Ethical and sustainable aren’t just words to throw around on your website for no reason. They need to be backed-up with business practices that support them. Your customers also need to be able to see that evidence, which is where transparency comes in. But if you’re unsure about whether transparency will be good for your business, let me convince you!

Customer Loyalty

Awareness for the impacts we have on the planet is only increasing, and as it increases, so does the need for more ethical and sustainable products. Your business may offer some of these products, but your customers aren't just going to take your word it. Transparency will ensure that your customer can make an informed decision about whether to buy from you. And if they decide to, they'll walk away satisfied that they made the right choice - and much more likely to return!

Greenwashing

This term has been thrown around a lot lately, but why should you care about it? Greenwashing describes when a business portrays itself and more 'green' than it actually is. As the eco-friendly movement becomes more popular, so does greenwashing. And, unfortunately, this only makes things harder for you.

Being transparent with your customers will give them the confidence that you are as sustainable as you say you are. The more they trust you, the more likely they are to buy from you, and continue buying from you in future.

Encourage Change

Transparency isn't just about getting more customers - it's also about encouraging other businesses to be transparent as well. The more businesses that are open about their supply chain, the more consumers will come to expect it. This will put pressure on other, less sustainable business to be just as transparent. And it won't look great if they don't have good practices to be transparent about. Not only will they be more honest about their practices, they might actually improve their business structure too.

But how do you actually become transparent?

Be open about your supply chain - Share what materials you use and who manufactures your products. This can be done as an overall description, or on each individual product page. Not sure what to include? Consider what materials your products are made from, how they’re made and who they’re made by. If you provide services, consider how you implement ethics and sustainability into each service.

Obtain and display all ethical and sustainable certifications you can - These can be pricey, so they're not a requirement, but can be very helpful. Consumers tend to be lazy, so if you can display a (legitimate) certification on your home page they'll be much more likely to trust you.

Share your 'why' - Stories make brands. Stories about your reasons behind starting an ethical or sustainable brand will help personalise your business and increase customer trust.

Be honest - there's no such thing as a completely sustainable business (not yet anyway). So being honest about your faults, why you can't solve them, and how you can improve will reassure your customers that you’re also being honest about the areas you’re doing well. They'll know exactly what you're not doing and can make an educated decision about whether they're okay with it (if you're doing your best they usually will be).

If you’re ever unsure about how to communicate the good and bad sides of your business, get in touch and Writing the Future can help you out!