The starting point of the sustainability perceptions value is brand value.

When we talk about ‘brand’ we therefore mean more than just a logo. It is the focal point for all accumulated perceptions about a business. Any characteristic of a product or service that cannot be directly experienced or tested by the customer at the point of purchase is evaluated through the brand.

A business’ commitment to sustainability is one such characteristic. Whilst there are dozens of reporting frameworks and data sources providing some level of information on sustainability performance, these typically only provide partial information, and are usually not easily found or evaluated by most stakeholders, including employees and customers.

Further, the sheer proliferation of such schemes can create uncertainty around the relative importance of the information they provide. The brand therefore remains an essential tool in the evaluation of sustainability by most stakeholders.