You don’t care about your company image? Think again. Not caring about public perception may mean a loss of business, and it may mean the end of your company in the longer run. People care about what they think of you and an army of activists, populist politicians, and rabid media establishments all crowned by crazy compliance rules makes this a minefield. That’s especially true for retail and consumer goods. How many managers have found their careers cut short just because this was neglected?

A green image is essential for most companies today. It has become a central consideration in corporate planning. Being seen as being careless with the environment or with public health amounts to a corporate death sentence.

VW was always the secret leader of vehicle producers. The company was just about to push Toyota from the throne of the number one producer. Then came the diesel scandal and in a few days, VW became the bogeyman of the vehicle industry. VW fights on all levels, profits have crashed, billions of dollars and Euros in fines, and even the most loyal customer carry a glimmer of doubt about their favorite brand. Many won’t go for a VW next time they buy a car. It’s good to be safe.

Especially the big supermarket chains and food companies must take care of their public perception. Many of them go the extra mile in order to show their customer how much they care. And of course, subcontractors need to mirror this.

Diesel has already been tainted in people’s minds. Nothing will change that anymore. Despite a lot of doubt on the extent of what has happened, everyone understands that diesel has an expiry date that won’t go away through updates.

There is an old saying”He who does not go with the times, will have to go in time”. The LNG age looms.