“Lasting value is earned when people see their own values authentically reflected in the organization and choose to passionately live, breathe, and share the company’s story.”
– Charlena Millar
Nowadays, an organization and its logo is much more than a distinctive logo or a snappy phrase that appears in every advertisement.
When a customer thinks of your organization, the following may come to mind: your vision, mission, personality, values, and identity.
When you think about the impact your sustainability efforts, well the sum of it is what I like to call your “sustainability brand.” It is your distinctive value impact proposition to the stakeholders who engage with you.
In this domain, recognizing your audience’s characteristics and values can be just as important as creating your mission statement.
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Why is a powerful sustainability brand crucial?
Let’s take a look at Apple. Would you agree trhat they are a well-known brand? The situation is evident.
In addition to helping them stand out from the competition, a strong brand helped them establish the company’s and its products’ perceived worth.
People knew they were receiving the newest and most innovative technology when they purchased an Apple device in the early 2000s (the iPod/iPhone era).
Furthermore, they were prepared to pay more for the opportunity.
Exactly what are sustainability brand values?
A sustainability brand’s fundamental values are the things that the company stands for.
These are the primary values and tenets that direct the organization’s sustainability efforts and operations. This can be seen as the compass that directs its objectives, is part of the company culture, and even determines the appropriate tone of voice to use when communicating with clients.
Establishing firm’s sustainability brand values requires a business to have a clear direction in mind.
Establishing and implementing these values takes time and effort. For this reason, it’s critical for a corporation to understand its current position as well as its desired future position. I call this a sustainability vision.
Customers will pay attention to how you align your actions with this vision. Something will come apart if you say one thing to your staff and the other to your clients.
Your sustainability brand values need to be applied consistently to every facet of operations.
Additionally, these values need to be communicated.
This includes both external communications with customers and internal conversations with employees.
It’s really straightforward: You won’t be connected to the sustainability brand Values if you fail to convey them.
Some ideas for your sustainability brand values
Numerous factors need to be taken into account while considering businesses and their values.
- What matters to us as a company?
- What matters in our line of work?
- What matters to our clients these days?
- What matters to our clients now, and in the future?
Here are some typical illustrations and classifications of brand values:
1. Customer focus and excellence
- Customer-centricity
- Personalization
- Responsiveness
- Service Excellence
2. Innovation and creativity
- Creativity
- Inventiveness
- Forward-thinking
- Resourcefulness
3. Authenticity and integrity
- Accountability
- Authenticity
- Honesty
- Trustworthiness
4. Diversity and inclusion
- Diversity
- Empowerment
- Equality
- Inclusivity
5. Sustainability and social responsibility
- Environmental consciousness
- Ethical practices
- Social responsibility
- Sustainability
6. Quality and reliability
- Consistency
- Craftsmanship
- Durability
- Reliability
7. Passion and enthusiasm
- Dedication
- Passion
- Enthusiasm
- Love for the brand
8. Influence and leadership
- Industry and thought leadership
- Influence
- Inspiring others
- Visionary
9. Adaptability and flexibility
- Adaptability
- Agility
- Flexibility/Embracing change
- Open-mindedness
10. Collaboration and teamwork
- Collaboration
- Cooperation
- Partnership
- Teamwork
Without a doubt, a great vision statement should do more than just inform—it should inspire.
Examples of sustainability brand values
Fortunately, we have access to some excellent case studies of businesses and their core principles.
Airbnb values
Core Values: Community, Diversity, Sharing Economy
By fostering a feeling of camaraderie between its hosts and guests, Airbnb changed hospitality. The brand’s platform encourages cross-cultural interactions with a focus on interpersonal communication and shared experiences.
The brand promotes cultural discovery and understanding by providing lodging in a variety of neighborhoods and arranging traveler connections with local hosts. Numerous travelers have benefited from Airbnb’s ability to link them with local experiences all over the world.
Airbnb is among the best instances of the sharing economy in operation. They enable people to monetize their assets (such as vacant rooms, vacation houses, etc.), opening up fantastic chances for revenue production and advancing the circular economy.
Tesla values
Core Values: Innovation, Sustainability, Renewable Energy
It would be an understatement to suggest that Tesla transformed the electric vehicle market. Tesla has become the world leader in both electric vehicle and autonomous driving technologies by reinventing (and sharing) its technology.
In an attempt to hasten the global shift to sustainable energy, Tesla was founded with the goal of revolutionizing the fossil fuel-focused auto industry. It is evident from their production of renewable energy solutions and electric automobiles that sustainability is important to them and the globe at large.
In addition to electric vehicles, they also sell solar panels and home battery solutions. They encourage and support the usage of renewable energy sources in whatever they build. They labor to produce sustainable energy.
Patagonia values
Core Values: Environmental Stewardship, Sustainability, Ethical Business Practices
Patagonia is renowned for its dedication to sustainability and environmental stewardship. They actively support the preservation of public lands for future generations as well as the responsible use of goods (see out their “Don’t buy this Jacket” campaign).
