If you are not at least paying attention to “going green” and the growing number of businesses marketing their sustainability efforts, you are behind the times. But don’t take it from me.
Ida Cheinman, Principal and Creative Director of strategic brand communication firm Substance151, said businesses that do not participate in or market their efforts to be environmentally sustainable and socially responsible (two concepts that have become increasingly intertwined and covered by the umbrella term, ‘sustainable’) are at a real disadvantage.
“Environmental sustainability and corporate social responsibility are becoming strong motivators because people want to feel good about their personal choices,” she said. “The marketplace is becoming very crowded very quickly and simply being green or socially responsible and knowing that internally is not enough. You really need to be branding and marketing your business appropriately to take advantage of all the benefits there are to taking on those initiatives.”
Among the audiences you can reach through marketing of your sustainability efforts:
- Your customers: According to Cheinman’s presentation, 67 percent of buyers believe it is important to buy sustainable products, and 71 percent avoid purchasing from companies with “bad” practices.
- Employees: Marketing your sustainability can give you an edge in recruitment and employee retention. “Younger generations are becoming more conscious about who they work with. They want to work for an organization that is known for sustainability and good practices and, for small businesses that must compete with larger firms for top talent, this can be especially important,” Cheinman said.
- Investors: Cheinman said investors are increasingly looking for performance in the triple bottom line, which encompasses an economic, environmental, and social impact.
To get started, look at what you’re already doing. “If you are just starting with your green initiatives you can build something surrounding something as simple as your recycling program. Yes, it’s something that most everyone does but at the very least it can give you a blog post,” Cheinman said. “You may already be doing a lot more than you think. Other common workplace initiatives include:
- Telecommute/bike-to-work practices
- Green IT
- Fair employment practices
- Investing in people/staff development
- Renewable energy or offsets
- Employee engagement/community involvement
- Green buildings or office spaces
When launching new initiatives, involve executives, human resources, and employees in mapping out a strategy that includes the development of goals, a plan to achieve them and a marketing strategy to promote the initiatives.
Next, talk about the initiatives through your website, print communications and social media to your customers, investors, and your employees. Seek out green trustmarks and certifications, which give you independent third-party approval that you can promote.
Green trustmarks are available by using environmentally sustainable products, such as printing on FSC certified paper and buying energy offsets through Wind Current or Clean Currents. Certifications include the Maryland Green Registry and Green America, among others.
Finally, because the marketplace is getting increasingly more crowded with businesses’ green marketing efforts, it is important to avoid greenwashing. Greenwashing is the deceptive use of green PR or green marketing in order to promote a misleading perception that a company’s policies, products, or services are environmentally friendly and create a positive social impact. To avoid it: be transparent and authentic. Don’t exaggerate your company’s efforts, have proof of your efforts readily available, and use clear and specific language in all of your marketing materials.
“Green doesn’t live in a marketing department—get everyone involved,” Cheinman said. “In order to market green you have to be authentically green. Look at all of your actions through a green lens. Think it through organizationally. “
