ISM AND ISEG MBA - Développement durable

ISM AND ISEG MBA
Green Marketing
How to integrate environment inside companies?
Emilie PADIOLLEAU
11 allée Géricault
78114 Magny-les-Hameaux
FRANCE
26/08/2009
Word count : 25,835

Table of Content
Executive summary .......................................................................................................................... 4
Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 5
Part I: Green Marketing and sustainable development .................................................................... 7
1. Presentation ........................................................................................................................... 7
2. Sustainable development over the years ............................................................................. 12
3. Representative modeling of the environment ...................................................................... 14
4. Context ................................................................................................................................ 20
5. Limits .................................................................................................................................. 22
Part II: Marketing Mix ................................................................................................................... 27
1. Production ........................................................................................................................... 27
2. Product ................................................................................................................................ 29
3. Place .................................................................................................................................... 48
4. Promotion ............................................................................................................................ 56
5. The company management .................................................................................................. 72
Part III: The consumer .................................................................................................................... 75
1. The actors within sustainable development ........................................................................ 75
2. Studying the consumer ........................................................................................................ 77
3. Survey .................................................................................................................................. 78
Part IV: The consequences of Green Marketing on the company .................................................. 88
1. The employees’ point of view on the environment ............................................................. 89
Part V: Weleda: A company heavily involved in Sustainable Development ................................. 93
1. Presentation of the Company .............................................................................................. 94
2. Company History ................................................................................................................ 96
3. Industry Environment Analysis ........................................................................................... 98
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4. Product review ..................................................................................................................... 99
5. Competitive review ........................................................................................................... 101
6. Weleda and the environment ............................................................................................. 102
Conclusion .................................................................................................................................... 107
Recommendations ........................................................................................................................ 108
Bibliography ................................................................................................................................. 109
Appendixes ................................................................................................................................... 111
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Executive summary
Sustainable development has become established. Society is increasingly environmental
conscious, this has even been used as electoral argument. Environmental protection is due a
movement introduced jointly by the population at large and the NGOs through governmental
policy. Under the influence of this trend, companies are forced to think “environment".
Sustainable development was tabled for the first time during the UNO summit of 1987 by Mrs
Brundland, Norwegian Prime Minister. The concept has been developed over the years and has
found many definitions.
Respect for the environment has to be integrated into company policy. Marketing Mix has in
consequence changed, with production methods now brought into consideration. Companies
cannot claim to have a credible environmental protection policy if their production methods are
not environmental friendly. For protection measures to be accepted as effective, all aspects of
company activity have to use the best solution, from product conception through to final
distribution. Financial and communicational aspects are more traditional. Company
communications must be truthful and now have to consider more than just external company
activity. Sanctions are severe and production methods are under surveillance by ONG inspectors.
Companies toeing the line can expect to reap healthy benefits.
Market surveys determine consumption trends in order to define consumer behavior. Results
yield consumer reaction towards environmental issues, their personal involvement, how far they
would go in supporting protection measures, and the faith that they put in published company
information relating to environmental protection activities.
Some companies have total involvement in environmental protection, an example being Weleda,
a company of organic cosmetics.
4

Introduction
Hardly a day passes without reading or hearing about the state of the planet and the excesses of
human society. The changing weather pattern is a visible sign of global and insidious
environmental deterioration.
The human race is confronted by real challenge, imposing on its way of thinking, its ideals and its
behavior. It concerns life in general, of our planet and of its inhabitants.
Fortunately individuals, organizations and companies worldwide became aware of this
phenomenon, and began work to set an example to their contemporaries to draw their attention to
the problem.
The subject of sustainable development is given an ever increasing level of media coverage and
the trend is for modern society to give a lot of attention to this debate. Many companies have
established environmental reports.
If the words “Sustainable Development” are known to most people, their meaning is not always
so clear. Sustainable development has three aims:
protection of the environment
social equality and the fight against poverty and class difference
A new form of economic growth
In attacking the first of these objectives companies will have to review their raw material
consumption and adapt their production to avoid unacceptable methods, and produce a more
environmental friendly product.
Companies can no longer neglect to publish environmental facts. The publication of company
reports concerning sustainable development is multiplying, and attracts ever increasing interest
from consumers, suppliers are institutions alike.
