Course info

This course is designed for those who hold/will hold positions in organizations with responsibilities for communicating the sustainability goals, challenges and achievements, as well as accurately and honestly communicating the environmental and social aspects of an organization’s products and services.

This course provides an overview of trends and practices in corporate communications related to sustainability, with a particular focus on global sustainability reporting frameworks and responsible marketing communications. This implies understanding the marketplace, consumers, the nature and purpose of products and services, as well as, reporting and communication strategies.

Attitudes and behaviors around sustainable consumption will be explored, as well as, when, if, and how sustainability aspects should be communicated to consumers. Aspects of the marketing mix, such as product features, pricing, distribution, and promotions that influence consumer demand for sustainable products and services will be analyzed. We will discuss how to avoid making false marketing claims and become familiar with best practices for establishing credibility with consumers around sustainability. Finally, we will cover strategies and tactics in order to reach the intended target audience.

Sustainable marketing decisions should be guided by sustainable business practices which ultimately are the only way to resolve the tensions between consumers’ wants and long term interests, companies’ requirements, society’s long run interest and the need for environmental balance. Sustainable marketing is thus the next evolution after being market-oriented, and requires an adaptation to a) the information used to make decisions, b) the criteria used to measure performance and c) the company’s values, mission and vision statements with which marketing objectives must fit. Moreover, removing the barriers for consumers to engage in beneficial behaviors requires adopting a broader social marketing approach that we will investigate more specifically.