I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Andy Last, commercial sustainability adviser and author of Business on a Mission, a seminal book that explores the evolving role of sustainability in business and provides a practical roadmap for leaders looking to build a sustainable brand. The book is based on a wealth of Andy’s first-hand experience.
Our interviewee is:
Andy Last
Andy’s central view – borne out of his experience over the past two decades – is that sustainability can simultaneously drive both business growth and social impact. As a powerful example of how this can be achieved, he cites his work with Unilever and its soap brand Lifebuoy. Operating for more than a century, Lifebuoy has become a global leader in germ protection, thanks to a strategic alignment between its commercial goals and social mission: promoting handwashing in underserved regions. This approach wasn’t about doing good or making a profit. It was about delivering on both.
In 2008, Lifebuoy co-founded Global Handwashing Day in partnership with UNICEF, USAID, and the World Bank Water and Sanitation Programme. Today, Lifebuoy is a €1 billion brand sold in over 50 countries – and actively champions good hygiene to more than a billion people, under the strapline: “We help parents ensure their kids fall ill less often.”
“20 years ago, I was working with pioneering businesses, helping them discover their social mission. The goal was to integrate social impact into the core of the business model – not as an afterthought but as a central driver of revenue and growth." – Andy Last
The Lifebuoy model demonstrated beyond question that integrating sustainability into a company’s core business could result in both positive societal impact and commercial success. Andy sums up: “The social mission became the heart of the brand, and helped to make it the fastest-growing brand in Unilever at the time.” Other brands in the group followed suit – such as its Smile oral care brands promoting oral health, boosting awareness of hygiene while also driving sales. All of this helped to deliver on Unilever’s Sustainable Living Plan, which reached 1.3 billion people through the company’s health and hygiene programmes between 2010 and 2020.
The “sword and shield” approach
As more businesses embark on their sustainability journeys, they face a critical challenge: balancing risk management with creating positive impact. This is where what Andy calls the “sword and shield” approach comes into play.
“The shield protects your reputation and prevents harm, ensuring compliance with regulations. The sword is about making a positive impact—doing well by doing good.”
– Andy Last
The shield represents the defensive foundation: rigorous compliance, risk mitigation, and established best practices that protect a company’s reputation and operations. On the other hand, the sword pushes boundaries and proactive efforts that drive innovation.
Leadership is the key to effectively using both tools. Together, they form a comprehensive strategy that not only safeguards business interests but also drives sustainable growth and lasting progress.
For leaders, the challenge lies in knowing when to use the shield to defend the company’s reputation and when the sword is needed to lead bold, innovative initiatives. Striking this balance is crucial.
From product to purpose: A case study in sustainable impact
To bring this concept to life, Andy shares his experience with Kimberly-Clark‘s transformation of its toilet tissue brand strategy. Initial attempts to promote environmental sustainability in production processes (the shield) failed to resonate with consumers. However, a strategic pivot toward addressing global sanitation challenges – a natural extension of the company’s expertise – proved far more engaging.
This shift resulted in a groundbreaking partnership with UNICEF, initially launched in the UK to address critical sanitation needs in Angola and Mozambique (the sword). The program’s success sparked its expansion into a global initiative, delivering meaningful social impact and enhanced commercial performance. By championing cleanliness and accessibility to basic sanitation, Kimberly-Clark strengthened its market position, while making a tangible difference in communities worldwide.
The results demonstrate how aligning core business strengths with critical social issues can create value for both society and shareholders, proving that authentic purpose can be a powerful driver of both commercial success and meaningful change.
The “sword and shield” model shifts the sustainability conversation from harm reduction to value creation. When companies align environmental and social initiatives with their core capabilities, sustainability becomes more than a compliance checkbox – it becomes a powerful engine for innovation, competitive advantage, and lasting impact.
"True sustainability breakthroughs happen when leaders have the courage to think bigger than incremental improvements. The most transformative initiatives often come from asking a different question entirely: not 'How can we do less harm?' but 'How can our core business solve fundamental human challenges?' When Kimberly-Clark shifted focus from reducing environmental impact to addressing global sanitation, they didn't just find a purpose – they unlocked new sources of growth and competitive advantage."