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It is the consumer who initiates interest in environmental protection, preferring more ethical
companies which pollute less. Their consumption pattern is increasingly affected by how they
view the companies from whom they purchase. For this reason astute marketing now targets the
environment, hence the buzz words: Green Marketing.
Green Marketing comprises all company activities of which the aim is to use the ecological
positioning of its company or brand name to increase sales or promote its image. Green
Marketing can be based on the ecological characteristics of a product (ecological raw materials,
recyclable products etc), on Green promotions, or on the environmental propaganda of the
company. Nevertheless, this can lead to Green "brain washing" when this representation is
neither sincere nor accurate.
Marketing is thus always seeking to include environmental notions in their policies, although it
should be said that the environment is not a simple topic. There has to be a balance between
customer expectation, the message communicated by the company and the activities they
organise in the course of communicating that information.
Managing environmental topics presents a complicated procedure for marketing executives.
However, it constitutes enormous potential for promoting the company image and can be used to
create a close working relationship between the company and its customer who, being an actor
within the environment, is inescapably concerned by it.
This study addresses and seeks to understand the changes implemented by today's Green
Marketing affecting both the consumer and the company:
How do companies make use of environmental issues and more specifically, Green Marketing?
How has the state of the environment and its protection influenced firstly consumer thinking and
purchasing habits, and secondly the strategy of some companies?
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Part I: Green Marketing and sustainable development
1. Presentation
a. Definition
Green Marketing is “the positioning and segmenting of consumers by ecologically-driven
concerns and the development of strategies and solutions that will meet their needs and desires
with as little negative impact on the Earth as possible” 1 . It relates to the package of company
measures which aim to use the ecological positioning of the company or brand name to promote
increased sales or improve company image.
“Green Marketing must satisfy two objectives: improved environmental quality and customer
satisfaction” 2 . It can be based on the ecological characteristics of a product (ecological raw
materials, recyclable products, ozone friendly cars which emit less CO2), green activities
(withdrawal of plastic bag distribution in supermarkets), or on ecological company activities. In
this context, products which respond to the desires of ecologically-driven consumers are called
“green”. The message delivered by advertising and promotion of such products addresses issues
such as the environmental impact of energy consumption, production processes, and the emission
of toxic substances.
It is in the interest of most companies to employ Green Marketing. The introduction of this form
of marketing must address the following points:
The initial desired direction to be taken by the company (the consumer sector to be
targeted and the market position occupied by the product)
The company image as perceived by the customer
Whether the company's activities on environmental issues are perceived as credible
1 Presidio Graduate School. Green Marketing. The dictionary of sustainable Management, from
www.sustainabilitydictionary.com/g/green_marketing.php
2 Hartman, C. L., Ottman, J. A. & Stafford, E. R. (2006, June). Avoiding Green Marketing myopia. Environment, 48
(5), 22-36.
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Customer reaction to “green” offers: would he be interested in purchasing ecological or
organic products if the price were higher?
Customer expectations
The potential benefit to the customer
Consequently, before exploring Green Marketing, this report addresses the subject of sustainable
development.
According to the Brundtland Report (World Commission on Environment and Development), a
development which is effected to the detriment of environmental quality cannot be considered as
a long-term development. By contrast, sustainable development of a naturally renewable resource
must be commensurate with the intrinsic renewal rate of that resource; that for a non-renewable
resource would envisage its future replacement.
b. Characteristics
The notion of Green Marketing has several characteristics.
First, Green Marketing is a short-term activity aimed at improving matters in the long-term; the
present generation is under obligation to preserve today's natural resources for the benefit of
future generations. According to the Brundtland commission, sustainable development is a
“development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs”. The commission considered that sustainable development
included three parameters: social equality, economic growth, and environmental protection. The
latter parameter provides the possibility of economic recovery related to natural resources and
environmental protection, this largely due to the fruits of research.
