There are two kinds of people in the world. Those that believe in global warming and those that don’t. How about both sides of the argument working together? It’s called stewardship… otherwise known as taking care of what’s in your hand. You don’t have to believe to do the right thing, just take care.
If you don’t believe that conditions for the planet are worsening it doesn’t excuse you to treat it badly. If you do believe in global warming it’s not time to be overwhelmed, just start doing what’s right now. Which leads me onto something that keeps cropping up … being cause-driven rather than cash-driven in order to leave the right legacy.
Legacy. It’s become part of the conversation for businesses who want to be contributors rather than consumers and reflect it in their branding.
The UN’s 17 Sustainable Goals help businesses to address the impact they are having on the planet. The pressure is already mounting on large companies to adopt this framework and thence the requirement for their supply chains to follow suit will too. Not everyone is going to hit all 17 goals head-on but they help to provide a focus for businesses looking to make the right kind of impact. We’ve discovered that many companies are actually working to meet a number of the UN’s 17 impactful disciplines without even knowing it!
It’s already evident that businesses and brands that are getting traction are purpose-driven and not profit-driven. It’s like an “old world” to “new world” transition and in this brave new world, our attitude to work is changing too. We want to enjoy this wonderful miracle we call planet earth, rather than get to retirement and realise we spent our life missing out on it. Work is work, but make sure that what you do is making a difference. Stewarding well to leave the right legacy is within everyone’s reach.
Now you can read up on the UN’s 17 Sustainable Goals here and take some time with your team to see which ones you could commit to. In our brand marketing agency we’ve already begun by introducing a 4 day work week to make room for good health and well being (Goal 3), and we know we’ve got more work to do.
The 17 sustainable goals will help any company to align itself with purpose and begin to produce facts to establish an authentic narrative to this end. We’ve been helping companies to recognise the impact they already create and communicate it more effectively as well as identifying areas for improvement.
So, for me, it’s not about whether or not you believe in global temperature fluctuations being linked to mankind’s activities, it’s more to do with stewardship. Are we taking care of what’s in our hands in order to influence the world around us? We need to remember that looking after the resources in our midst also includes looking after our people. What’s the point of a beautiful green planet where all the people are suffering?
Brands that are making a difference realise that their success isn’t just about sales, it’s about sustainability – they are taking responsibility for where they have contributed to damage to the environment and made changes. Brands are starting to speak up, realising that authenticity is important. If a customer chooses them it’s as much about the values of that company as the product itself.
So whether you are a school, a charity, a manufacturer or even a lending company, sustainability is now part of the conversation. If you want to be making an impact for many years to come and have a strong customer base then start thinking “stewardship” now.
Cre8ion have always dared to be different and now we are helping companies just like you to address their purpose in business and market themselves effectively by establishing a strong mission, vision and values ethos. The good news is that you don’t have to look for a reason to become more purposeful, we have 17 that can help get you there!