Watch the Trends, But Build Your Business
In B2B, trends move faster than a cat video going viral, and expectations move even faster. From circular economy mandates to digital traceability, SMEs are under constant pressure to pivot, absorb costs, and still keep their sanity intact. Chasing every shiny new trend isn’t a strategy—it’s a full-time job with zero vacation days. The real win? Building verified resilience.
Verified resilience is basically your business’s ability to keep running smoothly while the market throws curveballs. It’s achieved through measurable, third-party validated systems, not through vague promises, wishful thinking, or buying carbon credits that might as well be Monopoly money.
The Problem with Fancy Promises
About a decade ago, I sat through a presentation on carbon credits that promised “quick sustainability wins.” It was like being sold a magic potion… except the potion was just sugar water. This taught me that the sustainability push is full of schemes, hype, and companies making bank without actually reducing emissions.
Later, while preparing my talk for drupa 2024, “Hacking Net Zero,” I dug deeper into popular sustainability frameworks and found some real doozies—especially for SMEs. After chatting with Gary Jones of PRINTING United Alliance, it hit me: Scope 3 emissions are nearly impossible to calculate. One company’s reductions ripple through customers and vendors in ways that make basic accounting logic cry.
When your systems lack integrity, trust evaporates faster than free coffee in a startup office. And it’s not just about ethics—it’s financial, reputational, and time-consuming pain. For example, The Guardian’s 2023 investigation into Verra, the world’s leading voluntary carbon standard, found that over 90% of rainforest offset credits were basically “phantom credits”. In short, companies were paying for fake green points. That’s what happens when abstract metrics get prioritized over operational improvements.
Five Pillars of Verified Resilience
SMEs have two superpowers: agility and innovation. To survive and thrive without getting lost in the hype jungle, B2B leaders need to focus on operational integrity over trend chasing. Here’s how:
Invest in Systems, Not Shortcuts – Third-party verified accountability is your friend. Systems like the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP) track real-world metrics in waste, energy, and sourcing. It’s like having a fitness tracker for your sustainability goals—but for your business.
Build Supply Chain Alliances – Partner with organizations that value transparency. Align with credible players who can decode legislation and actual trends. Think of it as building a superhero squad for compliance and operational integrity.
Embed Circularity – Design with reuse in mind. Track waste obsessively. Bring your community along for the ride. Circularity isn’t just trendy jargon—it’s how you manage material costs and keep the industrial ecosystem running smoothly.
Cultivate Strategic Discernment – Train your team to spot marketing fluff from meaningful action. A team with good judgment is your first defense against chasing the next “sustainable quick fix.”
Lead with Empathy & Insight – Understand your customers, but educate them too. Use real data to show them what sustainability looks like when it actually works. Your metrics become your business’s moral compass—and bragging rights.
Resilience: The Trend That Never Dies
Trends will fade. Some will be the next big footnote in the history of bad sustainability promises. But resilience, built on transparency, accountability, and community, never goes out of style. Focus on operational integrity, not abstract concepts.
Watch the trends—but build a business that lasts. Because at the end of the day, it’s not about being trendy. It’s about being trusted.
