Sustainability and the need to act sustainably are very much hot topics of discussion in the news, on social media and in annual reports alike. Once upon a time, being green alone was enough to impress consumers and commentators and win praise for brands – but when every company loudly trumpets their sustainability plans, have the goalposts of expectations been moved? And in the face of an increasingly cynical public, what do brands need to do to show they’re acting truly sustainably, and not just box-ticking?
To find out more, we conducted three focus groups with the UK general public on Monday 11th October 2021 to find out their views on a range of sustainability and environmental issues.
When asked what sustainability means to them, respondents spoke about the need to operate with the long-term in mind, with many focussing on the environmental aspects of sustainability and what it means to manage resources responsibly.
“Sustainability is about using up the resources…but also thinking about tomorrow. Using what we need, not what we want out of greed, so there’s enough for tomorrow.”
“It means recycling, reusing, not constantly wasting, and you know, just being responsible individually…using your fair share”
But scratch below the surface, and we see the public describing sustainability in terms of acting ‘ethically’, and this extends beyond a solely environmental dimension, towards a moral obligation for society to act responsibly.
“Being ethically responsible, not wasteful… Not spending budget because it has to be spent and just generally promoting good practices, using morally and ethically responsible suppliers.”
“I guess it would be like where you source your materials or the workers you're using or where your business is situated. It means that you would be able to use the same place or the same workers or the same materials without them deteriorating.”
A recurring theme in the discussions was cynicism that many claims about sustainability from brands are instead box-ticking exercises or greenwashing. Participants recalled news stories or even personal experiences where companies had made big claims about their sustainability credentials - and indeed from a consumer facing point of view it seemed plausible – but behind the curtain was a culture of waste. Examples like this undermine and hurt all brands, leading to suspicion that claims of going green aren’t to be trusted.
“I think the problem nowadays is that a company can make a website and say ‘yeah we're sustainable, we’re 100% environmentally friendly’. They can make all these bold statements about themselves but…then there’s things they do that don’t actually represent that, so it definitely does make me quite sceptical of companies.”
In a world full of competing pledges to reach net-zero, the old adage that actions speak louder than words still applies. It’s now a hygiene issue to make pledges on sustainability, so consumers want to see leadership and evidence that companies are truly living their values across their business and supply chain.
“I would say, don't try and incentivise me buying by saying we'll plant a tree for it. Make an action, do it, make changes to the way that you practice your business, and then start bragging about it. Don't sort of go ‘yes buy this £5 bar of soap and we'll plant a tree’.”
“I think it probably makes people more than happy to use those companies [that are acting sustainably], because then they're actually not just thinking about themselves, they’re thinking about everyone else and the future of everyone. So, I think it actually probably makes people more encouraged to use those companies.”
Being unsustainable will hurt your image before your bottom line, but you can’t assume you’re insulated. Several respondents mentioned Amazon as a company that they see as not being sustainable, from packaging to the working conditions. Right now, the convenience factor of Amazon and next day delivery is outweighing these concerns, but we can’t assume that will stay that way forever. Customers feeling guilty for using your service is not a position that breeds loyalty.
“You can order the tiniest of items from Amazon, but it comes in this huge box with lots and lots of packaging in it and you know, it's almost like pass the parcel. And actually, I would always just think, you know what are they doing at their end? Why are they doing this? But would that put me off ordering from Amazon? Probably not because I need to order next day. It’s difficult.”
How can brands be seen as sustainable?
First, look across your whole business – switching to cardboard packaging for delivery is a great step, but if the product within is still non-recyclable plastic, the commitment feels like a façade.
Second, think of sustainability as being more than just being ‘green’ – consider the wellbeing of your employees and suppliers. People are a resource too, and burnout hurts your business beyond just the bottom line.
Third, think with the long-term in mind. Consumers want to see leadership, but that doesn’t mean the goals need to change every time the CEO does - sustainable policies should be ones that outlast their creators and set your brand up to ‘do the right thing’ today and in the future.
This is the first of three blogs we’re publishing on the importance of messaging and narrative in the run up to COP26.
