Sustainable marketing is a way for businesses to showcase and follow through on their environmental and sustainability policies.

In 2021, 85% of the UK made an effort to live more sustainably, with over a third of individuals only purchasing from eco-friendly brands. People want their favourite brands to do better. Those that fail to move with the times and showcase ethical and sustainable products have seen an active decline in popularity.

In this article we are going to look at what sustainable marketing is, and how it can directly benefit your business.

---

Businesses That Help The Environment Thrive, Survive

The pressure is on businesses to transparently share what they do to help the environment thrive. As many as 80% of consumers prefer to purchase from sustainable sellers, while 10% of individuals have even directly contacted businesses to complain about their ethical policy. People are voting with their feet for businesses that are unable to document good environmental and sustainability policies.

---

What Actually Is Sustainable Marketing?

Sustainable marketing, or green marketing, is when a company uses its environmental and sustainability practices as a part of its marketing strategy. Sustainable marketing will showcase how a company handles:

• The waste produced from its processes.
• The suppliers it works with and ensuring they comply with ethical standards.
• The carbon footprint of a company.
• Ensuring that their products are sustainable and environmentally friendly.

An integral part of sustainable marketing is honesty. Your company needs to ensure it is actually delivering on its sustainability and environmental policy. If there are core issues maintaining sustainability in your business, these should be addressed before sustainable marketing is used as part of your marketing tools. Transparency and honesty in green marketing are essential parts of ensuring this positively reflects on your brand.

---

How Can Sustainable Marketing Benefit My Business?

Sustainable marketing benefits your business in a huge number of ways, from your branding to your credibility. Here are just a few reasons why your company should consider using a sustainable marketing strategy.

It’s All About Trust

In a recent Forbes study, statistics showed that 92% of consumers are more likely to be loyal to a company that has a good environmental and ethical policy. Sustainable marketing can directly benefit the reputation of your business if done correctly.

You should be able to showcase how you protect the environment in your mission statement, the actions you take, and the transparency with which you share how you meet your ethical and environmental policy. All of this is going to show consumers and collaborators you are a business to rely on.

Giving Your Business A USP

If you exist in a saturated market, every little helps in helping you stand out from the competition. It’s especially important if you exist in a market that is not commonly perceived to be beneficial to the environment, like oil, or gas. Who are you more likely to visit, a gas station with a terrible carbon footprint, or a gas station that has proven it can deliver your oil in a more sustainable way? Sustainable marketing can help give your business a popular and eco-friendly USP.

It Helps With Brand Recognition & Loyalty

If you have a clear and honest sustainable marketing strategy, this can directly improve your brand recognition. If you position yourself as an expert on sustainable practices, you are more likely to improve your own brand recognition and loyalty. Research shows that 90% of customers stay loyal to brands that share their values. Your green marketing strategy can directly convert to repeat business and greater awareness of your brand.

Everybody Wins (Including The Environment)

Sustainable marketing practices benefit everyone, no more so than the environment. A good green marketing strategy can directly benefit:

• Your Consumer - They feel happy that the goods they buy reflect their values, are sustainable, and help the environment.
• Your Business - Your business should see an uptick in sales due to better brand loyalty and recognition.
• Partnerships - Your partners are more likely to see a benefit in their own popularity through association and backlinks from your site.
• The Environment - Our planet will stay healthier for longer due to your sustainable and ethical policies.

---

Creating A Good Sustainable Marketing Strategy

Sustainable marketing only works if your business is actually sustainable. If you market your company as eco-friendly or ethically conscious when it isn’t, your brand will just come across as fake and inauthentic. Here’s how to make your business stand out with a good sustainable marketing strategy.

Check How Environmental Your Company Actually Is

Several platforms and auditing firms help you run an environmental company check, so you can find out how environmental your company actually is. This is an essential part of your marketing strategy, as it allows you to rule out key issues before you run any green campaigns.

Be Honest About Where You Are

If you need to take steps to reduce your carbon footprint, re-evaluate that relationship with an unethical supplier, or improve your energy efficiency, be honest. There’s no point in lying about how sustainable you are. This is the complete opposite of what an effective sustainable marketing strategy looks like.

Be Culturally Sensitive

Sustainable marketing strategies rely on cultural sensitivity. Be aware of the markets you're releasing your digital campaigns in, and ensure that your material is reviewed by a specialist in that culture.

Make Your Campaigns Sustainable

Your sustainable marketing strategy needs to be as green as you can possibly make it. Avoid sending paper materials, use sustainable server hosts, and most importantly, reduce email content and energy inefficiencies. The more sustainable your green marketing is, the more honest it will appear to your consumers.

---

Sustainable Marketing Matters

Sustainable marketing allows you to showcase how you help the environment, while actively doing so. You get to help the planet, improve your business, and show your customers their values matter. What’s not to love? Sustainable marketing is going to be an increasing necessity in our more environmentally conscious world. Contact us today to find out more on how our expert team can offer you Sustainable Marketing for your business.