Sustainability or Authenticity

Here we are in 2020 with the opportunity to reset, to re-think, rebuild and re-formulate our strategies for the future.

One of the issues at the top of the agenda for both businesses and individuals continues to be sustainability.

In order to feel relevant, brands are quick to attach phrases, such as ‘sustainable’, ‘carbon-neutral’, ‘ethical’ or ‘eco-friendly’, to pretty much anything, making them somewhat ubiquitous.  It therefore becomes difficult to determine exactly what they mean.  The word ‘sustainable’ is not a regulated term in the way that ‘organic’ is in food terms so it’s hard to know what ‘sustainable fashion’, for example, actually is.  The problem is that such terms are often used to simply capture the prevailing mood and sell more products, which ironically is not a sustainable or eco-friendly strategy.  A further problem is that these terms can mean different things to different people.

Up until now, it has been the brands that have been leading the discussion on sustainability.  The intended use of the phrase is driven by their pre-determined strategy. The public are not well informed which means the brands can create their own agenda and basically say what they like to achieve their desired outcome.

So, the problem for both businesses and consumers is defining what sustainability actually is and educating ourselves on how to be sustainable consumers. The onus after all is not just on the brands but also on the buyers.  The end-game ought to be for us to consume less and we all have a role to play in not partaking in the massive over-consumption of cheap goods. Ultimately, it is for us, as consumers, to decide what we think is sustainable.  (Herein lies an opportunity for luxury brands to create ‘investment items’.)

In our current state of transformation, the questions we should be asking both of ourselves and of businesses are: what is long-term sustainability, what will endure and what will be relevant in the years to come?

There is an acceptance and recognition that the way we live, work and consume is undergoing huge change.  This will be apparent in everything from sourcing, supply chains to marketing and the way clients are engaged.  It is not just about sticking a sustainable label on an item but about creating real, long-term sustainability.

The term ‘sustainable, however, belies a more fundamental issue – that of authenticity. There has to be real meaning and authenticity in the motivation, execution and communication that businesses undertake in their pursuit of sustainability. We ought to be looking beyond the somewhat false sentiments generated by brands who overuse or even misuse generic terms and concepts, towards a future that is built on authenticity, trust and collaboration.  These are the issues that will matter in the coming years.

Building trust and authentic connection are perhaps equally relevant for businesses.  The word sustainability may resonate with consumers but as we all become more educated on what long term sustainability really is, we will look at how this is executed and how it is communicated. 

As we move forward, the way to engage with clients and customers will be to create a narrative built on authenticity.  Authentic actions and communication are what consumers will look for behind the labels of “sustainable”, “ethical” and so on.  Building trust now is the foundation of a sustainable future for business.