How do you know if a company is green-washing, or over-promoting its sustainability performance? Brand Logic’s recently released Sustainability Leadership Report compares the perceptions of sustainability of 100 prominent brands, with their sustainability reality.
Their matrix, sorts the brands into 4 categories:
- leaders – those who perform well in environmental, social and governance (ESG) dimensions of sustainability and successfully communicate their achievements
- challengers – who are performing well, but not getting enough credit
- promoters – who are credited with ESG performance ahead of their actual performance
- laggards – who are low in both dimensions
brandlogic’s Sustainability Leadership Report matrix
Notice that IBM hits the sweet spot of high sustainability performance and high sustainability perceptions.
The great news
This report surveyed three groups, purchasing/supply management professionals, investment professionals and graduating students. They were asked :
When evaluating a company as a potential:
- investment or investment recommendation
- supply chain partner
- employer
how important is it to you that the company act as a good corporate citizen, operating in a socially and environmentally responsible manner?
An impressive 88% felt that this was somewhat important or extremely important – 45% responding that it was extremely important.
Steps to Sustainability 