REFLECTION REPORT

Area XIV - Sustainable Marketing Practices

By
Martina Bretous
Marketing Academy

Good day this is my reflection report to my topic Area XIV - Sustainable Marketing Practices. I learned that the
Definition and objectives of sustainable marketing Sustainable marketing is the promotion of socially responsible products,
services, and practices. While eco-friendly brands naturally work on sustainable marketing campaigns, brands that are not
rooted in sustainability can still apply its principles to their strategy. Its goal is to promote a mission, not a product or service.
Sustainability in business is the ability of an organization to thrive over time in a way that protects and replenishes resources.
although the concept may seem new, sustainability has been around for decades. The modern-day concept of sustainability was
developed from the World Commission on Environment and Development, an organization launched by the United Nations in
1983. The Commission was led by Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Brundtland, and thus became known as the Brundtland
Commission. After four years of work, the Commission concluded that government and industry needed to practice more
environmental and social responsibility. The term sustainable development was coined and defined as Development that meets
the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs Since then,
sustainability in business has driven value. After four years of work, the Commission concluded that government and industry
needed to practice more environmental and social responsibility. The term sustainable development was coined and defined as
Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own
needs Since then, sustainability in business has driven value. Moreover, Harvard Business Review reports that companies that
have sustainable business practices experience greater risk management, more innovation and better financial performance,
including larger profits, more cost savings and improved efficiency and logistics. Moreover, sustainable businesses benefit from
improved customer loyalty. According to the Clarkston Consulting 2014 Corporate Sustainability Trends Report, “sustainability
has emerged to a prominent position in corporate and consumer consciences.” Among the consumers who are noticing the
movement toward sustainability are millennial, who now boast $2.45 trillion in spending power. Forbes reports millennial not
only have money to spend, but they also care where they spend it: roughly 70% will pay more for brands that support a cause
they care about. Consumers today typically have mixed or unfavorable attitudes toward marketing practices. Whether it’s the
promise of more value than can be delivered, being persuaded to buy something you don’t need, or buying unsafe, shoddy
products, unsustainable marketing leads to distrust. Marketing has been criticized for harming consumers with deceptive claims
and practices and high-pressure sales. Unsustainable marketing has often fueled the desire for materialism versus a quality of
life. Increasing demand for more and more stuff has also led to environmental consequences. Consumers today want a better
quality of life and be more active in making the world a better place. They want to support companies – big, small and in
between – that demonstrate strong ethics and stewardship of human beings and the planet. In fact, according to the Ethical
Consumer US report of 2015 by Mintel, more than 63% of consumers feel that ethical issues are becoming more important.
consumers are strongly supporting businesses that incorporate meaningful values into their core business. This desire to make a
positive impact translates into a key concept in today’s business world: sustainability. Sustainability as a business strategy is
becoming increasingly appealing to managers, executives and business owners, and more businesses and organizations are
driving change – and success – with sustainable business goals. Marketing educators can play an important role in assisting
these firms by developing curricula that build the knowledge and skills required to enable marketing graduates to contribute to
sustainable marketing efforts. Marketing graduates must not only understand but also be equipped to apply a sustainable
marketing thought process to the challenges businesses face today. Therefore, Sustainable marketing the authors assist in this
goal by presenting key learning objectives in the area of sustainable marketing, describing learning activities that will help
students achieve the learning objectives identified, and providing resources that not only support the learning objectives but
also connect them to traditional marketing concepts, as well as to concepts from other disciplines. Sustainable marketing is the
promotion of environmentally and socially responsible products, practices, and brand values. If you’ve ever spent a little bit
more on something because you knew it was locally sourced or 100% recyclable, you’ve experienced sustainable marketing.
Sustainability marketing is one aspect of how you choose to position your brand, but used right, it can be very powerful.
Sustainable commerce leaders, Patagonia, have pledged 15 of sales to the preservation and restoration of the natural
environment since 1985. In 2022, that means a total of $140 million so far. Lastly, sustainable marketing They have also set an
aim to be completely carbon neutral by 2025. Household cleaning products supplier, Smolt, offers cleaning spray tablets that
dissolve in water and can be used with refillable spray bottles to eliminate single-use plastics.

Sources
: Martina Bretous, 16 AUG 2022, https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/sustainable-marketing

: Gabrielle Wright, 17 Nov 2022, Smart Insights blog, https://www.smartinsights.com/online-brand-strategy/brand-positioning/

sustainable-marketing-how-should-you-use-it/

: https://www.yodelpop.com/ultimate-guide-to-sustainable-marketing