MediaPost Features Conners’ Article on Sustainability: From Buzzword to Basic Expectation

The push for sustainability is more than just a fad. Companies of all sizes and types are grappling with how to be sustainable while maintaining quality standards and meeting customer needs.  Being sustainable has become one of those customer needs — a basic expectation.

Examples of sustainable initiatives and messaging around them pop up in our feeds daily, such as “green” initiatives like moves to green energy, reducing carbon emissions and eliminating plastics, as well as corporate donations made to environmental causes. Innovative business models, such as car and clothes rentals, are also emerging as market disruptors that prioritize sustainability. In addition, sustainable packaging is gaining traction, promoting reusable materials that can be repurposed or recycled, indicating a shift away from disposable products.

Why does this matter? Sustainability is impacting customer perceptions and decisions, and will continue to play a greater role in the future. Here are questions every company will have to answer:

• Can sustainability be leveraged for customer acquisition? How can we use it to build greater customer loyalty?
• What is the risk of NOT offering sustainable solutions?
• How should we communicate the sustainability of solutions? What if we don’t actively communicate it?
• Sustainability initiatives require investment. Do customers expect to foot a portion of the bill?  How much is buying sustainable products and services worth to them?