Sustainability Gains Ground But How Companies Market This is Mixed

Green/Sustainability

April 8, 2009  — The American Marketing Association and Fleishman-Hillard collaborated on a survey to gauge perceptions about sustainability among corporate marketers and communicators.  Select findings:
 

• When it comes to investing in sustainable business behaviors and programs, 58% of corporate marketers and communicators believe that their organizations will increase their involvement in environmental sustainability initiatives during the next two to three years.
   

• Half of those surveyed believe that economic realities will actually encourage the adoption of sustainability practices.
   

• More than half of those surveyed believe that sustainability is an essential element of their company’s reputation right now.  Nearly three-quarters of those surveyed believe that corporate reputation (73%), corporate culture (69%) and technological advancements (71%) will be the drivers for sustainability.
   

• While 73% feel that corporate reputation encourages sustainability initiatives, fewer (60%) feel that marketing considerations encourage the adoption of sustainability practices.
   

• While the majority of companies will continue to invest in sustainability initiatives during the next year, how companies chose to communicate that commitment is mixed.  About 43% of those surveyed expect their companies to increase marketing of their sustainability programs.  They say they will do so because it is the right thing to do; customers are asking for more information; it is supportive of the corporate culture; and because sustainability offers a clear and distinct business advantage. That said, more than half of the respondents do not expect to increase their marketing efforts in the category of sustainability.
  
   

About: Fleishman-Hillard developed and designed the web-based survey questionnaire in collaboration with its Corporate Reputation and Sustainability Practice Groups. The AMA conducted the survey between January 14, 2009 and February 19, 2009.  A total of 270 respondents completed the survey.  One fifth of the respondents come from marketing or communications businesses; the remainder represent a strong cross section of other economic sectors.  28% of the respondents come from companies with 1,000 or more employees, 41% come from companies with 20 to 999 employees, and 31% of the respondents come from companies with fewer than 20 employees. The communicators surveyed include primarily persons in marketing positions, as well as people who are working in public relations, advertising, sales, operations and administrative positions.

Source:  Fleishman-Hillard Inc., Despite Economic Pressures, Majority of Companies Plan to Increase Emphasis on Sustainability. April 8, 2009.