A message to brands from a youth climate activist
(Courtesy of Devishi Jha)
18-year-old Devishi Jha highlights three steps brands can take to reduce their environmental impact.
Earth Day 2021 brings us one year closer to causing irreversible damage to our planet — unless leaders take urgent action to address the climate crisis. The future of our world depends not only on the decisions made by political leaders but those made by corporate leaders as well. Just 100 companies are responsible for 71% of global emissions. Political action is not enough; we need to see corporate action as well.
As a youth climate activist, I have advocated for a regenerative business model, which encourages companies to increase their socioecological handprint — maximizing the benefit they can add to communities and our planet — instead of focusing on reducing their ecological footprint. Imagine how much more progress we could make in tackling the climate crisis if companies prioritized leaving our world better than they found it. This type of approach is not only good for the planet; it’s also good business.
“Imagine how much more progress we could make in tackling the climate crisis if companies prioritized leaving our world better than they found it. This type of approach is not only good for the planet; it’s also good business.”
With a buying power of $143 billion, Gen Z is a socially conscious consumer group. In short, we care about what a brand is doing in terms of sustainability, transparency, diversity and human rights as much as we care about what they actually sell. As a sustainability consultant, I help brands like Procter & Gamble (P&G) and Unilever prioritize and develop strong sustainability strategies, including implementing youth boards and 10-year sustainable consumption trends. My work on the UNICEF USA National Council and as Director of Partnerships at Zero Hour provides me with the tools I need to push brands to rethink their business models.
Through my work, I want brand leaders to realize that sustainability is more than just a trend, it is a step all companies must take to create a cleaner, safer and more equitable planet. This Earth Day, here are three steps brands should take to bring sustainability to the core of their business model.
Ask the tough questions.
A few years ago, very few companies had a sustainability department. Brands saw — and still see — sustainability as nothing more than a marketing tactic. But growing transparency about corporate emissions, waste and human rights practices has caused this to change, with more and more brands adopting sustainability strategies to reduce their environmental footprint. But in order for brands to produce long-term, impactful change, they have to go beyond “greenwashing” — when a company or organization spends more time and money on marketing themselves as environmentally friendly than on minimizing their environmental impact — and uproot the core of their business model.
(Courtesy of Devishi Jha)
Looking inward to ask and answer the tough questions is a great first step: Where is the product being manufactured and how is it being transported? Who are our employees and are they paid fairly for their work? What are our numbers on greenhouse gas emissions, water usage and plastic consumption? Asking these questions will lead brands closer to making the changes that are necessary for the longevity of our planet. And afterwards, it is important to make that information public and develop strategies to act upon it to better the company and the planet.
Create youth advisory boards.
In early April, I was invited to sit on a panel hosted by a management consultancy with other youth leaders to talk about how brands can adopt a regenerative business strategy. It was one of the most important panels I have ever joined because the conversation was led by young people, and gave a fresh perspective on what sustainability means for our future. As youth leaders, we discussed topics ranging from climate justice to circular economic practices, an economic system aimed at eliminating waste and promoting the continual use of resources.
Young people represent future consumers, decision-makers and leaders; we need to have a seat at the table in shaping climate change policy. Diverse youth advisory boards are the best way to hear from young people of all backgrounds on what will help their communities. It is also important to note that when inviting youth onto advisory boards, it is necessary to compensate them for their time and give them power to speak their mind.
“Young people represent future consumers, decision-makers and leaders; we need to have a seat at the table in shaping climate change policy.”
Support diversity, equity and inclusion.
Climate change and racial justice are deeply connected, and it’s time brands addressed them as one joint issue. Greenpeace says it best: “The communities and nations least responsible for climate change are on the front lines of its impacts.” Polluting industries are often located in the same areas as marginalized communities, meaning that climate change disproportionately affects Black, Indigenous and people of color around the world. In order to become truly sustainable, companies must take account of how their actions are affecting local ecosystems and communities — especially in areas where their products are manufactured. The next step is to develop a strategy to further lessen the company’s impact on local communities.
Hosting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) trainings and publishing data on hiring are two ways for companies to take accountability for their DEI. Lastly, corporations must put health and safety policies into place to protect factory workers and ensure they are paid fairly for their labor.
These steps are just the beginning. In the future, I hope to see sustainability as an embedded part of every brand’s business model. Until then, let’s use Earth Day to celebrate how far we’ve come and how far we need to go.
Read more