Second, when considering environmental damage from the company's viewpoint, Green
Marketing over the longer-term serves to protect company image. Firms which base
communications and advertising on respect for the environment and natural resources do so to
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give a human approach. This serves to demonstrate at individual level that these firms wish to
associate themselves with the survival of planet Earth. This idea is from the neoclassical theory,
asserting that natural resources are capital because they constitute a store of indirect raw
materials which can be transformed by production into direct products. The neoclassical theory
does not consider nature as an unlimited reserve of natural resources; those present today are
being consumed five to ten times faster than the discovery rate of new resources.
Third, Green Marketing teaches an ethical or moral lesson to the « polluting » firms which
proliferates environmental deterioration. The objective is to portray the company in its true
colors. The company can decide by itself to go green, or can be obliged to do so under pressure
from consumer associations, from new policies, or from that of the N.G.O.'s, etc. To date, most
companies decide to spontaneously adopt this type of communication due to consumer
preference, this extending even into service companies such as banks and insurance.
Customers are then able to see that companies are demonstrating a common ethic in which each
generation has the right to enjoy at least the same quality of life as that of previous generations.
This aspect of Green Marketing shows that companies are not only interested in profit making,
but also in the survival of this planet and its inhabitants. This idea was tabled by Agenda 21
during the Earth conference held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. It put forward a global action plan for
sustainable development with three fundamental points: social equality; the environment; and the
economy. The following figure shows this concept.
Profits
People Planet
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This is the form which yields the best sustainable development and brings to the fore three
objectives:
The economical objective (Profits): creation of wealth for all through production mode
and sustainable consumption
The ecological objective (Planet): conservation and management of resources
The social objective (Population): equality and participation of all social groups
The idea is to reach the three objectives simultaneously. It is a difficult goal to reach, because as
seen in the figure, to reach only one objective is to abandon the other two.
A fourth P was soon added to the original form of 3P (Profits, People, and Planet): that of
Progress, the incentive which encourages green marketing to integrate into each company’s
mission a desire to contribute to a better world, and to incorporate sustainable development into
company marketing. Consequently, the figure is modified to that below:
Profits
People Planet
This figure represents the effort made by companies which are pro sustainable development: they
not only have to avoid a detrimental effect on people, the planet and profits, but also have to
progress to a better world. Green Marketing is in consequence entirely based on the concept of
this three-pronged mission.
Progress
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Triple Bottom Line is the name given by John Elkington to his method of assigning a measured
value to these three parameters (people, profits and planet) by representing company
performance-evaluation on a triple balance sheet (economic, social and environmental).
Shown below is the example of Ben & Jerry’s company, which decided to redefine its objectives,
its tasks, and consequently, its raison d’être by a three-pronged campaign (product task, social
task and economical task) in order to evaluate company progress in the long-term.
Evaluating economic and financial data is becoming increasingly difficult. That is why, this
American company, specialized in ice cream and desserts, wanted to launch a new concept, that
of “shared prosperity”. The following figure shows that Ben & Jerry’s has adopted the Triple
Bottom Line in its mission statement 3 :
It is interesting to note that the company Ben & Jerry’s has recently gained the Max Havelaar
Label in Europe!
3 Ben and Jerry’s mission from http://www.benjerry.com/activism/mission-statement/
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2. Sustainable development over the years
The subject of the environment has preoccupied many peoples' minds for a long time, not only
those of ecologists and scientists, but also of poets and philosophers. Ecologists have recently
turned their attention to industrial development and its environmental effect. Sustainable
development was first mooted in the 1960's, even though in those days pollution was considered
an inevitable consequence of economic development.
In 1987, Mrs Brundtland, the Norwegian Prime Minister, drafted the Brundtland Report, also
known as “Our Common Future”. She was the first to coin the phrase sustainable development,
when her report introduced this term to the U.N.O. The Brundtland Report provided a key
statement on sustainable development; it alerted the world to the urgent necessity to make
progress toward economic development that could be sustained without depleting natural
resources or harming the environment.
Originally the Brundtland Report was aimed at securing global equality, redistributing resources
to poorer nations and encouraging their economic growth. It suggested that equality, growth and
environmental conservation are simultaneously possible, and that each country must be capable
of simultaneously achieving its full economic potential whilst being allowed to enhance its
natural resources. However, achieving that equality and sustainable growth would require a
technological and social change.
