At Matt King Undercover, we ask ourselves this question as we aim towards being fully sustainable by 2022. As part of our sustainable journey, join us as we explore what it takes to be a fully sustainable eco-brand and our path to success. Why does this matter to us? Because we believe that social responsibility should work form the inside out, by starting with our community, the areas that we can influence, and by promoting transparency and traceability, small pockets of change can become larger far reaching movements. However, it is easier said than done.
What is eco-friendly
The term eco-friendly literally means earth-friendly or environmentally friendly. Eco-friendly products promote green living that helps to conserve the natural environmental balances that mother earth provides us. It supports the minimization of energy waste, water consumption, water and air pollution which in turn prevents human health from deteriorating and our environment from becoming weakened and unsustainable. By becoming eco-friendly, we are not harmful to the environment or our fellow inhabitants that we share this wonderful planet with.
What is an eco-friendly brand
Eco-friendly brands are those which acknowledge the importance of being socially and environmentally responsible, who recognize some of the biggest threats facing our planet and seek to find ways to overcome these current challenges through action and initiatives. While the term has gained popularity in the past few decades, staying true to this promise is a difficult task. The first step towards becoming an eco-friendly brand is through the use of raw materials and making sure that only the most premium, organic, ethical and traceable primary products are sourced and used. And by providing transparency and certification which ensures authenticity, commitment. This is where we are at Matt King Undercover right now.
What is the impact of being eco-friendly on customers
According to a recent 2017 study by Cone Communications on corporate social responsibility, the term CSR was critically redefined. As stated, ‘Although CSR will always be grounded in business operations – from water conservation to supply chain transparency – recently, the stakes have gotten a lot higher. Companies must now share not only what they stand for, but what they stand up for’. It is well recognized that consumers will buy a product based on how a company’s values align with their own.
Key findings include:
- 68% of millennials bought a product with a social or environmental benefit in the past 12 months.
- 87% of consumers will have a more positive image of a company that supports social or environmental issues.
- 88% will be more loyal to a company that supports social or environmental issues.
- 87% would buy a product with a social and environmental benefit if given the opportunity.
- 92% will be more likely to trust a company that supports social or environmental issues
The path to becoming eco-friendly, what we need to do next
Our next step on our journey is the traceability component, although we are clear on where our raw materials come from, our factories and workers, and the transportation of our goods and services, it is important that we go and see for ourselves. In the areas that we may face challenges, giving back by offsetting our carbon footprint is a must. Carbon offsetting projects help to combat global climate change as well as caring for local communities and in many instances, provide broad social developments to more impoverished communities. In doing this, we will have to: calculate our emission, put a plan in place to reduce those emissions and select an offsetting project that balances our consumption. These can include a variety or projects from planting trees locally to supporting clean water initiatives in third world countries. Further information on carbon offsetting projects locally can be found here https://carbonneutral.com.au/plant-a-tree/ and beyond https://www.carbonfootprint.com/carbonoffsetprojects.html
Challenges ahead
We are just beginning our sustainable journey, working with small scale local manufactures requires determination and commitment. Ensuring that our partners are equally determined and committed is critical. Having access to key information and worker welfare may pose a challenge, if we take assurances at face value and do not put in the work to verify our partners integrity, we can potentially be caught off guard. However, we are confident in our selections thus far. Staying on the pulse is imperative. Help us support you and the environment better, by purchasing Matt King Undercover sweat proof undershirts, in doing so, you enable us to grow, achieve our aims and build a more sustainable future.