Drawing on African essence and values
African wisdom teaches us that living with dignity, generosity, striking a balance and finding harmony are at the heart of living a meaningful life. The African philosophy of Ubuntu - the idea that “a person is a person through other persons” - highlights the fact that the true essence of being human lies in being connected with and through others, for the benefit of all.
By tapping into these simple truths, we can identify the critical success factors for brands in this new world:
- Connect, support and enable
- Be authentic and always honest
- Teach others to do the same
Following these principles is what will keep business - and brands - relevant and connected to their audiences.
Ethical brands build a reputation
The fundamental principles of sustainability are firmly entrenched in African wisdom. Branding for good in Africa means embracing this wisdom to build ethical brands committed to doing the right thing enabling social, environmental and economic sustainability.
Social sustainability means making branding and business choices that improve the quality of life in our communities. It means adopting ethically sound trading practices that facilitate development and enable self-sufficiency of small suppliers. Instead of using a hardware chain to supply your Christmas gift boxes, employ a carpenter from the informal settlement down the road. Help him to open a bank account, teach him to calculate margins so that he actually makes money and once he has been supplying you for some time, write a letter to his bank confirming your support for his business so that he can take out a loan to purchase his first delivery vehicle.
The point here is not just to make a buck, but to build a reputation. And nothing achieves that quite like the empowerment of others. Show an interest and get involved - don't outsource your responsibility.
Environmental sustainability goes beyond buying natural or organic, to showing cradle-to-grave responsibility not only for your products, but for what goes into them as well. This is the principle behind carbon footprinting. It is all very well to source wild harvested baobab oil for your new body care range but if that baobab oil round-tripped through Europe for processing, how environmentally sustainable are you really? Consider your carbon footprint so that your environmental initiatives don't do more damage than good.
As brand owners, we can shift the demand curve to stimulate supply of sustainable raw materials, goods and services. The economic benefit of our social and environmentally sustainable initiatives will encourage continued investment and ensure economic sustainability in Africa.
Consider your brand for a moment and ask yourself:
- Can you trace your ingredients back to their source?
- Were they farmed or harvested in a sustainable way?
- How did they reach you?
- What were the working conditions like?
- Are you sure?
Then consider, what have you personally done to make a difference in your role as a brand owner?
“The path is made by walking” - African Proverb
Building ethical brands in Africa takes courage, passion and determination. It means that if it hasn't been done before, we need to find a way. We cannot ask a global head office to send learnings and best practice, and if they did, would they be the best for us? We need to seek our own solutions and to share what we have discovered with one another and the world.
Emotional attachment to your brand
Do good not because it looks good, but because it feels good. Make a difference and consumers will begin to feel the difference in their relationship with your brand. By building credible, authentic brands that do good, you will ensure your sustainability as a brand in this changing world so that when the wild harvested baobab is still standing, so are you.
