How to use your brand strategy as a force for good
Up until three months ago including the word 'Pandemic' in a mission statement was far from thought. Thankfully, since before the outbreak, Purpose had already begun to go mainstream.
Whether utilising supply chains to support relief, taking measures to keep workers employed, or doing something special that's out of the ordinary, we see great examples of organisations putting their purpose into action every day.
Shifting priority from outreach to aid, good business is proving it can adapt to any situation — co-creating significant benefits that go beyond the confines of the sales-led agenda. When humanity calls, purpose quickly provides clarity and meaning. Emphasizing the wider responsibilities of business and brand, many believe that countries will struggle to recover without businesses playing a critical role in addressing social challenges.
Given today’s uncertainty, time will tell how these initiatives will pan out, but what's clear is that society will recount the brands that stepped up to help over those that just sat on the fence.
Too, conscious consumerism grows. Data is in abundance, and conscientiousness to social, economic and geopolitical issues heightens. As such, the existential concern is being translated into everyday decision-making — from the food we buy and delivery methods to the companies we work for and ideas we invest in — brand ideals are officially under constant surveillance.
What does this mean for business?
As we emerge from this crisis, perspicacity suggests society will renew its pressure on business to solve humankind's most pressing issues. As such, the traditional commercial mindset — still a characteristic of the GCC region — will significantly shift further away from the image to investing wholeheartedly in brand and use it to resolve tensions and find solutions.
As seen in more brand-savvy markets, purpose-driven strategy and values-led execution create more significant meaning. As such, we’re hopeful economic recovery and transition to a "New Normal" will improve corporate transparency — breaking the cycle of distrust and lack of accountability — and expedite a much-needed shift from shareholder to stakeholder primacy.
What’s the future of brand consultancy?
Brand, in its true form, can accelerate business as a force for good.
Further contextualising all that is happening, we recently attempted to evaluate our work's tangible impact and test the versatility of our approach moving forward.
Beginning with a short survey, we not only asked clients to evaluate past project performance and suggest areas of improvement, but we also tried to gauge the social impact of our work. While responses to performance were positive and reassuring, given the diversity of market nuances, expectations and appetite, when asked about social and sustainability impacts — whether perceived or real — results were grey.
Committed to elevating the role of brand as a vessel to bring about more significant return, introspective examination surfaced key aspects where the focus is needed,
Mind — firstly, a clear need to align brand methodologies with sustainability best practices and measures;
Body — with change becoming mandatory for almost every business, access to reliable data, strategies and tools that help us (and our clients) create better, more meaningful outcomes must be made available; and
Soul — the need to look beyond service improvement (and at our own business). If we intend to create real value, our consultancy must ensure it walks the talk and more.
B is for Benefit
A goal for us, as a business, has always been to seek formal accreditation. So, with this in mind, actioning the insights above — aligning the solutions we provide with our responsibilities as a business — we recently completed an initial B Corp B Impact Assessment.
B Corps™ (or Benefit Corporations) are independently certified, for-profit companies that use the power of business to build a more inclusive and sustainable economy and future. Whereby, considering the impact on people and planet to be as important as financial performance, B Corps™ stand out from the crowd of traditional companies — meeting higher levels of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability.
Members of the B Corp community are leaders creating a tangible and visible change in business. Redefining success, embracing change and building a better world. There are currently over 2,500 Certified B Corporations across 60 countries. Notable members include Ben and Jerry's, Eileen Fisher, Patagonia, Warby Parker, and more recently, Danone.
More than accreditation
Our motivation to become a B Corp is about being part of a global movement for change. We want to empower both consultancy and client teams to responsibly solve commercial challenges.
Following our initial assessment, and to begin embedding B Corp principles in our day-to-day practices, we began by comprehensive evaluation of our beloved Value Creation Process (VCP). Inclusively designed and attuned to key sustainability measures, all client engagement now begins and ends with thorough impact assessment — mapping stakeholder analysis to B Corps™ five measures of value:
Governance;
Customers;
Workers;
Community; and
Environment.
Brand Value Creation (BVC)
Icons created by Hai Studio from the Noun Project
Understand reality through people’s needs;
Define a guiding light to inspire, propel and measure success;
Embrace diversity, nurture talent, ideas and creativity;
Commit to even greater standards of responsibility.
While many companies with great business models and practices enter the B Corp certification process, it's only after completing the B Impact Assessment for the first time that you’re able to measure and benchmark critical aspects of performance and impact.
The path to becoming a Certified B Corp is comprehensive and rigorous, with every step unique to each business. We’re proud to have taken the first steps towards contributing to society in more measurable and meaningful ways, but we’ve still a little way to go… updates will follow over the coming months!
In the meantime, if you would like to find out about our journey, or where to begin in determining your own eligibility, please get in touch.
