This seminar was presented to the Society of Professional Services Marketing (SMPS) Maryland on February 9, 2011. Today’s business success requires that organizations demonstrate their environmental commitment and social purpose, engaging internal and external stakeholders in a meaningful and relevant way. So it is imperative for A/E/C firms to market their environmental and social initiatives – to help create differentiation and gain competitive advantage in the increasingly crowded “green” marketplace. While in the past many A/E/C firms relied on the number of LEED-certified projects or LEED APs to get ahead, most firms today have LEED-certified projects in their portfolio and LEED APs on staff — A/E/C marketers need to move their message beyond LEED to remain competitive.

1. How to Market Green When Everyone Else Is
February 9, 2011 – SMPS Maryland

2. Green Marketing
Green marketing is both marketing green initiatives that your
company undertakes and doing it in an environmentally
sound way.

3. Trends We Are Seeing
• “Sustainability” Named One of the “Jargoniest Jargon”
Words of 2010 by Advertising Age
• Pillars of Sustainability: Enterprise / Environment / Equity
– Sustainability is the cost of entry
– Social purpose is having a greater impact on the bottom line
(“social equity” is a part of the USGBC 2009-13 strategic plan)

4. Industry Perspective: Marketing Beyond LEED
• U.S. Green Building Council (est. 1993)
– LEED
– Broader societal shift
• Competitive Position or Numbers Game?
– Perkins+Will: 1,050 LEED APs; Turner Construction: 1,100
LEED APs
– Everyone has LEED-certified projects
– Can you claim 100% of staff LEED APs?
– Can you claim 100% LEED-certified projects? Platinum?

5. Why Market Your Environmental/Social Initiatives?
• Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
are competitive differentiators.
• Future success in the marketplace will require that
companies be sustainable and have a social purpose.
• To get credit for being good, you must not only do the right
thing, but also ensure that everyone knows about it.

6. Why: Business Development
• Brand Loyalty
– 71% of people avoid purchasing from companies with “bad”
practices and 79% take corporate values into consideration when
making purchasing decisions.
• Competitive Differentiator
– Proposals that do not include sustainability/green are set aside by
agencies that are under enormous pressure to direct work
towards the firms that have that.

7. Why: Business Development
Siemens/McGraw-Hill report: “2009 Greening of Corporate
America”
– Levels of engagement: up from 18% to 37% (2006–2009).
– 56% of surveyed firms require sustainability information from
their vendors and service providers.
– 31% to 57% increase in number of C-level executives who see
sustainability and social responsibility as their market
differentiator.
– 75% of firms/execs see sustainability as consistent with their
profit mission.

8. Why: Employee Recruitment and Retention
• Stronger Employer Brand – Recruitment and Retention
– Employees, especially the new generation, are increasingly
more conscious where they choose to work: they want to work
for companies that are considered good corporate citizens.

9. Why: Investment Capital
• Investors prefer investing in triple bottom line companies
(financial performance + environmental and social impact).

10. How?
• Corporate Strategies
– Pro bono work and community involvement
– Charitable contributions
– Responsible business practices (internal)
– Sustainable practices (external)
• Marketing Communication Strategies
– Certifications and trustmarks
– Green marketing techniques
– Public-facing communications and campaigns
– PR and cause related marketing

11. Sustainable Marketplace

12. Trustmarks

13. Certifications

14. How to Use
• When available and appropriate, use green certifications
and/or endorsements on your marketing materials.
• Do your homework – use credible certifications and
trustmarks.
• Align your company, service or product with reputable
organizations.
• In the absence of green certifications, corporate reputation
is paramount.

15. Greenwashing
green*wash: (n) Disinformation disseminated by an
organization so as to present an environmentally responsible
public image. Environmental whitewash.
image: stopgreenwash.org

16. Avoiding Greenwashing
• Transparency: Truth and Nothing but the Truth
– Be clear and specific; use clear language.
– Have a proof – any public-facing brand story must have proof
behind it.
– Do not exaggerate your company's efforts and successes.
• Authenticity: Aligning Promise with Practice
– Your brand is a promise delivered. Walk the talk. External claims
must be aligned with internal company practices.

17. What Can You Talk About?
• Your may be doing more than you think. Most common
workplace practices:
– Company-wide recycling programs
– Telecommute/rideshare/bike-to-work practices
– Greening your IT
– Fair employment practices
– Renewable energy or carbon offsets
– Community involvement
– Charitable giving
– Green building/office space

18. What Marketing Tactics and Tools Can You Use?
• Web
• Print collateral – thoughtfully
• Annual reports
• PR – traditional and social media
• Internal employee communications and recruitment
materials
• Environmental and cause-related marketing campaigns

19. Best Practices: Web
• Create a comprehensive section on your corporate website
• Make sure it links to the Recruitment page/section
• Promote projects, people and causes
• Post articles and whitepapers – thought leadership

20. Best Practices: Web

21. Best Practices: Web

22. Best Practices: Web

23. Best Practices: Collateral
• Develop a flexible system that allows for customization and
multiple usage
• Use un- or matte-coated paper stock when possible
• Use PDFs whenever possible and appropriate; use
electronic proposals / proposal websites
• Use FSC-certified printers and papers; display applicable
certifications (FSC, Green-e, etc.)

24. Calculators
newleafpaper.com/audits/new
mohawkpaper.com/resources/resources-calcs/
neenahpaper.com/Resources/Calculators/EcoCalculator
http://www.na.sappi.com/products (selector)
http://www.appletoncoated.com/greenzone

25. Calculators

26. Best Practices: PR
• Pitch newsworthy stories to the media
• Use company and industry blogs, as well as other social
media tools to:
– Promote thought leadership and expertise in the area of
sustainable design
– Publicize initiatives that are not suited for traditional media
– Use PitchEngine and other free online PR tools to get the word
out
• Team up with the benefiting party to promote your pro
bono or community project
• Engage your audiences in a cause marketing campaign

27. Best Practices: PR

28. Best Practices: PR

29. Best Practices: PR

30. Final Thoughts
• View each project or action through the green lens
• Green doesn’t live in the marketing department
• Humanize your effort – adopt a cause
• Work with your brand

31. Ida Cheinman, Principal, substance151
410 / 732-8379
ida@substance151.com @substance151
www.substance151.com ../substance151