We are in an age where there is a growing demand for businesses and brands to become more environmentally conscious, and sustainability is on the agenda in every boardroom.
Communications have a significant role to play – after all, temporary one-time promises or ‘green washing’ [providing mis-leading information about how a company’s products are more eco-friendly than they really are], won’t sit right with consumers, who are more engaged with the environment now than ever before.
Under the influence
Social media platforms like Tik Tok have fuelled the need to connect virtually when we are unable to in-person, and many viral videos on the app have exposed an abundance of ethically concerning social issues which users have been encouraged to engage with.
We all know social media users have serious influencing power and the ability to shape the consumer behaviour of millions by sharing their opinions. This can potentially make or break any brand. Therefore, it’s essential for companies to rethink the ways they operate and demonstrate their awareness of environmental issues, including plastic waste.
Plastic Free July
This month marks Plastic Free July – a global movement that helps millions to be part of the solution to plastic pollution. There is no better time than now for brands to take the lead in creating lasting change, but how can they go about becoming more sustainable?
Developing a sustainable ‘strategy’ isn’t something that can happen overnight. Therefore, brands shouldn’t try to swiftly transform their entire outlook to fit what consumers want just because it makes them look more favourable. Making small practical changes to reduce plastic packaging or disposing waste in an eco-friendly way, for instance, is a good place to start.
Client case study: Juice
Our client, Juice, is a sustainable mobile phone accessory brand we can all look to as a leading example of eco-consciousness done well.
Led by impassioned CEO, Jolyon Bennett, Juice guarantees every single piece of its plastic packaging has been manufactured from post-consumer waste. This creates a cyclical process that forms its very own ecosystem!
It’s rare to find a brand so genuinely keen on making its operations more environmentally friendly because it truly believes in ‘doing the right thing’, rather putting on an ethical façade for financial and reputational benefit.
The future is plastic free
Consumers want to support brands that are consistently seeking new ways to be better. As more people start to look ‘behind’ the brand to see what they really stand for, businesses need to assess where they can make real changes. Even if these alterations are tiny, it’s a start.
So, put that recycling bin in your office, turn to more renewable energy sources, support local petitions and protests, evaluate your packaging, reduce plastic waste in your warehouses, or even follow Juice’s example and find a way to eradicate single-use plastics from your operations.
It’s clear that sustainability, business performance and reputation will go hand in hand moving into a time where we grow more concerned about the future of our planet.