As we all know, companies should live by their values. Values should be at the heart of how a company operates, treats it staff and they’re central to marketing. Companies that live and breathe their values communicate with authenticity and realism which is what consumers are calling for.

With the climate emergency now a reality and more and more research confirming that consumers are concerned about environmental issues, are aligning their values and beliefs to purchases, is it time to reassess your company’s values? Plastic reduction, behaving as a more sustainable business, developing a green charter and ensuring that you and your business play a role in our collective environmental responsibility could make the difference.

And it’s good for business, with the 2019 PwC Irish Retail and Consumer Report revealing that 41% of Irish consumers are prepared to pay a premium for sustainable products!

We’ve already seen market-leading brands commit to ambitious targets, but this is no longer only an issue for the big players. It’s up to us all to make a difference.

At the recent Food & Bev Live trade event for the hospitality and foodservice sectors, the inaugural IFSAs took place, championing companies in foodservice who are serving up solutions in sustainability. Energy efficiency, smart technology and sustainable products are playing a huge role in this sector and it’s the opinion of the expert judges that: “this is not a trend, it’s a new business reality. Customers are demanding that all businesses within the supply chain play their part in helping everyone live more sustainable lives.”

So, if you haven’t already, it’s time to think about how your company or business is contributing. Have you incorporated green values into your business, and if not, why not? We can all play a role, it’s what our customers are demanding, and predictions are that proof of sustainable practices will soon become mandatory in areas such as procurement.

It’s good business to be a good business, and the time to act is NOW. Assess your company’s environmental footprint and what steps you can take to be a more responsible business. And a word of warning, deliver what you say and communicate exactly what you do as ‘greenwashing’* isn’t a good look for any business.

And of course, let your customers and stakeholders know about your efforts, your company’s green journey and the difference that you’re hoping to make.

*Greenwashing is similar to "whitewashing," meaning that a company / person is using misleading information to gloss over actions / facts e.g. conveying a false impression about how a company's products are more environmentally sound by overclaiming.