The document provides an overview of the 4 stages ("4i's") that brands progress through in integrating sustainability: Investigate, Internalise, Innovate, and Inspire.
It describes each stage in terms of the brand's mentality, drivers and benefits, strategic focus, and activation approaches. The stages range from a minimum compliance approach focused on risk mitigation, to a holistic approach where sustainability is embedded in the brand's DNA and it seeks to lead industry change. The document suggests assessing where brands currently fit along this continuum and setting tasks to help them progress further.
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Dragonfly: Sustainability
1. Dragon New
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Dragonfly is a Dragon Rouge publication
driven by debate and insights, focusing on the
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Sustainability Inside
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Buyer
behaviour
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development
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i
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_give your brand
and business a new
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Positioning
Insights
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2. dragonrouge.com Dragonfly_03
“We are already finding
that tackling sustainability
Welcome to this special edition of
challenges provides Dragonfly, dedicated to brands and
new opportunities for sustainability. The world’s great
sustainable growth: it environmental and social challenges
– climate change, water shortages,
creates preference for our biodiversity, health, poverty and equality
brands, builds business with are moving to the top of almost every
our retail customers, drives corporate agenda, despite the global
recession. And there is increasing evidence
our innovation, grows our that leading companies are beginning
markets and, in many cases, to embed sustainability into their
strategies, operations and products.
generates cost savings.”
We think this makes it an ideal time to explore how sustainability
_PAUL POLMAN can be integrated into brands. We don’t see sustainability as a separate
CEO, Unilever thing or set of issues done alongside normal brand development or
innovation processes. Sustainability needs to be in these activities, and
in the best cases driving these activities. Dragon Rouge believes that
brands have an important role in helping to change behaviour and attitudes
towards more sustainable consumption and production. And equally,
that sustainability provides a powerful platform through which brands can
deepen their connections, engage their stakeholders and deliver against
increasing expectations.
Our ‘Sustainability Inside’ process weaves the material, social and
environmental impacts of the brand with its positioning, proposition and
history to help focus activities and communications, where they will have
Contents most relevance and potential for opportunity creation and brand building.
03_Welcome
So perhaps a separate Dragonfly on sustainability integration is really
something of a contradiction in terms, as we would rather see sustainability
04_What's making us go WOW! covered in every issue of Dragonfly (which it is!). However, it’s a subject that
06_Communicating and connecting: is on the agenda for so many people at the moment that we felt it would
the new rules for sustainability be justified to devote a whole issue to it.
08_The 4i’s of Sustainable Brands
10_Emerging sustainability concepts
12_Q&A: Ask the experts
14_Q&A: David Brunt, Director, Dulux
15_Brand Manager in 2015 Enjoy!
16_5 things to do now
3. 0 4_Dragonfly Sustainability Inside dragonrouge.com Dragonfly_05
WoW WhAT'S MAKING uS Go WoW!
The last year has been a year of really bright ideas and innovation in the area of
sustainability. We’ve been watching closely and picked out 10 that we see as
being particularly interesting; either for their behaviour change potential, technology
application or just downright cool and smart. Have a read through and see what
you think. We hope it inspires you to think beyond for your brand to consider what
WWF – Open Planet Ideas
C
rowd-sourcing is flavour of the month
and last year Sony teamed up with WWF
(World Wide Fund for Nature) to harness
the collective power of communities.
Open Planet Ideas challenged the creative
audience to come up with ideas on how
to repurpose existing technology for
environmental and social good. Receiving
over 300 inspirations and 400 concepts, the
winning 'Green Book' entry proposed an
might just be possible. innovative app to encourage more localised
volunteering. Nine months on, Sony has just
announced a partnership with YouthNet to
bring the idea to market.
