World-renowned anthropologist, primatologist and conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall once said that “we have a choice to use the gift of our life to make the world a better place – or not to bother.”

As a consumer, it can often feel incredibly difficult to do the right thing for the planet – especially when the alternative is so much easier. Why drink from a reusable straw or use a reusable coffee mug when you can just get a plastic straw or cup for free? Why take public transportation to work when it takes longer than driving? Why thrift an outfit when you can just buy it new? These are all valid questions, and ones I often grapple with. But whenever I’m faced with these decisions, I come back to that Goodall quote to help guide me in the right direction.

Dr. Goodall died from natural causes earlier this month at the age of 91. Her life’s resume is way too long to fit into a single online article, so I won’t attempt that Herculean task. But among the highlights are a 65-year career studying with chimpanzees in Tanzania, inspiring young people to get involved in conservation and partnering with corporations to prioritize the planet over profit.

Sustainable Living in an Age of Uncertainty

For decades, the onus was on individual consumers to make responsible purchasing decisions. And when given the choice, many choose the easier, less sustainable option. But a new generation is turning those behaviors on their head – holding corporations accountable for the waste they produce and opting to invest in goods and services produced with an eye toward environmental sustainability.

According to a PWC report that polled over 20,000 people across 31 countries and territories, people said they’d be willing to pay an average of 9.7% more for goods that are more sustainable. Even against the backdrop of rising inflation, tariffs and an increasingly unpredictable economic landscape, today’s consumers will pay a premium for locally sourced, eco-friendly goods that are produced in a supply chain with a lower carbon footprint.

Promo end-buyers, too, are increasingly looking to partner with brands that care about the planet. According to ASI Research, 100% of end-buyers aged 25 to 34 said working with companies that offer eco-friendly products is important to them.

The promo industry has a unique opportunity to lead the way in creating sustainable goods that end-buyers want to buy and end-users want to use.

“It’s not enough to treat sustainability as a side project – keeping pace with new data means rethinking how products are designed, sourced and delivered.” Nick McCulloch, director of ESG at PCNA (asi/66887)

For a bit of inspiration, look no further than the Jane Goodall Institute’s online merch store, which practices what it preaches by partnering with sustainable designers and creatives to offer eco-friendly promo items. Its custom T-shirts are made using organic cotton, a material that is considered more eco-friendly than traditional cotton because it uses less water and doesn’t heavily rely on fertilizers or pesticides. Meanwhile, its Vintage Jane Goodall Gombe Research Center organic tote is made from a blend of 75% recycled cotton and 25% recycled polyester. But my personal favorite is the ApPeel Medio notebook, made from apple peels, vegetable fibers and sustainable pulp – materials that are compostable, but too often thrown right in the trash. ApPeel notebooks are available in promo through Counselor Top 40 supplier The Magnet Group (asi/68507).

Dr. Goodall spent decades fighting for conservation, so it’s no surprise that her institute’s merch store features eco-friendly apparel and accessories. But it’s been encouraging to see others across the promo industry creatively embed these same values into their products. ASI has had its finger on the pulse of sustainability in promo since the launch of Promo for the Planet, an educational resource hub and spotlight for eco-friendly innovation in the industry. For example, my colleague Theresa Hegel recently profiled headwear brand Whelk, which sells biodegradable hats and donates 1% of profits to ocean cleanup initiatives. The company even features a page on its website called “F*ck Greenwashing” where it informs customers about not only what it’s doing well but also what it needs to do better from a sustainability perspective.

Beyond eco-friendly materials, more brands are thinking critically about their carbon footprint and water usage. In 2023, Counselor Top 40 supplier Gemline (asi/56070), a certified B Corp, announced a partnership with Aware physical traceability technology, which shows end-users exactly how the product gets from the factory floor into their hands. Gemline rolled out this high-tech, sustainability-focused product line with bags from MiiR’s Olympus 2.0 collection. The following year, the supplier added Aware tracers to a line of budget products.

Other suppliers that have partnered with Aware include Dutch supplier XD Connects, which was recognized as the 2024 Counselor Sustainability Advocate of the Year for its work tracking the lifetime carbon emissions of its products.

Many suppliers and distributors are publicizing their efforts through annual reports that detail their progress against key sustainability metrics. Counselor Top 40 suppliers S&S Activewear (asi/84358) and PCNA (asi/66887) both released sustainability reports last month, demonstrating growing expectations around eco-transparency from some of the largest players in the industry.

“Jane Goodall’s recent message is a reminder that genuine sustainability requires adaptability, innovation and a clear commitment to science and measurable progress,” says Nick McCulloch, director of ESG at PCNA. “It’s not enough to treat sustainability as a side project – keeping pace with new data means rethinking how products are designed, sourced and delivered.”

Promo That Gives Back

Throughout her life, Dr. Goodall partnered with corporations to drive (or should we say bike?) home the importance of sustainable business.

Jane’s Green Hope is an initiative from the Jane Goodall Institute that focuses on addressing the threats to natural ecosystems through reforestation efforts. In 2022, Dr. Goodall partnered with HP to support the 1b trees challenge, an initiative from The World Economic Forum with a goal of planting 1 billion trees by 2030.

“Private companies have a critical responsibility to use their resources and reach to ensure we’re doing everything possible to restore, regenerate and protect global forests,” Dr. Goodall said in an HP news article.

Similar carbon mitigation initiatives have gained traction across the promo industry. Vancouver-based distributor Fairware (asi/191452), for example, has partnered with veritree to plant 10 kelp along the Pacific coast of British Columbia for every order invoiced. Meanwhile, ForestNation offers promotional tree kits that allow end-users to plant trees at their office or yard. For every kit sold, ForestNation plants matching trees in developing countries experiencing deforestation, including Kenya, Haiti and Tanzania.

“We have the choice to use the gift of our life to make the world a better place – or not to bother.” Jane Goodall, 1934-2025

However, these tree-planting campaigns cannot be a substitution for the work that happens before goods are made and sold. If a company with a large carbon footprint plants a few thousand trees, it doesn’t mean they’re off the hook for irresponsible management of their supply chain. Sustainability isn’t about picking and choosing when to give back. It’s about taking every possible opportunity to do the right thing every chance we get – no matter how unpopular or uncomfortable.

As for me, I’m looking forward to seeing Dr. Goodall’s legacy live on as the next generation of industry leaders increasingly treats sustainable promo as the rule, not the exception.

Promo for the Planet is your destination for the latest news, biggest trends and best ideas to help build a more sustainable and socially-responsible industry.