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Fast Company
a day ago
- Business
- Fast Company
Why now is the time to invest in sustainability—if you make it brand-led
FAST COMPANY EXECUTIVE BOARD According to Luc Speisser, global chief strategy and innovation officer at Landor, this moment isn't the time to retreat. It's time to rethink the approach. [Courtesy of Luc Speisser] The Fast Company Executive Board is a private, fee-based network of influential leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. BY Sustainability's momentum has slowed. Companies are delaying net-zero pledges. Budgets are being slashed. And in the face of economic pressure, many organizations are quietly stepping back from ESG commitments. But according to Luc Speisser, global chief strategy and innovation officer at Landor, this moment isn't the time to retreat. It's time to rethink the approach. 'Sustainability can't just be about compliance,' Speisser says. 'If it's compliance, it's a cost. And when times get tough, costs get cut.' THE PROBLEM WITH COMPLIANCE Speisser points to a hard truth: Compliance-driven sustainability doesn't differentiate. 'At best, it creates relevance. And relevance just gets you in the door,' he explains. 'It doesn't help you stand out. If everyone's doing the same thing (setting net-zero targets, reducing plastic), you end up with a green sea of sameness. Nobody remembers who said what.' This sameness, he argues, is why many sustainability initiatives fail to generate a return on investment. 'If you're spending millions and no one can tell the difference between your efforts and your competitor's, you're not building preference. And if you're not building preference, you're not building value.' CONSUMERS STILL EXPECT MORE Despite the slowdown in investment, public expectations remain high. Citing Kantar data, Speisser notes that 86% of global consumers say urgent action is needed to address climate change, and 64% believe it's businesses, not governments, that should lead the way. Meanwhile, 94% of marketers believe it's part of their role to push sustainability forward. Yet, there's a massive say-do gap. 'People say they care, but most won't pay more for sustainable alternatives,' he says. 'That's the disconnect brands have to solve. Not by scaling back but by making sustainability brand-led, so it drives business value, not just moral value.' A BRAND-LED APPROACH TO SUSTAINABILITY At Landor, the answer starts with the brand. 'We always begin with the brand promise,' Speisser says. 'A brand is a promise, and a great brand is a promise kept.' That promise becomes the foundation for brand-led sustainability. The process, as he outlines, is simple but powerful: Identify what the brand stands for, map it against the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and choose the right problem to solve, one that aligns with the brand's culture, capabilities, and point of view. Critically, brands shouldn't try to solve everything. 'Don't be a champion of everything,' Speisser advises. 'Be a champion of something. That's how you differentiate.' He points to Saudia Airlines as an example. Their brand promise, Welcome to Our Future, blends traditional Arabic hospitality with modern ambition. Rather than apply this broadly, Saudia chose to focus on one overlooked but deeply relevant area: caring for the millions of Hajj pilgrims who travel annually in extreme heat. As such, Saudia Airlines takes a stand on SDG 3: Good health and wellbeing. 'This led to the creation of the Coolest Ihram,' says Speisser. 'It's a high-tech garment using BRRR cooling technology to create a personal microclimate, lowering the skin temperature by up to two degrees. And those two degrees can be the difference between heat stroke and safe travel.' The initiative is a clear realization of Saudia's brand. 'It's not just sustainable,' he adds. 'It's specific. It's culturally relevant. It's emotionally resonant. And it's fully ownable.' One of the biggest challenges brands face is proving the business case for sustainability. As Speisser puts it, 'Sustainability as the only ingredient won't work. You have to add value to the user, to the business, to the brand.' Take Ariel's Ecoclic pod container. While switching from plastic to cardboard was a relevant move, the real breakthrough came in adding accessibility. 'The new pack design is easy to open for the 750 million people globally who live with dexterity challenges, while maintaining high safety standards for children,' Speisser explains. 'That's not just compliance—it's innovation. It creates new market access. It creates preference.' Or consider Accessories, a 3D-printed, 'one size fits one' toothbrush handle co-designed with people living with arthritis. 'We asked participants what they'd pay for a solution that removes their pain. Some said they would be ready to pay even £300, as this is a life-changing solution for them and has immense value. We brought it to market for £50,' says Speisser. 