“Sustainability is a major issue and affects the purchasing decisions of today’s youth...”

GERALD MIRANDA,

Sustainable Brands conference, Malaysian convenor

KUALA LUMPUR: Global thought leaders and sustainability practitioners will be presenting new insights and research data at the Sustainable Brands conference, which will be held here next month.

The presentations at the conference are set to drive and help grow businesses and support new initiatives in sustainability.

“Our community of brand innovators has been testing new frameworks, methods, tools and partnerships to ensure purposedriven brands outperform traditional brands in delivering tangible business results,” said Gerald Miranda, the Malaysian convenor of the international conference.

Spearheading the international speakers at the conference will be chief executive and founder of Sustainable Brands Worldwide KoAnn Skrzyniarz.

This convergence of sustainability and design leaders along with a global community of busi- ness innovators is designed to shape the future of commerce.

Business leaders will deliberate the growing trends of consumers who are now more socially conscious and prefer buying from brands based on their social and environmental impact.

“Sustainability is a major issue and affects the purchasing decisions of today’s youth. Approximately 85 per cent of youths are willing to switch brands if they know that a brand contributes back to society.

“Around 91 per cent of youth want to be involved with socially responsible companies. This underpins the fact that sustainability resonates strongly with the youths of today,” said Miranda.

Germane to the conference is the environmental, social and governance index launched by Bursa Malaysia, which compels Malaysian companies to innovate and adopt more sustainable practices to comply with the new mandate.