Investing in sustainability used to be optional for businesses — nowadays, it is essential, with regulators and governments facing no option but to sanction companies if they fail to reduce unethical packaging, carbon emissions, and other environmental harms.
That said, when companies comply with their sustainability commitments and even go beyond them, they benefit massively. They attract more green-conscious employers, customers, and investors who respond positively to the good the company is doing.
This means the companies that become sustainability leaders naturally perform better than their competition, especially with net-zero targets far from being achieved and the media spotlight rife.
Case-in-point, here’s five of the best ways companies and their executives can become sustainability leaders to improve their visibility and bottom line.
Company branding
If a company wants to become a sustainability leader, its website colours, logo, and marketing materials should immediately reflect its commitments.
For instance, Earth tones like green, blue, and brown commonly convey environmental consciousness, while clean, minimalist designs suggest transparency and efficiency.
Alternatively, key messaging should reinforce the brand’s activities, whether through eco-friendly packaging, renewable energy use, or community involvement.
Companies should also consider leveraging certification logos from external partners, such as Fair Trade, etc, wherever necessary, for added credibility.
Foster a sustainability-driven culture
Cultivating a sustainability-driven culture internally is just as important as doing so externally.
Employees must be encouraged to live and breathe the company’s mission so that they act as ambassadors, passing on the business’s values to customers, clients, and other key stakeholders.
If this culture isn’t instilled within the business, there’s no way anyone else will feel it.
- Hires must be made based on the principle that they genuinely care about the company’s mission.
- Recycling, ethical investing, and green policies need to be signposted and implemented religiously.
- Employees should be asked to share regular feedback about how the company can improve its green policies.
- Leadership teams should lead by example, actively participating in and promoting sustainable practices across the company.
These steps might seem small, but when undertaken regularly, they make a considerable difference.
Don’t forget about your social impact
Sustainability isn’t just about protecting the environment but the social causes a company abides by.
This includes supporting employee well-being, promoting diversity and inclusion, improving local communities through charitable initiatives and volunteering programs, and acting transparently to avoid instances of corruption or exploitation.
In recent years, these issues have been significantly highlighted, whereas the companies at fault have been condemned by damning media coverage, giving companies no choice but to proactively promote their commitment to these issues across their website and social media channels.
Besides, when companies do, the quality of employees they attract skyrockets, as does general productivity and retention, thereby making the business more profitable over time.
Corporate reporting
Companies can claim that they do a lot of good for the planet and their staff. But without transparently reporting their impact, that good either goes unnoticed or is questioned.
Worse still, if companies are believed to be acting unethically, they risk facing punishment from regulators who can impose hefty fines, civil lawsuits, or even the suspension of an operating license, depending on the severity of the company’s convictions.
To avoid any reputational damage, which can be tough to come back from, leaders must ensure they prioritise proactive reporting as much as any other aspect of their operations.
Thought leadership
Of all the sustainable practices companies carry out, thought leadership is perhaps the most crucial.
It allows companies to better connect with their audiences by sharing bold and educational opinions, predictions, and hot takes that deviate from marketing materials and drives industry debate.
This either achieved through articles or short-form posts shared on a company’s website and social media, or through media interviews in established publications.
According to the sustainability thought leadership agency Profile, this can boost website traffic, customers, and potential partners while influencing external shifts in industry regulations and standards for others to follow.
Although this takes time, companies benefit massively from how thought leadership content boosts the SEO ranking of their website, which is invaluable for pulling in and converting traffic whenever someone searches for a relevant term that the company specialises in.
And best of all, thought leadership requires little to no expense. It’s a no-brainer.