Environmental PR - ‘green’ is a commitment, not a veneer.

 Published 2007

2007 looks like being the year when environmental issues will be hot topics for media coverage.  Already we are seeing some good and some really cynical attempts by organisations to use environmental issues as a means of gaining exposure for themselves and their products.

One of the problems in this area is that being seen to be green is sometimes seen in the same light as corporate and social responsibility (CSR), as a cheap form of window dressing, some often small initiative a company can undertake and then attempt to inflate out of all proportion in an effort to impress people about their commitment to ‘the cause’.

Well, here’s a warning.  People are increasingly taking the environment in general, and climate change in particular, very seriously.  Companies which make environmental claims that don’t stand scrutiny, do so at their peril.   

In the US, this practice of talking green rather than being green is called ‘greenwashing’, and watchdog group, Earth Day Resources for Living Green, has in the past released a report called "Don't Be Fooled." The report calls attention to the year's 10 worst greenwashers, the 10 companies that have made the most misleading claims about the environmental benefits of their products and industries.  Some of the standout ‘greenwashers’ have included: 

• American Electric Power, for falsely advertising itself as environmentally friendly and concerned about animal habitats, even though it is a major polluter. Its harmful emissions contribute to air pollution, acid rain, global warming and mercury poisoning, according to the report.

• Americans for Balanced Energy Choices, for falsely promoting coal as a "clean fuel," even though carbon dioxide, one of the byproducts of coal burning, is the primary greenhouse gas responsible for global warning.

• General Motors, for falsely promoting its cars as environmentally friendly, with ads that place GM SUVs in natural habitats as if they were as natural as the birds. In fact, SUVs get very few miles to the gallon and are far more harmful to the environment than most other automobiles.

In Australia, offending companies are also being outed and punished.  As recently as March 2007, the ACCC found the air conditioning marketer Daiken, had misled with claims in sales brochures and on its website that the refrigerants used in its units were environmentally friendly and that their use by consumers would “prevent, or at least not contribute to, global warming”.

In a statement, the ACCC said it considered the claims were misleading because the refrigerants were “potent greenhouse gases that do not benefit the environment and will contribute to global warming”.

However, done well, gaining green credentials can be a real positive for companies.  According to a report on cnn.com International, many companies in heavy industries and big business are making a difference.

The report states: “More companies are leading the charge to develop and invest in environmentally friendly technology -- not just because its good for nature, but it's also good for the bottom line.

 “GE has doubled its research and development budget to $1.5 billion into technology to reduce energy consumption and waste products. The return on the company's investment appears to be high: Last year, GE's "Ecomagination" line of products generated $10 billion in revenues in 2005, and is on track to eclipse $20 billion by 2010.

 “Companies are increasingly considering their environmental costs as a way to bolster their brand name and consumer confidence in their product.

“Companies such as HSBC have stepped up environmental programs -- its Hong Kong offices recycle 65 percent of its paper waste and the company recently spent $900,000 to install energy-efficient lighting. Wal-Mart has begun an extensive program to monitor and clean up its environmental practices, including its supply-chain policies.

 “Why? A leaked McKinsey and Co. study reported in a recent edition of Newsweek showed nearly 10 percent of Wal-Mart shoppers stopped patronizing the store because of its worsening reputation, including its commitment to the environment,” concluded the report.

As PR professionals, you are the custodian of much of your corporate and product messaging.  By all means, where appropriate, show your green credentials, but beware of any within your organisation who want to be seen to be green for entirely inappropriate reasons or with insufficient commitment.

 Green Marketing Lessons

1. Do your research to be absolutely sure any green ‘claims’ can be upheld
2. Be aware that in web 2.0, bloggers are active and ready to potentially slam your product or service if your claims don’t stack up.
3. Monitor the blogosphere to find out what people are saying about your campaign and LISTEN
4. Get it right in the first place -  communicate your green values  honestly and transparently and engage authentically with your audience
5. Don't forget your employees.  This is a very emotional issue and anything you can do to gain buy-in from your staff will repay handsomely in terms of Word of Mouth generated by them.
6. Tell your existing customers, suppliers and partners.  You'll be surprised at the positive feedback.
7. Work openly and honestly with relevant 'green' associations and communities to gain benefits such as reciprocal web site links or inclusion in correspondence to their members and constituents.
8. Research your media pool to find those journalists who have embraced 'green' stories in the past or who appear to actively 'support the cause'.
9. Make it more than a ‘business thing’. Where appropriate, encourage senior management or spokespeople to 'get greener' at home…so the more a journalist looks, the more 'green' they find you.  Possible suggestions for their homes could include easy options such as installing a water tank, converting lighting to compact fluorescent globes, or switching to renewable energy.

Note: The author of this article is a senior Sydney-based independent corporate PR consultant who coaches and mentors Public Relations Managers on how to get the best out of their PR Department; also to review and select a PR agency. In addition he provides specialist corporate PR and communications advice where issues or changes are impacting on an organisation. He also blogs regularly on PR and communications topics including items in this article.

To read a more recent perspective on CSR go to a blog from March 2010:

PR and CSR: Latest US Awards show they remain uneasy bedfellows