Unilever – Sustainable Living Plan
Two billion times a day, somebody, some
eBay – Box Nike – Better World statistic, somewhere uses a Unilever
his one just makes sense. In 2010
T From refurbishing basketball courts brand. The latest piece of inspiration from
eBay launched their own box-packaging in New York state to using sport to halt civil this global superbrand is the Sustainable
programme that enabled sellers to war in the Ivory Coast. Nike Better World Living Plan. Part mantra, part business
package sold products appropriately. gives a full account of Nike’s behind the plan, this site sets out their manifesto for
With shipping and packaging being a scenes efforts to make a difference to our improving health and well being, reducing
major environmental issue for the global planet and communicating. What strikes environmental impact and enhancing
e-tailer, this is a bold move. The boxes us here is the tone of voice and sheer livelihoods. And they’ve measured and
are made from 100% recycled content breadth of activities. All packaged up in recorded the environmental impact of over
and contain water-based inks. Each has Ecosia – The green search engine a tone that we’ve come to expect and 1,600 of their products too. Impressed yet?
its own tracking chip so buyers can see Search the web and save the planet at admire from this brand. Unilever continue to set the benchmark
the whereabouts of their goods in transit. the same time. Ecosia have teamed up when it comes to integrating sustainability
Good on you eBay. with Bing and Yahoo, to deliver a really Barcoo – Mobile phone app into their brands. Time to observe if you
neat way to contribute to the environment. Launched in April 2010, Barcoo is a haven’t already.
Every time a visitor clicks on one of the mobile phone app that could create a
sponsored links money goes to Bing or new generation of ethical shoppers by Ikea – Reuse and resale initiatives
Yahoo. They then give it to Ecosia and they allowing them to check a company's social Often challenged for its commitment to
invest it in the conservation of rainforests responsibility rating and environmental sustainable development Ikea has come
around the world. Smart and simple stuff. credentials. The app also provides out fighting in 2010. They launched their own
shoppers with price comparison data second hand furniture market for customers
Kickstarter – Creative funding available by other apps. But it’s the to buy and sell goods through the brand's
eard of them? They’re now the largest
H ethical angle that has caught the eye website. They’ve also teamed up with the
provider of creative projects in the world. of consumers and watchdogs alike. A Furniture Reuse Network (FRN) and its 300
They’re turning dreams into reality by great innovation to change our everyday UK members to encourage people to donate
connecting people and groups around shopping habits for the future. used furniture to local charities through
shared interests. Kickstarter launched take-back programmes.
in 2010 and has grown in profile and
Credit: eBay, Ecosia, Puma, Kickstarter, Barcoo, WWF
Gazelle – Waste management prominence ever since. It’s a new way Puma – Bag Box
How many old mobiles have you got sat to fund creative ideas and ambitious Puma will roll out its new packaging in the
in a drawer? Four? Five? Gazelle’s the endeavors, powered by a unique 'all or second half of this year. It will sell its shoes
answer to your plight. Give them the make nothing' funding method where projects in cardboard frames wrapped in reusable
of the phone and the age and they’ll give must be fully funded or no money changes shoe bags – called the 'Clever Little Bag’.
you a price. There and then they’ll even hands. So if everyone does have a book in In doing so the company aims to use 65%
pay for postage and packaging. Gazelle them, here’s your chance to shine. less paper, and save 20m megajoules of
has become a go-to resource for millions electricity, 1m litres of water and 500,000
of people looking to sell and recycle used litres of diesel and 8,500 tonnes of paper a
electronics. It’s changing the way we year. It looks quite cool too. How long before
manage our waste and rewarding us for this new innovation becomes the standard
our actions. stock on the high street?
4. dragonrouge.com Dragonfly_07
Sustainability has given a spur to innovation in many Rule No. 1: The old rules still apply. When it comes to covering
companies. New thinking into how to do more, better, off the basics of what people need to know about a company’s
track record, good practice standards of reporting are essential.
with less impact and how to put back, not just take out, Set out meaningful targets and track the brand or company’s
performance against them. Never let the glitz of cutting edge
have changed operating models and sparked streams of channels overwhelm the importance of core content. People still
new product ideas. That vibrancy of thinking needs to flow need to know what you aim to do and what you have done.
through into sustainability communications, too. Getting
Rule No. 2: Make it human scale. Don’t just confine yourself
it right can transform brand relationships. to broad policies and objectives, let people know exactly what
these mean for what they buy. SC Johnson have taken a lead
But what are the new rules? with their website ‘What we’re made of’ which gives a complete
run down of their products’ ingredients. Clothes brand,
Icebreaker, allows their customers to track where each of their
products have been sourced and made through individual ‘baa
codes’ that get right down into where the lamb was reared and
the wool sheared.
Rule No. 3: Open yourself up to scrutiny and stir up debate.
