How to demonstrate scale and viability of the market?

5. Develop business models for replication

Develop a business model that others can adapt or replicate, which matches the consumer need with the social or environmental need and leads to impact as well as market growth.

In practice: Unilever reduced the unit cost of its Lifebuoy programme to enable wider roll-out and reach. Lifebuoy offers affordable, accessible soaps to help communities around the world improve hygiene through handwashing.

6. Increase access to solutions

Exploit existing infrastructure, or develop new access. Depending on the challenge this might be anything from distribution networks, physical infrastructure or increased availability of data.

In practice: Nike created the MAKERS App, originally powered by the Nike Materials Sustainability Index. The app gives designers consistent information about raw materials to enable informed decision making with environmental impact in mind.

7. Reshape supply

Analyse your supply chain and identify leverage points for better performance. Build capacity to meet anticipated demand through partnerships with organisations, such as local government, industry bodies or educational institutions.

In practice: Cotton Connect creates more sustainable cotton supply chains by examining business models in the global supply chain and providing information, risk capital and training to suppliers in the developing world.

8. Create end-user demand

Encourage consumer, customer and competitor demand through promotion or by identifying the behaviour change required and by working with enablers such as brands, marketing and partners.

In practice: Levi Strauss created a pilot product, Water<Less Jeans, and stimulated market demand through a marketing campaign which looked at the full product life cycle, including the responsibility of the consumer. More than 13 million products have been sold to date.