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Sustainable communication: beware of using sustainability as a marketing lever
In recent years, especially since the onset of the global Covid-19 pandemic, the need for an ecological transition has become increasingly evident. I consumers are increasingly demanding and are looking for brands that are aligned with their values, that do not just sell a product/service, but act in concrete ways to bring value to the local area and community.
Sustainability has thus become a real lever to be used in order to reach a substantial slice of the market; great care must be taken, however: if this is not practiced consistently and verifiably, the opposite effect may be achieved, with serious damage to corporate reputation and to the concept of sustainability itself, which loses value in the eyes of the consumer.
The concept of sustainability should not just be an adjective to be attached to one's brand, but should be the result of a path that is clear and transparent to the consumer, and that demonstrates real interest and commitment of the company in contributing to the fight against climate change.
This, in return, will bring recognition to the company from those who buy, through lasting loyalty over time and an increasing spread of its practice as an example for other companies in the sector.
Abusing the concept of sustainability, however, is very risky, because it could lead people to perceive it as unimportant, resulting in a loss of value and trust in those who say they practice it, to the detriment of even the truly virtuous brands.
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Communication of sustainable results is the last step in the climate journey
A company, in order to become more sustainable, can embark on what is called a climate journey, a real path to reduce its environmental impact by counteracting climate change.
The climate journey has 4 steps:
- calculation of emissions produced directly and indirectly by the company;
- Reduction by the company, where possible, of all those emissions caused by production and management activities by adopting sustainable practices and involving its employees;
- offsetting non-reducible emissions by supporting certified projects that were created for the sole purpose of capturing emissions from the atmosphere or avoiding their production;
- communication of its commitment to customers and all stakeholders involved in the value chain.
As can be seen, this pathway stipulates that communication is the last step. This feature is crucial in order not to fall into greenwashing activities, which anticipate the communication and"sustainable marketing" stage before reduction and offsetting activities have actually been put in place, making the practice fictitious and only giving the idea that the company is working to limit its environmental impact.
Even carrying out façade initiatives, without a concrete commitment and without a serious and structured path, is at high risk of greenwashing: deciding to plant trees and using this gesture as a pretext to pass off one's company as sustainable, for example, is a practice that is highly discouraged, as it is a perfect example of greenwashing.
Imagine a company that conducts a highly polluting business that does not bother to quantify its impact and figure out how to reduce it. That same company, can it present itself to its customers as "green" for planting a few hundred trees? This would clearly be a deceptive and overall harmful practice for our planet. It is no coincidence that in such cases we even talk about tree-washing.
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The 5 key words for successfully communicating sustainability
We have realized that communicating sustainability is now an essential step for any company in any industry. However, it is important to do it well, so as not to risk falling into greenwashing practices, which could have the opposite effect and drive away all those customers who are really interested in sustainability issues, also ruining the brand reputation.
So here are a few key keywords that are essential to integrate sustainability into your communication in the right way.
- Transparency: today's consumers are discerning, informed, and critical consumers; it is important for them to be able to find the information they are looking for, especially on how you have made the supply chain more sustainable, on your company policies, and on your values.
- Consistency: it is not enough to say you are sustainable, you have to actually be sustainable! This is why it is important to undertake real activities to reduce one's emissions, and to offset non-reducible emissions through support for certified CO₂ equivalent offset projects.
- Education: the consumer should be accompanied and educated on sustainability issues. This raises awareness among those who are not yet implementing sustainable practices, and brings value to the community as a whole, which is why you might be rewarded through supporting your brand.
- Diversification: any media channel can be used to communicate. Each tool has its own strengths and can enable you to arrive at a perfect match with the customer in your target audience.
- Simplification: sustainability can be complex, which is why it is important to always communicate clearly and simply.
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Up2You's communication toolkit
28 percent of Italians surveyed for the 7th National Observatory on Sustainable Lifestyle are willing to pay more to buy a product with sustainability certification. A certification in the right place can make the difference in being preferred over the competition.
For this reason, if you choose to reduce and offset your company's emissions with Up2You, you will be provided with an Up2You Certified certification that attests to your actual commitment to embarking on a proper climate journey.
Another element that is provided to companies that undertake an offsetting journey with Up2You is the Climate Page, a web page specifically built and customized for the company, where all the information regarding the projects supported is collected: the amount of CO₂ captured (or whose emission was avoided), geographic location, images and SDGs included in the project.
Together with the Climate Page, it is then also possible to receive a widget to include on your company's official website: a real counter of the CO₂ captured/avoided.
All these communication tools support companies that embark on a path toward sustainability to do so in a clear and transparent way, guaranteeing them a high quality of the projects supported, and thus effective compensation in line with their values.
Want to know how best to communicate your achievements in environmental sustainability? Contact us and we will be happy to help you!