There is genuine potential in technology. It allows people not just
to dig deep into your record and tell you what they think, but to
debate with each other. You can learn a lot from those
conversations. Sustainability communications can’t be just one
way, they don’t even need to be just two way. The technology
exists in Web 2.0 to create multi-lateral discussions and ideas
exchanges. SAP’s interactive sustainability map is a pioneering
example of what can be achieved. Browsers can interact with Corona ‘Save the Beach’ campaign
the data and each other and comment on SAP’s performance.
Everyone can have a stake in making progress.
Rule No. 4: Call for ideas. Open sourcing is part of the zeitgeist
in product development so make it part of your approach to
Communicating sustainability communications too. Tell your customers the story
of your sustainable brand record so far and encourage them to
and connecting: help you write the next chapter and improve sustainability
performance when the product leaves you and reaches them.
Levi’s worked out that the biggest impact their products have
the new rules for on the environment comes from drying. So they teamed up with
Myoo Create and launched the ‘Care to air’ campaign to find
sustainability ‘the most innovative, covetable and sustainable air drying Icebreaker ‘baa’ campaign
solution’ for clothes.
Rule No. 5: Never forget your friends. Plenty of involvement and
interaction is great and social media a perfect tool. But you
Credit: Levi's, Icebreaker, Corona
need to keep the dialogue going. Launching a Facebook page
in support of an initiative and then neglecting it is worse than
never creating it in the first place. It reeks of tokenism. Keep
active and alive.
Rule No. 6: Put some joy into it. Involving consumers is a critical
part of sustainability communications. You want them to do their Levi's ‘Care to Air’ campaign
bit to help you do yours and make products sustainable
throughout their lifecycle. But don’t guilt trip them with critique
or turn them off with too worthy a tone of voice. You want them
“The ‘Corona Save The Beach
to enjoy the collaboration. Mexican beer brand Corona is a great Hotel’ is an example of the power
example of getting it right. With their ‘Save the Beach’ campaign,
they picked a relevant issue (the preservation of beaches) and communication and PR have to
had their youthful target audience always in mind. The campaign
was rooted in social media and by tapping effectively into the make good things happen and
perception of Corona as a summer brand, their campaign
was true to their brand and achieved real traction.
change mentalities.”
Now that’s a sustainable communications campaign that Fernando Godoy Sánez de Heredia
we can all raise a glass to! General Creative manager of El Señor Goldwind
5. 0 8_Dragonfly Sustainability Inside dragonrouge.com Dragonfly_09
WhERE aRE yOU?
_The 4i’s of Sustainable Brands
Sustainability works for your
brand when it’s less about
a brand claim, and more
about a commitment or way
of working. See it as a journey
for your brand.
Getting going on sustainability can be
challenging, as it can feel like you need to
be perfect or whiter than white in everything
you do. And if you’re already active, even
leading on sustainability, you can’t stand
still or you’ll get left behind as the debate
moves on around you.
We think about sustainability as a spectrum
or continuum of brand performance and
commitments – the 4i’s of sustainability
integration - from laggard to leader, from
beginner to trailblazer.
Investigate Internalise Innovate Inspire
~ Work to a social, environmental
Mentality ~ Minimum standards ~ Compliance culture ~ Opportunity
and economic bottom line
~ Denial or defuse ~ Monitoring and reporting ~ Differentiation
~ olistic, systems-based
H
~ Reducing risks at best ~ Management issue ~ Innovation
~ thics in DNA, values-led
E
~ By the book ~ Creativity
~ Leadership - beyond the
Drivers and ~ Risk mitigation ~ Enhances reputation ~ Consumer recruitment
business case
benefits ~ Licence to operate ~ Cost savings ~ Revenue
~ Create new sustainable markets
~ Existing customer loyalty
~ Social business models
~ Access to new markets
and customers
~ Change, shape, lead categories
What they do ~ Philanthropy, charity, ~ Stakeholder engagement ~ Employee engagement
community programmes ~ Divesting unsustainable products
on strategy? ~ Efficiency programmes ~ Supplier partnerships and
~ Build internal business case ~ Sustainability programme strategic relationships ~ Industry leadership/
~ Developing policy and strategy with targets ~ Carbon and water co-operation
~ Supplier auditing ~ Footprinting
~ Customer auditing ~ Sustainability in staff rewards
~ Champion causes
What they do ~ Green-wash ~ Communicate what they do ~ Focus on differentiation Set a task:
~ Sustainability advocates
on activation? ~ Defend themselves ~ Innovate, communicate ~ Sustained programme that
1. Which brands do you think would
~ Attack competition on a single issue is brand relevant ~ Pilot new technology
i.e. improve packaging fit along the four stages of the
~ Connect messaging across ~ Realign business models
~ Single sustainability or the marketing mix
sustainability continuum? Name
~ Choice edit or influence
CSR campaign for customers
three at each stage. Where would
you position your brand?
