When we watched the video this week on Ray Anderson and Interface, one of David Suzuki’s interview responses really stuck with me. He mentioned something along the lines of the fact that many companies (I believe Walmart was the example) have engaged in behaviours that put them in a negative light in the eyes of the public. So Suzuki posed the question: When they do actually try to do something positive, are we willing to give them credit for it?

This is a thought I have wondered about for some time. We have discussed many instances where big brands like McDonald’s and Coca-Cola are trying to do something good for the environment–or so they claim. But they have many factors working against them, such as their profit-seeking nature and the substantial negative environmental impact their products have on the planet, that makes us question or even criticize their motives.

I understand that we should continually push large companies to work harder and harder to make their business models as sustainable as possible. But at the same time, I worry that if companies receive more backlash than appreciation from consumers every time they put forward a new environmental initiative, they will be less encouraged to try something new. If a business announces a sustainability project, and the first response that comes from consumers is negativity, it would be easy for executives to say, “Then why should we bother?”

It’s definitely a delicate balance between motivating companies to integrate sustainability into their entire business structure, and avoiding executive ambivalence because of harsh criticism. I agree that we need to start seeing greater changes from companies, and see it fast; but I would hate to see companies become afraid of implementing change because they think they will only hear consumer complaints if they do so. 

A few classes ago we mentioned how environmentally harmful IKEA products are because of their short lifespan. Yet this article in Forbes describes the many advances the company is making towards sustainable practices. Are we prepared to give them some credit for such initiatives even with the environmental sins committed by their products?

*This article sites ten reasons why businesses aren’t more sustainable; number seven particularly relates to this blog post.