In recent years, there has been a strong change in awareness regarding sustainability among consumers. As the Goldschmiede Zeitung now reports, this trend is now also increasingly evident among business customers.
According to the B2BEST Barometer, the majority of respondents believe that a holistic sustainability strategy is of great importance for the long-term success of B2B companies. 75% of respondents consider the topic very or extremely important for their own company. 80% believe that a holistic sustainability strategy that takes into account all three ESG (Environmental, Social & Governance) criteria contributes strongly to the long-term success of a B2B company.
Although there is a general increase in the relevance of sustainability and 67% of B2B companies state that they have a sustainability strategy, in reality there is still much to be optimised. This is also reflected in the fact that 87% of the respondents themselves assume that the majority of companies only use their alleged sustainability strategy for marketing purposes and that not much of it is implemented. The companies named the interests of different stakeholders, as well as time and human resources, as the biggest challenges in implementing these measures.
Especially in logistics, however, many B2B companies are already implementing environmentally friendly and resource-saving measures. For example, many use more sustainable packaging made from recycled materials and without unnecessary plastic (82%), implement the resale of B-goods (78%) and the assessment and repair of returns (75%). The supply chain law, which will come into force in 2023, is also predominantly rated positively. The law obliges companies to determine the extent to which their business activities can lead to human rights violations and environmental pollution.
Overall, the economic situation is rated well, but with 2.16 in the fourth quarter it reaches the worst value since the B2Best Barometer was first surveyed. Due to the energy crisis, this trend is expected to continue. More than half of the respondents themselves assume that their profitability will continue to deteriorate. According to Dr. Kai Hudetz, Managing Director of IFH Cologne, however, the majority of companies have invested in the areas of environment and social issues despite the tense economic situation.
At DIAVON, the topic of sustainability and social responsibility - especially within the supply chains - has a very special status. All of our corporate activities are geared towards social justice, sustainability and transparency. We are all the more pleased that more and more market participants are recognising the importance of these issues and are also contributing to the change in awareness.
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Source: Article "Sustainability gains relevance among business customers" (GZ) from 03.11.2022.
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