Designing with optimism for climate change
When so much in the world is challenging, optimism is the business leader’s superpower. Three frontiers we believe are ripe for optimistic thinking and disruptive design are mental health services, sustainability and our ageing population — we’re exploring these topics in more detail in a series of articles starting with mental health. Catch up on the intro to our series here and article #1 for better mental health here.
Eco-anxiety is high and it’s rising, especially among younger people, worried about their future in a world that’s dangerously hot, disruptively wet and lacking green spaces. Yet, while 78% of US consumers feel that a sustainable lifestyle is important to them, research by Ocean Bottle found that 88% of people say it’s too difficult to do and expensive.
The appetite among consumers to be more sustainable is there, if we can create optimism, build trust in brands and make new habits simple.
- Optimism
Positive News is an independent publication dedicated to reporting what’s going right in the world, and its stories are often about sustainability. With a surge in interest in positive news stories during the pandemic, its annual revenue has increased fourfold.
On Britain’s roads, the rise of battery electric and hybrid electric vehicles is exponential. For the first time, the majority of potential car buyers intend to buy electric. Volkswagen has committed to making 70% of its European vehicle sales battery electric by 2030.
Design for Growth, our national coaching initiative or Innovate UK, has included exciting sustainability innovators such as Loopcycle, a digital platform for tracing and reselling commercial equipment, which reduces waste by extending the equipment’s life cycle.
2. Trust
Greenwashing is now a household term and there is universally high concern about it. A study by Kantar found that more than half of us have seen brands make claims that we believe are misleading. Young people are 27% more likely than other age groups to buy from a brand that cares about its impact on people and the planet. The onus is on businesses to prove that they are walking the walk; to generate trust and loyalty through integrity, clear messaging, transparency and evidence.
In a landmark case, the New York attorney general is suing JBS, the world’s largest meat company, for misleading customers about its climate commitments. The result could completely change the rules of how businesses are held accountable for their claims.
New disclosure standards from the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), launched in 2023, could become a global baseline for sustainability reporting. The EU, UK, Hong Hong, Australia and others have announced plans to implement ISSB-aligned reporting rules in their regulatory frameworks.
3. Simplicity
In 2023, more consumers considered sustainability when making purchases than a year previously. The reasons for not doing more are cost (62%) and lack of guidance (50%), according to Deloitte’s Sustainable Consumer 2023 report. Businesses need to make it simpler, so that the switch is a no-brainer: easier, cheaper and better for the planet.
Beyond Burger made it simple to switch to plant-based when it got its meat substitute products into the mainstream through high-profile partnerships with Honest Burger, Pizza Hut and McDonalds. It had a 79% increase in sales in Europe last year.
The supermarket aisle is full of opportunities: half of UK shoppers prefer to get information about a product’s environmental impact from its packaging.
Mars made it simple to switch from plastic to paper wrappers on Mars Bars when it trialled them in Tesco. It’s an example of simplicity in design. One: identify an established customer behaviour. Two: subtly intervene, with a sustainable solution that’s cost effective. Three: clearly inform the customer and make it easy to choose in this case, a simple green strip on the packaging).
This is an excerpt from our 2024 book: Optimism. If you’d like a copy, request it here.
Author: Aidas Zvirblis
Magnetic is a design and innovation company that helps design better futures. We’ve worked with global healthcare businesses, government organisations and fast growing start-ups to build capabilities, products, services and transform organisations. To find out more get in touch: aidas.zvirblis@wearemagnetic.com.
