If you spend any time watching mainstream news, you may have decided that the concept of sustainability has consigned to history in favour of the drive for ‘growth at all costs’. This has added a new layer of divisiveness to a subject that we should all be vitally interested in.
While the public discourse indicates a pendulum swing against any requirement for resource stewardship, closer inspection reveals that this is not the case.
Embedded sustainability requirements
While news channels are ablaze with competing views – often extreme and illogical – the real business of sustainability continues to quietly gather momentum.
We recently participated in a global pitch for a major US-based VHAC legacy brand – a leading company in a sector at the coalface of the energy debate (with a combined draw of almost 50% of global energy consumption). Upon reading the RFP and researching this brand, its competitors and their customers, there was one undeniable priority that was evident across the sector; the focus on sustainability in meeting the compliance demands of both regulators and customers.
It’d be simple to think this was only about reduced costs – which is part of the story, of course. But the drive to achieve more with less went far deeper than this. It went to the very core of how procurement teams are managing risk into the future, and how companies positioned to win the best talent.
And if you think this is simply a first-world issue, think again. UbiqitumTM research in the lead-up this bid showed that countries like India and China, where capital cost has traditionally been the overriding priority for partner selection, are as focused on sustainability in their procurement efforts as their first-world counterparts. In fact, many have local brands that are now challenging legacy brands in the development of high efficiency heating, cooling and chilling solutions.
Most people will never see evidence of this drive, but they will be the beneficiaries.
Where the drive for sustainability is most evident
The transport sector is another area where energy use is a critical factor in supplier selection. The swing to high efficiency vehicles is seeing massive reductions in fuels costs and relative emissions.
Think about this. Only 50 years ago, fuel consumption of 8.6 km/litre of fuel (around 14 litres/100 kms) was considered worthy. New vehicles now routinely deliver 2-4 litres/100 kms economy and superior performance. They are more efficient by a factor of 5+.
The best example of this visibility exists in the world’s most watched sport, Formula One. This code overtly continues to lead the energy efficiency stakes, with its current engines delivering over 50% thermal efficiency – way ahead of every other kind of engine other than the massive diesel engines in container ships, which come close.
As it should, F1 technology will continue to translate into efficiency gains in the mass-market auto sector – all without losing any of its drama, speed and thrill.
If there is a swing against sustainability at a surface level, the world’s most popular sport is not listening.
What this means for marketers
DPR&Co recently hosted a Sustainability Symposium with Empauer and The Product Stewardship Centre of Excellence.
The conversations around sustainability were sober, business focused and completely at odds with the divisiveness evident in most public discourse.
This was an event where deeply experienced scientists and members of the business community discussed:
- Real world pathways to achieving more with less while delivering (and communicating) better customer outcomes.
- Shedding light on the role that legislation, compliance and the market (energy scarcity) will play on making sustainability a priority.
- The less obvious ways companies can profit from investing in doing more with less.
- How to communicate commitments to sustainability credibly as part of an enhanced customer value promise.
In his keynote address, DPR&Co’s co-founder and Executive Creative Director, Richard Ralphsmith highlighted the need to overcome the ‘say-do’ gap (the difference between what people say they’ll do and what they actually do) in encouraging efficiency-focused changes to shift buyer behaviour.
The quiet achievers are at work
As is always the case, the real moves toward positive change are happening in labs, engineering hubs, compliance and procurement units and in the ‘c’-suite. This is not about cancel culture, wokeism or corporate belligerence.
It’s about the real business of business in a world where resources are never limitless.
How will you respond?
If you want to see how your commitment to efficiency can translate to better business outcomes, contact us for a short discussion.