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Green Marketing represents a new strategic lever, essential for all companies that want to be recognized in the market as eco-sustainable businesses. Are you thinking of adopting a Green Marketing strategy? There are several actions you can implement within your company to help protect the environment:
- separating waste for recycling
- replacing plastic with more sustainable materials
- encouraging employees to commute by bicycle or public transportation
- using ecological packaging
In this article, we explore what Green Marketing is, why you should adopt this strategy, and the role packaging plays in the transition towards more environmentally conscious marketing.
What Is Green Marketing?
Green Marketing refers to all initiatives a company can take to promote products, services, and activities with low environmental and social impact, demonstrating to the public a genuine commitment to sustainability values. The strategies are broad and cross-sectoral: from more sustainable production to waste separation for recycling; from promoting environmentally and socially responsible events and initiatives to raising awareness on environmental issues; and finally to choosing sustainable materials and packaging.
When Did Green Marketing Begin?
The first experiments in Green Marketing date back to the 1980s when some companies decided to approach the market differently, developing products and services that respect the environment, responding to consumers who were more ecologically aware and eager to purchase products less harmful to the earth’s ecosystem. Over the years, especially with the increase in pollution, the number of consumers and companies choosing to reduce their environmental impact has grown significantly, making sustainability an increasingly fundamental marketing lever in many sectors today.
Why Adopt a Green Marketing Strategy
More than ever, companies are called to demonstrate their commitment to the environment. This commitment cannot be superficial, but must involve concrete actions. According to a recent study by Accenture, “From Me to We: The Rise of the Purpose-led Brand”, 83% of consumers seek tangible assurances from companies regarding their position on environmental and social sustainability and how they promote fair working conditions. Therefore, a company that chooses to adopt Green Marketing strategies must do so primarily because it cares about the environment and wants to share this commitment with those who choose to purchase its products or services. Such a decision can enhance the brand’s image. The Accenture study also reveals that 62% of customers want companies to take a stand on current and relevant issues such as sustainability, transparency, or fair labor policies. Brands unwilling to engage pay a price: according to the survey, disappointed consumers do not buy (about 47%) and 17% of these never return.
The Importance of Ecological Packaging for Companies Embracing Green Marketing
Packaging plays a central role in companies’ Green Marketing strategies. According to Accenture’s study, 62% of consumers are attracted to businesses that reduce plastic use. Therefore, the materials and processing techniques used for packaging production are increasingly important factors influencing many purchasing decisions.
Which Materials Should You Use?
Beyond recycled paper and glass, today there are many types of packaging as alternatives to plastic:
- fabrics made from hemp, pure linen, and raw natural cotton, suitable for many sectors such as cosmetics, food, and fashion
- jute, durable, versatile, and fully recyclable
- bio-ecological bags suitable for every type of household product
Green Tips for Your Customers
If your marketing approach is Green, you could suggest ways for your customers to reuse the packaging that contained your products. For example, if your company produces cosmetics using natural cotton mesh bags, you might publish tutorials and guides on how to reuse them as Christmas gift wrapping for small handmade presents. If you organize an event or use customized cotton shoppers to promote your brand, you could suggest your customers reuse your fabric bags for grocery shopping. If personalized with your logo, these not only serve as effective Green Marketing tools but also become highly effective materials for communicating brand values and spreading your image. Precisely: free advertising. Even companies in the food sector using jute bags could advise customers on recycling, for instance, by making cushions with a rustic appearance.
Green Marketing or Greenwashing? There Is a Difference
Most companies adopting Green Marketing do so with awareness and transparency. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Not all brands that claim to be green truly are. Some publicly appear more attentive, sensitive, and actively involved in environmental issues than they actually are, engaging in Greenwashing. Companies genuinely mindful of the environment demonstrate their commitment by obtaining certifications confirming it. For example, to prove their products and processes are sustainable, they can obtain two types of certification:
- environmental certification of the company, activities, and production processes such as ISO 14001, which specifies the requirements for an environmental management system, or participation in the European Community’s Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS), which companies and organizations—both public and private—located inside or outside the Community territory can voluntarily join to assess and improve their environmental performance.
- environmental certification of a product or service, such as the IMQ-ECO certification, which ensures the truthfulness and consistency of the producer’s claims regarding a product’s environmental, ecological, or energy-related characteristics.
There are many actions and initiatives you can take to demonstrate how concretely your company is committed to protecting the environment.
