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Archives for 2008

A Brace of Indices

In Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade, the fearless archaeologist has to step through a grid of letters in order to reach his goal. If he puts a foot on the wrong letter he’s promised nothing more than a long fall to a hard landing.

Converting business’ existing tools and structures to a more sustainable model is equally fraught with danger. One false move and it’s possible that the existing financial basis to business could be lost with no real gain elsewhere.

This is why the establishment and development of sustainability indices by two of the most well respected brands, Dow Jones and FTSE, was a welcome development.

Both have now been operating for over seven years and look set to strengthen their role as stock indices of the future. But how so they gauge the sustainability of their constituent companies?
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One Man’s Stakeholder ….

Think of 1984 and somewhere in between the famine in Ethiopia and Michael Jackson’s hair catching fire, you’re likely to think of George Orwell’s famous dystopian novel.

Part of this is Newspeak, which is characterised by the absence of synonyms or antonyms, meaning that there is only one “authorised” word for any given thing or activity.

1984 is also the year in which R. Edward Freeman published his book “Strategic Management”. It was here that the concept of a stakeholder was coined to describing anyone who affects or is affected by a corporate body.

I would not for a moment class the term “stakeholder” as being part of any form of Newspeak, especially as it’s one of the more useful terms to have come out of the linguistic wave which swept through business in the 1980s.

However for a concept whose management principles will be 25 years old next year, it’s interesting to note that companies are still unsure how to use their websites to communicate sustainability to their stakeholders.
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The Path to Creating a Relationship Brand

Last week, I wrote a post called “Creating a Relationship Brand” that discussed what a relationship brand is and how creating a relationship brand can bring great rewards in the long term. Today, I’d like to talk about the steps marketers can take to turn their brands into relationship brands.

First as a reminder, a relationship brand is one that holds widespread appeal among consumers but still allows each individual consumer to experience the brand in his or her own unique way. In other words, relationship brands allow consumers to make personal connections with the brand while still feeling like they’re part of a larger group. The success of relationship brands lies in the shared experience of consumers. Think of Harley Davidson as a classic relationship brand example. The marketing behind Harley Davidson leverages its relationship brand status, including targeted messages that embrace the shared brand experience. [Read more…] about The Path to Creating a Relationship Brand

Why Business Needs The Arts

Yes that’s right, while the Arts need Business sponsorships, Business also needs the Arts in organizational practices.

Business practices, the workplace, skill requirements have changed so much that the business world seems that it has turned upside down – Leadership styles are morphing – command and control is out, organizations are getting flatter, the competitive landscape is chaotic, people are looking for meaningful work, customers are in control.
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A Chocolate Box Of Waste

Sometimes the choices put in front of you are a veritable chocolate box of decisions. Strawberry or Coffee; Praline or Brazil? Life is sometimes just far too short to come to a final decision.

The same applies when reviewing the sustainability sections of the major food and drink retailers’ websites. There are food miles; working conditions (both in the UK and abroad); organic, fair trade and ethical considerations… (deep breath)

…. vegan and vegetarian, halal and kosher requirements; waste and packaging; additives, colourings and preservatives … and, of course, the dreaded plastic carrier bag.

Out of these one stands out: packaging. It doesn’t matter how near or far your food’s source or what its moral, spiritual or religious provenance is, it still need to be in something when it leaves the shop.
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