We can all learn from the example Nike have set in a recent article in which Hannah Jones, VP of Sustainable Business & Innovation, talks openly about Nike's ethical errors and missteps in the past and the need to learn from these in moving towards sustainability. She explains that Nike's goal has shifted from focus on its own sustainability agenda to that of its partners in the supply chain.

"Today, we don't just want to change our business practices, we want the entire industry to shift. We want to catalyze innovation and scale best practices to create lean, green, empowered and equitable supply chains."

This highlights the importance of communicating honestly with your audiences. Mistakes are often swept under the rug, but as many businesses know, these things have a way of emerging with even greater repercussions. Instead, being transparent and accountable about your failings, acknowledging why they happened, planning the way forward and reporting on progress can help build trust.