Green marketing - How to integrate environment inside companies?

Sustainable development has become an established phenomenon. Society is becoming increasingly environmental conscious, this has even been used as an electoral argument. Environmental protection is due to a movement introduced jointly by the population at large and the NGOs through a governmental policy. Under the influence of this trend, companies are forced to think about the ‘environment’. Sustainable development was tabled for the first time during the UNO summit of 1987 by Mrs. Brundland, Norwegian Prime Minister. The concept has been developed over the years and has found many definitions.

Respect for the environment has to be integrated into a company’s policies. Marketing Mix has in consequence changed, with production methods now brought into consideration. Companies cannot claim to have a credible environmental protection policy if their production methods are not environmental friendly. For protection measures to be accepted as effective, all aspects of a company’s activity have to use the best solution, from product conception to final distribution. Financial and communicational aspects are more traditional. Company communications must be truthful and now have to consider more than just the external activity of the company. Sanctions are severe and production methods are under surveillance by ONG inspectors. Companies toeing the line can expect to reap healthy benefits.

Market surveys determine consumption trends in order to define consumer behavior. Results give consumer reaction towards environmental issues, their personal involvement, how far they would go in supporting protection measures, and the faith that they put in the published company information relating to environmental protection activities.

[...] 1994 Harmonization of product formulae, and refocusing of the production of cosmetics on the three most important structures of the group 1997 Weleda Germany is certified EMAS / ISO Management decision to obtain the certification EMAS / ISO 14001 for the two other principal sites of the group (Switzerland and France) Constitution of an environmental commission and data collection to make a complete ecological balance sheet Creation of the job Responsible Environment in Weleda France 2005 Weleda France acquires the certification ISO 14001 for the Huningue site 1st prize Enterprise and Environment for the Edelweiss suntan cream range in the Ecological product range for the sustainable development category 2006 Inauguration of the wellness center “Espace Weleda” in Paris. [...]

[...] This study addresses and seeks to understand the changes implemented by today's Green Marketing affecting both the consumer and the company: How do companies make use of environmental issues and more specifically, Green Marketing? How has the state of the environment and its protection influenced firstly consumer thinking and purchasing habits, and secondly the strategy of some companies? Part Green Marketing and sustainable development 1. Presentation a. Definition Green Marketing is positioning and segmenting of consumers by ecologically-driven concerns and the development of strategies and solutions that will meet their needs and desires with as little negative impact on the Earth as possible’[1]. [...]

[...] According to a survey[18] conducted in of all American consumers would be willing to change brands for ecological reasons, provided that product price and quality were unchanged (against 76% in 1997 and 66% in 1993) Survey To understand how consumers view Green Marketing and sustainable development, the author conducted a survey by way of a questionnaire, the object of which was to respond to the following questions: What is the profile of the population surveyed? Are these people sensitive to environmental problems? [...]

[...] The following figure[8] establishes the ecological strategy which is divided into four steps: The figure shows that all departments have their say in decision making processes which culminate in the environmental strategy (from marketing to human resources, and even research and development). Ecological management is applied to this environmental strategy and to each service, which will follow by establishing an action plan. Finally, each service is assessed, allowing the final ecological strategy of the company to be drawn up. Numerous conceptual innovations followed the arrival of the Green Product; relating mainly to the product application level, these concerned the entire life cycle from conception (by eco design) through its intended purpose in life (employing eco efficiency) through to its eventual recycling stage. [...]

[...] Generally, these companies base their marketing strategy on social or environmental issues, and pay considerable attention to the customer's perception, his identity, his expectations and his willingness to receive green publicity. It is thus seen that environmental issues are becoming omnipotent from the consumer's point of view. The movement is so strong that companies are obliged to adapt their policies and strategy to avoid possible confliction with their customer's ideals Limits Green Marketing has limits! Even if this new form of sales argument based on the protection of the environment is gaining importance of place within companies, it seems that there are limits and that this form cannot be used by every type of society. [...]