The rise in customer sustainability queries
Customers, as both individual consumers and companies procuring goods and services, are requiring more and more information about the sustainability practices of the businesses they purchase from. In our latest blog post, we explore the drivers behind this trend and how organisations can get ahead.
Why are we seeing a rise in customer sustainability queries?
Supplier engagement
Research by the Business Development Bank of Canada found that 92% of major buying organisations are expected to require their suppliers to provide ESG information in 2024.
As regulation requiring companies to report on ESG topics becomes more comprehensive, the impact is starting to trickle down through supply chains. This means that even if you’re not directly in scope, you’ll soon be asked to disclose relevant information on topics like human rights and greenhouse gas emissions.
Consumer priorities
Consumers across the world are increasingly valuing brands with sustainable credentials, and demanding more accountability from businesses. A study by Deloitte found more people are considering durability and repairability, responsibly sourcing/manufacturing and impact on biodiversity when making purchases. This is especially true in younger generations with increasingly influential spending power. As such, they will want more information about a company’s sustainability practices. Transparent and accessible communication is key when answering customer sustainability queries.
Sustainable procurement
Ecovadis define sustainable procurement as the “integration of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) principles into your company’s procurement processes and decisions while ensuring they still meet the requirements of your stakeholders”. This means that as well as engaging existing suppliers, organisations will be screening new providers of goods and services when making buying decisions. This is particularly true in the public sector – take a look at our previous blog explaining what Public Procurement Notice 0621 means for these suppliers.
Challenges
We’re now seeing that businesses are struggling to keep up with the overwhelming volume of client and customer sustainability queries. Front-facing employees might not have the expertise to respond effectively and accurately or have the answers easily to hand. As experts in sustainability and data management, we can help bridge the gap by providing the necessary knowledge, time, and support.
How we help
We can help you:
- Analyse trends and themes emerging from queries
- Answer questions efficiently with expert resource support
- Create an accessible knowledge base with FAQs
- Store and manage incoming queries in Excel or a system that works for you
Imagine having all the information you need in one centralised location, with clear definitions that everyone can understand. This means that your team can quickly respond to any questions from stakeholders without spending time searching for complex information. It’s like having a superpower that makes dealing with customer queries easier and more efficient! And it’s only going to be more useful as the scope of sustainability reporting requirements expands.
