Margins used to win the game. Now? Responsibility is the scoreboard. From supply chains to staff wellbeing, the brands that “care” are cashing in where pure profit can’t compete.
For decades, profitability was the measure of success. Growth, margins, shareholder value - those were the trophies. Today, the equation has changed. In boardrooms across the world, another question has moved to the top of the agenda: how responsible is this company?
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is no longer a footnote in annual reports. It’s a deciding factor for investors, a requirement for tenders, and increasingly, the reason customers choose one brand over another. From supply chains to staff wellbeing, the pressure is on to prove that business is about more than just business.
Sweden has long been a frontrunner in this space. Transparency, environmental care, and social equity are deeply ingrained in Scandinavian values. Here, sustainability isn’t a buzzword - it’s part of the national identity. This makes it no surprise that clients in this market look closely at how agencies, partners, and suppliers live up to those standards.
It’s also why global rating systems like EcoVadis are attracting so much attention. As one of the world’s leading sustainability assessment platforms, EcoVadis scores companies on environmental impact, labour practices, ethics, and procurement. And the bar is high: only the top 5% of organisations assessed earn the Gold award.
Recently, UP THERE, EVERYWHERE joined that group, achieving EcoVadis Gold certification. For us, this wasn’t about suddenly “becoming” sustainable. Our remote-first model - no traditional offices, no daily commuting - has been built with lower environmental impact since 2011. But independent recognition matters. It tells clients, partners, and prospective members that our values aren’t just words on a website. They’re measurable, accountable, and externally verified.
The larger point, though, is this: sustainability has shifted from the margins to the mainstream. What used to be a differentiator is now the expectation. Agencies that fail to act risk losing not only business but also the talent they hope to attract. Employees, particularly younger generations, want to work where their values are reflected. Clients want partners that strengthen, not weaken, their own commitments.
The winners of tomorrow won’t simply be the fastest or the cheapest. They’ll be the most responsible.
And that responsibility isn’t static. Standards will keep rising. Consumers will keep asking tougher questions. And businesses, from Stockholm to Singapore, will need to keep answering.
At UP, we see our Gold certification not as a finish line but as part of a journey - one that challenges us to keep raising the bar and to work with clients who share the same ambition.
Because in a world where responsibility is the new currency, it pays to invest wisely.