With overwhelming majorities of the nation’s largest generation prioritizing sustainability, ethics can no longer be a thoughtless add-on to existing models. If today’s companies want to prosper, sustainability and social responsibility must become core business practices. Nowhere has this trend taken root more deeply than in the tech sector. From established brands like LinkedIn and Philips to disruptive startups like littleBits and Skeleton Technologies, tech companies are making sustainability more than a marketing gimmick — they’re making it a competitive advantage.
Leading the Sustainability Charge
To create and maintain a sustainable business, companies — both those in tech and elsewhere — should keep these three strategies in mind: Although governments and charities do important work, they often lack the private sector’s technological prowess. And while nonprofits like Code for America are starting to bridge this divide, for-profit tech leaders are increasingly drawing a dual bottom line. By creatively applying their talents, they’re growing their companies while addressing social problems. Despite the fact that consumers prefer to shop sustainably, many popular products aren’t environmentally friendly. Those that are, in most cases, are out of reach for budget-conscious consumers. In other cases, sustainable options simply don’t exist. Creating sustainable alternatives, then, isn’t just good for the planet; it’s also good business. CRU Kafe, another U.K.-based tech brand, is pioneering a better coffee capsule. Founded by three friends tired of wasting so much plastic with their Nespresso machines, the coffee brand stands by its earth-friendly promise. It even joined energy tech startup Bio-Bean to create coffee logs and biofuels from WIRED2016’s coffee waste. To accomplish that mission, Medopad’s team aligned. Its developers built an ecosystem of easy-to-use apps connecting doctors, patients, and hospitals. From its landing page to its television ads, Medopad’s marketers highlight the brand’s social DNA across its communications. And thanks to its leaders, Medopad has secured mission-driven investments from some of the world’s top healthcare, pharmaceutical, insurance, and technology companies. These days, it’s not enough to just believe in a cause. Anyone can tweet a hashtag or hold a charity auction. Living, breathing, and rallying others to a social mission is more difficult — but, as today’s tech founders can attest, it’s also more rewarding.
