“It’s hard to imagine a time more hopeful and horrifying for sustainable business,” wrote Joel Makower the Chairman & Executive Editor of GreenBiz Group.

The Problem

The Trust Barometer published by Edelman a marketing and communications firm revealed that the general population’s trust in all four key institutions — business, government, NGOs, and media — has declined broadly, a phenomenon not reported since Edelman began tracking trust among these segments in 2012. Alongside this dwindling trust in “the system” is the increasing demand for sustainable consumer goods and services. The discrepancy between consumer demand for sustainable products and what is available in the market highlights an opportunity for businesses.

The Challenge

So why is there a lack of prevalent sustainable brands? Greenwashing is a large concern for the consumer but it is also a large concern for a company. A good example of this is Puma, the sports apparel company, who invented a new way to quantify a firm’s environmental impact through their Environmental Profit and Loss statement. Surely there were extensive resources put into developing the E P&L and Puma using this as a benchmark for themselves, but they do not market themselves as a sustainable brand. I believe a large part of their concern lies with the threat of negative press and claims that they are greenwashing. Puma may believe it is easier to simply focus on sustainability rather than trying to communicate those ideals to the public.

I believe a large part of their concern lies with the threat of negative press and claims that they are greenwashing. Puma may believe it is easier to simply focus on sustainability rather than trying to communicate those ideals to the public. As Mike Hower writes, “acting internally on improving sustainability outcomes no longer is enough, and brands must begin moving outward to engage the world on the issues at the crux of their purpose.” So now companies are presented with the challenge: how to succeed in sustainability marketing.

Sustainability Marketing Tactics

  1. Be authentic- Being authentic is one of the best ways to build trust which is an important purchase driver, as 62% of global respondents say they’re influenced to buy when a product is made by a brand/company they trust.
  2. Be consistent- Having consistent practices will help mitigate negative press as it will clearly communicate their commitment.
  3. Be innovative- Keeping an eye on crowdsourcing campaigns and accelerators will enlighten companies on current innovations and can help further their  involvement in the sustainability sector.