'That's innovation rooted in empathy and brand equity.' These aren't compliance moves. They're what Landor calls ownable firsts: ideas that are brand-led, business-generating, and category-defining. A PLAYBOOK FOR BRAND LEADERS For leaders under pressure to cut sustainability spending, Speisser offers pragmatic guidance: Plan for uncertainty. Don't rely on regulators. Don't assume the cultural climate will shift in your favor. Build a strategy that works no matter what. Expect no premium. Consumers won't pay more for sustainability. So give them something better, more functional, more beautiful, more meaningful. Make the business case. Sustainability must serve people, planet, and profit. Only when it hits all three does it become a smart investment. Think in road maps. Quick wins are important. But brand-led sustainability isn't a one-off campaign. It's a pipeline of meaningful innovation. Landor uses a framework to help companies balance 'points of parity' (like switching to recyclable materials) with 'points of difference' (like creating inclusive design or redefining category norms). The goal: Make sustainability work for the brand, beyond the common good. WHY NOW? At a time when many companies are pulling back, Speisser argues the opposite: Now is exactly the right moment to lean in. 'Tough times cut the fluff,' he says. 'Sustainability that doesn't serve the business won't survive. But brand-led sustainability? That's different. It makes the brand stronger. It opens new markets. It builds lasting preference.' He says plainly, 'If you just want to do good and hug trees, that's fine. But it won't be sustainable. Someone in the company will eventually ask, 'What is this driving?' And if the answer is nothing, the funding disappears.' In contrast, the brands that win will be those that connect sustainability with purpose, performance, and profit. 'You have to make sustainability work for your business,' Speisser concludes. 'Because if you don't, it won't work at all.' He adds: 'And let's not forget that bringing together people, planet and profit is nothing more than the United Nations' definition of Sustainability.' The early-rate deadline for Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies Awards is Friday, September 5, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply today. ABOUT THE AUTHOR The Fast Company Executive Board is a private, fee-based network of influential leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. More
Fast Company
10-06-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
Why brand-led innovation is the key to defeating the 90% failure rate
Innovation is hailed as the engine of progress, yet despite billions invested each year, the vast majority of innovations never succeed. 'The commonly accepted figure is that 90% of innovations fail annually,' says Luc Speisser, Global Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at Landor. 'Basically, before the age of one.' The real problem? The problem isn't a shortage of ideas or prototypes. It's a shortage of meaningfully different, brand-grounded innovations that can scale with confidence. WHY MOST INNOVATIONS FAIL According to Speisser, most innovation efforts are overly focused on relevance—meeting an unmet need—while ignoring the other essential ingredient: difference. 'Most of the innovation methodologies are only relevance-based,' he notes. 'If everybody innovates for relevance, it elevates the standards, but you're not standing out. And if you don't stand out, then price becomes the only way to differentiate. And then we've got a race to the bottom.' BRAND-LED INNOVATION: THE GAME CHANGER That's where brand-led innovation changes the game. It doesn't just chase trends or fill market gaps. It starts with a clear brand promise and builds from there. 'A brand is a promise, and a great brand is a promise kept,' said Walter Landor. At Landor, this mantra drives a holistic approach to innovation, constantly aligning what a brand stands for with what it says and does. This framework – define, make and keep the promise – ensures consistency across product, communication and experience. The result? Differentiation that resonates emotionally and endures commercially. 'Relevance gets you in the door,' Speisser explains. 'Difference fuels future growth. Combine them, and you command a premium.' HOW BRAND-LED INNOVATION BUILDS UNBREAKABLE BARRIERS Landor integrates this thinking into every stage of innovation: find, create, launch, and scale. Crucially, the brand is baked in from day one. 'We bring the brand in early,' says Speisser. 'If we create a new product, the brand is always front and center. People buy brands, not just products.' To de-risk and maximize impact, Landor uses modeling tools to rigorously test business viability. 'We can predict with high confidence the business opportunity and outcome, including margin and profitability.' This yields solutions that are not just new, but brand-defining and impossible to copy. 