An essential component of Patagonia’s sustainability brand identity is sustainability – it’s their entire DNA. The business respects fair labor standards, makes use of sustainable resources, and maintains supplier chain transparency. Their “Worn Wear” initiative promotes the circular economy by asking consumers to recycle and repair their belongings rather than throwing them away.
Patagonia places a high value on ethical business practices. They actively donate a sizeable amount of their income to organizations that support social and political engagement, and they engage in fair labor policies.
How to use strong sustainability brand values in your business
‘Put your money where your mouth is’ is a proverb that aptly describes sustainability brand values.
Putting resources towards it is one of the simplest and most effective methods to begin implementing a new value.
While there are many ways to support initiatives, donating a portion of sales or revenue to worthwhile causes is one of the most effective.
This can be as simple as designating a product line to support LGBTQ+ causes like Pineapple Island or allocating 1% of revenues to a nonprofit that promotes ocean conservation.
How to determine the core values of vour company
The idea that brands are created by companies is one of the most common fallacies about them.
The key word here, though, is “discover.”
Your brand already has values!
But before they can help you and your sustainability brand, you have to know what they are and how to describe them.
To assist in developing your core brand values, we suggest doing the following exercises to identify three to five traits and beliefs:
1. Think creatively with your team
Get your employees together and ask them to list the top five values that best encapsulate your brand.
Open-ended inquiries such as “What do we value most as a company?” are another option. Just as is asking:
“What are the values of our company?”
“Who are we?”
2. Discover what matters to your customers
Start having discussions about sustainability values with your customers as you develop relationships with them.
For instance, inquire as to “What makes you select our offerings over those of our rivals?” “What do you believe we excel at?”
You can learn more about what matters most to your customers and what makes your business stand out from their responses.
3. Take inspiration from unfavorable experiences
Consider a bad encounter you’ve had with a company, preferably a rival.
How did the encounter affect how you felt?
“What can your company do to ensure that your target customers don’t receive the same experience?”
4. Think back on the work you have already done
Examine what you’re currently doing and ask yourself why you are doing them.
Do you make an extra effort to ensure that clients receive your products in less than a day? You presumably like punctuality for this reason.
What does it say about your team if you manufacture skincare products utilizing solely natural ingredients?
5. Seek inspiration from the companies you adore
Identify your favorite brands and the reasons behind your affinity for them.
List the characteristics that set each firm or brand apart. Next, take note of the recurring themes and attributes that show up, and utilize these as a framework for creating your values.
Be sure to go into the tasks mentioned above with a willingness to learn, devoid of any preconceived ideas you may have about your brand or yourself. Setting aside time for introspection is beneficial since breaking from your daily routine can help you gain new insight and clarify your true values.
How to clearly define the core values of your sustainability brand
Clearly defining your desired core sustainability values for your entire organization is the next step after deciding what they are.
The following crucial documentation tips will help you ensure that your fundamental principles are having the desired impact:
1. Give them a practical purpose
Your basic principles are more than just attractive words on a page or website.
Document your company’s principles in a way that inspires action if you want your staff to uphold them.
Phrases like “innovation,” “diversity,” and “integrity” are insufficient. Instead, use verbs like “respect,” “strive,” and “recognize.”
2. Make them stand out
When business sustainability values are simple to recall, employees are more inclined to act on them.
Avoid using long descriptions and endless lists of words.
Rhyming or using alliteration, shorter, less frequent words and phrases are more likely to stick in your mind and elicit a reaction.
Also, the wording should be similar to what your staff members are saying.
3. Make them distinctive to your company
Since every business is different, your sustainability values ought to capture the essence of what sets yours apart.
To help set your beliefs apart from competitors, take a cue from your brand’s sustainability DNA and utilize language that fits its unique voice and tone.
4. Make them specific
Don’t leave any room for vagueness or interpretation.
Your values should be short, sweet, and straight to the point while still effectively conveying the desired ethics and emotions.
5. Make them meaningful
Words only have power when they’re authentic.
Instead of simply choosing adjectives that sound good, make sure they have deep meaning for you and your business.
Keep a thesaurus handy when documenting your sustainability values, and don’t be afraid to take the time to research various definitions.
6. Make them accessible
Your sustainability values must be easy for employees, partners, and customers to find. List them on the “About Us” page of your website.
Print them on company swag.
Create a detailed white paper about them and house it in a centralized digital asset repository that everyone can access.
Final thoughts
The fundamental principles of your brand form the basis of who and what your business is.
They assist you in crafting a brand narrative that appeals to your intended audience.
Sustainability brand values are important because they act as a reminder that there is a human being behind every company or brand.
Have you got sustainability values as you’d like them?
If not, I am here to help. Drop me a line or book a free discovery call to start working on yours today.
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