Businesses in recent years have begun to realise that going green is good for business, especially those that deal with consumers. This is because consumers are now becoming more aware of climate change and sustainability and are more considerate of the planet when they are buying products and services.
…going green is good for business…
Many companies are changing their businesses and becoming sustainable by adopting new strategies. However, there are companies that claim to be green and sustainable when they are not. This is known as greenwashing, and if found out, this can lead to a detrimental loss of respect, trust and loyalty from their customers. Therefore, it is in a company’s interest to be sustainable and to be transparent on how they are doing so.
Certified B Corp, Ethical Swag’s founder, Tara Milburn claims that “Consumers are becoming more sensitive to greenwashing. They will not hesitate to break off relationships with brands that do not take their stated commitments seriously.” This has been the case for many companies that use greenwashing as part of their marketing strategy to sell their product or services.
Businesses must also be aware that consumers are not just checking a products sustainability at face value, but they are also looking at the supply chain in which it has been produced. Such as where the materials have come from and how the product and service has been delivered. More and more consumers are wanting to know the carbon footprint of a product or service, and whether these companies are working sustainably.
Those that work in a company that is a part of a supply chain, will find that they can make partnerships much more easily if they go green, as businesses that sell a product or a service are listening to their consumers and are looking for sustainability within their supply chains. Those without sustainable strategies will find that they will lose out on new contracts, and partnerships may end due to companies looking for more sustainable alternatives.
