WALKING THE TALK -
Gen Z is bypassing the traditional political system and focusing on consumerism as a channel for change, according to new research from non-profit consultancy DoSomething Strategic. This generation is expecting brands to use their platform for good, especially as they feel that politicians and the political system have let them down.
WALKING THE TALK -
It’s official. Sustainability is mainstream.
You probably already knew that. What you may not know is that Americans aren’t really changing their personal behaviors. They’re changing their buying behaviors. And that gives brands a new way to win in the marketplace.
Here’s what we’re seeing in our ongoing polling of Americans to understand their attitudes and behaviors related to the environment:
One of our most recent surveys finds that 88 percent of Americans believe the average person should be taking concrete steps to reduce environmental impact, and nearly 80 percent feel a sense of personal responsibility to change daily purchase habits and practices to positively impact the environment.
CLEANTECH -
Technology has been quickly evolving into many markets such as clothing, food, health and home, and hotels are certainly no exception. As the industry is disrupted by more privatized options such as AirBnb and VRBO, Bloomberg reports that technology has become “top of mind for hotels,” as they seek to compete by providing amenities and new services for luxury vacationers and business travelers.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
Which brands do you really care about? Is there one you simply couldn’t do without? It’s a question that we rarely ask — so prevalent and dominant are companies and brands in our everyday lives. But while we’re dependent on the products and services that enable our modern existence, do we really care who makes them?
The history of consumer culture is littered with once-dominant consumer brands that were replaced by newer, more relevant offerings. Today, in the Internet age, the shelf life of major brands is shorter than ever before. Consider powerful brands such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: None of these existed 15 years ago. Would you like to bet they will be around 10 years from now?
SUPPLY CHAIN -
Though diamonds in today’s jewelry market are much more likely to be conflict free thanks to the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, it can still be difficult to trace individual components back to their exact origins. IBM and a newly-formed consortium of gold and diamond businesses aim to make the jewelry supply chain more transparent through the use of
WALKING THE TALK -
Last year saw unprecedented natural disasters across the globe – from wildfires in California to record-breaking hurricanes in the U.S. Gulf Coast, eastern seaboard, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. At the same time, scientists warn that the risks posed by climate change are even more dire than predicted and will lead to even bigger impacts on heat and extreme weather. Combined, this has led to a spike in environmental consciousness, not only for the American people, but for businesses across the globe.
BUSINESS CASE -
Nine in ten Canadians (92 percent) would switch brands if a different brand of a similar quality had a compelling social purpose, according to new research from Kin&Co. The firm’s new report — which looks exclusively at the Canadian market — outlines an opportunity for Canada to lead the purpose and values revolution that has insofar been primarily led by companies in the US and UK.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
As we approach the 2020 deadline for many corporate sustainability pledges, plus the commitments made in the New York Declaration on Forests, sustainable business practices are front and center in the minds of decision-makers. The next twelve months will be pivotal in achieving these goals.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
For decades, the ASPCA has been advocating for better breeding practices and adoption for dogs with campaigns that focused on educating the public on where pet store dogs come from.
But over time, the influx of digital technology has completely transformed how people get dogs. And Millennials, the largest generation of dog lovers ever, are increasingly relying on online sources, which makes it difficult to track where our furry friends are coming from.
BEHAVIOR CHANGE -
A night of celebration for a friend moving for a new job turns to tragedy in a new virtual reality (VR) experience from Diageo about the dangers of binge drinking. In a follow-up to 2016's "Decisions," which placed viewers in the front seat of a fatal drunk driving crash, "Decisions: Party's Over" immerses consumers in a first-person, interactive story.
PRESS RELEASE -
Photo:
Two cars recharging at Tesla stations
Photo courtesy of Tesla, Inc.
All throughout Earth Month and every day at Target, we’re working toward ambitious goals to help keep the planet healthy.
Today, we’re taking another step forward, accelerating our electric vehicle program with the help of industry experts Tesla, ChargePoint and Electrify America. Together, we’ll expand our current program, available now at 18 sites in five states, to more than 600 parking spaces at over 100 sites across more than 20 states with charging stations over the next two years.
WASTE NOT -
Around the globe, over one million individuals have signed petitions, taken to stores and restaurants, and posted photos of ridiculous packaging on social media to call out corporations for their massive single-use plastic footprints.
PRESS RELEASE -
In a world motivated by social cred and “likes,” it comes as no surprise that U.S. consumers on average spend roughly $250 a month on clothes, shoes and accessories. But what you might not expect is that men not only outspend women when it comes to their closet (spending an average of $310.50 per month on their wardrobe, compared to $187.20 for women), they are also 52 percent more likely than women to say they care a lot about eco-conscious fashion. Just in time for Earth Day, outdoor lifestyle brand Timberland shines a spotlight on what consumers value most when it comes to “going green” with their wardrobe.
BEHAVIOR CHANGE -
Imagine buying a pair of shoes and being able to address the carbon emissions from those shoes’ production and transportation right when you buy them. To date, this hasn’t been possible: We didn’t have blockchain to immutably and transparently track the carbon; point-of-sale integrations were cumbersome, and the carbon market has only worked in tonnes while a pair of shoes is around 12kg of carbon.
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE -
The Procter & Gamble Company today announced it has achieved many of its 2020 environmental sustainability goals, has plans in place to meet the rest and has established new, broad-reaching goals for 2030.
BEHAVIOR CHANGE -
2018 has already seen a number of environmentally conscious trends — such as a switch to electric vehicles and plant-based diets — make the headlines.
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE -
This is the seventh in a series of articles examining how business leaders and companies can transform their corporate culture in order to succeed in the midst of the impending Purpose Revolution. Find links to the full series below.
The business world has been obsessed with the millennials for quite some time now. Millennials are the largest working generation and have considerable influence as purchasers and drivers of consumer preferences. Yet we believe that leading corporations don’t understand the millennial mindset.
BEHAVIOR CHANGE -
We’re increasingly living in a world of purpose-led brands, as growing numbers of consumers are more interested than ever in the “big world” issues related to the products they buy, and how they use them. And yet, when it comes to the sustainability sector, we still struggle to apply some of the most basic communications principles to the issues we are trying to solve.
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE -
This is the sixth in a series of articles examining how business leaders and companies can transform their corporate culture in order to succeed in the midst of the impending Purpose Revolution. Find links to the full series below.
PRESS RELEASE -
What is the purpose of procurement? Not long ago, the answer might have been “to lower costs” or “drive process efficiencies.” But times are changing. Today, many companies are looking to procurement to make the world a better place and improve lives. And SAP Ariba can help them do it. The company today announced it is opening access to additional insights as part of its supplier risk solution, enabling companies to track more than 200 risk types and more effectively manage their costs with conscience. The news came during SAP Ariba Live, the premier business commerce conference being held this week at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.