Can We Agree on What Sustainable Marketing Means in 2024?

Ask ten people what sustainable marketing means to them, and you will likely get ten different answers. Sustainable marketing has evolved into a catch-all term encompassing activism, strategic PR, process optimization, and more. From individual marketers on the ground to executives in boardrooms, everyone seems to have their unique interpretation of sustainable marketing.

What does sustainable marketing mean to you?

Reducing the Impact of Marketing Materials?

One essential aspect of sustainable marketing involves reducing the impact of marketing materials themselves. This includes adopting eco-friendly printing practices, utilizing recycled or sustainable materials, minimizing packaging waste, and procuring through fair labour supply chains. By addressing the environmental impact of marketing materials, companies can demonstrate their commitment to sustainability while effectively reaching their target audience. However, to most of us, this is just a starting point, more of a bandaid solution to a gaping wound.

Reducing Waste in Your Marketing Processes?

Another perspective on sustainable marketing revolves around reducing waste in marketing processes. Some marketers argue that better strategies can deliver results with a lower environmental footprint. Marketers can achieve more with less by focusing on metrics such as RPL (Resources Per Lead). Some argue that this approach still needs to address the issue of marketing's contribution to mass consumption. However, if we can use process optimization as a wedge to engage customers who have shown little interest in sustainability, perhaps it can be a first step in changing their thinking.

Shifting Towards Earth-First Clients?

Another aspect of sustainable marketing focuses on the choice of clients. Marketers who align themselves with earth-first clients prioritize working with companies that share their commitment to sustainability. By selectively choosing or excluding clients based on their environmental impact, these marketers aim to drive change from within. This approach emphasizes the importance of collaboration between marketers and clients in promoting sustainable practices across industries. However, it fails to engage resistors in any meaningful way.

Advocacy and Stakeholder Engagement?

Some marketers view sustainable marketing as a strategic adversarial approach to shift stakeholders' support away from polluting entities. By leveraging public relations, lobbying efforts, and consumer engagement, these marketers seek to influence shareholders, governments, and consumers to support environmentally conscious alternatives. This perspective highlights the role of marketing in driving systemic change and transforming industries towards sustainability.

Regenerative Marketing: A Synonym for Sustainable Marketing?

Regenerative marketing is an emerging concept that shares similarities with sustainable marketing. However, it takes the idea further by emphasizing the restoration and replenishment of natural resources through marketing efforts. While sustainable marketing minimizes harm, regenerative marketing aims to impact the environment and society positively. Some argue that regenerative marketing can be seen as a synonym for sustainable marketing, representing a more proactive and holistic approach.

Cause Marketing: A Subset of Sustainable Marketing?

Cause marketing is often associated with sustainable marketing because it focuses on social and environmental causes. Cause marketing involves aligning a brand or company with a specific cause, such as environmental conservation or social justice, to simultaneously promote both the cause and the brand. While cause marketing can be a part of sustainable marketing efforts, it is essential to note that it encompasses a broader range of strategies and approaches beyond cause-related initiatives.

Grassroots Activism

Grassroots activism represents a pivotal shift from traditional top-down conservation efforts, emphasizing local and community-level engagement as the driving force behind environmental action. This approach thrives on the power of individual and collective action initiated at the grassroots level, creating a sense of ownership and responsibility towards the natural world within local communities. These small-scale projects often focus on specific issues pertinent to a particular ecosystem or species, tailoring their strategies to their target conservation area's unique challenges and opportunities. The success of grassroots conservation marketing lies in its ability to galvanize the public, fostering a deep-rooted commitment to environmental stewardship through education, volunteerism, and sustainable practices. Engaging storytelling, community-driven events, and hands-on involvement are hallmarks of this approach, making conservation not only accessible but also actionable for people from all walks of life. This personal investment in environmental protection cultivates a network of advocates who are informed about the causes they support and are motivated to effect change within their spheres of influence, ultimately contributing to the global conservation movement.

The Circular Economy Model and Sustainable Marketing?

The circular economy model provides a framework for sustainable marketing practices. This model emphasizes reducing waste and maximizing resource efficiency by designing products and services with longevity in mind. Sustainable marketing can align with the principles of the circular economy by promoting product durability, encouraging recycling and upcycling, and fostering a culture of conscious consumption. By integrating circular economy principles into their marketing strategies, companies can contribute to a more sustainable future.

Is Generating a Net Positive Considered Sustainable Marketing?

Sustainable marketing inherently focuses on creating initiatives that are not only effective in communicating a message but also environmentally responsible over the long term. In the scenario where printing 1000 posters leads to the preservation of a critical wetland, one might argue that the net positive impact of environmental conservation outweighs the ecological footprint of the paper used. However, for such a campaign to be truly considered sustainable marketing, perhaps it should encompass a holistic approach that minimizes negative environmental impacts at every stage. This includes using eco-friendly materials and processes, ensuring the paper is sourced sustainably, and considering the posters' end-of-life. Only when all these factors align to support the environment can the marketing effort be deemed sustainable in practice.

Disrupting the Existing System?

Some proponents of sustainable marketing advocate for disruptive approaches that challenge the status quo. This perspective sees sustainability as incompatible with the current economic and social systems and calls for radical changes. Marketers embracing this viewpoint aim to disrupt existing practices, question traditional business models, and foster innovation that drives sustainability forward. They believe sustainable marketing can bring transformative change by challenging norms and pushing boundaries.

Sustainable Marketing: A Goal or a Process?

Finally, an ongoing debate surrounds whether sustainable marketing should be considered a goal or a process. Some argue that it should be seen as an ultimate objective, where companies strive to achieve sustainability in all aspects of their marketing efforts. Others view it as an ongoing process, recognizing that sustainability is a journey rather than a destination. By continuously improving practices, learning from experiences, and adapting to new challenges, marketers can contribute to long-term sustainability while acknowledging that there is always room for improvement.

In conclusion, sustainable marketing encompasses a diverse range of definitions and perspectives. Whether it involves reducing waste in marketing processes, aligning with earth-first clients, advocating for change, or embracing regenerative practices, sustainable marketing presents an opportunity for marketers to impact society and the environment positively. By engaging in meaningful discussions and sharing our thoughts on what sustainable marketing means to each of us, we can collectively shape a more sustainable future for all.

What does sustainable marketing mean to you?

We will discuss topics like this at our global GreenMeets sustainable virtual networking events.

Find out more here: https://www.dhirubhai.net/company/greenmeets/

About the Author:

David Betke has dedicated his career to helping brands that give back make a bigger difference. His campaigns have helped save a 65,000-acre forest forever, reduced carbon emissions in a city measurably, and helped recruit three senior engineers during the height of a labour crisis. One even generated a 6000% return within six months and attracted a couple of great customers for life. David has been personally recognized with seven national marketing awards.