Where are you and 1. 1. 1. 1. 2. What strategy would you adopt
the competition? 2. 2. 2. 2. to move along stages of the
3. 3. 3. 3. continuum? Or how would
continue to stay ahead?
6. dragonrouge.com Dragonfly_11
EMERGING Building sustainability through brands
SUSTaINaBILITy Sustainability must function not as an adjunct, but as
an integrated component of your brand. We see this as
CONCEPTS
sustainability and brand integration. Sustainability leaders
have found that the brand is a great place to ‘anchor’
sustainability plus it delivers the most business benefits
too. 72% of CEO’s in the above-mentioned survey cited
“brand, trust and reputation” as one of the top three factors
driving them to take action on sustainability issues. Some
companies are delivering their corporate sustainability
commitments to customers and consumers through their
product brands – Unilever’s Brand Imprint model is a
tool to help do this. Others are bundling up activities to
fashion a convincing, cogent and cohesive sustainability
story that is faithful to their brand positioning. IBM’s
Smarter Planet springs to mind. On the flip-side, brands
can help sustainability. They are great at introducing new
sustainability concepts and behaviours, and making them
feel normal.
New concepts emerge
Old thinking around the sustainability lexicon centred
around terms like reduce, minimise, optimise, and
motivations like cost savings, and risk reduction.
New models of sustainability shift beyond correcting
existing mistakes towards zero impact objectives,
restoring, and giving back to nature and society.
Timberland aims ‘to leverage [their] corporate influence
to make a positive contribution to the world’, whilst
InterfaceFlor has its Mission Zero to be a zero impact
business by 2020, thereafter being environmentally
restorative. Similar concepts such as ‘cradle-to-cradle
81%
Disruptive cleantech brands design’, championed by Aveda and Puma, Biomimicry
Revolutions have protagonists, antagonists, heroes and (aped by Nike and Arup) and closed loop material cycles
villains; the sustainability revolution will be no different. and business models (M&S and Philips) will influence
New brands will emerge, new technologies will evolve and the next generation of smart designers and managers to
different categories will develop. Despite the recession, design brands for zero waste, that respect nature and use
the clean-tech revolution (companies built around new its processes or principles.
green and clean technology) continues apace. Expect this
of CEo’s stated that to rival the digital revolution at the turn of the millennium.
‘sustainability issues are This gave rise to a new generation of global power brands: Sustainability: a fresh look at creating value
Google, eBay, Amazon and Facebook to name but a few. Moving towards sustainability will be a challenge for many
now fully embedded into the In the near future we can expect a cleantech power brand brands. It can require big changes to technology, materials
strategy and operations of to emerge in a similar fashion. Who will be the Google of and even customer behaviours. But sometimes even
their company (compared the cleantech world? Most likely a current start-up or high that will not be enough as brands will need to look at the
growth cleantech company that not only has superior sustainability of their business model – where increased
to just 50% in 2007)’ technology and a winning business model, but smart profit is dependent on increased resource use, product
Source: UN Global Impact-Accenture CEO study 2010 communication and customer connection. If Dragonfly obsolescence or waste. Happily new models of enterprise
were a betting type, then our money would be on Shai are being devised and implemented.
Agassi’s Better Place. Who is yours on?
The January edition of the Harvard Business Review saw
Sustainability is a dynamic Sustainable business goes mainstream Beyond reputation – towards growth management guru Michael Porter coin the term ‘Creating
process with constantly evolving The Accenture/UN Global Impact CEO and innovation Shared Value’ for just this challenge. This “involves creating
survey from late 2010 heralded a ‘New Era Wind back just five years to an age when economic value in a way that also creates value for society
targets. Yesterday’s pioneering of Sustainability’. A staggering 81% of CEO’s companies’ sustainability targets revolved around by addressing its needs and challenges.” Blurring the
practice becomes today’s hygiene stated that ‘sustainability issues are now fully saving CO2, water, waste or increasing charitable traditional boundaries between business, corporate social
embedded into the strategy and operations donations. At best the benefits were reputational responsibility, philanthropy and social enterprise, this
factors for a business.
of their company (compared to just 50% coupled with cost savings. Today brands see concept is already taking shape through brand pioneers
in 2007)’. It is on the radar of almost every sustainability as a path to growth and revenue such as Grameen Danone.
