the future of the next generations at their heart.

So, how can a brand become more sustainable?

Here are 4 tips:

1. Brainstorm to change

First of all, companies need to think about their mission and their processes. The questions are: what can we do to make us better starting from the team, the office, the products/ the services that we offer? Are we respecting some standards? Which areas of the business can we improve?

The aim is to eventually restructure the activities that will bring a change. It is not something quick, especially if the company has been set up for a while. If you are about to launch a startup, you might want to review your business plan. A sustainability strategy becomes a real business model as it crosses all the departments.

2. Be transparent

Once the plan has been finalised, brands need to work with the right partners that share the same views.

Brands need to show authenticity as nowadays consumers (especially millennials) are no longer interested in brands' loyalty. They lose interest very quickly. So, what can be done to ensure continuity? Showing the reality of facts: for instance, how the ingredients are sourced, how the manufacturer packs the products, how the employees daily work, etc.

3. Communicate better!

So, you have created an amazing corporate social responsibility plan involving non-profit organisations and supporting great causes. Now, what needs to be done? Communicate the brand's intentions, actions.

Everyone needs to know the motivation behind the plan, which are the goals and targets to hit, and how these need to be met.

There are plenty of channels available. Social media and website updates for end consumers, mailers for stakeholders, and press releases to journalists.

Brands need to be able to talk in-depth about the actions they are taking, avoiding the so-called greenwashing (ie. when the actions do not reflect the message). They also need to start a dialogue with their consumers to see what they need, what they want to know, what can be done to improve themselves.

4. Partner with sustainable organisation

Another great way to refocus your business to be sustainable friendly is to join organisation that push your business to think differently about the way it operates. Becoming a B-Corp is a great way of doing this.

They set objectives your business to meet to show the general public that you are focused on creating business that also thinks of others.

If your business find it hard to meet these objectives you could also offset many of your activities that may hard the environment by donating to causes that balances the harm done by replanting trees for example that has many tangible benefits for our planet.

You can do this by making your business donate some of its profits to companies like Ecolgi. This shows you care about making a difference and rewards people for working with you. Another great benefit is that people can see where they money they spend with you goes to balancing your "business karma".

What are you going to do to become sustainable?