Why is it important for marketing agencies to be conscious of their environmental impact?

We’re no longer living in the days where sustainable business practices are just a ‘nice-to-have’ bonus. We’re now in the days where eco-friendly measures have become a must-have business responsibility – for the sake of our people, our planet and our future.

And though you might not think we marketers have much of a role to play in our climate-friendly future, after all, all we do is send a few emails and play around on Google (we don’t, by the way), marketing agencies have a much bigger role than you may think.

Marketing agencies (including ourselves) have an enormous responsibility – as they say, every LITTLE helps. So, why is it so important for marketing agencies to be conscious of their environmental impact?

Influencing the masses

First, we know we just said that “every little helps” when it comes to helping our environment, which still rings true – but we are going to backpedal slightly.

Realistically, it’s the big companies and corporations that make the most difference – good or bad – in regards to our planet’s welfare. However, marketing agencies do hold a unique, helpful position in that they’re able to influence these big businesses and the messaging that they put out to the world.

Not only are marketing agencies responsible for our own environmental impact, but we also have a responsibility to make sure that the clients we work with are conscious of theirs. We’re the fighting voice chirping up to the bigwigs in charge.

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And in turn, if more and more businesses are pushing a sustainable agenda, that influences individuals into being more conscious of their own environmental impact and so on. It’s a good ol’ environmentally-friendly cycle!

Supporting businesses via a sustainable strategy

Support with marketing and the wider business strategy is a big part of what marketing agencies can offer clients. We’re not just there to carry out marketing activity; we’re also on hand to advise on strategy, and sustainability is a big part of that. We can explain to these companies how clever, eco-conscious marketing campaigns don’t just help out our planet, but also work to boost business.

But, for businesses to be able to trust a marketing agency to advise on sustainability, we need to prove that we know what we’re talking about. The proof is in the pudding, as they say – why would you trust an agency to advise on creating a sustainability strategy if they aren’t conscious of their own impact on the planet?

Going against greenwashing

With the increasing demand for eco-friendly products and services from sustainable businesses, greenwashing is incredibly prevalent. Greenwashing is a harmful trend designed to make companies appear as though they’re doing more to minimise their impact on the environment than they actually are. The practice is deceptive and hinders efforts from legitimately sustainable businesses by creating more competition in their respective fields.

Marketing agencies with a sustainable approach can help with this. On the one hand, when working with clients who are legitimately striving to be environmentally friendly, they can support a well-planned marketing strategy that highlights the sustainable agenda. Alternatively, when working with clients that do not have sustainability at the forefront of their business, they can discourage greenwashing and work harder to find different marketing angles that work, without relying on sustainability as a selling point.

And realistically, you’re likely to be found out if you’re greenwashing, which ruins any credibility and trust you may have worked hard to hard. If you want to be a sustainable business, determine how you’re going to achieve this and make it happen. There’s no point in making claims you can’t live up to.

Gaining a competitive advantage

Not only is it essential for the planet for marketing agencies to be conscious of their environmental impact, but being an eco-friendly business also offers a competitive advantage.

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As mentioned above, there is a growing demand for businesses to be sustainable, which means that more and more companies are looking to work with “good” agencies. By truly having sustainability at the heart of the agency, possibly even attaining B Corp status, the agency will have the edge over competitors when it comes to securing new clients.

It can also be financially rewarding to be environmentally conscious – it goes without saying, but making more sustainable choices can save the business money. Keeping the heating down in the office will save money on running costs, switching company cars to hybrid or electric will save money on fuel expenses, and so the list continues.

So although the key driving factor in being more sustainable will always be to reduce environmental impact, the commercial benefits cannot be ignored. It’s a win-win!

To be green, or not to be green…

If that wasn’t enough to convince you, well, we don’t know what will!

Here at LITTLE, we always try to do our bit for the planet. We’re currently working extremely hard on our sustainability efforts, to secure B Corp certification and completely offset our carbon footprint, so that we can become a better business overall – for our team, our clients and our world.

If you’d like to learn more about sustainability, whether that be our own efforts or how we can help you and your business go green, get in touch today! Helping others help our planet is what we love to do.