Introduction to Sustainable Marketing
Environmental Sustainability Consumers increasingly demand purpose over profits from the brands they work for, shop for, invest in, and allow within their communities. In fact, an IBM study on consumer behavior indicated that 57 percent of consumers would alter consumption habits to be more environmentally conscious, and nearly 80 percent of survey respondents indicated that sustainability is essential. 10 Therefore, sustainability is a business imperative. As defined by Philip Kotler , Professor Emeritus at Northwestern University, “the concept of sustainable marketing holds that an organization should meet the needs of its present consumers without compromising the ability of future generations to fulfill their own needs.” 11 In other words, products and services consumed today should not harm consumers of tomorrow. Sustainable marketing infuses purpose into socially conscious brands, products, and services. Marketing seeks to differentiate the br...