Who isn't green these days?

At DDB we have watched the efforts of many organizations as they pursued green as their main focus of corporate responsibility. We have witnessed the posers and the prophets. Like any promise made - there has to be commitment and proof. Recently we were involved in the Green Conference with Advertising Age and Discovery Communications. It was great to see the interest in the subject and growing evidence that corporations were making some real changes (but many, many miles to go). One scary factoid was presented by David Perry of the Aspen Skiing Company that covered the potential disappearance of snow from that region in the next 100 years! Not the type of green goal we are hoping for. I suggest you check out www.savesnow.com to learn more and see a company standing up and doing real green things.

One of the biggest challenges facing companies today in going green is keeping the focus focused. Green is unbelievably broad. Sure there are practices that big, medium and small businesses can change across the board to make differences but it seems to me that a deeper focus will have deeper impact. Also this stuff cannot be pursued so one can send a press release - this has to be DNA bonding material for the organization.

According to a piece in Newsweek, "the number of Americans who say they worry about the environment "a great deal" or "a fair amount" increased from 62 to 77 percent between 2004 and 2006. The 2006 poll was done in March, before the attention-getting release of Al Gore's global-warming film, An Inconvenient Truth." In our business, we know that consumers are rightfully influenced by businesses that are corporately responsible during the purchase process. And with related savings in going green like long lasting and environmentally friendly light bulbs, it is just smart business. Two solid reasons to head this way - more customers and lower costs (green has always been equated with money).

Let me stop myself there even though I have a ton more to say. I am really interested in your thoughts on truly being green, its impact in business, and any great ideas you have to treat this globe we all live on better. Keep it clean, be real, and keep it coming...

Posted on September 4, 2007 2:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)