Spy10: Inclusive Economy

When you think of what makes a strong economy, you probably think of one that makes as much money as possible. After all, our current system is built on profit and productivity. But as we race to the top, we often deprioritize important parts of our society such as the health of our planet and marginalized communities. An inclusive economy is built to include what is typically excluded. They grow in a way that takes into account long-term planetary and societal health and are designed so everyone is represented, no matter their age, race, income level, gender, or ability.

Brands can play a role in making an inclusive economy the norm by using the power of their businesses and voices. This is already being seen in the growing number of brands seeking B Corp status which signals a balance of profit and purpose in everything they do. This Spy10 we’re exploring examples of brands that are following inclusive economy principles, their products and behaviors, and what you can learn from them. 

Inclusive of Diverse Representation and Abilities

Redefining Beauty Standards

Dove has been working to redefine beauty standards since 2004 with the launch of their Real Beauty campaign. Since then, they’ve lived by their Real Beauty principles which vow to portray women as they are, help girls build self-esteem, and never feature models. Now, they’re taking these inclusive beauty beliefs one step further by working with independent casting agencies to funnel diverse female talent into commercial auditions for major brands like Krispy Kreme, Magnum, and more. If the models were cast, Dove then paid the feeds for the talent. They hope the campaign encourages more brands to incorporate more diverse representation into advertising.

Designing for All Abilities

When Tommy Hilfigher debuted the adaptive fashion line Tommy Adaptive in 2016, it was an outlier in a space dominated by hyper functional medical garments. The brand grew from the mission to be inclusive and empower people of all abilities to express themselves through fashion. The line caters to different solutions: comfort for those with sensory issues, easy closures like one-handed zippers and magnetic closures, prosthetic fits with expanded and adjustable openings, and seated wear designed for those who use wheelchairs. The brand has quickly galvanized a following with consumers thankful that their differing abilities are no longer excluding them from feeling fashionable. Despite its commercial success and large need, the adaptive market is still largely untapped by mainstream fashion brands.  

Accessing Things Differently

Since launching in 2014, Amazon Alexa has become more than an AI that can remind you of your to do list or tell you the weather. The brand launched an accessibility hub in 2020 bringing together all of its innovative accessibility features into one central place and demonstrating how people with different disabilities can use Alexa in their lives. The hub includes ways Alexa can accommodate those with hearing, vision, mobility, and speech issues. Alexa is packed with features such as calling and messaging without speech, a “show and tell” feature where it can scan barcodes and tell you what items are, and call captioning. Users note how these features allow them to be more independent and feel less isolated.

Action for People of Color

Relocating to the Nation’s Black Capital

Tristan Walker founded his company Bevel in 2013 to provide shaving products for Black men and has since expanded into hair and skin care. He founded the company because as a Black man himself he felt like a second class citizen looking for products that actually catered to his differences in hair and skin type. Despite being founded on inclusive principles, the brand’s location in Silicon Valley always felt wrong to Walker since its population is only 1.9% Black. In 2018, Walker made the game changing decision to move to Atlanta, a city that’s 50% Black and known for its economic prosperity and diverse culture. This not only ensures he can learn from his customers directly, but bolsters the growing power of Atlanta as a rival to the whitewashed Silicon Valley and a leader in Black entrepreneurship which can shape a more inclusive economy for years to come. 

Advancing Racial Equity and Inclusion

PayPal doesn’t want to just condemn racism. Dan Schulman, President and CEO, has stated that the company has to become anti-racist. Earlier this year, the company announced it will invest $530 million to advance racial equity and inclusion. Their money will be split between three different initiatives. The first is investing in the diversity of inclusion at PayPal through internal programming, diverse recruiting, and public advocacy. The second is creating a $500 million opportunity fund designed "to support and strengthen Black and underrepresented minority businesses and communities over the long term, and to help drive financial health, access, and inter-generational wealth creation." Finally, the third is to provide $10 million in emergency grants to Black-owned businesses impacted by COVID-19 or the racial justice crisis. Schulman hopes these initiatives will be a tipping point in encouraging the private sector to step up and fight systemic racism. 

Commitment to Ourselves & Our Planet 

Creating Healthier Foods

UK Chef Carl Clarke’s favorite late night snack was always instant noodles, even though he knew they weren’t the best for him. He went to work creating a healthier version and launched Future Noodles, a nutritionally complete instant noodle brand. The brand’s mission is to “make our planet healthier one noodle at a time” Clarke worked with expert nutritionists to create delicious noodles that have every nutrient you need in a recommended meal with 26 key vitamins and minerals. On top of that, the noodles are also planet friendly with their plant-based formulation and 100% recyclable packaging. Clarke hopes Future Noodles plays a role in solving the nutrition crisis of vitamin and mineral deficiencies by maintaining a low price point and distributing products to people in food poverty. 