The topic of sustainable development is not the unique reserve of governments; it concerns
equally the population, N.G.O's, local communities and companies.
During recent years the concept of sustainable development has broadened within Europe. Each
area endeavoured to adapt sustainable development to its own domain by creating new concepts
such as Green Energy, Sustainable equipment, Green Architecture, High Environmental Quality,
etc. But today's situation is not as seen in previous years; ecological trend in the business world
has evolved progressively.
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It was in the 1970's that ecological issues were first voiced (the Green party in politics) and
numerous NGO's were created in the social sector, such as Green Peace and WWF.
These organizations, which followed the student rebellion movement in May 1968, quickly
became pressure groups having a great influence by their direct action on the ground and by their
propaganda. Seeing this, some societies (essentially oil companies) decided to review their
production in an effort to avoid deteriorating the planet. This strategy allowed their winning
lawsuits brought against them for non-respect of human rights and pollution.
The 1980s saw politicians expressing for the first time an interest in the environment. As a result
the Environmental Protection Agency was created and became not surprisingly, at loggerheads
with the Department of Industry. Law and regulations were put in place to control the activities of
polluting companies. Countries began taxing certain undesirable activities in order to finance the
social cost of dealing with pollution and unrestrained consumption of natural resources.
The weight of new political measures combined with calls for change from social pressure groups
made companies sit up and listen, as this was clearly not a short-lived issue. They were incited to
spontaneously reorient company strategy in order to take account of the need for sustainable
development, and to use Green Marketing as the tool for applying such strategy to their
commercial and communication policies.
By the year 1990, companies had begun to go “Green” so responding to the expectations of a new
consumer, one who has ecology and nature conservation at heart and who is a proponent of
imposing the application of a quality label on products. Companies invested in research and
development of the environment in order to stay ahead of future related governmental measures
and to forecast the potential risks. Their aim was to build a durable image of a clean and healthy
company in order to establish customers’ loyalty.
At the outset theoretical, becoming political, sustainable development is influenced by many
economic factors during a company's life, not withstanding their effect, and even if it is believed
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that this tendency for change may de short lived and so disappear in the long term. Moreover,
concepts have a shorter life expectancy.
It is believed that in the event of sustainable development itself disappearing, it would likely be
replaced by some other new environmental concept, thus perpetuating environmental
consideration.
3. Representative modeling of the environment
Ever since the 1970s, development of the ecological theory within the company has revolved
around a marketing base. Application of the Maslow pyramid appears to lend itself to companies
employing Green Marketing 4 :
4 Laville, E. (2006, March). In Village Mondial (Ed.), L’entreprise verte (2 nd ed.).
actualization
need of
vision,
mission,
values
esteem
confidence, loyalty,
achievement
relationships
with suppliers, employees, nature
safety and security
internal and external stability, autonomy
classical needs
Make profit, sell, have customers
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Note that social and environmental responsibility of the society is at the apex of the pyramid.
Other theoreticians specializing in the ecological domain have also seen a need to integrate
sustainable development into company policy, considering that this subject occupies a mid-field
position equidistance between a society's goals and consumer expectations.
This implies that there are three economic models 5 capable of representing the implementation of
this ecological factor within a company's activities.
Jacobs and Sadler Model
This model puts sustainable development at the convergence point of the three goals.
3
1
2
Only the social goal and the economical goal allow movement to the environment goal. Such
movement allows achieving a greater sustainable development (1).
5 Villeneuve, C. (2005, September). In Multimondes (Ed.), Qui a peur de l’an 2000 ?
4
1 Sustainable
2 Equitable
3 Bearable
4 Viable
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Implementing these three objectives uses measures which complete the above figure:
Maintaining environmental integrity: ensuring conservation of the species and all land and
sea-based ecosystems by way of environmental protection, conservation of the habitat of
each species, and a durable management of the utilization of animal populations and
vegetation.
Improving of social equality: giving the right to all ethnic groups to have access to a job,
education, medical and social care, and freedom of participation in decision making
processes.
1
Improving economic efficiency: recommending an optimal management of human,
natural and financial resources in order to satisfy the individual's needs by ensuring that
producers and consumers are aware of their responsibilities relating to the manufacture
and sale of goods and services.
