Why Climate-Positive Brands Are Leading the Future
We’re living in an age of reckoning – with the climate, with our consumption habits, and with how business interacts with the world. In this context, building a climate-positive brand strategy is becoming not just relevant, but necessary.
At Coana, we’ve always felt this pull. Nature is part of our DNA. We ache with the planet’s destruction and find deep purpose when collaborating with teams who want to build a different future – one that’s thoughtful, equitable, and sustainable by design.
When values meet clarity, we believe real change can take root.
Why Sustainability Belongs at the Center of Your Brand
Customers today aren’t just buyers – they’re stakeholders. Especially Gen Z and Gen Alpha. They research, question, and call out inauthenticity fast. If your brand doesn’t walk the talk, it shows. But when it does? It resonates.
- 62% of Gen Z prefers to buy from sustainable brands
- 73% are willing to pay more for products with lower environmental impact
- Their purchasing power – and expectations – are only growing
Sustainability isn’t a campaign. It’s a compass. It belongs in your strategy, operations, communications, and decision-making from day one – not as a trend, but as a foundation.
Brands That Get It Right
Some companies are proving that putting the planet first is not only possible – it’s powerful.
- Patagonia built a global following by encouraging people to buy less. Their “Don’t Buy This Jacket” campaign wasn’t a gimmick – it was a declaration of values that turned into long-term loyalty.
- IKEA is working to be climate-positive by 2030, not just carbon-neutral. They’re rethinking supply chains, materials, and even furniture ownership models.
- BYBI, a rising beauty brand, has put circularity at the heart of its model – championing carbon-neutral production and refillable packaging from the start.
These brands aren’t just selling – they’re shaping behavior. And that’s where true influence lies.
But not all sustainability efforts hold up to scrutiny.
Take H&M’s Conscious Collection, which was heavily criticized for misleading environmental claims and lack of transparency. Customers quickly called it out – and rightly so.
In a world where transparency is non-negotiable, greenwashing is more than risky. It’s reputationally fatal.
What It Means to Lead with a Climate-Positive Brand Strategy
You don’t need to overhaul your entire business overnight. But you do need to begin integrating environmental thinking into your brand’s DNA. That could look like:
- Rethinking brand strategy through a sustainability-first lens
- Building partnerships with like-minded suppliers, creatives, or NGOs
- Designing purpose-driven content that educates and resonates
- Using your platforms to share real, verifiable progress
- Empowering your team to understand and communicate your mission
It’s not about being perfect. It’s about being honest, consistent, and evolving in the right direction.
A Call to Action
As Sir David Attenborough said: “The truth is, the natural world is changing. And we are totally dependent on that world. It provides our food, water, and air. It is the most precious thing we have and we need to defend it.”
At Coana, we believe brands can help lead that defense – not with fear, but with imagination, strategy, and story. Whether you’re building a green concept from scratch or evolving toward a climate-positive brand strategy, we’d love to collaborate.
Because in this next era, nature isn’t just a cause. It’s a co-founder.
This article was contributed by a member of Coana’s Collective – a global network of creative collaborators. Find more stories like it in our Reads section.