You Can Change the World, One Purchase at a Time

After finishing a recent business meeting in midtown Manhattan my mind zigzagged from work tasks to another important job -- buying my one-year-old son his summer wardrobe. I rushed into an Old Navy store and spotted a must-buy, a toddler-sized t-shirt featuring a globe surrounded by the words “I can change the world.”

It seems like everywhere we look these days, the message is clear: companies, consumers, investors, and policymakers are focused on making the world a better place.  Are you ready to join the movement? Get out your wallet.

Our buying decisions influence corporate policy. A Nielsen study found that 66% of consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable products. Companies are becoming more purpose-driven, and they’re reaping the benefits. At Unilever, for instance, sustainable brands are growing 46% faster than the rest of the consumer product giant’s business.

As VP of corporate marketing at SAP Ariba, the world’s largest business network, I help companies determine whether their suppliers are protecting people and the planet. We call this approach to supply chain management “procurement with a purpose.” You too can procure with a purpose. Here are some tips to help you get started.

Demand Transparency

 As a conscious consumer, you’re now seeking products that will become your partners in saving the world. Start by supporting brands that are transparent about their sustainability efforts.

How much information does a brand offer on its web site? Does the product back up its sustainability claims with data? If a company isn’t making it easy for you to learn about how it treats society and the environment, consider going elsewhere.

When I saw the t-shirt at Old Navy, I was tempted to rush to the cash register and buy it. But I slowed down and checked out the web site of Gap Inc., the parent company of Old Navy. I was able to learn about the Gap’s wide-ranging sustainability initiatives, including its efforts to improve the conditions of workers in its factories and its ambitious goals to source more sustainable cotton.

Equally important: The Gap tracks and displays the progress it is making across four categories, factory working conditions, employees, communities, and environmental performance.

Do Your Homework

Conduct independent research, beyond what a brand is telling you. Seek out communities of like-minded consumers and sustainability experts. Ask questions: Where are these clothes manufactured? Is slave labor being used at any point along the production line? Is the manufacturing process leaving behind a carbon footprint? Is the manufacturer working to create jobs in local communities?

Online tools can help you make informed choices. CSRHub, for instance, provides corporate social responsibility and sustainability ratings and information on close to 18,000 companies around the world.

Read labels. Whenever possible, opt for locally made, fair-trade products. Lean toward companies that have a B Corp certification, which means they’ve met rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.

Keep in mind, assessing a brand’s level of corporate social responsibility is no easy task and even the most sustainable companies might have gaps to fill. Even so, it’s important to reward those who acknowledge their responsibility and are making progress toward achieving their goals.

Reward Brands That Go the Extra Mile

I like to buy from companies that make sustainability an integral part of their brand.

There’s a coffee shop near my office that’s become my favorite spot -- and it’s not just because the coffee is good. The store, Think Coffee, is part of a small New York-based chain that aims to use coffee to bring about social change.

Think Coffee has created an ethical sourcing model that it calls “Social Coffee Project.” Under this arrangement, Think Coffee pays a premium price to coffee suppliers and then works with those suppliers to implement projects that either directly benefit farm workers or a nearby community. Using this sourcing model, Think Coffee has done things like promote feminine hygiene in Ethiopia, bring adult literacy programs to Nicaragua, and rebuild houses in Colombia.  

Don’t Sacrifice Your Standards

I love fashion. Luckily, these days it’s easy to be both fashionable and determined to save the world.

In fact, some of my favorite designers have made sustainability a core value. Take Stella McCartney who started the first vegetarian luxury brand when she launched her company in 2001. Also high on my list is designer Tom Ford, who is raising the standard for working conditions in factories and is committed to manufacturing that leaves little environmental impact. A growing number of designers are doing the same.

Feel Good About What You’re Doing

For many us, shopping provides an emotional boost.  When I hit the Old Navy store on that recent spring day, I thought about how cute my son would look in the clothes I bought. Knowing that I was buying from a retailer that is taking steps toward achieving social and environmental progress gave me an extra lift.

Shopping is a basic activity that we engage in every day. It’s great to know we can take these daily tasks and turn them into something meaningful. For me, it’s all about the legacy I’m leaving for my kids. I can change the world -- and make it a better place for them -- one purchase at a time.