Business as usual is not business as usual - A sustainable reflection by Knightec
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When I first heard this statement from Connie Hedegaard Koksbang, at that time EU commissioner for Climate Action, I realized that it captured a vital component of the sustainability challenge that is often overlooked.
As human beings, we have believed that what we have is safe throughout history. Taking a step in an unfamiliar direction might be an opportunity, but it also comes with risk. The climate crisis we created has turned logic upside down. Staying with business as usual is now the option with the highest risk. Fortunately, fewer companies intend to continue operating as normal. Several factors could drive a change. One might realize that their customers expect high sustainability performance from them. Or you may find it challenging to recruit young talent for a company doing business as usual. Even the financial market prioritizes businesses with sustainability visions. And with upcoming regulations that drive sustainability and circularity, you must change whether you like it.
Still, many companies need help to transform into sustainable businesses. The first step is to reduce the negative impact of the existing linear business model. This is a natural first step, but linear optimization will hardly make your company sustainable. In the long run, you must change to a circular business model. There are very few who dare to take this step in one go. A suitable start may be to make a pilot study or two to prototype circular ways to earn money. Another is to make the products you develop “circular ready,” meaning they can serve both linear and circular paradigms. In the circular economy, you must also rebuild and establish new relationships with suppliers and customers, which boils down to two significant challenges—transforming business models into circular ones, which means offering Product-as-a-Service, PaaS, which calls for extended Service Design with the development of your physical and digital touchpoints—optimizing your products for circularity and minimizing negative impacts. This will be a delicate balance between reducing impact upstream and maximizing life span downstream. So yes, we are entering a radically different paradigm, and we must admit that it’s entirely unfamiliar territory for many people.
At Knightec, we have an extensive toolbox that is well-suited to supporting our clients in this transformation. We know product development by heart and have recalibrated our services to help our clients’ journey toward sustainability effectively. And we are all excited about positive change and eager to help. After all, business as usual has never been our cup of tea. Let’s discuss how your business could best make the journey to a better future.
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Let us help you
Knightec offers various sustainability services to help our clients tackle today’s challenges. Our team of experts specializes in sustainability data management, tomorrow’s circular economy, and service design to develop physical and digital products. We can also assist with compliance with regulations like the EU’s Green Deal. To learn more, contact our Sustainability and Circular Design advisors, Madelene Wiil and Teo Enlund or head over to our Sustainability page.
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