'We call these Ownable Firsts.' BRAND-LED INNOVATION IN ACTION: THE 'COOLEST IHRAM' OWNABLE FIRST A prime example of brand-led innovation is Saudia Airlines' 'Coolest Ihram' initiative. What generic innovation would you expect from an airline using standard customer-centric innovation methods? Personalized journey platforms, immersive in-flight entertainment, loyalty program revamps, typical local cuisine, and destination promotion… the list goes on. Replace Saudia with Air France, and you get the same expected ideas in a different wrapper. 'But when we explored innovation for Saudia Airlines, we started with their brand promise: Welcome to Our Future ', explains Speisser. ' Welcome is rooted in genuine Arabic hospitality. Our Future reflects Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 ambition to reinvent everything. Creating innovation that delivers on this promise is inherently ambitious and specific.' This led Landor to six brand-led, ownable innovation platforms that redefined welcoming and future. For example, it means welcoming the 20% of the world's population living with disabilities—a group airlines often overlook. It also means caring for passengers beyond the flight. 'This is how we arrived at the Coolest Ihram: caring for the millions of pilgrims who fly to Hajj each year and helping them combat their greatest enemy: heat', Speisser says. The Coolest Ihram is a high-tech cooling garment designed for pilgrims, addressing both climate and accessibility. It creates a personal cooling microclimate, lowering the temperature next to the skin by up to two degrees. 'Those two degrees make a big difference between having heat stroke or not,' explains Speisser. 'We immediately branded it 'The Coolest Ihram,' partnered with BRRR Technology and launched.' The Coolest Ihram embodies Saudia's Welcome to Our Future promise. It's a promise kept with millions of pilgrims annually. The brand itself blends tradition and modernity: the square shape echoes the Kaaba (tradition) while also evoking the pixel, the building block of modern tech. 'The Coolest Ihram Ownable First was presented to Saudia just six months ago. Our confident market opportunity assessment, combined with AI acceleration and strategic partnerships, enabled a record-breaking launch,' says Speisser. To unlock innovation's true potential, organizations must rethink their starting point. 'Relevance isn't enough. You need relevance and difference,' Speisser emphasizes. 'You need to execute, not just brainstorm; you need business confidence at every stage of the process, and you need to start with a brand.'
Biz Bahrain
22-04-2025
- Business
- Biz Bahrain
Saudia unveils 'The Coolest Ihram', a high-tech Hajj & Umrah innovation
Saudia, the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia – on World Creativity and Innovation Day – unveils 'The Coolest Ihram', the world's first high-tech garment designed to cool the body while performing the Islamic rituals of Hajj and Umrah. This pioneering product – developed in partnership with Landor and brrr®, will make its debut during the Arabian Travel Market 2025 (ATM) in Dubai, positioning Saudia at the forefront of Hajj & Umrah innovation. Envisioned by Saudia, created by Landor and brought to life by leading U.S. cooling fabric company brrr®, the Coolest Ihram, 'The Coolest Ihram' uses patented cooling minerals, active wicking and rapid drying to lower your skin temperature by 1-2°C depending on environment and individual metabolic rate. Along with UPF 50+ sun protection, this lab-tested, athletic-grade technology creates a cool personal microclimate for each pilgrim, while adhering to the Islamic principles of Ihram for both men and women. The launch comes at a pivotal time, as the Kingdom prepares for Hajj this summer while mobilizing efforts to ensure a safe and successful pilgrimage season. As the leading Hajj & Umrah carrier, Saudia aims to set a new benchmark in religious tourism, adding to its commitment of supporting the Kingdom's targets of six million Hajj pilgrims and 30 million Umrah pilgrims annually by 2030. Essam Akhonbay, VP Marketing at Saudia, said: 'At Saudia, we are committed to continuous innovation across all aspects of aviation. Our goal is to enhance the travel experience for every guest. 'The Coolest Ihram' exemplifies our dedication to pioneering advancements that ensure comfort and focus on what truly matters during their journey.' Offering Landor's perspective, Luc Speisser, Global Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer, said: 'We saw an opportunity not only to elevate Saudia's brand internationally, but to do it in a meaningful way, making a positive difference to passengers, during the journey of a lifetime. As a brand, Saudia promises innovation, and with the 'Coolest Ihram', they're putting that promise into practice.' Mary-Cathryn Kolb, Founder & Chief Executive Officer of brrr®, said: 'We were incredibly excited to partner with Landor and Saudia on this project, because we knew the difference it would make to pilgrims, in one of the most important moments of their lives. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to build new relationships and break new ground, while demonstrating the performance power of our fabrics.' The 'Coolest Ihram' will be available to Saudia guests beginning of June 2025, with further details to be announced soon.
