July is National Plastic-Free Month, a global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution. There are countless ways that people can participate and support this goal – both personally and professionally. For us marketers, we can contribute professionally by enacting sustainable marketing practices in our organizations.
Sustainable marketing is the promotion of environmentally and socially responsible products, practices, and brand values. It can help companies show their commitment to social responsibility and address sustainability concerns.
If you’ve ever spent a little bit more on something because you knew it was locally sourced or 100% recyclable, you’ve experienced sustainable marketing.
Sustainable marketing strategies can include:
- Consumer-focused marketing: Considering the needs and desires of customers and prospects
- Pricing strategies: Reflecting the full life cycle costs of a product, such as sourcing, and its positive impacts, such as recycling or re-use
- Environmental awareness and education: Incorporating concepts like recycling, waste reduction, and mindful consumption
- Social activism: Promoting social responsibility, community empowerment, and social equity
It’s also something that is rapidly becoming a top concern for consumers. Recent research has found that many U.S. consumers – particularly those age 18 to 34 – are more likely to support an organization when they believe it cares about its impact on people and the planet.
Even if your organization is not centered around sustainable practices, you can still implement sustainable marketing in your business. There are several approaches businesses could take to becoming more sustainable, such as:
- Donating profits to sustainable causes
- Sourcing sustainable materials and/or packaging
- Creating a product that contributes to sustainable living
How a Few Local Colorado Organizations are Practicing Sustainable Marketing
With our endless supply of outdoor activities, it’s no secret that Colorado is one of the country’s most healthy and environmentally friendly states. Here are a few Colorado-based organizations that have put sustainable marketing front and center:
Location: Westminster, CO
KPA makes software for environmental, social and governance (ESG) management and sustainability. Users can report and review their company data on ESG and sustainability, project it against standards for their industry and create internal goals with specific milestones. Its sustainability monitoring products create an assessment of a company’s greenhouse gas emissions totals and carbon footprints while also including data on sustainability across each client’s supply chain.
- Recycle Global Exchange (RGX)
Location: Castle Rock, CO
RGX is a B2B marketplace for e-waste and IT asset disposal (ITAD). A disruptive digital supply chain solution, our technology automates the entire process, from the initial transparent bidding through certifying the destruction of materials. The RGX solution increases ROI with competitive bidding and resource management while promoting certified local recyclers to decrease shipping costs, reduce CO2 emissions, recover more raw materials and boost local economies.
Location: Englewood, CO
Arrow Electronics makes electronic components used in computers, networking devices, medical devices, audiovisual tools and a long list of other tech products. The company’s ESG commitments include a focus on reducing emissions across its operations with specific science-based targets for different types of emissions.
Location: Boulder, CO
Makeena is the only B-certified loyalty platform that rewards consumers with cash and other incentives for buying “better,” while providing brands and retailers with real-time shopper insights and data for a fraction of the cost of other providers.
Location: Longmont, CO
Scythe Robotics builds autonomous, electric mowers that can navigate off-road environments, avoiding people and other obstacles while keeping grass healthy and even. With sustainability positioned as a central focus of its mission, Scythe Robotics produces emissions-free machines that are quieter, come with a lengthy battery life and rely on 360-degree sensors to ensure no spots are missed.
Location: Denver, CO
PlasticScore is a crowdsourced zero waste rating for restaurants, where we fund the recovery of plastic waste for every sustainability review and help restaurants to improve their score. We make it easy for people to choose more sustainable options when they go out to eat by letting them know if they’ll get single-use plastics or reusables and more sustainable practices. This creates an incentive for restaurants to reduce waste, and we help them figure out what is better for the environment and for their business.
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
SRAM makes performance components for bicycles, which are used in manufacturing for large bike companies. Founded by cyclists, the company is deeply invested in sustainability and providing an alternative to high carbon-use sedentary lifestyles. The company ethos is based on the ability of bicycles to improve the environment, ease traffic congestion, reduce transportation costs, improve health and reduce obesity.
Location: Denver, CO
Coolerado has an entire line of air conditioning units for light commercial and residential use that expend 90 percent less energy than traditional cooling systems. They’re hailed as revolutionaries in new energy, with a system completely free of chemical refrigerants and compressors.
What You Can Do to Begin Implementing Sustainable Marketing Practices
Whether you work for a company that puts sustainability among its top priorities or not, there are several things you can do to encourage colleagues and leaders to implement sustainable marketing practices:
- Ask to have recycling and composting bins placed next to trash cans in the office, with clear labels indicating where to place certain items. If you want to take it a step further, you could see if leadership would be interested in a recycling or sustainability program with incentives for folks that rank the highest.
- Re-use company packaging materials that aren’t damaged.
- Talk with your leadership team about the potential of adding paid time off for time spent volunteering with the local community.
- Encourage customers to bring their own bags and/or opt out of providing plastic or paper bags to customers.
- Partner with local businesses that conduct sustainable marketing practices you admire so business leaders can see first-hand how small changes can make positive changes. Alternatively, you can simply highlight these local businesses and their sustainability successes in work conversations to increase awareness.
- If your office is in person 24/7, talk with leaders about opting in a hybrid or remote option once a month, or once a week. Highlight the environmental benefits of working remotely, such as decreased carbon emissions from driving to and from the office.
Sustainable marketing positions your brand as an active figure in an environmental or societal issue. It can humanize your brand messages and create another reason why customers should choose you over your competition. It also helps aid in the fight to make the world a greener place.
But keep in mind the level of commitment required to participate in sustainable initiatives. These aren’t just ‘the latest trend’ or popular – they are programs dedicated to reducing carbon emissions, increasing recyclable materials, and improving prospects for the next generation.
Monica Levitan, Senior Account Executive, 300Brand
