Eight principles for what brands might be like in a sustainable 2030...

The future is, of course, uncertain. We don’t presume to predict how business, society and the environment might have evolved. However, some indicators and projections we can be more certain about: population growth; continued technological advancement; increasing extreme climatic events; scarcity of resources like food, water, energy and materials. We have imagined how brands might have responded to these challenges to bring about a desirable, prosperous world by 2030 – one that we would all enjoy living in and doing business in.

These principles form an integral part of the Brand Futures methodology, ultimately helping the resulting concepts to have long-term durability and desirability.

2030 has seen global atmospheric CO2 levels stabilised, thanks to a combination of domestic behaviour changes, worldwide industry action and geo-political legislation. Brands led this effort from the outset – outperforming governments from the early 20-teens, pioneering hyper-efficient technologies, products, services and business models including leasing and subscription based models and closed-loop material flows. Brands also play an important role in helping people to adapt to new weather patterns and extreme climatic events.

For the first time in 100 years, rates of habitat loss have reversed, and biodiversity metrics are improving. Songbirds are heard once more, city parks are teeming with wildlife and polyculture farmland harbours diverse species. Companies measure the restorative impact of their activities, investing in preserving and improving the habitats that supply them with vital services like clean water and air, a healthy workforce and material resources. Brands have played an important role in changing the way our population thinks about and values nature and its essential life-giving services.

In the 20-teens the resource crunch hit, as many companies struggled to transition to low-carbon, resource efficient business models and adapt to the rise of collaborative consumption. A decade of progress saw many long-standing brands fail, but more emerged with resilient, long-term models and plans. With global population growing rapidly, food, carbon, material and water efficiencies are now built into closed-loop systems. Brands use these levers as opportunities for connecting with consumers, but only where relevant – the era of green marketing is long gone.

The decade of 2030 heralds an economy where nearly all businesses achieve a positive social and environmental impact, rendering the old term green economy defunct. Employment levels are high and entrepreneurial opportunities abound, particularly in the new re-manufacturing sector. Brands focus on communicating compelling benefits; behind the scenes, companies are experts in juggling complexity, managing scarcity and complex logistics, and developing new skills. We are on the way towards expanding the economy without degrading the environment and society.

As consumers continued to demand transparency from brands, many used it to their advantage and coming clean quickly became the norm. By the mid 20-teens, brands that hadn’t put their houses in order had all been named and shamed in a socially networked, mass clean-up of human rights violations, living-wage wars, environmental ignorance and resource battles. By 2030 brands see full accountability as an essential contributor to customer loyalty and engagement.

Ensuring secure food and water supplies, meaningful employment, a thriving local economy and a high quality of life are all important aspects of resilient, connected communities in 2030. Many brands have stepped up to support community cohesion and resilience, by facilitating networks, re-skilling local workforces and investing in local businesses to their mutual benefit.

The steadily increasing prevalence and cost of lifestyle diseases and mental health illnesses during the 20-teens overwhelmed public health care provision and the ability of society to cope. Brands took the opportunity to play a positive role in society by developing healthy products and services and connecting communities and individuals to promote mental and physical well-being. Today, brands are a fundamental part of maintaining high quality of life and reducing the burden on public healthcare.

In 2030, it is given that brands steer large research budgets in the direction of sustainable innovation and technology development to maintain their competitive edge. Even though globally we are well on our way to relative emissions stability, the impact of over 100 years of fossil fuel use is still ricocheting across all corners of the world. Renewables still require hefty investment and many brands are instrumental in keeping their development afloat. Brands continue to innovate furiously in an effort to produce an affordable positive footprint and to integrate themselves into their surrounding ecosystems to increase productivity and long-term viability.