Sustainable investments as a sustainable business model
The battle for consumers is intensifying, not only in terms of products but also services. Our society is becoming increasingly transparent, and consumers are better informed about what it is they are buying. Distinguishing yourself from the competition, standing out amidst the crowds of service providers, seems to be key.
An indispensable trump card in this respect is a more sustainable range of products and services. Initiatives such as 'climate truancy', plastic-free months and 'thick sweater days' ensure that consumers are more aware of green issues and that the cry for conscious and openly sustainable entrepreneurship is becoming louder and louder.
Following the crisis in 2008, KBC started to implement sustainability in their policy up until today, with the far-reaching pledge to fully embed their sustainability principles in all of the bank's activities.
This includes various projects at KBC Real Estate for which Encon has been called in to assist with, such as the installation of solar panels on various offices and buildings as well as the setting up of new services.
The climate has a major impact on the business model of many companies, including KBC. This made them aware of their leverage potential to persuade companies to make sustainable investments.
As part of their efforts, they started a structural partnership with Encon in 2019 in the form of a pilot project. A completely new business to steer large companies in their portfolios to invest in a sustainability project involving low-cost financing from KBC. This ties in with their participation in the Collective Commitment to Climate Action, in which banks are committed to aligning their services with the Paris Convention, which aims to achieve a carbon-neutral economy.
A business model that pays off; after a successful pilot project of several months, this project was extended to a consistent collaboration. This includes a team per region to actively approach the market and convince them to start investing in sustainability.
Each KBC regional manager will be trained and assisted by Encon to ask the right questions and identify the needs. From September 2020, this partnership will continue and become a continuous part of KBC's services.
In doing so, KBC proves that they are 100% behind the notion that one cannot grow as a company without jumping on the sustainability bandwagon. Ecology goes hand in hand with economics—the future of the service industry.
Are you interested in jumping on the green bandwagon and making your company stand out within the service industry? Explore our different options to also take a closer look at your services to work towards a sustainable future.
