What can marketing teams do to be more sustainable?
Sustainable marketing is all about creating a better world for everyone, not just your customers. It's about reducing your company's impact on the environment so that you can leave a positive legacy and help protect our planet for future generations. Ultimately it places purpose over profit.
“Sustainability is more than a buzzword, it’s a responsibility. Consumers are more likely to support a brand that embraces sustainable practices and demonstrates that they too are stewards of this planet.”
Marketing teams have a big role to play in promoting sustainability. They can use their skills and creativity to communicate the importance of sustainability to businesses and consumers, and they can also help businesses to adopt more sustainable practices.
The main aim of sustainable marketing is to create a more sustainable world by encouraging consumers to make more sustainable choices. It can also help businesses to improve their reputation and attract new customers.
Sustainable marketing can involve a variety of activities, such as:
Developing products that are made with sustainable materials or that have a lower environmental impact.
Promoting fair trade practices and ethical sourcing.
Supporting local businesses and communities.
Educating consumers about sustainability issues.
Measuring and reporting on the company's sustainability performance.
What practical steps can marketing teams reduce environmental impact?
Marketing teams can help their companies reduce their environmental impact by taking simple practical steps.
Choose sustainable marketing channels
When choosing marketing channels, consider the environmental impact of each channel. For example, consider the carbon footprint of direct mail campaigns in both printing and distribution through postal services. Can you achieve the same results with a targeted digital campaign or email marketing?
Use sustainable materials
Rethink printed marketing collateral. Is it necessary? Thanks to digital printing you only have to print what you need. Be realistic with how many copies you’ll need to reduce waste. If you must, when creating marketing materials, use sustainable materials whenever possible. This could include using recycled paper, soy ink, or vegetable-based inks.
Corporate gifts are often low value items produced in high volume. Novelties that most of the time have no longevity and are thrown away by the recipient. When purchasing corporate gifts consider whether they are necessary and if so choose ones that are sustainable and can be recycled easily.
Exhibition stands are often created as a one off as they are created based on a specific stand size. Consider whether they can be designed for reuse or made using sustainable materials.
Traditional pull-up banners are hugely wasteful as it’s often not cost effective to reskin them and new ones are often purchased when the artwork needs to change. There are now robust cardboard versions in the market that are easily recycled at the end of life.
Paper business cards don’t often end up in the rolodex anymore. They end up in a desk drawer or in a handbag until they end up in the bin. Digital business cards allow your contact to scan a QR code and receive your contact details directly into their phone. They often come with extra features allowing you to provide links to brochures, social media profiles as well as your website.
Reduce your carbon footprint
Take steps to reduce your carbon footprint in your marketing activities. This could include using video conferencing instead of air travel, or using green energy sources to power your marketing campaigns.
Keep databases clean, even sending emails require energy and have a carbon footprint. Clear out any contacts that haven’t engaged with you in 12 months, it will also support you remaining GDPR compliant.
Use online collaboration tools from Google Drive, Microsoft One Drive to Monday.com and Trello. They’ll help you be more efficient as well as saving on printing paper.
Be transparent about your sustainability practices
Be honest about your sustainability practices and goals. Don't make claims that you can't back up. From April 2022, it became mandatory for large UK companies to report on their ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) activities. Savvy customers can delve into reporting to see if your claims are true.
Educate your audience about sustainability
Use your marketing channels to educate your audience about sustainability issues. This could include sharing articles, infographics, or videos about sustainability.
By taking these steps, marketing teams can help to make a positive impact on the environment. They can also help to promote sustainability and encourage consumers to make more sustainable choices.
In addition to the tips above, marketing teams can also:
Support sustainable brands. When choosing brands to work with, support those that are committed to sustainability.
Use sustainable language. When talking about sustainability, use language that is accurate and easy to understand.
Measure your impact. Track your progress and measure the impact of your sustainable marketing efforts. This will help you to see what's working and what's not.
By following these tips, marketing teams can help to make a positive impact on the environment and promote sustainable practices.
If you want to know more about sustainable marketing and how to implement it effectively in your business, I can provide guidance and assistance. Feel free to reach out, and together, we can work towards creating a better, more sustainable future through marketing practices that prioritise purpose over profit.
