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Insights

A framework for ethical design

Unlocking business value through regulatory innovation

The game is changing. New sustainability, trust, and accessibility regulations will continue to impact businesses. For business leaders and change agents, it will present a choice on how this change is dealt with.

You can approach meeting these requirements in two ways:

  1. A reactive approach: Focus on meeting minimum compliance standards. While it might keep regulators satisfied in the short term, this approach can feel superficial to customers, potentially eroding trust and credibility.
  2. A proactive approach: Leverage regulations as an opportunity to innovate, with constraints, and breed new opportunities to engage customers, prospects, and staff towards more meaningful connections with your brand and service.

At Else, we’ve developed a framework to help businesses understand the threat and opportunity of these regulatory shifts — not to tick boxes, but to address critical drivers—regulatory compliance, evolving customer demands, and technological advancement to uncover opportunities within your business that can create measurable business value. These opportunities are tailored to enhance the key pillars of sustainability, trust, and accessibility while strengthening your bottom line.

Alignment is everything

Meaningful experiences that positively impact people and planet are powerful, but will not be implemented unless they drive measurable business impact. Siloed teams and misaligned priorities often create inefficiencies, friction, or even harm to your organisation.

Our framework offers a holistic view of your business, uncovering blind spots and identifying opportunities to enhance sustainability, build trust, and improve accessibility—all while staying aligned to your business goals.

By working closely with stakeholders across departments, we ensure alignment and consensus on priorities, so your organisation can move forward with confidence and clarity.

Holistic AI thinking

Generative AI often comes with a sustainability stigma, but used wisely, it can help reduce your organisation’s carbon impact. When applied at the right points in the experience and for the right reasons, AI-driven solutions can optimise processes, cut waste, and deliver real value.

Our framework identifies where AI can bring the most benefit—helping your organisation drive efficiency while staying true to its ethical commitments.

Ethical decision-making: balancing priorities

Sustainability, trust, and accessibility are at the heart of our framework, enabling organisations to create measurable impact through new opportunities without compromising business goals.

However, balancing these priorities isn’t always straightforward. Trade-offs are inevitable, as improvements in one area may challenge another. Our framework highlights these decision points, helping businesses make intentional, well-informed choices that align with their strategic vision.

 

Boss’s digital ID project

To prepare for the EU’s upcoming Digital Product Passport (DPP) requirements, Boss piloted ski jackets with embedded digital IDs at Austria’s Hahnenkamm Races. These IDs enabled ski lift access, contactless payments, and personalised experiences.

The project supports sustainability through product traceability and circular practices like repairs while building trust by offering transparent data use and tailored customer benefits. This highlights how regulations can spark innovative solutions that balance business goals with ethical commitments.

Customer loyalty: trust as your differentiator

Transparent, ethical practices resonate with today’s consumers, fostering loyalty among those who value responsibility and inclusivity. Take the following example;

Patagonia has built exceptional customer loyalty by aligning its values with those of its consumers. Programmes like Worn Wear, which encourages repair and reuse, demonstrate a commitment to transparency and environmental responsibility. This deep alignment with customer values proves that ethical practices can drive both retention and long-term business success.

When customers see your commitment to ethical principles, they’re more likely to value your business and remain loyal. Efforts to reduce environmental impact, safeguard personal data, and ensure inclusivity send a strong message that you care about people and the planet. This trust strengthens your relationship with existing customers while attracting socially conscious ones who seek brands aligned with their values.

Lead the way with Else

Regulations may feel like a challenge, but they’re also a catalyst for change. The brands that thrive tomorrow are those that make bold, ethical choices today. So, what kind of business do you want to be? One that reacts to change—or one that shapes it? At Else, we’re here to help you take the lead.

Want to know more?
Talk to us about the Ethical CX Blueprint.

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