The Future of Sustainability-Driven Partnerships and a New Role for Brand Strategy

Abstract

The twenty-first century is revealing a very different landscape for all societal actors. The agendas of business, non-governmental organizations and governments are converging around sustainable development issues, such as the urgent global needs to address climate change, food security, water stress, overconsumption and waste. New partnerships and coalitions are forming. They need to scale up fast, and mobilize the masses, to get on track to a sustainable future in this decade. This is where brand strategy and marketers can play a critical role. Sustainability issues are complex. Brand strategists hold the unique skills to distil complex issues and ideas down to something that people will understand, remember and act upon. This could be the missing link for sustainability-driven partnerships that need to engage the majority to take action and deliver on their collective promise of a more sustainable future.