Empowering Sustainable Choices: A Four-Part Framework for Businesses

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In the quest for a more sustainable future, breaking free from deeply ingrained habits and challenging the status quo can be a daunting task. However, there is hope on the horizon. BCG has developed a comprehensive four-part framework that businesses can utilize to encourage customers to embrace eco-friendly choices and make green options the mainstream preference.The key lies in demonstrating how sustainable choices align with customers' fundamental needs and preferences, such as quality, convenience, value, taste,and health.

1. Focus: Make Sustainability Shine

The first step is to draw attention to sustainable alternatives and show how they cater to customers' needs. This can involve highlighting carbon credentials for certain products, perhaps placing them in the product description page, while less sustainable options find themselves on the periphery. By doing so, businesses can effectively capture the customer's gaze and pique their interest in eco-friendly choices.

2. Uplift: Harness the Power of clear information

Harnessing the power of clear information can be a game-changer. Highlighting instances where choosing the sustainable option is the clear and best option can encourage customers to follow suit. For example, Google Flights now shows carbon data of flights while choosing multiple flights options. A recent study from UC Davis for Google flights choices show that clearly highlighting such sustainability data leads to consumers making greener choices.

3. Simplify: Make Sustainability the Default Choice

Simplicity is key. Make sustainable choices the default option wherever possible. For instance, list low carbon product choices at the top by default. By streamlining the process, businesses can nudge customers towards eco-friendly decisions without added effort.

 4. Educate: Knowledge Empowers Change

Treat compliance and reporting as opportunities to educate customers about the benefits of sustainable choices. Improve awareness and build trust by sharing how these choices positively impact the climate,conserve resources, and fulfill consumer needs. Take inspiration from WildEarth who have their own landing page to educate their customers about their sustainability credentials – have a look https://www.klean.world/impact-wild-earth.

It's imperative for companies to approach behaviour change experimentation with the same rigor as new product development. An example of this can be seen in the efforts of B4Development, the behavioural science team behind the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. They applied the four-part framework to test whether customers could be prompted to make more sustainable choices. When customers called a restaurant for a take-out order, the operator asked,"Do you need plastic cutlery with your order?" Here's how the framework played out:

Focus: Giving customers a moment to consider their utensil needs encouraged sustainable decision-making.

 Uplift: By declining plastic cutlery, customers experienced a sense of empowerment and a boost in self-esteem.

Simplify: Many delivery services have already adopted the"no plastic cutlery" default option, making it hassle-free for customers to opt for eco-friendly alternatives.

Educate: Customers became aware of the broader environmental benefits of a seemingly small choice, transforming it into a meaningful decision.

In conclusion, businesses have the power to drive sustainable behavior change by following this four-part framework. By focusing on customer needs, leveraging clear data, simplifying choices, and educating consumers, companies can pave the way for a greener, more eco-conscious future. It's not just about making eco-friendly options available; it's about making them irresistible and the new standard for all. Klean empowers brands to do just that by understanding and displaying their sustainability credentials and empowering brand’s customers to choose offsets at checkout thus democratizing climate action at scale.

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