Sustainability professionals beat the drum of the business value of sustainability, or integrating sustainability into the business. I couch it in terms of linking sustainability to business fundamentals or to customers’ key buying criteria. Chrissa Pagitsas recently called the concept finding the “love language” between the CFO and CSO. Regardless of words used, many times people – especially those new to sustainability or in junior- to mid-level roles – need help visualizing what those words mean from a practical perspective. Ken Pucker brought to my attention a YouTube video about a new running shoe design and manufacturing process. Ken points out in his LinkedIn post that some aspects of the shoe design aren’t wholly new and that a New York Times article “makes a lot of unsubstantiated assumptions and imprecise with details.” Perhaps, but that doesn’t take away from what I think the value of this video is.
I’ve written before that making sustainability attributes secondary to product performance or even hidden is the highest compliment to a company’s sustainability initiatives. But those were simply words; this video is quite helpful in visualizing how deeply and widely integrated into a company and its products sustainability thinking/innovation can go. One of the more compelling elements of the story comes at the end, when the shoe on a holistic basis wins – in terms of technical performance and customer demand.
Some out there will be critical of various aspects of the product, company, its claims, etc. However, similar to how the whole concept and product started with a short visual that triggered a larger idea, I’m hoping that this video will help sustainability professionals better “see” what it means to integrate into the business and link to key customer buying criteria. Now go forth, find your own inspiration and innovate.
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