She is the Hero of her time. She receives an invitation in golden lettering for almost every party. She strives for a clean, fair world in which the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals have been achieved. Despite constant accusations of hypocrisy, she presses on with determination. People talk about The Idealist so often that she’s even started to take root in your own mind. She is the admonishing voice that every meat-eater hears when reading reports of abuses in the livestock industry. She is alert to every form of poverty, exploitation and inequality. Because she knows all the research facts. And she’s right. She knows it, and you know it – or perhaps you simply don’t want to know.
Superpowers
- X‑ray vision: she assesses the extent to which your company is helping to create a better world
- She recognises green initiatives: she immediately sees what is already going well.
- She also spots what isn’t going well: she uncovers concealed facts and brings them to light.
- Tough love: she provides direct feedback to reinforce moral values.
- Develops sustainable long-term plans: rolls out a practical plan that fits your brand and helps you move forward
Kryptonite
- Greenwashing: it’s tempting to use The Idealist’s positive image to polish up your own marketing and conceal certain things, as in this example from Shell.
- Be wary of double impacts: an app that makes it easy to sell clothes may seem positive, but it also fuels consumerism. This, in turn, runs counter to another UN goal: ending poverty. After all, much of this clothing is manufactured under appalling conditions in low-wage countries.
The Idealist in practice
The Idealist is clearly evident in an app like Too Good To Go: here, you can collect food from shops and supermarkets that would otherwise be thrown away. Or in the provision of an eco-friendly delivery option and reusable packaging for orders on bol.com.
A shining example of how a company can be and act ‘good’: the clothing brand Patagonia. They donate all their profits to charities.
Ally
The Idealist is close friends with the Includer: together they fight for a world that’s better for both the climate and people.
Archenemy
She has endless discussions with The Cashier: sustainability is, after all, expensive, and The Cashier wants to see a financial return at the end of the day.
Even The Artist might roll his eyes from time to time: he’s there precisely to gloss over the ugliness and coat bundles of scrap with a thin layer of chrome. Whereas The Idealist couldn’t care less about appearances: eating meat is wrong, drinking milk is wrong. Food industry quality labels (a typical game between The Cashier and The Artist) can’t change that one bit.
Summary
The Idealist takes a close look at your product, and then explains in great detail what aspects of it contribute to a better world – and what don’t. She spots opportunities and comes up with solutions. Yes, she’s a busybody; yes, she can be extreme at times; and no, she’ll never back down. But let her finish speaking. Because at the end of the day, she’s simply right. There’s always something you can do.
Would you like to find out more about the Heroes of Value in our workshop?
Request a free set of cards. In our accompanying workshop, you’ll learn how to put the Heroes into practice to improve your product or service.
Want to find out more about the Heroes of Value? Let’s get to know each other!
Nils van den Broek — Founder
Send message via LinkedIn Schedule a meeting nils@valsplat.nl