Whether a sustainability leader business leader with 93% of them ‘believing and set their goals and targets accordingly.
or laggard, knowing what is on that sustainability issues will be critical Forward-thinking brands focus on making Danone has partnered with Nobel Prize winner Muhammad
the horizon is critical to staying to the future success of their business’. money and creating markets; P&G, DuPont Yunus’ Grameen Bank to launch a joint venture as a social
Does sustainability feel so embedded and and Philips all have sales or revenue targets business providing a low-cost, highly nutritious, low eco-
one step ahead and anticipating mainstream to you? If yes, don’t rest on your from sustainable products. GE CEO Jeff Immelt impact dairy product for the Bangladeshi market produced
Credit: InterfaceFlor, M&S, IBM
potential issues. laurels, as sustainability is a journey that will notes “sustainability is the business strategy. It’s locally. It is distributed using local channels and all the
need ongoing commitments. If not, time to our roadmap for how we operate and how we profits are ploughed back into the business. Rumour has it;
_What new themes, concepts get going or you may be left behind. innovate”. P&G doesn’t target sustainability as these are the hottest, most sought-after jobs in Danone.
and trends are emerging? niche, but at mainstream consumers. No longer
confined to small segments, sustainability now This is a win-win for business and society, but it’s also a real
finds traction across the marketplace offering stretch for ‘brand-as-usual’. It’s here that you really get the
major opportunities for brands. sense of how transformational sustainability can actually be.
7. 12_Dragonfly Sustainability Inside dragonrouge.com Dragonfly_13
01. “I’m a new brand manager with CS adds: Your brands may position themselves CS adds: Sustainability improvements can
differently on sustainability because of the provide opportunities for brand differentiation
sustainability in my job description.
different markets they operate in or their and innovation that can attract users and lead
I’ve been tasked with implementing different customer profiles, but it makes sense to sales increases, but mostly sustainability
it into my brand, but I don’t know to use the same approach to integrating acts as a support to other brand features and
where to start” sustainability within the brand. Should benefits, helping to strengthen the brand’s
sustainability be embedded within the brand position with customers in the long-term.
AJ: Sustainability is complex but we found model or vision? Should each brand have a Ultimately you should try to track this through
the best way to start is by thinking of a few clear sustainability strategy and plan, integrated traditional brand metrics like how it reinforces
key impacts that can be addressed relatively within the overall brand strategy? existing brand attributes or builds your
effectively. These could include packaging reputation, loyalty and trust.
design, product waste prevention, sourcing raw
materials from accredited sources, fairly traded
03. “I’m an internal sustainability
products, energy and water saving.
champion but nobody seems to own 05. “I lead a sustainability
Su: The first step is to understand the pioneering brand. What do you think
environmental and social impacts of your brand
the issue internally. CSR, brand,
throughout its entire life cycle. If your brand communications, they all know a bit are the three big sustainability issues/
includes products from different categories, but aren’t sure enough to lead. How challenges brands need to think
then map the key sustainability impacts about over the next three years?
can I take the initiative?”
according to product or service category.
Where you can, adapt an existing brand insight AJ: I'm sure climate change will still be on the
AJ: Ultimately senior management will need to
tool to give you this impact data. agenda but resource scarcity (including water
take the lead so that the process is top down
stress and biodiversity loss) is rising quickly. In
Then, be clear what you are trying to with everyone understanding they have a role
turn these two will start to make people think
achieve. Decide where you want to be on a to play. In the interim, building a network of
about over consumption in an overpopulated
continuum from a brand that understands its sustainability champions will help share ideas
world, which is a big and tricky issue for brands.
environmental and social impacts, and is quietly and learnings. This can be put forward for
reducing these (the get-on-with-it brand), to a adoption by senior managers. Su: One issue – water – until recently the poor
brand that wants to effect wider change with its relation to carbon. Embedded water (how
Su: Think of yourself as the sustainability
consumers (the sustainability-champion brand). much water it takes to make a product), will
enabler. Think through what each function
soon become a defining metric. One impact
CS adds: “We’d add two further things. Your needs to do to make sustainability work, and
– product use in the home. Brands will have
brand model and current positioning must be then identify the benefits to that department.
