Saying You're Green Doesn't Make it So

So you are looking for ways to grow your Brand, increase sales and raise revenues. Green and sustainable seems like a good way to go. Stop! Listen! And proceed cautiously. Saying you're green doesn't make it so and telling little (or big) white lies can, and likely will, do more harm than good.

Clients and customers deserve and want special handling. They don't want anything but the truth, the whole truth and nothing else. Their is one thing certain about your brand image: It is built firmly on trust and credibility. Not products and services. Not management of messages? Not on what you say but what you do.

To get other's thoughts on the subject, I used LinkedIn to ask the following question:

Sustainability is Hot! Are you? What does it mean to have a Sustainable Brand and/or be a green company? Do today's businesses, some of whom are rushing to be labeled green, get it? Is authenticity key or can a company use marketing to get consumers to see they are green?

Here are excerpts from some really smart folks:

Mark StClair wrote: Sustainability is about planning ahead and choosing to use materials that reduce the impact on the environment and can be re-used over and over. In our business, we urge our clients to build sustainable interior environments, with modular products that can promote change without demolition and trips to the landfill. Links: http://www.dirtt.net

Don Carli wrote: Greenwash can fool some people for a while but not forever. Sustainability endures. Links: http://www.terrachoice.com/Home/Greenwashing/The%20Six%20Sins

Jacqueline Boesinger wrote: My personal reason for starting a business that focused on an organic, fair trade product was not about the hype. I wanted a business model I could be proud of...one that had a mission that included environmental responsibility. I also felt with the right product and strategy, I could turn non believers into more discriminating consumers. It never was about the quick buck and sometimes I felt a little ticked off at the phonies - those who would call the Jolly Green Giant "Daddy" if it made them a profit. Long term I believe consumers will be able to figure out which companies do this because it is their personal passion vs. those for whom GREEN ultimately means the color of money.

Tom Napier wrote: The 4 R's in their least to most important priority are; Recycle, Reuse, Reduce and the most important is... RETHINK. Wal-Mart is doing a great job of the rethink and reduce. They have reduced the amount of water they sell in their products and have been the driving force in this initiative, so they get a big fat A+ for sustainability. They have also like many other companies been rethinking their SCM/N with excellent results. Yes, profit is a factor but if there is a choice between the same old things and the newer philosophy, then most of these companies are going with the new strategy. I think it's very important to consider all aspects of sustainability and greening the supply chain.

Ellen Ornato wrote: Sustainability is all about transparency and authenticity. It's thinking about personal and corporate processes and practices from the viewpoint of their impacts on the environment (both inside and outside) and then taking smart, thoughtful actions.to reduce those impacts. Sustainability is not about re-packaging a brand to look green or about doing one or two things that are environmentally sensitive and then proclaiming to the universe that you've become "green." So many companies have gotten in trouble because of "greenwashing" and the virtual community is ruthless with these individuals and companies. Being a "green" company means having an awareness of all business practices that impact the planet and working consistently to either mitigate or eliminate those impacts. Whether it's sourcing goods closer to us to lessen shipping costs or doing carbon offsets in the office (such as recycling all the paper, plastic and other items, to the highest extent possible) or through our supply chain, our responsibility is to be "socially responsible" for the outcomes. Links: http://www.ecobags.com, http://www.consciouslivingtv.com, http://www.coopamerica.org

Gerard Lee wrote: Obviously marketing can make any company appear green. It's whether the consumer buys the idea that the company became green overnight. Considering most people believe anything they see in short 15 seconds bursts on a flat screen, I would say the odds are in their favor. However for some companies being green is not a trend or fad. When it's popularity dies down, many of us will still be running our businesses as environmentally friendly as possible and churning out our green products or in our case designs.

Bob Glaza wrote: The organizations that see sustainability short term don't get it. They may see short term profit or revenue increase. Then they'll jump on the next "hot" thing. Chances are at least some of them even question the urgency of consuming less while producing more. The organization that truly believes in sustainability is probably already clear on the concept and doesn't realize it. Being nimble enough to recognize it is one thing. Marketing it to customers is the challenge.

Earon Davis wrote: I think that we have wonderful imaginations about what is "green" and what will help prevent global climate change. The positive intentions are often authentic, but the results may be tiny and incremental and some will even have unintended consequences. So, the marketplace is the marketplace and people need to grow their businesses and earn a living, etc. Links: http://www.storyofstuff.com

So, there you have it. Lots of opinions to chew on. Jump in. What's your opinion regarding the question: What does it mean to have a Sustainable Brand and/or be a green company? Do today's businesses, some of whom are rushing to be labeled green, get it? Is authenticity key or can a company use marketing to get consumers to see they are green?