Did you know that while 90% of companies believe sustainability is important, perhaps only 60% actually have a sustainability strategy? In fact, less than 25% embed strategy. However, setting sustainability goals and having processes in place to achieve them can help companies stand out and become an attractive partner to the majority of customers who value environmental responsibility. Masu.
This statistic may sound shocking, infuriating, or even borderline neglectful, but it's the bitter truth. That's why, as an entrepreneur focused on reducing your carbon footprint, envisioning where your company is positioned is a critical step to success. As more serious environmental issues shake people's minds, more and more consumers are demanding environmental responsibility and ethical practices from companies. Faced with calls for global action on climate change, businesses are entering a new landscape that requires an intentional focus on sustainability.
According to Forbes, 88% of customers will remain loyal to a company that addresses social and environmental concerns. Additionally, a McKinsey study found that reducing resource costs can increase a company's operating profits by up to 60%. This means sustainable practices not only save the planet, but also give companies a competitive advantage.
The process of defining a company's sustainability vision is an exciting challenge for startups in order to differentiate themselves in the market and contribute to positive change with lasting impact. Shift Group has created a new program, Sustainable Entrepreneurship Training, to equip businesses with the knowledge and skills to address future environmental challenges.
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Understand the power of a sustainability vision
Businesses need maps. A sustainability vision serves as a compass to guide business decisions and actions toward a more sustainable future. Establishing a clear vision can stimulate innovation, attract conscious consumers and mission-minded employees, and drive long-term growth. A clear and actionable sustainability vision can create a purpose that aligns all the work within your company and a goal that can unite your team to make it happen.
For example, consider Patagonia, a well-known clothing company. Their vision of sustainability is to “move life on Earth forward, not backward” and to “put purpose before profit.” No one ever questions whether the environment comes first at Patagonia. This dedicated approach has established the company as a leader in sustainable practices while creating a loyal customer base. Are you ready to follow this?
Create a sustainability vision
Creating a sustainability vision requires a thoughtful and comprehensive process. Start by examining your personal values and aligning them with your business goals. What environmental or social issues resonate with you? Identify the values you want your company to embody and consider how you can integrate them into your business strategy. For example, if you're passionate about reducing plastic waste, your sustainability vision is likely to revolve around creating innovative, environmentally friendly packaging solutions and promoting a circular economy.
Write down your values and then define measurable goals that will lead your company to sustainable results. These goals should be specific, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (“SMART” goals). For example, you might aim to reduce your company's carbon emissions by 25% over the next three years or increase the use of sustainable materials in your products by 50% by the end of the year.
By setting and communicating clear goals, you can track your progress and communicate your commitment to stakeholders.
Incorporate sustainability into your business strategy
Once you've developed your sustainability vision, it's time to take action. To effectively incorporate sustainability into your business strategy, consider the following steps:
- Conducting a sustainability audit: Evaluate plans and strategies across operations, supply chain, and product lifecycles to identify areas where sustainability can be improved. We take action to identify future environmental footprints, analyze social impacts, and collaborate with potential stakeholders to gain insights.
- Collaborate with suppliers and partners: Fostering relationships with suppliers and partners who share our commitment to sustainability. We work with our suppliers and partners to find innovative solutions, such as finding recycled and responsibly sourced materials and collaborating on waste reduction initiatives.
- employee engagement: Employees play a key role in driving our sustainability efforts. Communicate your sustainability vision to your team and review it regularly so they can contribute ideas and take responsibility for sustainable practices within their role.
- hug circular economy principle: Consider ways to reduce waste and extend product lifecycles. Incorporate practices such as recycling, reusing materials, and implementing take-back programs for product returns.
- Leverage technology: Adopt digital solutions to optimize energy consumption, streamline operations and reduce paper waste. Travel-related emissions can also be minimized by adopting cloud-based systems and remote collaboration tools that run on renewable energy.
Create a compelling “why” statement for sustainable business
Creating a compelling “why” statement is an essential step in defining your company's sustainability vision. A “why” statement helps you focus on your business purpose, goals, and vision, providing a clear direction for sustainable entrepreneurship. Answer the questions your employees, customers, and suppliers ask. “Why invest in becoming sustainable? What difference will it make for me?”
Using my own company as an example, Shift Group's “why” statement is: The fastest way to heal our planet and our communities is to show people how to make money doing it. This is reflected in our comprehensive program that provides students with actionable steps to start and scale a sustainable business.
Here's why creating a strong “why” statement is important for your business.
Align purpose and action
A well-crafted “why” statement helps align all business decisions with sustainability goals. Clearly articulating your purpose creates meaningful connections between your business and your pursuit of sustainability, motivating both you and your stakeholders to take action.
Inspiring stakeholders
A compelling “why” statement has the power to inspire your employees, customers, investors, partners, and more. When people understand and accept the purpose behind your sustainable business, they become emotionally invested and more likely to support and engage with your brand. A “why” statement becomes a rallying cry, driving positive change and fostering a sense of common purpose.
Differentiation in the market
In a world where consumers are becoming increasingly sustainability-conscious, a clearly defined “why” statement is a powerful differentiator. Stand out from your competitors by demonstrating your commitment to sustainability and unique approaches to addressing environmental and social challenges. Consumers are more likely to choose brands that align with their values, making a strong “why” statement an effective marketing tool. In fact, 63% of consumers have made a small to major shift towards more sustainability in the past five years, and 34% of consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable products and services. We believe that this is an important factor in making purchasing decisions. .
Shift Group's “Sustainable Entrepreneurship Training” course
To support your journey in setting a sustainability vision, consider sustainable entrepreneurship training. This comprehensive course is taught by experienced professionals from various areas of business who provide useful insights and actionable strategies to effectively incorporate sustainability into any business. When you combine the knowledge and skills you gain from this training, your “why” statement becomes a powerful driver for positive change.
This certification course gives you access to over 102 thought-provoking videos, a practical workbook, slide decks, supplementary materials, and 3 valuable templates. From business models and finance to marketing, sustainability, team building and presentations, each module in this carefully curated sustainability training will help you shape your sustainable business journey and take it from the lab to the market. Get the tools and insights to deliver. Upon completion, you will gain a deeper understanding of sustainable business practices, earn a certificate of achievement, and gain access to a vibrant global community of passionate environmental entrepreneurs.
Enroll in Shift Group's Sustainable Entrepreneurship Training course today and start shaping a sustainable future for your business. Use discount code “Earth911D” at checkout to save 20% At the list price of the course.
About the author
Stefan Doering is the organizer of this course and Managing Director of Shift Group. He has been working in business and sustainability innovation since his 1987, innovating strong green business models, marketing to bring green mainstream and build consistently profitable and sustainable businesses. He coaches and guides green business in three key areas: and positioning strategy development and execution. You can follow Shift Group on Instagram and Facebook.