Coalitions
Next week’s COP26 climate conference in Glasgow already has the pallor of last chance lost. No amount of staged commitment from political leaders can counter it. We have reached the point at which the more governments promise, the greater the erosion of public confidence.
Such is the current greenish hue of the law of diminishing returns.
But public apathy towards unsubstantiated sustainability claims is far more than a political hurdle. It has bled into the conscience of retailers, regulators and employees in a way in which businesses and brands must now put social and environmental value at the centre of their decision-making. Their failure to do so will mean a loss of business, reputation and talent.
Retailers are already delisting brands that fall short of elevated sustainability criteria, leaving businesses scrambling to rebuild operational frameworks that respond to more stringent demands; regulators are flexing their muscles as they call out greenwashing with the promise of EU legislation set to deliver heavy fines to the non-compliant; and employee activism has been given a further boost as the hybrid workforce and industry-wide ‘Great Resignation’ puts a brighter spotlight on values-based cultures.
There are plenty of brands, big and small and across multiple industries, that are taking the right steps to do the right thing. More and more are finding the balance between economics and ethics too, as purpose-led organisations increasingly realise the competitive value of values.
But there’s only so much any single entity can achieve if it is to affect meaningful social and environmental change. Being a flag-carrier is no longer enough. Whole industries have to move forward, collectively.
That is why we last week’s announcement by 9 organisations, including Amazon, IKEA, Patagonia and Unilever, to commit to zero-emission shipping by 2040, is so significant.
It gives visibility to the potential of business coalitions when they congregate around single but sizeable issues. The supply chain consequence drives a domino effect too. In this case, not only does it accelerate the push to decarbonise ocean shipping in the next 15 years. It vindicates Maersk's earlier decision to invest in vessels capable of running on sustainable fuels - and divest in LNG-powered ships. Others will inevitably follow.
As governments flounder in the face of what the UN has called their ‘utter failure’ to keep the goals of the Paris climate accord within reach, cross-industry alliances must become a primary mechanism for meaningful action.
Brand partnerships have been shown to work when it comes to selling stuff. Now’s the time to channel those same principles towards something that really matters.