The push for more sustainable business practices is very encouraging. According to Perillon, the number of companies that have set carbon emission and water conservation targets has risen 10% since 2014. The number of companies that have been disclosing their environmental practices has risen by 33%.
The focus on improving environmental practices can be observed in every aspect of their business models. Marketing is one of the top examples. Here are some reasons that the demand for environmentally friendly marketing strategies is rising so quickly.
Consumers are more concerned about the state of the environment than ever before. One poll found that 71% of people said that they take environmental concerns into account when making a purchase. A global study from 60 countries found that 55% of consumershave stated that they would pay more for a product that was better for the environment.
Companies that want to earn business from these consumers must embrace sustainable business practices. They can’t limit their focus on environmentalism to product development and the management of their facilities. They must also engage in eco-friendly marketing activities as well. In fact, that might be even more important, since marketing messages are more visible and set the general tone for the company’s brand.
Increased pressure from regulators
Environmental regulators are placing companies under more scrutiny than ever before. They are setting increasingly strict standards to reduce the global carbon footprint. San Francisco is one of the regions that has started enacting much stricter environmental laws. National lawmakers are following the same path. House representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tried passing a bill that would have created some of the most draconian environmental regulations in history. Although this bill died in the Senate, it marks a sharp transition to a new culture that focus is overwhelmingly on environmentalism.
Most of the existing statutes focus on industrial practices. However, regulators are going to gradually expand the scope of their policies to focus on other business practices as well. It won’t be long before it will be necessary to engage in environmentally friendly marketing practices to avoid being censured.
Reducing costs of Marketing
A lot of research has been conducted on the demand for environmentally friendly products. However, less emphasis has been placed on the ways that green marketing can reduce costs for business cards and other materials.
Anecdotal insights have shown that green business practices can reduce costs. Using recycled paper is typically a cheaper option. It is difficult to find universal statistics on this, but it is clear that cost effectiveness is a major benefit of green marketing campaigns.
What steps can companies take to embrace green marketing strategies?
There are many ways that companies can practice green marketing strategies. Here are some ideas that they may want to consider.
Use recycled paper for marketing literature
Using recycled paper is more important than ever. You need to consider that we Cut down over 1 billion trees every year. The loss of our dwindling number of trees is not the only implication. You also need to consider the carbon footprint that is needed to turn those trees into pulp to make paper.
If you are serious about protecting the environment, you should use recycled paper whenever possible. It should be used for all of your marketing materials if you can.
Utilize digital marketing
As we suggested above, using paper is bad for the environment. Focusing on using recycled paper can make a difference. However, it is even better if you can avoid using paper at all.
Digital marketing is a great way to promote your company without needing to use paper. You will still be leaving in environmental footprint, but it will pale in comparison to marketing strategies that depend on pillaging the shrinking number of trees in our world.
Use a localized supply chain model
Your supply chain network is an important part of your marketing strategy.You need to choose suppliers that are as close to your end customers as possible.
Make Green Marketing a Priority in the Years Ahead
Protecting our environment is a growing concern. Businesses need to make it a priority when they create marketing strategies. Fortunately, there are a lot of green marketing strategies that you can consider.
What Factors Drive the Rise of Eco-friendly Marketing? [Blue & Green]