– Andy Last
A shift in focus: Sustainability moves to the core of strategy
Sustainability has evolved from a peripheral concern to a core driver of value creation and competitive advantage. This transformation isn’t just about changing corporate priorities – it reflects a deeper transformation in how value is perceived and created in the modern economy.
For example, today, Millennials and Generation Z – who will make up 75% of the global workforce by 2025 – hold different expectations for corporate purpose from previous generations. These younger generations don’t separate purpose from profit or values from value creation. Instead, they view environmental and social impact as essential measures of business success, alongside traditional financial metrics. They want to buy from, and work for, purpose-driven organisations that align with their own values and actively contribute to societal wellbeing.
The data validates this change. Three-quarters of millennials consider a company’s social and environmental commitments before making career decisions. Organisations with strong sustainability practices report up to 50% better employee retention. This “sustainability advantage” creates a virtuous cycle: purpose-driven companies attract better talent, build stronger brands, earn deeper customer loyalty, and achieve superior market positions.
“Employee engagement is crucial, yet 18% of US employees feel disengaged at work. This isn’t just a human resources challenge – it’s a business imperative. When companies demonstrate authentic purpose beyond profit, when they show how their work creates meaningful impact, they transform employee engagement. We’re seeing this play out in traditional sectors like banking and law, where firms without robust sustainability and diversity commitments are struggling to attract top talent. It’s no longer a nice-to-have – candidates consistently rank purpose and values among their top three considerations when choosing employers.”
– Andy Last
This extends to buying behaviour. In the US, the 2023 Business of Sustainability Index revealed that 91% of Gen Z respondents expressed a preference for buying from sustainable brands and 81% said recent climate events had made them more likely to choose environmentally-friendly products.
However, this isn’t limited to Gen Z alone. Consumers across all generations are showing a growing interest in purchasing green products, reflecting a broader cultural movement towards sustainability in everyday choices. As this mindset continues to grow, companies that fail to embrace sustainability risk losing relevance with an increasingly eco-conscious market.
“Smart investors recognise a fundamental truth: business prosperity is inextricably linked to societal wellbeing. When communities thrive, markets grow. When people struggle, markets contract. This isn’t just social consciousness – it’s economic reality. Creating shared value isn’t charity; it’s strategic imperative. Helping society helps business.”
– Andy Last
A sustainable business approach is also attracting a growing pool of investors who prioritise ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) criteria. In the first quarter of 2024, European funds investing based on sustainable criteria saw inflows of almost US$11 billion, more than double the figure from the previous quarter. And while ESG funds in regions like the US have faced some recent outflows, they remain a significant force in the global investment landscape.
Private equity investors are increasingly focused on more than just financial returns—they’re seeking long-term value creation through responsible, forward-thinking business practices. By prioritising sustainability, they can reduce risk while enhancing the growth potential of the assets they invest in.
Is it possible to combine profit and purpose?
Research by McKinsey & Company found that financially successful companies that integrate ESG priorities into their growth strategies outperform their peers on creating shareholder value, especially when they excel in business fundamentals. Despite such positive findings, many businesses remain hesitant to emphasise the financial benefits of sustainability, fearing it might undermine their credibility.
Andy argues that this perception needs to change. “We must embrace the idea that doing good and making profit can coexist,” he explains. “It’s entirely possible to be both profitable and socially responsible.” This isn’t limited to global corporations; even smaller companies can thrive by balancing profit with purpose. A great example is Tony’s Chocolonely, a brand that has successfully tackled social issues like anti-slavery while driving brand awareness and financial success.
“For startups, a genuine social mission isn’t just purpose – it’s competitive advantage. They can move faster and be bolder than established players, turning their impact commitments into market differentiation. But as these companies scale, maintaining authenticity becomes crucial. Success demands weaving social impact and compliance in to maintain their credibility.”
