Sincerity, a Word to Hold onto in the Relationship Between Brand and Sustainability
If there’s a single word that should guide brands in their sustainability journey, it’s sincerity.
Without sincerity, sustainability becomes theatre. Some brands perform elaborate plays about their eco-commitments, but the stage is made of plastic, the costumes are polyester, and the applause comes only from their own PR team.
Sincerity, unlike authenticity or transparency, is about being true to oneself while considering others -remember, authenticity, transparency and sincerity are not the same thing-. Babies are born authentic, children learn sincerity, and companies… well, most are still in nappies.
The Loss of Common Sense in Sustainability and Its Impact on Brands
Somewhere along the way, sustainability lost its common sense. It turned into an arms race of who could shout “green” the loudest. Brands promised plastic-free futures while launching three new plastic bottles per month. Others celebrated becoming B Corps while quietly keeping their polluting packaging intact.
Greenwashing is not just a sin of communication; it’s an act of collective self-delusion. It’s like telling yourself you’re on a diet while sneaking biscuits at midnight. The mirror knows. The scale knows. And sooner or later, consumers will know too.
Brands that confuse sustainability with spectacle risk credibility, loyalty, and growth.
Brands are long-term systems that must balance purpose and profit. If the system is based on lies, it collapses faster than a paper straw in a milkshake.
A Global Problem, not a Local Hobby
Let’s be clear, sustainability is not a local issue, nor even a continental one. It’s global… albeit managed with realism, practicality and a great deal of common sense!
On the one hand, I am sorry to say that if, for instance, Spain produced no emissions, the world would still be in the same dire state. What is worse, we complain about Chinese pollution, by far the worst on the planet, yet we continue to purchase cars, garments, mobile phones, computers, etc. that are manufactured there.
On the other hand, however, many developed countries act as if their standards should apply equally everywhere, ignoring the reality of emerging economies.
While a European country debates banning plastic straws – or innovate by creating plastic caps that do not separate from bottles, and then regulate and enforce their use-, a developing nation struggles with access to clean water.
In one corner of the world, sustainability means reusable tote bags; in another, it means survival.
The blind spot is enormous. Central countries often treat sustainability as a lifestyle accessory -a trendy diet for the rich-. But in countries where food insecurity, poverty, and unstable infrastructures dominate daily life, sustainability cannot sit at the top of the agenda. Pretending otherwise is naïve, if not arrogant.
For brands, this means context is everything. A “100% organic, free-range” message that resonates in Paris may fall flat in Lagos, where affordability and availability matter more. True global brands adapt sustainability narratives with cultural sensitivity, not with one-size-fits-all campaigns. This is called sincerity!
Sincerity, Woke Excess, and the Force of Common Sense
Here’s the tricky bit. In recent years, many brands jumped on the woke bandwagon. The intention? Noble. The result? Often ridiculous.
Being woke to excess is like wearing three pairs of sunglasses on a cloudy day; unnecessary, impractical, and guaranteed to make you look silly. Some brands, in their attempt to outdo each other in social consciousness, ended up alienating consumers who simply wanted honesty.
- Lack of sincerity: Saying you’ll reduce emissions by 20% in 2030, while still being the biggest polluter in the category, is not sincerity. It’s theatre.
- Woke overdrive: Announcing your entire brand is now “fighting climate change” while ignoring basic labour rights in your factories is hypocrisy on steroids.
- The antidote: common sense and transparency. Admit imperfection. Show progress. Be humble. It’s like telling your friends you’re learning to cook; they’ll forgive burnt pasta, but not if you brag about being a Michelin chef.
Consumers are smarter than many brands think. They don’t expect perfection, but they do expect sincerity.
Brands must be sincere, neither authentic nor living in Raiders of the Lost Transparency.
Brands that Transcend | Built on Values, Not Fashionable Ideologies
The brands that truly transcend don’t follow every ideological trend. They anchor themselves in values and principles that endure beyond hashtags.
Heaven
- LEGO: The Danish toy giant has invested heavily in sustainability, moving towards plant-based plastics and aiming for fully sustainable materials in the near future. Beyond materials, LEGO has also committed to using renewable energy in its production facilities.
- IKEA: A global benchmark for integrating circular economy practices: buy-back programmes for furniture, sustainable sourcing of wood and cotton, and major investments in renewable energy. IKEA proves that scale and sustainability can go hand in hand.
Hell
- H&M: Often criticised for “conscious collections” marketed as sustainable while still driving a fast-fashion model dependent on overproduction. It illustrates the risk of sustainability becoming just a communications gimmick.
- Volkswagen: The Dieselgate scandal is a textbook case of pretending to be sustainable while cheating emissions tests. Even with recent EV investments, the brand is still working to rebuild trust shattered by insincerity.
What these examples teach us is that values endure longer than ideological trends.
A brand built on sturdy principles won’t collapse when the next ideological storm arrives.
Good Sustainability | Conscious Growth and Good Business
Let’s kill a myth:
Sustainability is not charity. Done right, it’s good business.
Conscious sustainability means growing with limits —realistic, measurable, achievable. It’s not about saving the planet single-handedly (spoiler: no brand can do that). It’s about recognising that sustainable practices improve efficiency, cut costs, build loyalty, and ultimately increase profit.
Starbucks has shown how sustainable initiatives, like recyclable cups and ethical sourcing, reinforce its brand while keeping margins healthy. IKEA has invested heavily in circular economy initiatives-repair, resale, recycling- and turned them into new revenue streams.
Lasting brands move from purpose to profit, and happily back again. Sustainability fits right in that loop: purpose drives sustainable actions, those actions reinforce trust, and trust feeds profit.
Sustainability, approached with sincerity and common sense, is not simply beneficial for the planet, but also excellent for the bottom line handled with sincerity and common sense, isn’t simply good for the planet, it’s excellent for the bottom line.
Image
SHVETS, Pexels
