Sustainability

How to Build Sustainability and Eco-Consciousness into Your Brand

Green. Sustainable. Eco-friendly. Eco-conscious. Organic. Fair trade. Vegan. Plant-based. Sustainably harvested. Sustainably grown. Rainforest Alliance Certified. Non-GMO. Cruelty-free.

The above buzzwords are often used to describe businesses (and their products) that put forth a back-to-nature, climate-friendly image. Such terms often appear on packaging and can be what makes or breaks a sale.

If your business operates within an eco-friendly niche, what can you do to brand yourself and connect with customers on a meaningful level? Consider the following tips and pitfalls to avoid, as well as some examples of companies that have performed well within the eco-friendly niche.

What Does an Eco-Friendly Brand Look Like?

You can learn a lot about eco-friendly branding by examining other companies that are already killing it in the climate-conscious, green, planet-friendly arena.

Patagonia is a hugely successful retailer of outdoor gear such as jackets and sleeping bags. They donate some proceeds to environmental groups. Perhaps their most notable green move has been creating repair centers and facilitating second-hand sales of their apparel, giving the items a longer lifespan. They’ve also been open and honest about their own environmental shortcomings, such as production processes that use fossil fuels. But, their focus is on constant improvement, and their clientele love it.
Thinx is a women’s undergarment brand that aims to replace disposable menstrual products with washable and reusable ones. In addition to their product inherently reducing non-recyclable waste, they also donate to community organizations, especially those that aid women globally.
Yes Straws saw a problem and manufactured a solution. The problem? Plastic straws enter waterways and cause animal deaths. The solution? “Biodegradable straws made from natural materials” such as wheat and cane “so you can enjoy your drink comfortably without damaging the Earth.” Biodegradable straws have been adopted by Starbucks, SeaWorld, other companies, and regions.
Defunkify wanted to tackle both a consumer problem and an environmental one. Consumers love their products because of the odor-fighting quality of the laundry detergent. Their powders and concentrates reduce the weight of shipping (and therefore fuel usage) and the required amount of packaging – both by reducing or eliminating the amount of water in the product. In fact, Defunkify laundry powder comes in a recyclable cardboard box with a minimum of plastic – about the equivalent of two fizzy pop caps. This is a great reduction as compared to commonly used large plastic laundry detergent bottles.
Native Shoes uses vegan materials that reduce the carbon footprint, and they collect used shoes and repurpose the materials to make insulation and flooring for playgrounds. One model, called the Plant Shoe, is “the first 100% biodegradable shoe made of all natural materials and can be composted after use.”

The above brands are famous for their eco-friendly vibes. But even if you’re working in an industry that is not traditionally on the green bandwagon, you can “put your own environmentally friendly spin on things to do your part to protect the planet. For example, if you own a small printing company, you might offer a discount to your customers who print on recycled paper. There’s opportunity in every business to be more green—even the unexpected ones. You’ve just got to get a little creative.”

3 Steps to Building an Eco-Friendly Brand Identity

Many consumers are attracted to brands that are committed to using back-to-basic ingredients, combating climate change, or treating all workers fairly no matter where they live. If your company falls into this category – or if you would like it to in the future –

Step 1: Define Your Values

Here’s an analogy: if your statement of values is a bit like your company’s resume, the following steps are like an online CV builder.

According to Indeed, “A company’s core values establish guidance for company leadership, employees and customers.”

Communicating your company’s values clearly will help all in the organisation stay on the same page. It can also help you to win and keep customers who share your values. People are increasingly concerned with issues like climate change, pollution, fair labor practices, habitat destruction, and choosing products with simpler ingredients and fewer chemicals.

So, what are your company’s values? First, brainstorm potential values and make a list. Ask employees what they think your values are.

Next, whittle down your list. Group similar values under a single word. Remove those that don’t align fully with your organisation’s goals. Condense your list into about 10 values or fewer. Then, whittle it down some more. You might have three or you might have 10.

Next, draft a statement. Write a bullet point describing how each value is a part of your company, its practices, and its goals. Communicate the values by posting them in the office and on your website. Then, strive to live by them.

If you need some inspiration, stay up-to-date on what other businesses within your niche are doing. You can often find statements of mission or values on a company’s website.

Step 2: Evaluate Your Practices

Next, you need to make sure that your company is actually living up to its stated eco-friendly values. How so? The details will differ from organisation to organisation, but consider the following examples.

If organic ingredients are important to your company, have you visited the farms from which the ingredients are sourced? Have you talked to the farm owners, ensuring that your definition of “organically grown” and theirs are the same?
Likewise, if fair trade and ethical labor practices are of utmost importance, have you visited the farms, factories, and other facilities used to produce elements of your products?
If fighting climate change is important to you, do your shipping logistics reflect a minimum of fuel use and emissions? Do you recycle? Is your packaging recyclable and biodegradable, or does it employ a lot of plastic waste?

It is very important to make sure your practices align with your values at this stage. If aligning with a certain value will take a while, make sure your values statement addresses this as a goal rather than a current practice.

