Momentum | rethink.economy

If you look for a translation for the term momentum, you will find synonyms like force impulse, movement or also momentum. Words that very aptly describe the current developments and intense changes in the time we are living in at the moment. Especially the developments caused by the pandemic, but also fears and worries that seemed impossible a year ago. Many people and also companies are in the midst of great challenges. Society is divided as never before and with winter approaching, another great unknown is coming our way.

But there are also positive developments arising from this pandemic. These include, among others, the ever-increasing awareness of topics such as sustainability, regionality or even solidarity towards our fellow human beings, the rediscovered "critical infrastructure" or even the local economy. Topics that have experienced a massive acceleration due to the catalyst "pandemic". The topic of climate change - currently drowned out by daily Corona case numbers and news about further measures by our governments that are in the air - will certainly return in perception even more strongly and probably demand even more willingness to change from us in the longer term. But the topic of digitalization also gained momentum and was rediscovered in the wake of the pandemic by segments of the population that had already seemed lost as potential "digital immigrants." At Saint Charles, we, too, were able to detect an increase in older age groups among our online shoppers. Shoppers who avoid leaving the house and thus supplied themselves online. And who would have thought that video meetings could become part of everyday life at this speed and so quickly?

The new consciousness, which is gaining more and more momentum, will also become increasingly important for companies and brands. And beyond glossy brochures and sustainability reports pimped by PR agencies. The decades when good products combined with great marketing were crucial to success are increasingly fading. They are being replaced by increasingly critical consumers who question the actions and actions of companies and brands or critically examine their products and their origins, including production processes. New terms such as "sense economy," "New Green Deal" or "transparency" are gaining in importance. Growth and profit are increasingly being questioned as the sole indicators. I am personally convinced that companies will increasingly be judged by customers and also employees by the contribution they make to society.

Our path at Saint Charles leads us time and again to great challenges, sometimes to a dead end, often to undiscovered country. However, the encouragement of our customers and employees strengthens us that it is worth to go this way.

economy.rethink | A blog series by Richard König

Picture: Refugium Prigglitz 2019, Alexander Ehrmann (r), Richard König (l)