– Andy Last
Avoiding “green-hushing” – by overcoming the fear of greenwashing
Irrespective of a business’s size, one of the biggest challenges it may face today in its sustainability efforts is the fear of greenwashing – the practice of exaggerating sustainability claims for marketing purposes. Regulatory bodies such as the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) have been clamping down on misleading environmental claims, causing companies to become more cautious in their messaging.
However, as Andy points out, this fear has given rise to a different problem: “green-hushing.” He explains: “Companies are now so nervous about greenwashing that they say nothing at all. They’re afraid of being called out for areas where they haven’t yet achieved full sustainability.”
“Authenticity in sustainability isn’t about waiting until you’re perfect – it’s about being transparent about your journey. Companies should celebrate their progress while acknowledging the road ahead. The most credible leaders share both their achievements and their aspirations, understanding that meaningful change is a continuous journey rather than a destination. The focus should be on progress, not perfection.”
– Andy Last
Five considerations for leaders on their sustainability journey
For leaders looking to integrate sustainability more deeply into their business strategies and operations, what actions should they prioritise? We share five key considerations to help navigate the path towards a more sustainable future:
01
Bring in the right leadership
Businesses need leaders who not only grasp the complexities of sustainability but also understand how to align these efforts with commercial goals. It’s about finding someone who can effectively bring sustainability into the boardroom and ensure it becomes a strategic priority. The CEO and senior leadership team have a key role here in ensuring that their organisation has the expertise and resources to embed sustainability into its core business model.
“True sustainability leadership means seeing past the obvious ‘green’ initiatives to discover where your company’s expertise can create meaningful change in people’s lives.”
– Andy Last
02
Build sustainability into planning
Sustainability needs to be part of the conversation from the outset – during the planning cycle – not as an afterthought. Bringing in sustainability experts early on can help companies identify risks and opportunities that may not be immediately apparent.
03
Understand materiality
Identify where your company is having the most significant impact on society or the environment, whether that’s in your supply chain, product use, or operations. “Double materiality” is crucial – understanding both where your business affects the environment, and where sustainability can drive its performance.
04
Align sustainability with business goals
Find the connections between your sustainability initiatives and your key business drivers, such as sales, brand reputation, and employee engagement. Ensure sustainability is intrinsic to your brand’s core strategy and values.
“Sometimes your greatest social impact isn’t in reducing harm, but in reimagining how your core business can solve fundamental human challenges.”
– Andy Last
05
Avoid perfection paralysis
Don’t let the fear of not achieving perfect sustainability prevent you from taking meaningful action. Instead, focus on transparency by openly communicating your progress and acknowledging areas for improvement. This requires a leadership mindset that prioritises progress over perfection and fosters a culture of openness and continuous improvement. This involves cultivating a business culture where sustainability is a visible, ongoing commitment, driving momentum rather than stalling due to fear of criticism or failure.
Leading your business sustainably into a resilient future
The success of sustainability initiatives hinges on leadership at every level. It is leaders who set the vision, prioritise actions, and ensure sustainability is deeply embedded into the core of the business. Without leadership that understands the relationship between sustainability and commercial success, the transition becomes far more challenging, if not impossible. In the cases of both Unilever and Kimberly-Clark, it was leadership’s commitment to championing sustainability that turned these efforts from peripheral initiatives into transformative forces, driving both business growth and meaningful social impact.
“The most effective sustainability leaders are bilingual – they speak both the language of impact and the language of business. Success requires someone who can translate environmental and social initiatives into strategic and commercial value. Whether permanent or interim, this bridge between purpose and profit needs direct access to the C-suite, because sustainability isn’t a department – it’s a transformation of how business creates value.”
– Andy Last
We would like to thank Andy Last, Founder of Lasting Impact, for his invaluable insights and contributions to this discussion.
Balancing profit and purpose isn’t automatic. It requires the right kind of leadership capable of aligning these two goals, ensuring this mindset permeates the entire organisation and embedding purpose into the company’s growth strategy.