Building an Environmentally and Socially Responsible Business

Everything about the soap brand Dr. Bronner’s is guided by their six interconnected “cosmic principles,” which lay out how the business is a force for good. The principles are all-encompassing and are broken down into the company itself, customers, employees, suppliers, the earth, and community. These clearly outline how the brand believes and behaviors and include things like the importance of product certifications, progressive business practices, sustainable practices, animal advocacy, and ethical sourcing. Living out these principles is so important to the brand, there’s even a book about them called Honor Thy Label: Dr. Bronner's Unconventional Journey to a Clean, Green, and Ethical Supply Chain. When these principles are done right, Dr. Bronner’s believes the results benefit customers, communities, and the environment we all share. 

Reversing Climate Change

25% of global greenhouse gases come from the global food supply.  Airly, a climate friendly snacking brand, wants to play an active role in changing that stat. The brand was born from the mission “to reverse climate change through food.”  Each box of their oat cloud crackers removes 18-21g of CO2 from the air, depending on the flavor chosen. They’re able to achieve this impact through farming differently by using the latest carbon farming practices, investing in carbon credits to offset their production process, and continuing to innovate with supply chains and energy sources. The brand hopes to galvanize consumers in taking steps, both big and small, in fighting with them against climate change. 

Recalibrated Gender Norms 

Breaking Traditional Molds

TomboyX Co-Founders Fran Dunaway and Naomi Gonzalez built their gender-neutral underwear brand a radically inclusive belief: “they wanted underwear that fit who they are, not who others told them to be.” They tapped into the unmet need of gender neutral boxer briefs, sold out in two weeks, and have since expanded into gender neutral swimwear, loungewear, and adaptable bras that accommodate inserts. They offer sizing from XXS to 6X in order to include everyone in their community and feature ad campaigns with a wide spectrum of body sizes, shapes, races, and genders. They’ve extended inclusivity to every part of their business through using environmentally friendly dyeing processes, working with women-owned factories, paying a living wage, and offering health insurance to all of their employees. 

Unleashing the Financial Power of Women

Founded in 2017, Ellevest is a financial company built by women, for women. It was created when Co-Founder Sallie Krawcheck realized that the investing industry had been built by men, primarily run by men, and had been keeping women from achieving their financial goals. Ellevet’s mission is “to get more money in the hands of women and other people underrepresented because of their gender identity.” It does so through its digital investing platform which incorporates women’s different financial lives in, such as the fact women tend to get paid less, live longer, have more debt, do more unpaid labor, etc. Ellevest wants to help women reach their financial goals all while keeping their realities and specific situations in mind. 

Feeling inspired to be part of the shift to a more inclusive economy?

Consider the following when brainstorming what your brand can do:

1. Stay true to your brand. As these examples show, inclusive brands are involved in everything from making clothing more adaptive to creating a healthier planet. It can be overwhelming to think of the multitude of different ways you can incorporate inclusivity into your own brand. Above all else, make sure you do something that feels true to your brand, your purpose, and your story. Use that as a jumping off point for your brainstorming to make sure whatever you do feels true to who you are as a brand. 

2. Be transparent. Consumers crave transparency from brands. They’re looking for clear examples of how brands are living their values and if those values align with their own. Make sure your brand clearly communicates whatever actions you take so consumers understand the impact you’re trying to make in the world. 

3. Incorporate customer feedback in. Including different races, genders, abilities, and more into your brand means learning from and listening to these groups of people in genuine ways. Make sure you’re doing your due diligence in learning what their actual needs are and incorporate ways to hear feedback directly from them into your process. Your brand should act as a collaborative partner to people, not an authority figure telling them what you think they need. 

4. Don’t be afraid of potential pushback. Not everyone agrees with every aspect of inclusive economies. Some consumers may not believe in systemic racism, human-created climate change, or LGBTQ+ representation. That said, you may get pushback from consumers when you put a stake in the ground about what you believe and what you’re doing about it. Don’t be afraid of this, instead embrace that the majority of consumers do believe brands should take action when it comes to societal issues and those consumers will value your brand even more.  And remember, just make sure whatever you do is true to your brand so the pushback will be as easy to deal with as possible. 

5. Be a movement, not a moment. The days of just posting a black square or slapping a rainbow on a product during Pride is over. Look for ways for your brand to move beyond a 15 second PR moment or one off donation. Consider ways to make lasting change through initiatives, partnerships, products, actions, and behaviors.