talking trade
The changing face of responsibility
Tom Mirabile, principal and founder of Springboard Futures, examines how changing consumer behaviours, means the Housewares industry needs to adapt
ready and willing to use their purchasing power to support the brands and retailers they deem as responsible citizens of the world. So, what does corporate responsibility mean
T
to you? It’s one of those things if you ask 10 people,
you’re going to get 10 different answers, But for this report, we looked at
environmental protection, social equity, economic health and cultural vitality. While younger generations may have
provided the initial fuel for the responsibility trend, “it’s trickling up the generational ladder,” said webinar moderator Peter Giannetti, editor- in-chief of HomeWorld Business. The IHA Market Watch report was compiled in early 2020, with a planned launch at The Inspired Home Show in March. Because of the Show’s cancellation, IHA produced a webinar series taking a deep-dive into the report’s five lifestyle trends and providing updates in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. Report authors were Leana Salamah, IHA vice president, marketing; Joe Derochowski, vice president and home
oday’s consumers are acutely aware of potential threats to the environment, the economy and society. And they’re
industry advisor for The NPD Group; and Mirabile. Cadent Consulting provided data and support.
Of the five macro trends in the report, responsibility was the one that changed the most in recent months:
• Generational relevance jumped from an initial rating of 6 to 9
• Actionable quality jumped from 5 to 8 • Rational need increased from 6 to 8 Ratings for category breadth (10),
aspirational value (9) and trend longevity (10) remained the same. (10 is the highest rating possible.)
Many of the changes had to do with how consumers are reacting to social issues related to the pandemic, as well as social equity and justice issues that have come to a head in recent months.
Salamah explained that when the authors compiled the initial report, they were more focused on environmental issues. But social
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HousewaresLive.net
responsibility has now jumped to the forefront, increasing both its rational need and actionable quality. Today, responsibility is less about “What is the environment going to look like for my children and my children’s children?” which is more aspirational, she said. The urgent or rational need occurs when people say responsibility “is about safety and security for myself and my fellow man…
..there are people out there who are being hurt by irresponsible practices as it relates to Covid-19, and also irresponsible practices of how we treat each other in society.”
Many in the home and housewares industry still focus on the environmental part of responsibility and not as much the social part – You have to look at both. Derochowski pointed out that responsibility becomes a lot more actionable for both suppliers and retailers when you look at the social equity part. But it’s not enough to just say you support sustainability or social equity. In fact, if you say it and your practices don’t support it, consumers are very quick to call you on it. Responsibility is a “highly personal and
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September 2020
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