Greig Millar, chief revenue officer at Brother UK, reflects on how sustainability really influences buying decisions and who it matters most to in organisations for dealmaking teams to leverage.
Sustainability has been a key part of resellers’ conversations with customers over the last decade, but is it meaningful enough to swing customer purchase decisions? New data from our Tech Trust Index suggests something more nuanced.
We spoke to 250 UK IT decision makers (ITDMs) and 250 channel professionals and found that, while sustainability still matters, it ranks behind operational fundamentals when buyers decide who they trust and buy from.
Dependable products (49%), good customer support (43%) and transparent pricing (36%) emerged as the strongest drivers of trust for customers from vendors. By comparison, only 15% of respondents said sustainability claims significantly increase trust on their own.
At first glance, that may seem surprising. Sustainability is one of the defining challenges facing businesses today. Customers face increasing pressure to demonstrate responsible procurement practices, so vendors are investing heavily in circular economy initiatives as a result. Devices are being eco-designed to reduce energy consumption, last longer and improve repairability and remanufacture-ability.
Meanwhile, it could also reflect changing perceptions of sustainability and its value to customers. A brand acting in the best interest of the planet feels inherently trustworthy. But are customers less interested in the corporate responsibility aspect of sustainability, and more interested in sustainability as a matter of compliance, efficiency, resilience and cost control?
That’s the useful nuance for dealmaking teams. Our findings do not mean sustainability matters less. If anything, it highlights how sustainability has become a non-negotiable expectation, built into how organisations assess suppliers. Buyers are becoming increasingly discerning but, in a market full of environmental claims, organisations are jaded and want evidence that vendors are delivering instead of making empty promises.
Building trust through MPS
Nearly three quarters (74%) of ITDMs said emotional factors such as trust and confidence now matter more than cost or specifications when making technology decisions. Customers increasingly look beyond promises and ask a simple question: can this supplier demonstrate they are delivering on their commitments?
Managed print services (MPS) are a good example of how sustainability commitments can be translated into meaningful action. Rather than treating sustainability as a standalone initiative, MPS integrates it into the day-to-day management of a print environment through device optimisation, automated supplies management and structured returns programmes.
At Farley Road Medical Practice in South Croydon, Brother Partner MPS helped simplify print management across two GP sites while introducing automated replenishment, predictable billing and a more structured approach to returning used cartridges for remanufacturing. Alongside strengthening the practice’s sustainability credentials, the solution reduced administrative burden and improved visibility of print costs.
What makes examples like this particularly powerful is that they connect sustainability with the factors customers already associate with trust. Rather than simply making environmental commitments, organisations can see practical benefits through improved efficiency, reduced waste and easier day-to-day management. Sustainability becomes more credible when it’s linked to measurable business outcomes.
Why remanufacturing matters
Remanufacturing is another example of how sustainability can strengthen trust when customers can see tangible results. While remanufacturing and recycling are often used interchangeably, they play very different roles within the circular economy. Recycling is a form of waste management that focuses on recovering materials once a product has reached the end of its useful life, whereas remanufacturing extends the life of existing products and components by restoring them to the same standards of quality and performance. This keeps more material at a usable, more valuable level.
Buyers increasingly want proof that environmental commitments are producing meaningful outcomes, and remanufacturing provides a demonstration of that in practice.
For partners, this creates a distinctive proof point: Brother is the only vendor remanufacturing toner and ink cartridges. The environmental benefits are significant. Remanufactured cartridges produce over 30% less COâ‚‚ than new Brother cartridges while maintaining the same standards of quality and performance.
For customers, initiatives like these help substantiate sustainability claims. They demonstrate that environmental commitments are supported by long-term investment, measurable outcomes and real infrastructure. They help turn sustainability from a statement into something customers can trust.
Trust remains the deciding factor
The central finding from the Tech Trust Index is that trust increasingly shapes technology buying decisions. Sustainability remains a critical part of that conversation, but customers look beyond promises, they want confidence that suppliers will deliver on their commitments, whether that’s environmental goals, product performance or ongoing support.
Ultimately, deals are won and lost on trust. The businesses that earn that trust will be the ones that can demonstrate progress rather than simply talk about it. For resellers, that means focusing customer conversations on evidence of delivery, not just claims. Whether through MPS, remanufacturing programmes or wider circular economy initiatives, organisations that can prove they are delivering on their commitments will be best placed to strengthen customer relationships and stand out in an increasingly competitive market.
