You might be forgiven for thinking we have a one-track mind when it comes to listening. We’re always talking about the value of listening to customers and indeed other stakeholders in the value chain before making decisions, but it’s with good reason. The graveyard of business failures is littered with those who didn’t grasp what their customers were trying to tell them until it was too late.

Product labels and certificates proclaiming environmental friendliness are everywhere. Indeed, they are now so ubiquitous that they have become the norm, not the differentiator. Moreover, their overuse has prompted criticism that some are simply environmental marketing and in the worst cases, greenwashing. However, used correctly, labels remain an important tool in the fight for the consumer’s attention as well as an effective means to help educate. The key is authenticity and transparency.

Eco-labels, forest certifications, carbon offsets, SBTs, and now sweeping new legislation on its way from Brussels in the form of the European Regulation on Deforestation-free products (EUDR). There are so many tools, stamps and certificates when it comes to sustainability that navigating your way through what works and what doesn’t can appear something of a legislative jungle.

A strong brand can mean the difference between winning or losing out on new customers, maintaining the loyalty of existing ones, especially in a buyer’s market, and even securing a price premium.

After 35 years in the business, we’ve seen the impact a good brand can have, and how it can be used to enhance sustainability communication. No wonder more companies than ever are taking branding seriously. Project Manager David Weller explains.

Don’t be tempted to think ‘job done’ when the creatives hand over your new logo. It’s essential to track whether your investment is achieving what you had hoped for, both internally as well as externally.