Marketing report on sustainability: “Companies need to be braver”

82 percent of all respondents in a study conducted by the World Federation of Advertisers agreed with the statement that brands need to be braver in communicating their sustainability efforts. At the same time, the overwhelming majority of marketers (93 percent) believe that brands need to support consumers in their efforts to become more sustainable. The same percentage also believe that marketing can contribute in large part to this.

However, around a third of marketers report a lack of internal resources and knowledge and skills gaps as challenges in the sustainability journey.

Transparency in sustainability communications is key

Alongside bravery, marketers continue to feel that transparency in communications is key, and that consumers see honesty as a sign of authenticity. 89 percent answered that it was “OK to say you haven’t fixed all your problems.” 

The results of the Sustainable Marketing 2030 study, in collaboration with Kantar, include responders from almost 1000 senior client-side marketing professionals from 48 different countries, and are based on a qualitative and quantitative analysis. According to the survey, the marketers surveyed are facing major – especially internal – challenges.

Marketing can drive transformational actions

Despite the difficulties, the report respondents listed the following opportunities available to propel a brand’s transition towards sustainability:

• innovate to create competitive advantage (57 percent)
• define new business models to grow sustainably (55 percent)
• educate people about their choices and actions at mass scale (54 percent)

Significantly, in addition to other options given, only 18 percent said “cost savings” could be a part of the shift to sustainability.

35 percent of the study participants believed that a “lack of P&L policy that treats planet and profit equally in decision making” is the biggest challenge to a more sustainable economy, followed by a lack of internal resources and marketing’s knowledge and skills gap on sustainability.

To see more on a marketer’s perspective on how brands can increase their sustainability impact across the value chain, download the full report.