There has been a promising development in the last number of years of organisations and consumers alike understanding more about the environment, from utilising sustainable resources to being more mindful when it comes to waste.
One among the sectors that has actually regarded the importance of sustainability in business is that of power. While in the previous century we actually have been relying predominantly on fossil-based sources of power, we actually have recently grasped only how considerable an influence they can have actually on the environment, pursuing different significant power suppliers to gradually shift to even more sustainable practices. In the case of EDP’s activist shareholders, for instance, there has been a strong assistance towards the use of renewable resources alternatively, with the business focusing on wind and sunlight as sources for a considerable amount of their operations. In any list of environmental trends one may find, renewable energy would for sure be mentioned, as a great example of how a business can adapt to newer scientific and technological breakthroughs that enable to collaborate with the realm we live in rather than work against it.
The most prominent of the consumer sustainability trends that has been observed lately is definitely linked to waste. Customers and brand names alike are becoming knowledgeable about what form of influence throwaway products can have actually, particularly with regards to packaging, conducting to a trend of more easily recyclable solutions. If one was to identify key trends in sustainability, they would discover an integral instance in the big shift there has been in the last couple of years in terms of disposable plastic bags, with entities like Waitrose’s governance intending to entirely get rid of the product and replace it with biodegradable options or encouraging consumers to bring their own reusable bag. With this kind of move becoming something that is actively endorsed by the authorities, seeking to reduce the waste quantities at a national level, we can hope that other chains will conform to with similar initiatives.
An business which has observed a significant consumer demand for sustainable products is the fashion industry. With trends and concepts transforming just so frequently, the last ten years has brought a trend of exceptionally high production volumes, with individuals purchasing more items but then ending up applying them just a few times before discarding them. Adhering to the awareness of such a behaviour, the younger generations actually have started to attempt to buy less pieces or ones that would be much more versatile, or even look out for brands that would employ sustainable practices or materials. Figures like Banana Republic’s parent company understand the connection between millennials and sustainable fashion, and have actually invested in the employment of alternative materials with lower environmental impacts compared to much more classic ones such as cotton. As potential customers might be actively trying to find this kind of features, other brand names will hopefully imitate initiatives of this form.