The Power of Purpose IS Driving Success for Businesses
One hundred-plus years ago, companies such as Ford, Johnson & Johnson, Proctor & Gamble, and CVS (along with the 14 other members of the Sustainable Brands Corporate Member network with over 100 years in operation) were launched with a clear sense of purpose based on the intent to solve a recognizable social problem. Early leaders of these companies believed that profit would come as a result of creating real value for their customers.
Building a successful, purpose-led business in today’s world presents a complex set of challenges. It requires a reboot in the way we think about strategy, informed by a vastly extended field of knowledge about the social and environmental impacts of our operations. And it depends on a new set of tools and partners. Having a purpose statement alone will not drive you into the leaders circle or build the trusted and authentic brand that customers today increasingly demand; the next economy requires whole systems shifts through the collaboration of all parts of the value network.
The good news is, many forward-thinking brands – both smaller, local brands and global multi-nationals – are realizing that they have far more impact on society and the environment, for good or otherwise, than they once understood. By understanding these impacts more deeply, and reconnecting their strategy and operations to an authentic purpose, they are reengaging their customers as partners to help create shared value in a changing world.
The good news is, many forward-thinking brands – both smaller, local brands and global multi-nationals – are realizing that they have far more impact on society and the environment, for good or otherwise, than they once understood. By understanding these impacts more deeply, and reconnecting their strategy and operations to an authentic purpose, they are reengaging their customers as partners to help create shared value in a changing world.
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