Finally, sustainable development, for every form of this development, ideally means that natural
resources are not squandered nor is there any damage caused to the environment.
Sustainable development parameters
According to Sachs, the initiator of the eco-development concept with Strong, sustainable
development has five dimensions:
Social viability: a sustainable development project has to constitute a “better society”
project, targeting the reduction of social inequalities.
Economical viability: a development project relies on access to more equitable and
efficient resources and to regular private and public funding.
1
1
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Ecological viability: a project is considered as sustainable if it involves the use or
conversion of resources without damage to the environment (recycling of materials,
reduction of combustibles, R&D on green technologies, etc).
Spatial viability: sustainable development projects have to consider an improved
population spread between town and country. Consequently by avoiding population
migration, a demographic balance is maintained so avoiding conurbation and
decentralization of industry, etc.
Cultural viability: respect of cultural diversity is synonymous with sustainable
development (ecological specificity, landscape specificity, cultural specificity).
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A sustainable development has to…
The Five dimensions
In summary, every project achieving these five dimensions is considered a sustainable
development project.
Spatial
The “laboratory region” model
In 1990, the Quebec region of “Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean” aspired to become the sustainable
development laboratory region. This model was constructed from the Jacobs and Sadler model.
Whereas this model originally put forward the notion of sustainable development in three
dimensions (ecologic, economic and social), it was modified here to include a new form with a
fourth dimension: equality.
Ecological
Cultural
Viability
Economical
Social
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The model is constructed from a three dimensional pyramid (tetrahedron). So there are four
poles, each of them being linked to the three others.
The development has to respond to the needs of the individuals and the collectivities.
The development has to…
Ethical Pole Equality Needs
…assure an equitable share between the
population of a same nation, between the
generations and with nature itself. Materials Needs Economical Pole
Ecological Pole Healthy Needs
…maintain the systems which assure
a healthy life and conserve resources.
Equality is defined as a fair distribution of resources, rights and wealth between all peoples, now
and for all time. Sustainable development considers a balance of this equality both between
peoples of the same generation and between those of different generations. For the people of the
same generation, mutual respect and a sense of sharing are the most important criteria, whereas
for people of different generations, it is essential that intact global assets are passed on to the
future generation.
This model can be applied by determining the development objectives, and then, defining the
necessary compromises that can be found between the four dimensions.
…assure quality of life by responding to safety
issues, food, habitation and transportation
needs.
Social Needs Social Pole
…respond to the needs of each human being to
be educated, loved, recognized, free…
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4. Context
Currently there is a remarkable, major evolution in the thinking of industrialized countries. The
concept of sustainable development has been extended to the population of these countries
implying that for some life style will change, if only that their personal consumption will fall in
line with their ideals.
The concept of sustainable development is based on many parameters such as fair trading,
equality of the actors in a commercial world, respect of sanitary standards, and above all, respect
for the environment.
Respect for the environment is the concern of international organizations, different states, the
N.G.Os, companies, national organizations and the consumer. Moreover, the subject of
environmental protection is present in all areas as shown by the following examples
Energy: in Europe, EDF (the leading french electricity supply company) installed
aerogenerators and coined the phrase Green Energy.
Retail and distribution: in France supermarkets withdrew the distribution of plastic bags;
supermarkets sell Max Havelaar products (Fair Trading Label).
Real-estate: prohibition of asbestos, and use of non-toxic building materials to protect the
environment, High Environmental Quality.
Transportation: catalytic exhaust systems, measures put in place to avoid an oil crisis.
Agriculture: prohibition of GMOs, considerable development of organic products.
Industry: International Organization for Standardization established ISO 14001 relating to
environmental management
As far as the “environment” variable is concerned, we can link the economy to politics. The
majority of people nowadays consider that the environment is an important issue. This is ratified
by the majority of political parties which have included relevant bills in their political
programme, these tabled with a view to reassuring electors as to their commitment to
environmental issues. In France for example, there is a movement to create an environment
charter within the french constitution. Moreover, in European politics environmental issues are
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considered to fundamentally include environmental protection, in line with the example of
Germany (a country in which the ecological party ranks third place).