Step 3: Show the World Who You Are

Today, many businesses rely on social media for branding. Other points of contact include advertisements, company websites, product packaging, and free samples.

You can leverage social media posts to highlight your values. Did you get to know the individuals who harvest the coffee you sell? Show us on Instagram. Did a customer write a rave review thanking you for making a vegan cosmetic product? Share it on Facebook.

While considering your social media, go ahead and examine your past posts as well. Do any of the images or statements controvert your company’s values? If so, remove them.

A word of caution: Never mislead your customers by making false statements in advertising media or on product packaging. For example, if only some of the ingredients in a product are organic or non-GMO, it would not be wise to advertise the entire product as organic or non-GMO. And never include certification seals such as the Rainforest Alliance, certified organic, or cruelty free if your product hasn’t actually been certified by the necessary organisations.

Small Steps

Have you read the above and thought, “Wow, this niche isn’t for me. My company doesn’t fit into the environmentally friendly movement at all!” If this is the case, you can take small steps – starting today – to adjust your practices. And you can document your small steps on social media, gaining fans along the way!

Can you do any of the following at your place of business?

Install water fountains that are designed to refill reusable bottles. Then, gift a reusable bottle to each of your employees. You can even place your logo on the bottle – a modest advertising opportunity.
Replace single-use plastics like shopping bags, drinking straws, cutlery, and product packaging with more sustainable options.
Reduce product packaging and shipping waste. Use recycled and recyclable materials when possible.
Are inventory items nearing their expiration dates? Replacing old computers or office equipment with new ones? Try donating these items rather than sending them to the landfill.
Compost food waste, whether you have an office cafeteria or employees bring their own lunch. Plant a few flowers or vegetable plants on the grounds, and use the compost to nourish them. The greenery will likely lift employee spirits, too.
Use energy-efficient appliances and LED lightbulbs. Put lighting, thermostats, and idle electronics on a timer to reduce energy usage. This will save on electricity costs as well!
Recycle paper, cardboard, and any other recyclable materials.
Analyze your shipping logistics – both of incoming supplies and outgoing products – to minimize fuel usage.
If geography permits, encourage employees to walk, bike, or take public transportation. Set the example by doing so yourself.
Partner with other companies who share the same values.

A Note on Terminology

The buzzwords discussed at the outset can be confusing and even misleading if not used properly. Let’s discuss the accepted definitions of each, as highlighted by the Oxford English Dictionary (unless otherwise noted).

As you read the following list, ask yourself: “Does this term describe the practices and values of my company?” If so, adopt these phrases into your branding. Also ask, “Am I already using these in press releases, social media, or advertising media?” If you answer yes, seriously consider whether the description is accurate. False statements will eventually lead to consumer mistrust.

Green – verb, to “make less harmful or more sensitive to the environment.”
Sustainable – adjective, “able to be maintained at a certain rate or level.”
Eco-friendly – adjective, “not harmful to the environment.”
Eco-labeling – noun, “the practice of marking products with a distinctive label to show that their manufacture conforms to recognized environmental standards.”
Eco-chic – noun, “design or clothing that reflects a concern with environmental issues.”
Organic – adjective, “produced or involving production without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or other artificial agents.”
Fair trade – noun, “trade between companies in developed countries and producers in developing countries in which fair prices are paid to the producers.”
Sustainably harvested – “harvesting that allows population numbers to be maintained or to increase over time.”
Sustainably grown – “treating the farm like an ecosystem; caring for and regenerating soil, air and water and treating animals and people humanely.”
Rainforest Alliance Certified – “the certified product or ingredient was produced using methods that support the three pillars of sustainability: social, economic, and environmental.”
Non-GMO – “ made without ingredients that were derived from genetically engineered organisms.”
Cruelty-free – adjective, “manufactured or developed by methods that do not involve experimentation on animals.”
Vegan – adjective, “eating, using, or containing no food or other products derived from animals.”
Carbon neutral – adjective, “making no net release of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, especially through offsetting emissions by planting trees.”
Carbon offsetting – noun, “the action or process of compensating for carbon dioxide emissions arising from industrial or other human activity, by participating in programs designed to make equivalent reductions of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.”
Carbon footprint – noun, “the amount of carbon dioxide and other carbon compounds emitted due to the consumption of fossil fuels by a particular person, group, etc.”
Natural – adjective, “existing in or caused by nature; not made or caused by humankind.”
Heirloom – noun, “denoting a traditional variety of plant or breed of animal which is not associated with large-scale commercial agriculture.”
Environmentally friendly – “the product or item is not environmentally harmful.”
Plant-based – adjective, “consisting largely or solely of vegetables, grains, pulses, or other foods derived from plants, rather than animal products.”

In Conclusion

Natural, organic, and eco-friendly products have taken center stage in recent years. If your business operates within this niche, you can leverage your commitment by writing out your company’s values and clearly communicating them, bringing your business practices in line with those values, and using social media, advertising channels, and other branding opportunities to show the world what your company is all about. You can also look to other companies in the eco-friendly niche for ideas. Find an idea you are passionate about, and make it central to your brand.