The number of operations in the area of sustainability taken up by companies shows it is a necessary step in the changing natural environment, and not a matter of choice. Business must develop responses to global trends, such as the growing number of population (by 2050 there will be 9 billion people), ongoing urban development, global warming, which influences agriculture and leads to a decrease in natural resources (by 2050 beef will become luxury product, which we’re about to feel in the growing prices of hamburgers). There is one more important factor for companies – the changing expectations of consumers. According to Meaningful Brands 2013 research (Havas), more than 70% of the respondents (globally) believe that brands should play a crucial role in improving our lives, but see only few brands take up such actions.

“While CSR is mainly about the way you spend money, sustainability is about how you make that money. This is much more important. If you stop making money, you have nothing to spend. CSR will die in a natural way when it has no real foundation,” says Katarzyna Dulko-Gaszyna, IKEA sustainability manager, in Trendbook 2014.

Enterprises that want to develop valuable CSR reports will face real challenges. Many of these challenges have already become everyday reality on western markets. We can also see new, still small businesses responding to the problems of today’s world – there are plenty start-ups devoted to eco solutions, e.g. Uber promoting its idea for alternative transport in cities, or Modern Meadow producing in-vitro meat.

How do western mature brands participate in the sustainability trend? They conduct multi-aspect operations. They increase the number of their pro-ecology activities (e.g. Bacardi builds warehouses made entirely of recycled concrete.) Brands also pay close attention to operations of their business partners. They can pressurize the whole supply chain, like Coca-Cola, which announced it will no longer cooperate with suppliers who do not follow the company’s land and social protection guidelines in the developing countries. Companies try to engage and influence their employees, e.g. encouraging them to introduce sustainability principles not only at work (Sony launched a platform that makes it easier for employees to travel to work together.) We also see social campaigns, like that by Apple (its TV ad “Better” shows the company’s efforts to turn to renewable energy) or Patagonia (its campaign “Don’t buy this jacket” dissuades from over-consumption. Last but not least, we have the growing number of pro-ecological services, products and solutions, such as Amazon drones for parcel shipping or buildings like Hyper Filter Scyscraper that clears the air in the city.

The trend of sustainable development is visible also in Poland. According to Hatalska, one good example is IKEA or the practices of Leroy Merlin and its green wall. “But the ringleaders of change are still global brands, especially those operating in technologies,” she adds.
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Hatalska believes the strategy of sustainable development can be implemented by companies in numerous ways:

• cost-operative (reducing the amount of used materials or using renewable materials),

• introducing new sustainable products and services (e.g. shampoos that don’t require water),

• educating consumers in ecology (e.g. how to be smart about waste sorting),

• showing initiative in publicity, like Paypal and Virgin Galactic, suggesting and promoting their solutions to the problem of decreasing amount of natural resources, even though it is only in the media so far.

What can be most difficult?
“It depends on the area of operations, but at first glance I would say – the supply chain,” replies Hatalska. “Large brands do have an influence on this, but finding out where the materials come from and in what conditions they are produced is a huge effort, the audit itself may take several years. Another difficult thing is the change of strategy, as sustainable development requires a change in thinking, e.g. among employees. Sony has launched a special platform to encourage employees to travel to work together, but surely not every one of them will be in favor of this solution. Some people will prefer to travel alone, for various reasons.

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