A Better Business opportunity

As business leaders we have a unique opportunity to make a difference. Not only for our companies and teams, but for the larger picture: our communities, and even our planet. We just need to know where to start, and then take one small step at a time. 

About 20 years ago, I moved from market research positions at Unilever and GfK to become responsible for one of Sweden’s pioneering sustainability brands, Grumme. I stayed for a five year period and learned a lot. Still today, Grumme is considered one of the most environmentally friendly brands in the country. A country that is known as one of the top ten environmentally sustainable countries in the world. And one of the most innovative.

The brand had less than a decade earlier pivoted from a traditional household cleaning brand with roots going back to 1882, to a brand with focus on environmental sustainability. Why? Because someone in the company had identified a business opportunity in the evolving Swedish values and beliefs, and saw an opportunity to do well by doing good. Grumme liquid detergents quickly became a commercial success and grew to become a serious competitor to Unilever’s and P&G’s liquid detergents.

Today, sustainability is so much more than it was two decades ago, and many companies are already capitalizing on this moment to become a force for good. However, many more need to start considering the opportunity because good business is simply good for business!

So where might you start? How might your company evolve into a Better Business?

Why not start by downloading the Better Business Playbook for some more inspiration?