to get much better at influencing consumer
the reference point, to ensure that you focus For example, communicating sustainability can
behaviour as this is where the big impacts lie.
on issues that are relevant to and support the create new ways of reaching customers and
core purpose behind your brand. Find a way can build existing relationships. Armed with the CS adds: A product can be given the ultimate
of doing things that reflects the brand’s values mini-business case for each function, sell in the sustainability makeover, but how it is used
and personality. Make friends with your internal benefits of them doing their bit. And recognise in the home can dwarf any manufacturing
sustainability experts – they will be valuable that change doesn’t happen overnight – as a impacts. And one inconvenient truth – our
sources of information and inspiration. sustainability enabler, your key role is change current patterns of consumption are completely
management. unsustainable. Brands need to understand that
in a resource constrained world, more is less.
CS adds: Think of this like an internal brand
02. “I’m the corporate sustainability engagement project. A multi-disciplinary team We explore this further in Trendwatch on page 10.
working on this is critical as sustainability needs
director. I need to find a way to
to cross functional boundaries. The brand is
get a complex, global portfolio of a great anchor, ensuring that sustainability is Andrew Jenkins
differently positioned brands aligned seen as central to the future of the business. Andrew is Sustainable Development
in a way that works for the brands but Manager – Products at Boots
also tells a coherent corporate story” UK Plc. As a member of the
04. “I’m the marketing director Quality and CSR Support team he
AJ: Carry out a quick assessment of where each develops Boots strategy on product
of the brands sit. Then evaluate how consumers
reporting on sustainability to the
sustainability and advises product
think about sustainability with each brand. Does board. The problem is that I can’t marketing and development groups
the consumer perception match reality? If not, prove to my superiors that this is on sustainable development issues.
consider what improvements could be made
something that would create tangible
Q&A: ASK THE EXPERTS and how the overall portfolio could be made
gains for our brand” Sally uren
more sustainable. Using a consistent evaluation
technique will help to develop a coherent story Sally is Deputy Chief Executive at
What are the big dilemmas and across your brand portfolio.
AJ: Buy-in can be achieved by demonstrating
the value sustainability can bring. Try linking
sustainability to brand trust or emphasising
the leading sustainability advisory
group/charity Forum for the Future.
opportunities for brands and sustainability
Su: Step 1 – identify the most material She leads the partnership work and
sustainability issue for each brand. Step 2 – that sustainability delivers value through waste
engagement with business a well as
take your consumer insight data for each brand reduction and greater efficiency. Sustainable
Forum’s work in the retail and food
– and what should you do about them? and understand how your main consumer
groups view sustainability – are they mostly
innovation can also be a source of new
product concepts and new directions for the
organisation.
sectors.
dark greens – or, more likely, are they the
passive onlookers – the mainstream majority Chris Sherwin
We talk to people all the time about sustainability and brands. Surprisingly Su: Use hard facts. It’s no accident that the
the same difficulties, dilemmas and questions come through again and who will ‘do’ sustainability if it is made easy. über-brands – Unilever, P&G, PepsiCo – are Chris leads the sustainability
again, showing people are facing similar challenges. Step 3 – tailor the sustainability message busily putting sustainability at the heart of consultancy team at Dragon Rouge
according to key impact areas and where their growth strategies. They understand that and has fifteen years experience
We put five of the most regular questions we get asked to two experts: the consumer is. Step 4 – check the different sustainability is critical to delivering long-term taking strategy into implementation
Andrew Jenkins, Sustainability Manager at Boots UK and Sally Uren, messages with the corporate sustainability value for the business. through innovation, design and
Deputy CEO of sustainability thought leaders Forum for the Future. message and adjust the language accordingly. branding.
8. 14_Dragonfly Sustainability Inside
BRAND
MANAGER
IN 2015
02
As sustainability becomes mainstream, the job 01
of the brand manager will evolve too. Here are
Q&A: DAVID BRUNT 10 things you may find in every marketer's job
description in the future:
Dragonfly asks David Brunt of global decorative 03
brand Dulux what life is like at the helm of a
global sustainability programme. 10
09
01. Why did your company choose 04. In your experience what do 06. How do you see sustainability
04
to set up the position of Global those businesses that have embraced impacting your industry and market
Marketing & Products Sustainability the sustainability agenda have in this year?