This commitment and political awareness have taught companies two things:
First, the political parties have become sensitive to environmental issues because there is a
corresponding expectation from the population and consequently from the consumer. Therefore
company policy needs to address environmental considerations in their communication strategy,
their marketing, and possibly in their global strategy.
Second, this sudden awareness by political parties is capable of leading to changes in
fundamental policy. Companies will be obliged to adapt their production and distribution
methods.
The fact that the environment is more than just a concept can also encourage companies to
consider environmental factors at the drafting stage of their policies and strategies. Consequently,
as suggested above, even if sustainable development is a concept which may disappear,
environmental issues are not just trends and will not itself disappear.
Current company involvement in environmental protection issues can be shown on three different
levels.
The first level relates to those companies with little involvement. These companies have little
desire to exhibit any responsibility towards environmental protection. Nevertheless, they do not
want to loose face or future business with environmentally minded consumers, so they endeavour
to portray a green aspect of their firm by restricting their communications to external matters.
These firms are not particularly concerned by the environment and just publish propaganda.
There are no real operational activities or financial commitment to protect the environment.
Consequently, company communication avoids concrete facts. Prudence must be observed by
such companies using Green Marketing only from an external point of view and not as an
inherent part of their global strategy (or at least within manufacturing or distribution strategies). It
could prove to be very negative marketing indeed if consumers were to discover the true strategy
of such companies and their desire to simply portray a “green” picture without doing anything to
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deserve it. It would serve to reduce the credibility of the company leading to a loss of good image
and corresponding reduction in the number of customers.
Given that the environment is a sensitive subject, it is strongly recommended not to abuse
consumer faith; below are just two reasons:
Environmental sensitivity is growing and as mentioned previously, is not just a trend.
The environment issues evoke personal and highly emotive reaction. More and more
consumers are becoming involved with protection of the environment or who at least feel
concerned.
The second level relates to those companies which are not engaged in environmental activities at
this moment, but which intend to integrate this approach as they evolve. They want to exploit
new markets by developing sustainable products or services. These companies will probably
adopt an environmental global strategy.
The third level is made up of companies integrating environmental consideration, the economy
and social aspects into their global strategy. Generally, these companies base their marketing
strategy on social or environmental issues, and pay considerable attention to the customer's
perception, his identity, his expectations and his willingness to receive green publicity.
It is thus seen that environmental issues are becoming omnipotent from the consumer's point of
view. The movement is so strong that companies are obliged to adapt their policies and strategy
to avoid possible confliction with their customer's ideals.
5. Limits
Green Marketing has limits! Even if this new form of sales argument based on the protection of
the environment is gaining importance of place within companies, it seems that there are limits
and that this form cannot be used by every type of society.
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There are several types of limit. First, we can think about the credibility of the company as
viewed by the other actors, viz. the organizations, NGOs, and above all the consumer. Indeed,
companies who work in nuclear areas (Areva for example) or oil companies such as Total are not
really considered credible when they are responsible for ecological catastrophes, such as the
Erika disaster (the oil tanker which ran aground off the french coast). It is seen that in this case,
there are considerable and durable repercussions in environmental politics. It is likely that the
company image of Total, as seen through the customer's eyes, will remain tarnished for several
years to come. Consumers are left with the feeling that such companies have little concern for
protection of the environment. Moreover, they are conscious that the nature of their businesses is
incompatible with the well-being of the environment. There is a real difficulty in accepting the
legitimacy of the company, even when it regrets such action. It is considered necessary that a
company which wants to win back customer faith would be obliged to be seen to be engaged in
environmental projects. Such projects have to publish good and quantifiable results which,
through communication campaigns, provide facts to the consumer. For example, although the
withdrawal of plastic bags in supermarkets is good first step, companies should equally turn their
attention to the reduction of packaging materials.
The credibility of standards relating to environmental protection and brought onto statute by the
government is also open to conjecture. As there is no real measure of the evolution of companies
intending to comply with environmental standards, such firms are able to affirm that their
products comply without that really being the case. Such is the case of furniture companies which
affirm having manufactured from wood cut from sustainable forests, without giving any evidence
of such to the consumer. These companies may in fact, be using wood from the Amazonian forest
where timber costs are lower, without the customer being aware. Compliance with this type of
standard puts pressure on the company, which in turn endeavours to avoid sanctions by every
means available. Misrepresentation of figures can be employed as a fraudulent means of
portraying a convincing argument, such as in the rejection of toxic gases or the measured level of
noise pollution, etc. Nevertheless, the consumer is aware that genuine companies exist which can
justify concrete arguments.
