Speak up!

I came across an interesting article this week about consumer awareness of sustainable products and businesses. Research in the US has that found that companies are failing to communicate their sustainable credentials. Less than a quarter of the survey could identify a sustainable product - and even less could name a sustainable company. Now this is US data, and it's specific to consumer behaviour (rather than business-to-business), but it's an interesting point to consider.

A piece of research I saw recently (but I'm not sure when it was carried out), listed the top 5 brands in the UK that consumers feel are tackling the climate change issue. They are:
1/ Tesco
2/ BP
3/Marks & Spencer
4/ The Co-operative
5/ Sainsbury's
The question this raises in my mind is; Are these really the 5 greenest business in the UK? Or are they just the best at communicating their green activity? (I think M&S and The Co-op are pretty good when it comes to sustainability, but the other three? Hmmmm, not so sure, at the moment).

When it comes to sustainability, and building a 'green' brand, what you do is really important. But you also need to think about what you say. In October I was invited by Global Action Plan to give a presentation to the Exeter Carbon Club, about getting value from your green credentials. The key principle of my presentation was: You need to communicate. You need to be careful how you do it, to avoid the dangers of 'greenwash', but unless you're communicating with your audience, you're missing an opportunity. This is a good article about how to do that.

Now these examples are all looking at big brands. But the same opportunities exist for smaller businesses, and every year businesses in Devon have an opportunity to showcase their efforts through the DEBI Awards. These took place last week. The awards are not only a great show case for sustainable business, but also an example of an opportunity to communicate that sustainability.

So if you are a business with a sustainable story to tell, start telling it. It's not all about awards and accreditation. It's about openness, honesty and communication. If you'd like to know more, we'd be very happy to have a chat. You can call us on 01392 248107 or email jonathan@alderandalder.co.uk