Why Your Sustainability Brand Statement Is Your Next Competitive Edge
Branding, Sustainability & ESG / July 21, 2025
By Paul Gassett
In today’s marketplace, sustainability isn’t a bonus — it’s a business imperative. Stakeholders — from customers to investors — expect accountability, transparency, and clarity, not just action. A well-crafted sustainability brand statement meets this expectation, serving as your brand’s clear commitment to building a better future, not just a mission.
More Than a Statement — A Strategic Foundation
Think of your sustainability brand statement as the core expression of your environmental, social, and governance (ESG) priorities. It unites your sustainability program’s purpose with your brand’s values.
Shaped with care, this single statement anchors all ESG communications, bringing cohesion and clarity to your sustainability story — from executive messaging to social campaigns.
OBATA helped IDEX Corporation identify and articulate the four sustainability pillars guiding their global operations. The ensuing brand statement became the north star for their sustainability report, microsite, and other corporate communications.
“Our sustainability efforts took a huge leap forward with the development of our Sustainability Brand Story. The four key pillars embraced our corporate mission and values.”
Abigail Roche, Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer, IDEX
Business Case: IDEX
OBATA participated in workshops with IDEX stakeholders to gather insights, which led to the creation of four core Sustainability Brand Pillars.
These pillars, emphasizing Innovation, People, Planet, and Culture, were then unified into a compelling Sustainability Brand Statement and visual infographic, ensuring IDEX’s deep-rooted values were powerfully communicated.
Explore the full details of our partnership with IDEX in their IDEX 2024 Sustainability Case Study.
Why Storytelling Matters
Metrics matter. But stories move people.
Recent EY research highlights that people are far more likely to recall a well-told story than raw data. That’s why a strong narrative — rooted in your sustainability goals — builds emotional resonance, simplifying complex ESG topics into digestible, human-centered themes.
It also builds trust. According to a 2025 IENYC report, over half of global consumers distrust brands making vague sustainability claims. A brand statement backed by action becomes your first line of defense against greenwashing, signaling authenticity in a crowded marketplace.
Business Value You Can Measure
The case for a sustainability brand statement isn’t just philosophical — it’s practical:
Customer Preference & Loyalty:
60%+
More than 60% of consumers prefer sustainable products, and nearly half are willing to pay more for them.
Revenue
Growth:
10-20%
Consistent messaging around ESG can deliver a 10–20% revenue increase, according to WiserNotify.
Long-Term Value Creation:
88%
Morgan Stanley’s 2025 report found 88% of companies link sustainability to long-term growth.
Attracting and Retaining Top Talent:
64%
Modern professionals — especially Gen Z (64%) — want to work for companies aligned with their values, according to WinSavvy.
Winning Investor
Confidence:
ESG
ESG transparency is now central to capital strategy.
The 2025 U.S. Business Sustainability Landscape Outlook by sustainability intelligence platform EcoVadis found that a majority (79%) of 400 surveyed corporate executives pursue sustainability objectives not only for the planet, but also for direct business benefits — from bottom-line results to positive reactions from customers, suppliers, and employees.
To learn more about how these efforts translate into brand value, read How Sustainability Makes Brands More Valuable.
How to Build Yours
Creating a sustainability brand statement is both strategic and reflective, requiring stakeholder listening, internal value alignment, and translation of operational goals into public-facing commitments.
Start by identifying your unique sustainability pillars — the themes representing your environmental and social priorities. Then, distill them into a singular statement: short, clear, and aligned with your brand.
Visual storytelling plays a key role. Supporting your brand statement with design — infographics, icons, or visual frameworks — reinforces consistency and enhances understanding across all channels.
From Words to Action
The strength of a sustainability brand statement lies in its follow-through.
Effective ESG communication is a cycle: bold declaration, measurable progress, transparent reporting. When paired with evidence — metrics, case studies, certifications — your brand statement becomes more than marketing; it becomes proof of performance.
And when backed by real progress, it builds the kind of lasting trust that drives brand resilience.
Make Your Statement Matter
Your sustainability brand statement isn’t just a message — it’s a commitment. It aligns internal culture, informs external messaging, and shapes long-term strategy. Most of all, it communicates who you are and what you stand for.
Let it speak for you.
Ready to define your sustainability narrative?
OBATA partners with purpose-driven organizations to build clear, authentic brand stories. Contact us today to get started.