What does it mean to build sustainability into your brand? Well, according to Masterclass, “a sustainable business taps into the environmental and social activism of the twenty-first century to improve brand perception and increase brand value.”
Sustainability is working its way into modern business models as entrepreneurs and business owners seek to drive positive change through the work they do. Building a sustainable brand in today’s world is extremely attractive, both to consumers and employees, as it provides real long-term value.
In this article, we will be sharing how you can build sustainability into your brand; both online and in-person, for a business that stands the test of time and leaves the planet better than it found it.
1. Know Your Audience
Knowing your audience is the crucial first step in building a sustainable brand. Understanding who you are talking to – their wants and needs – reveals invaluable information about what your audience cares about and values most. When you know this, you can communicate more effectively and make sustainable changes within your business that support both your customers and the environment.
There are many ways you can get to know your audience. For example, you could examine the Google Analytics data collected from your website, you could carry out social media polls, create surveys, or evaluate your competitors. Whatever strategies you choose, the most important thing is that you get to know your audience so that you can deliver changes, both online and in-person, that your customers care about.
2. Write a Company Mission Statement
A company mission statement is one of the best ways to build sustainability into your brand and keep your company values aligned with your actions. According to Indeed, “Companies have mission statements to unify the efforts of all employees toward a long-term goal […] A mission statement provides an ideal vision for the company’s future and directs its growth […] Because mission statements direct employee actions, they can have a significant impact on people’s futures within the company and how the organization itself will grow over time.”
As the business owner, you know your brand and customers best. So, it’s your job to tie together everything you know with a strong mission statement that clearly outlines your goals for the future.
Building a sustainable brand means addressing any concerns your customers have in relation to sustainability within your mission statement. You want to ensure that what your company stands for and how it operates remains in line with your values. Writing a company mission statement will ensure you stay on the right track.
3. Introduce Green Initiatives
Your customers and employees want to know you’re doing everything you can to build a sustainable brand. Introducing green initiatives in your workplace is a great first step and ensures you are practicing what you preach when it comes to sustainability.
According to Like Technologies, “Engaging employees in green initiatives is an important strategy as sustainability continues to be a growing concern for companies. The key to a green initiative is replacing any process that creates waste with one that creates less waste, or none where possible. A few operational changes can add up to a big impact, which will produce multiple benefits for employees and employers alike.”
Green initiatives include office recycling schemes, green web hosting, cycle-to-work schemes, paperless processes, sustainability training, and much more. Introducing green initiatives into the workplace is a great way to build sustainability into your brand.
4. Be More Transparent
A sustainable brand is a transparent brand. If you can commit to being open and honest with your customers, employees, and stakeholders alike you will build transparency into your brand. Transparency is one of the best ways to communicate your intentions with your audience and to prove that you are serious about the sustainability efforts of your business.
Many businesses are taking transparency to whole new levels by showing their consumers where and how garments are made, the location of their factories, behind-the-scenes tours into their working processes, and so much more.
You might think a lot of this information should remain private. However, today’s consumers are fed-up of companies greenwashing (saying they are prioritizing sustainability but not taking any action). Consumers want proof and business transparency helps provide that. Business transparency is one of the best ways to build sustainability into your brand to improve both the online and in-person experience.
5. Invest in Sustainable Packaging
To improve the in-person customer experience, there are numerous changes you can make and one of the most significant is to invest in sustainable packaging. Packaging is an area that many companies tend to overlook. Once a product has been bought, it’s easy for brands to lack creativity and thought when it comes to packaging and postage. This is where many brands fall down in customer’s expectations.
To help your brand stand out from the competition and uphold company values, it’s time to invest in sustainable packaging. You can use recyclable packagings such as cardboard boxes or mushroom and hemp packaging as great plastic-free options. Investing in sustainable packaging is a great way to improve your customer experience and showcase the environmental efforts your brand is making.
6. Utilise Renewable Energy
The transition to renewable energy is an essential part of sustainability. As a business, utilising renewable energy not only reduces your environmental footprint but also sends a powerful message to your customers and stakeholders about your commitment to sustainability. This could be done by installing solar panels in your office spaces, using green hosting providers for your online presence, or purchasing renewable energy credits.
That said, leveraging clean energy sources, like hydrogen, can play a crucial role in making your business sustainable. While hydrogen-based technology has been around for some time, recent advancements in hydrogen’s easy storage and transport have made it more viable for commercial use. Hydrogen can be produced from renewable sources, offering a carbon-free option for heating, power generation, and transport fuels. Furthermore, hydrogen can be used as a medium for storing excess renewable energy. When renewable energy sources like wind and solar produce more energy than is currently needed, the surplus electricity can be used to produce hydrogen through electrolysis.
The hydrogen can then be stored and later used as a backup power source during periods of high demand or when renewable energy generation is low. Transiting towards renewable energy enhances your business’s sustainability but also strengthens your brand reputation as an environmentally conscious organization. Moreover, embracing renewable energy solutions can lead to long-term financial benefits by reducing reliance on fossil fuels, mitigating the impact of volatile energy prices, and potentially qualifying for government incentives or grants.
Final Words
Of course, there are many more ways you can make your brand more sustainable. However, we wanted to focus this article on some of the most impactful changes you can make right now. We hope this article has inspired you to make some positive changes and to build sustainability into your brand for a better experience for all, whether online or in person.