What is sustainable marketing?

Sustainable marketing, also referred to as green marketing, is a promotional strategy that puts its primary focus on marketing products and services that are sustainable in terms of the environment, and also socially conscious and responsible.

The main objective of sustainable marketing is to advertise products and services that will have a net positive impact on the environment at large, and also generate revenue for the organization that sells them.

To properly execute sustainable marketing an organization must include environmental and social considerations in all parts of its marketing strategy. This includes the whole spectrum of a marketing strategy, from the product's design and packaging to the ads for the product and the overall promotional campaign.

The materials used to create the product and its packaging must also be considered when using this strategy. Meaning sustainable materials should be utilized for the specific product and its packaging. Here are some common aspects of organizations that use sustainable marketing:

• Using sustainable materials and resources for the product and its packaging

• Making a clear effort to reduce carbon emissions and waste

• Promoting fair labor practices

• Showing support and taking part in environmental and social causes

And here are some more specific and detailed key components to executing a sustainable marketing strategy:

• Product design

The creation of the product should be environmentally friendly with all materials being sustainable. This might also include using energy-efficient manufacturing processes to produce the products.

• Product packaging

One major component of sustainable products and sustainable marketing campaigns is the use of sustainable packaging. Organizations often use biodegradable and recyclable materials for packaging in an effort to decrease the amount of packaging used and waste overall.

• Promotion and advertising

This is a critical part of sustainable marketing. Companies seek to use imagery and messaging that connects with consumers specifically on the issues of being environmentally conscious and promoting sustainability.

• Supply chain management

Many organizations that are involved in sustainable products, services, and marketing also seek to ensure that their supply chain partners also adhere to the same types of sustainable practices and values that they have.

• Social responsibility in the corporate context