In the not too distant past, before the COVID-19 pandemic, The Museum of Brands was running a fascinating exhibition called When Brands Take A Stand, focusing on the role a brands ‘woke’ marketing can play in positively, or negatively, influencing society.
In this post, we’re going to look at how genuine brands really are about their eco-friendly messaging.
But first…
For those born in the 20th-century, ‘woke’ pretty much means: marketing which is self-aware of current world issues.
Recent examples include:
Whether they were successful or sent stock prices tumbling, one thing is for sure, society noticed.
Although you might think so, it isn’t.
In 1917, Bovril’s ‘Bovril Gives Strength to Win’ campaign tapped into the horrors of war by reassuring soldiers of the benefits a ‘hot, comforting drink’ can bring.
So, being ‘woke’ isn’t something new, but is it genuine?
Lots of businesses claim they’re fulfilling their environmental obligations, but can we trust those claims?
Recently, BP CEO Bernard Looney announced a climate action plan with the aim of making BP a ‘net zero emissions’ company by 2050.
And looking at their plans, it’s excellent news for the environment.
They plan to:
However, dig deeper and the sums don’t add up.
Of investor-owned companies, BP is the third-highest polluter worldwide. They’ve lobbied against climate change action and they’re investing $71 billion into developing new oil and gas fields.
So, are they serious or are they just looking to appear ‘woke’?
Right now it seems like the latter, but only time will tell.
Environmental messages may sound genuine, but it doesn’t necessarily mean actions are being taken to fulfil them. However, that doesn’t mean other businesses aren’t.
Here are a few companies backing up their words with positive action:
Since 2012, Microsoft has been 100% net carbon neutral. They also charge a ‘carbon fee’ to any business group with a carbon footprint and reinvest the fees into their ‘carbon reduction’ initiatives.
In 2018, Apple sourced 100% of the electricity used at its facilities from renewable sources. Meanwhile, all of Apple’s supplier facilities are certified as ‘Zero Waste’ sites.
IBM purchased around 23% of its electricity in 2017 from renewable sources. This surpassed their goal of 20% by 2020 by 3%.
[Credit All: Forbes]
Every business has environmental obligations and taking small steps is better than none. So, regardless of how ‘woke’ you feel, why not start with something as simple as waste management?
With a Certified Sustainable accreditation, you have full control over the fate of your business waste.
Not only are you audited by one of the industry’s leading waste management experts, but, you’ll also gain access to the CS Portal, which gives you detailed audit results and strategies, including:
Our accreditation isn’t about just positive PR (though you’ll get that). It’s a real demonstration of your commitment to a better planet. You’ll stand out as a business really doing the right thing, increase public confidence in your business, and land new client opportunities.
Do the right thing.