Director? common? I think sustainability will continue to become
As a company we had taken the decision to I think they see that as a business they have more mainstream, though I suspect we will
take a leadership position in sustainability and wider responsibilities beyond just making still see launches of more niche ‘eco’ products.
05 08
part of this was to build sustainability into the money – having a place in the wider society, There will be evolving legislation in Europe
DNA of our brands. This is a marketing task which in turn maintains their relevance as a – France is pushing for certain sustainability
primarily so hence the need for the role in the business. 06
legislation and this has to come together
organisation. with an EU view.
They also realise that sustainability is
fundamentally good business and ensures
02. What exactly does your the longevity of their own company.
role cover?
07. In your view what are the
Finally they also understand that they are benefits of integrating sustainability 07
Always a difficult question! My role is split selling to real people like you and me, and
through the brand, rather than
broadly into two. The first is to help define the relevant sustainability initiatives are a good
sustainability strategy for our products/brands way of getting emotional engagement between supply chain.
and facilitate the implementation of it through brands and consumers and to build a greater I believe we have to do both – one without
our business units around the world. What depth of brand trust. For example if you were the other lacks integrity. As I see it integrating
does this cover? From brand communication buying a car from a salesman – I suspect sustainability into the brand (in a unique way)
all the way through to environmental metrics that you would prefer to buy from a salesman means that you add greater value with the
of our products. that demonstrates honesty and integrity and possibility of deepening, even further, the
shows interest in more than his commission he relationship with your consumer. It also can
The second is around global innovation –
will get from selling you a car. That’s the role give you greater differentiation at a time when
building and leading the product innovation
sustainability can play for a brand. differentiation is hard to carve out.
portfolio specifically focused on sustainability.
However there are aspects of sustainability
03. Do you think sustainability is 05. What do you see as the biggest that are not so relevant to communicate – like
a term or trend in need of greater challenge facing businesses in the reducing water usage by installing waterless
area of sustainability? urinals! – however these things still need to be
definition? done and that is why it needs to be integrated
I think more and more companies are creating I think the big question is how to reach into the supply chain and the whole business. 01 Must be able to have a relevant and meaningful 06 Will know how to track consumers' views on sustainability
roles like this to get things moving in the ‘sustainable consumption’ in a world with conversation with their sustainability or CSR manager through appropriate market research and consumer insight.
marketing area. And I believe the role will massive population growth in the some – which both understand.
change as time goes on. The focus of the role continents coupled with growing expectations 08. What will sustainability 07 Measures the environmental and societal value, as well as
is different when starting from a blank sheet for standard of living. How can sustainable mean for the brand manager and 02 Must be familiar with things like lifecycle analysis, carbon the brand equity value, of their recent campaign, innovation
consumption exist in this context alongside or water footprinting, or eco-impact assessment. or activation.
compared to a couple of years down the line marketing director of the future?
once programmes have been kicked off and business objectives of growth and profitability?
Sustainability will not be the preserve of one 03 W
ill seek insights from stakeholders – NGO’s, opinion 08 Will take the lead on ensuring that sustainability is a core
sustainability naturally becomes integrated
person’s role but will be on the agenda of formers, thought leaders – as well as consumers or consideration in any new product or innovation programme
into marketing teams worldwide.
every marketer in the future. I am already customers. within the business.
seeing some shift in the way people are talking
and thinking and this will accelerate. The 04 Will have read – and can reference – their companies 09 Will know how to engage peers and especially brand
consequences are that marketers will need to Sustainability or CSR report. Will also know their and marketing teams in the importance and relevance
be prepared to learn about sustainability and corporate sustainability targets. of sustainability in everyday brand management.
how it applies to their brands and products
05 Will follow trends from sources like treehugger.com, 10 Will be prepared and able to build the business case
– because making the right decision does
Business for Social Responsibility, Ethical Corporation, on sustainability for any cynical or unenlightened board
require some depth of knowledge in what
The Ecologist, World Business Council for Sustainable member. Remember it's about opportunity and reward.
can be a complex area. Development, Green Futures. Not risk mitigation.