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Another type of limit can result from the fact that Green Marketing is at times capable of harming
product quality. For example, customers of the French insurance company MAIF receive a
monthly informative circular. This information sheet and its packaging are manufactured from
recycled paper. It is possible however, that some customers might prefer that it be printed on
good quality paper, more pleasant to the feel, kinder to the eye, and more tear resistant. When
exposed to rain in the mailbox, the newspaper quickly becomes unreadable, whereas if it were to
be plastic-wrapped, it would be protected from the weather.
Another example is given in the public transport sector where buses which run on LPG (liquified
petroleum gas) are less-polluting than those operating on conventional fuel. Unfortunately there
have been several cases of explosion of gas cylinders mounted on bus roofs. In such cases the
public is torn between their good intentions for the state of the environment and concern for their
own safety.
The plastic bags which have almost totally disappeared from french supermarkets were
appreciated by those who wanted a strong, free carrier bag for their purchases, many reusing
them for other household duties. The alternative carrier bags proposed today are not free, are
often too big to be reutilized, and above all, there is no evidence that they are more biodegradable
then the previous free issue. Moreover, supermarkets are not seen by the public as representing a
high risk to environmental conservation. According to public opinion it is the farm-produce
industry which presents the highest risk. Apparently such opinion sees the farm-produce industry
as producing a direct negative effect on health, but the distribution industries as producing only
an indirect effect on their well-being.
Consequently it appears doubtful as to whether all companies with such diverse activities can
benefit from Green Marketing. A commonly held view is that companies have a role to play in
sustainable development, not only for their own image, but also for the well-being of all.
Unfortunately whilst there is solid proof that the consumer expects responsible action from
companies, few have actually mounted convincing environmental campaigns.
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The selling price can also prove to be a limit to Green Marketing, being frequently higher for an
ecological product which is environmental friendly, but not always being justified. Indeed, price
is very often the most important criteria in a purchase decision. Despite this phenomenon of a
generally higher price, many customers, of whom most are women, feel that such increase is
justified.
Companies are thus obliged to point out to their cherished customers that the generally higher
production costs associated with green production serve to justify the price tag.
This phenomenon is due to many factors: raw materials becoming scarcer; a lack of economical
production scale; a longer manufacturing process, the necessary investment to adapt their
production methods, etc. Unfortunately none of these phenomena justifying a higher price are
directly seen by the customer, who quite simply looses confidence. Consequently Green
Marketing reaches its limits where the company is unable to put forward easily verifiable cost
justification to its customer. For this reason some companies, realizing that they would never be
able to justify the higher selling price necessary when producing an ecological product, never
enter this production sector.
Finally, Green Marketing can have limits in terms of production volume. Consider the example
of a company which has made a conscious decision to downsize its production capacity in order
to reduce the volume of pollution and reject fewer waste products. In the event that this
ecological action promotes public interest in the company leading to increased sales volume,
market forces would incite the company to follow by increasing production, so breaking its
promise of sustainable development.
In conclusion it is seen that the Green Marketing phenomenon is relatively recent in the business
world (within the last 30 years). It is a new method of management which concerns every
industry and every department of each company, and that its application extends to include the
consumer who is becoming more and more interested in ecology. Due to this upsurge of interest,
ecological products compatible with consumer ideals prove extremely acceptable. On observing
this phenomenon, specialists have proposed various theories as to how sustainable development
25

might be integrated into company strategy. Nevertheless Green Marketing, with its weaknesses
and limitations, has to be approached with caution.
26

Part II: Marketing Mix
Today, customers have become very different from one another requiring the adaptation of
marketing such that it has become personalized. On the contrary many customers appear united in
their concern for the environment and its protection. Consequently, Green Marketing is justified
because it concerns all customers.
Green Marketing is the answer to an increasing demand for better consumption from many
consumers. