Sustainability Branding and Positioning

Transcription

1 A CSR Europe Helpdesk Service Sustainability Branding and Positioning Best Practice Examples September, CSR Europe, 2008 No parts of this document may be reproduced, transcribed or translated into any language or transmitted in any form without the prior written consent of CSR Europe.

2 Table of Contents 1 Introduction Briefing and Objective Context Examples of best practice... 4 CSR Europe helpdesk service 2008 Sustainability Branding and Positioning 2

3 1 Introduction CSR Europe offers bespoke services to its corporate members. Every member company is entitled to two days worth of helpdesk service annually. Within this credit, examples of services include a structured review of a CSR/Sustainable Development Report, or issue specific research on European policies. In an effort to increase the sharing of expertise within the network, a number of the resulting reports have been made available to CSR Europe members and national partners only. The report below was initially created upon request of one of CSR Europe s member companies. Considering the relevance of the information held within this study, CSR Europe, in agreement with the member company, decided to consolidate parts of the original report into the current research. This and other reports are available for download on CSR Europe s website: For more information about CSR Europe s helpdesk service offering, please contact Carien Duisterwinkel on cd@csreurope.org. 2 Briefing and Objective One of its member companies asked CSR Europe to provide a brief report on corporate positioning and sustainability. Specifically, the company requested an overview of a limited number of best practice examples of how companies have (re-) positioned themselves around sustainability issues in a credible way in the European market. This research was prepared by Carien Duisterwinkel, Coordinator Membership Relations. It is mainly based upon internal expertise and experience at CSR Europe related to sustainability communication campaigns, completed with web research. 3 Context Climate change, working conditions in factories, diversity and discrimination all of these are issues large companies have to deal with, and issues which consumers hold them accountable on. Thus, companies increasingly try to incorporate brand risk and indeed opportunities into the equation and take action to further develop the environmental and social sustainability of their operations, products and marketing communications. Sustainable marketing and positioning present an opportunity for business. However, the rise in consumer scepticism resulting from dubious green claims is not only damaging brands, it s jeopardising the sustainability agenda. To illustrate that when done properly, a genuine commitment to sustainable business practice can help to rebuild trust and foster long-term customer relationships, CSR Europe recently published a Sustainable Marketing Guide and online Game. Written by practitioners for practitioners, the guide is designed to help marketers take the first steps towards minimising the environmental impacts of their campaigns. The guide is divided into two sections: the first focuses on the business case for sustainable marketing, while the second contains a toolkit of resources including checklists, guidance on green claims and an audit tool all designed to help marketers evaluate the impacts of their campaigns. The Guide and game are CSR Europe helpdesk service 2008 Sustainability Branding and Positioning 3

4 available free of charge on Each company takes its own individual approach to sustainability communication and positioning. Some companies opt to launch a broad concept or strategy and position their branding around this, e.g. GE s ecomagination, or M&S Plan A. Depending on the industry and the type of company, others take a more direct brand related approach, such as Unilever s Dove campaign or Toyota s Prius. Another way to convey to consumers a genuine commitment to responsible business behaviour is to partner with an NGO, e.g. Chiquita s partnership with the Rainforest Alliance or Danone and the Grameen Bank. The section below offers some examples of companies who have taken an innovative and credible approach to positioning their sustainability activities. 4 Examples of best practice Vattenfall Where can we cut emissions in the next 25 years? This is one of the key questions asked on Swedish energy company Vattenfall s Climate Map website and broader communication campaign. It informs consumers of Vattenfall s global adaptive burden-sharing model for a low carbon emitting society. Online resources include a climate map where web visitors can access the CO2 emissions of specific sectors, research reports, CEO interviews, and more information the company s strategy for combating climate change over the next decades and information on the global CO2 market. Vattenfall magazine ad Vattenfall magazine ad CSR Europe helpdesk service 2008 Sustainability Branding and Positioning 4

5 Vattenfall Climate Map Website Philips As part of its multi-year environmental action plan EcoVision4 Philips launched Green Flagships. This refers to environmentally friendly products, Philips Green Products. Since one of the company s sustainability goals is to expand revenues from Green Products to 30% of total revenue, Philips started a campaign to better inform consumers of the greener choice, through the energy efficiency green tick logo. A Philips Green Flagship product is benchmarked in six green focal areas and must perform significantly better (>10%) in at least one of the following green focal areas: Green Tick Logo CSR Europe helpdesk service 2008 Sustainability Branding and Positioning 5

6 Toyota In 2007, Toyota launched a sustainable mobility campaign, titled aim:zero emissions. Repositioning the company s hybrid vehicles vis-a-vis less environmentally cars made by competitors, the campaign endorses Toyota s promise to achieve sustainable mobility by developing advanced technologies in order to protect the environment. Toyota launched the world s first mass-produced hybrid car the Prius in 1997 and has sold over 750,000 hybrid vehicles world-wide to date. The dedicated website includes ecodriving tips, information on green technologies, etc. Toyota aim:zero emissions magazine ad Marks & Spencer In 2007, M&S repositioned its brand identity around Plan A the company s 5 year, 100 point, action plan to tackle major challenges facing the company and the world. Ads and a dedicated website present the company s strategy, activities and commitments in five key areas, but also attempt at engaging the customer directly, e.g. through campaigns for donating clothes to Oxfam, or introducing reusable bags instead of plastic bags. M&S Plan A website CSR Europe helpdesk service 2008 Sustainability Branding and Positioning 6

7 Chiquita Following consumer and NGO criticism regarding working conditions at banana farms, Chiquita decided to partner with the Rainforest Alliance in 1995 for the improved implementation of social and environmental standards. Upon 100% certification of all farms, Chiquita launched a global communications campaign in 2000 announcing a Better Banana and setting it aside from competitors. Magazine ads and tv commercials are available on the corporate website: Better Banana ad Unilever As part of a re-branding and re-focusing exercise of the Unilever company, a global strategy for Sustainability was launched in As part of this effort, over the past years specific brandrelated campaigns were developed, with a focus on ethics and values: The Dove campaign for real beauty a global effort that is intended to serve as a starting point for societal change and act as a catalyst for widening the definition and discussion of beauty. The dedicated website provides campaign material, including short films, discussion fora, workshops, e-cards etc. Dove magazine ad Tea Sustainability Similar to Chiquita, Unilever recently partnered with the Rainforest Alliance to deliver on its commitment to source all its tea from sustainable, ethical sources by The Rainforest Alliance logo is printed on the packaging and features in ads. Tea Packaging Lipton magazine ad CSR Europe helpdesk service 2008 Sustainability Branding and Positioning 7