September 4, 2007
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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...
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This page contains a single entry from the blog posted on September 4, 2007 2:42 PM.
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Comments (5)
Tony Kvale
It is indeed second-nature for the authentic green business owners to make sustainable choices.
Our business of eco-friendlier board games, Kvale Good Natured Games, runs into a minor hurdle in that we must often describe that our play concepts are not about the environment. Nor are they for young children. There is certainly an audience seeking ecology-based educational items. Yet often I believe these types of goods predominantly reach the folks already interested in responsible manufacturing.
So, of course, our company chooses the more difficult path (we love challenges!) in producing a game for wider mainstream audience appeal that just happens to be made with strong eco-friendly efforts. We intend to awaken more consumers not yet familiar with the quantitative benefits that can be reached with most products of any category.
But, first and foremost, we must design games that are high-quality, desireable, and beg to be played repeatedly, if not above the traditional game publishers' accomplishments.
Posted by Tony Kvale | September 12, 2007 3:54 AM
Tony Kvale
It is indeed second-nature for the authentic green business owners to make sustainable choices.
Our business of eco-friendlier board games, Kvale Good Natured Games, runs into a minor hurdle in that we must often describe that our play concepts are not about the environment. Nor are they for young children. There is certainly an audience seeking ecology-based educational items. Yet often I believe these types of goods predominantly reach the folks already interested in responsible manufacturing.
So, of course, our company chooses the more difficult path (we love challenges!) in producing a game for wider mainstream audience appeal that just happens to be made with strong eco-friendly efforts. We intend to awaken more consumers not yet familiar with the quantitative benefits that can be reached with most products of any category.
But, first and foremost, we must design games that are high-quality, desireable, and beg to be played repeatedly, if not above the traditional game publishers' accomplishments.
Posted by Tony Kvale | September 12, 2007 3:55 AM
Omar Michael
I believe the secret to developing effective corporate green initiatives that incite healthy participation is an incremental approach initiated by the management.
Any corporate green movement worth its salt knows that it won't be half as effective without the support of the everyday employee, who unfortunately has a reputation for apathy, followed by panic (at which point it's often too late).
However, it's rather unrealistic to expect an environmentally indifferent individual to become an all-out green warrior overnight. At my office for example, we still chew through printing paper with abandon, and leave air conditioning on in rooms that were vacated hours before. We lament such wastages every now and then, but ultimately do nothing about it.
I believe decision makers in small, medium and large organisations should spearhead movements that start off small (minimize your print-outs, carpooling) and gradually move towards actions that will result in more significant benefits to the environment (changes in company policy, public talks). They must do this at a steady pace, as lost momentum will result in lost interest.
You can change the channel when watching TV at home, but you can't ignore your boss. This makes the workplace an ideal platform to start changing people's mindsets, one step at a time. Let's take advantage of that.
Posted by Omar Michael | September 14, 2007 8:31 AM
Arlene Fairfield
Concern for the environment is still a hot topic and will hopefully remain part of consumer and corporate consciousness for the foreseeable future. Consumers want more information about companies’ environmental (and social) efforts and there seems to be a good business case for making sure they receive and understand this information. In an August 2007 GfK Roper poll, consumers say a company’s environmental practices are important in making key decisions including: the products they purchase (79%), the products/services they recommend to others (77%), and where they shop (74%). But a company’s long (100 pages is not unheard of), often confusing, and largely irrelevant to the average consumer, corporate social responsibility report is not an effective means of communication. Despite the proliferation of such reports (well over 50% of Fortune 1000 companies now publish one), 61% of consumers find it difficult to know which products are better for society and the environment (Ipsos I-Rep Survey, March 2007); 64% of the general population can’t name a green brand, and 51% of those who see themselves as environmentally conscious can’t name one (Landor, June 2006). There is an important role for us, as marketers, communicators, and brand-builders, to articulate and deliver information about a company’s social and environmental efforts in ways that people notice, understand, engage, and act on.
Posted by Arlene Fairfield | September 17, 2007 10:48 PM
Susan Plunkett
What "green" actually means these days is a great question as is "what is 'carbon neutral'?
If a business claims to be carbon neutral is it really if it's delivery system is not? Should companies strive to become the village green around which transport and delivery companies are encouraged to become carbon neutral also?
There are some great comments here from others and I hope to touch on some of the points they've raised in your next topic.
Posted by Susan Plunkett | November 13, 2007 11:50 AM