Business models can roughly be divided into two categories: sustainable and non-sustainable ones. But of course, there are ways to switch between categories and there’s a transition phase too. How do you know if your business model is sustainable? How do you get into a transition and what should you do during that transition phase? In a podcast episode hosted by BNR New Radio, Nancy Bocken takes us through existing business models and how to deal with the dimension of sustainability. Nancy is a professor in Sustainable Business at the Maastricht Sustainability Institute at Maastricht University. She is also a Fellow at the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership.
“My product shouldn’t overperform”
There is always debate among companies that sell products: how long will the product last and how much should it cost for the consumer? This model doesn’t promote sustainability, because pushing the boundaries in quality to ultimately earn as much money as possible generates a lot of waste. A quick fix could be to switch to a subscription model, even with a simple product like a lamp. In that case, the company benefits from making a product that is as sustainable as possible and you still earn money on a continuous basis.
Easier said than done
Of course, this is easier said than done. You don’t simply change your entire organisation. But you have to start somewhere. Nancy provides simple and meaningful advice: start small. “Start with a specific product and build it into a sustainable business model, see if it picks up steam and learn from the process”, Nancy says. This way, you learn on the go and you work towards a completely sustainable organisation.
Listen to the podcast
Listen to the full podcast with Nancy Bocken, hosted by Wendy van Ierschot from BNR News Radio.
Listen to the full podcast episode (in Dutch) – Podcast by BNR News Radio
Taking the next step
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