Delivering better customer experiences to the eco-conscious consumer is of paramount importance. According to WSJ, “64% of consumers list recycling and reusing among their top three concerns” which spells it out pretty clearly: brands are expected to address their impact on the climate, regardless of industry.
Brands are beginning to understand their responsibility to take conscious steps towards improving the environment with their business activities instead of merely offering lip service. And, doing so benefits more than just the planet, many companies have seen their bottom lines and reputations positively impacted by taking legitimate leaps to improve sustainability.
Communicating sustainability increases both brand loyalty and trust while also positively helping the environment. You may be wondering where to begin but it’s better to do something than nothing at all. Here are 7 ways your company can start to appeal to the eco-friendly consumer.
- Promote Sustainability Through Brand Messaging – promote commitments to sustainability throughout the entire brand messaging framework including website, logo, marketing, and packaging materials. Fundamentally integrate the importance of the environment into a holistic brand experience.
- Share Your Story – 70 percent of consumers want to know what brands are doing to address social and environmental issues. Communicate your businesses’ sustainability goals, efforts, and achievements on your website, social media, and other marketing materials. This develops trust between your business and the consumer. Finding openings to tell an interesting story can be developed by asking questions such as “Why have we chosen to make a difference?” and “What has been the impact of our efforts?”
- Measure Your Environmental Impact – Measuring your company’s efforts can help you benchmark your progress. This will allow you to share data points with consumers and stakeholders to reflect your approach to sustainability. They can also help uncover new opportunities for your program to improve by identifying inefficiencies that may have gone unnoticed.
- Use Recycled Paper Products – Most office supply stores offer materials that use eco-friendly paper from business cards to brochures and more. This ends up making a big difference in the long run and is a simple way to demonstrate that your business is environmentally conscious.
- Renew Your Certifications – An environmental certification substantiates your organizational commitments by a trusted third party. Studies show that consumers are looking for these certifications and are willing to pay more for sustainable products.
- Volunteer or Donate to Assist Local Charities – Support environmental initiatives in your community by making donations to local organizations or volunteering nearby. According to a “Pulse Survey,” 40 percent of a company’s reputation is determined by volunteering and corporate responsibility.
- Promote Eco-Friendly Suppliers – Sustainability cannot be achieved without partnering with like-minded suppliers and cleaning up the supply chain. Taking the time to promote local suppliers shows consumers that your business is actively working on reducing its carbon footprint throughout the supply chain.
It’s probably unrealistic to achieve all these sustainability goals at once. No one “goes green” overnight but actions do speak louder than words. Start this journey by implementing them in minor steps and incrementally challenging your company to eventually tackle them all.