Zawya
21-04-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Saudia unveils 'The Coolest Ihram', a high-tech Hajj & Umrah innovation
Jeddah: Saudia, the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia – on World Creativity and Innovation Day – unveils 'The Coolest Ihram', the world's first high-tech garment designed to cool the body while performing the Islamic rituals of Hajj and Umrah. This pioneering product – developed in partnership with Landor and brrr®, will make its debut during the Arabian Travel Market 2025 (ATM) in Dubai, positioning Saudia at the forefront of Hajj & Umrah innovation. Envisioned by Saudia, created by Landor and brought to life by leading U.S. cooling fabric company brrr®, the Coolest Ihram, 'The Coolest Ihram' uses patented cooling minerals, active wicking and rapid drying to lower your skin temperature by 1-2°C depending on environment and individual metabolic rate. Along with UPF 50+ sun protection, this lab-tested, athletic-grade technology creates a cool personal microclimate for each pilgrim, while adhering to the Islamic principles of Ihram for both men and women. The launch comes at a pivotal time, as the Kingdom prepares for Hajj this summer while mobilizing efforts to ensure a safe and successful pilgrimage season. As the leading Hajj & Umrah carrier, Saudia aims to set a new benchmark in religious tourism, adding to its commitment of supporting the Kingdom's targets of six million Hajj pilgrims and 30 million Umrah pilgrims annually by 2030. Essam Akhonbay, VP Marketing at Saudia, said: "At Saudia, we are committed to continuous innovation across all aspects of aviation. Our goal is to enhance the travel experience for every guest. 'The Coolest Ihram' exemplifies our dedication to pioneering advancements that ensure comfort and focus on what truly matters during their journey." Offering Landor's perspective, Luc Speisser, Global Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer, said: 'We saw an opportunity not only to elevate Saudia's brand internationally, but to do it in a meaningful way, making a positive difference to passengers, during the journey of a lifetime. As a brand, Saudia promises innovation, and with the 'Coolest Ihram', they're putting that promise into practice.' Mary-Cathryn Kolb, Founder & Chief Executive Officer of brrr®, said: 'We were incredibly excited to partner with Landor and Saudia on this project, because we knew the difference it would make to pilgrims, in one of the most important moments of their lives. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to build new relationships and break new ground, while demonstrating the performance power of our fabrics.' The 'Coolest Ihram' will be available to Saudia guests beginning of June 2025, with further details to be announced soon. About Saudia: Saudia (Saudia Airlines) is the national flag carrier of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Established in 1945, the company has grown to become one of the Middle East's largest airlines. Saudia has invested significantly in upgrading its aircraft and currently operates one of the youngest fleets. The airline serves an extensive global route network covering around 100 destinations across four continents, including all 28 domestic airports in Saudi Arabia. A member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO), Saudia has also been a member airline in SkyTeam, the second largest alliance, since 2012. Saudia was recently recognized as the World's Most Improved Airline 2024 by Skytrax, marking the third time it has received this accolade, alongside 14 other distinguished awards. Saudia has also been awarded the "World Class Airline 2024" for the third consecutive year at The APEX Official Airline Ratings™ awards. Additionally, also ranked top among global airlines for best on-time performance (OTP) according to a report by Cirium. For more information on Saudia, please visit
