Bananas and the Emergence of Sustainability..

It seems comical, or perhaps inspiring, that it is in the banana business where we can see the emergence of sustainability as a market demand force. Two major banana producers, Chiquita and Dole, are vying for credit as the leaders in sustainable banana production. The two companies are at the forefront of Rainforest Certification in South American produce and commodity production, and highlight an encouraging and positive trend; the market, slowly, is demanding environmental accountability in its products.

It is no surprise when the market reacts to a demand. The fact that Chiquita and Dole, along with Kraft and Unilever for different products, are responding to the demands being made on them shouldn't shock us; that is what companies want to do, it is what they are designed to do and it is how a good business operates. What is unique is that companies are starting to see the light and that consumers are becoming increasingly aware of sustainability principles.

Many believe that it will be up to individuals, acting in the market, to create an industrial and commercial climate which promotes sustainability. Until consumers demand those kinds of products, producers will not respond. If left to their own devices, producers of goods and services will ignore environmentally positive behaviors in their pursuit of profit. It's their character, and blaming a company for acting that way is like blaming a poorly trained dog for urinating on the carpet; it's our job to train companies in how we want them to act, and now that we may be doing so, positive results could soon follow on a large scale.

What is left to be determined is for how long these kinds of practices will continue. Is sustainability a passing fad, one that will disappear the moment commodity prices rise, or is it permanent, a shift in consciousness for billions around the world ? The answer may be in our bananas.

For a little fun, an old school Chiquita banana commercial..