Commercialising your sustainability efforts in B2B

Therefore, designing a strong value proposition around sustainability is not only a question about communication but also about making choices in terms of which customers to focus on, through which channels to reach the customers with which value messages and also about critical capabilities needed to communicate and deliver on the value proposition.

Characteristics of companies who successfully use sustainability as a differentiator

 
We have compiled a list of the key characteristics of companies that have successfully commercialised their sustainability efforts:

1. Go beyond direct customer challenges – understanding the end consumer needs

 
To design and develop a sustainable value proposition, you need to go beyond the direct customers’ immediate needs and understand in depth the impact of emerging trends on the end users of the product. It is in the actual application of the product that the value is created and a reduction in the climate footprint is shown. High performers are curious to understand customers across the entire customer journey and continuously collect and discuss customer trends and insights. Not only in commercial capabilities but across the organisation, creating a customer-centric culture where the needs of their customers in terms of sustainability are key.

 
 

2. Sell the vision of a more sustainable future

 
Moving towards a more sustainable application or version of a product often requires a changed behaviour. Acknowledging the reason for a change needs to be connected to a larger purpose, a vision of a more sustainable future and the role you take in that vision. The value message connected to sustainable solutions should in addition to resonating with the immediate need also relate to the larger purpose connected to the solution and the brand. Enabling this, high-performing companies understand their customers’ business models and are able to describe which elements that are influenced by the changing conditions in strengthened sustainability ambitions.

 
 

3. Engage in strategic sustainability projects with your key customers

 
Take and share risk with your most prioritised customers to drive the development of your collective ecosystem and cross-necessary bridges. High performers have made it an ambition for their largest accounts to engage in joint strategic sustainability projects. Knowing that by engaging in a joint promise will provide them with strong competitive advantage and significantly minimise the risk of churn. Strategic initiatives could imply a disruption in the value chain, joint development of a new offering, initiating new partnerships to broaden the value given to customers etc.

 
 

4. Prove customer value and build new commercial capabilities

 
Companies which are able to differentiate on sustainability are not always the front-runners when it comes to the classical sustainability metrics – but their commercial organisation is able to prove the value to their customers of the sustainability efforts they have made. They prove the value for their customers in terms of a stronger end customer value proposition and support their customers in measuring the impact. Enabling the commercial organisation to bring new conversations to the market requires a dedicated effort to sustain trust. Starting with a dedicated commitment from leadership, resulting in training in the specific value drivers and impact that the sustainable solutions can bring to customers and end consumers. Salespeople will also need to convey how to apply the sustainable value message throughout the customer’s buying process to get the most impact.

 
 

5. Create new internal conversations focusing on sustainability value drivers

 
To change conversations, you need to adjust the way that value is being measured and clarify priorities through incentives connected to progress. While finding ways to measure and relate to status towards the overall purpose, you must connect sustainability to profitability.

High performers are quantifying the historical and potential customer value of improved sustainability and communicate this equally to financial measures on revenue and customer profitability.