A New Brand of Sustainability

Jez Frampton, the chief executive of Interbrand, has written a thoughtful piece about the relationship between brands and sustainability. He’s pointing up the potential for brands to contribute to the development of sustainable products and services that answer consumers’ needs and speak to people, while still being responsible.

Undoubtedly, as sustainability continues to entrench itself and pressure from corporate peers, government and consumers increases, the role will increase for innovative, successful and respected brands to reassure and engage consumers – and overcome some of the misgivings many still have about sustainable alternatives – they’re not as good, they’re not worth the money, they don’t live up to their claims, and so on.

Our latest survey of sustainability experts – of which more in the next post – highlights the fact that major brands like Google and Marks and Spencer are increasingly being cited as leaders in sustainability – which can only be good for both the credibility of both the brands concerned and sustainability as a cause.

I’m less optimistic than Frampton, however, that people will be able to ‘see through’ the greenwash put about by less responsible companies as easily as he seems to think – or even to agree on what responsible behaviour looks like.
The two mega-brand examples Frampton cites – GE and McDonalds – have indisputably been enhanced by a concerted effort to associate them in consumers’ minds with a more sustainable approach to business.

But while most would agree that GE’s partnership with Abu Dhabi to create the world’s first carbon-neutral city looks like a significant step in the right direction, it’s less clear that McDonald’s anti-litter campaign will weigh in the balance as heavily with concerned consumers when set against the overall carbon impact of raising all those burger-destined livestock. As major brands continue to embrace sustainable rhetoric, expect to have to do a lot more disentangling of which ones really mean it.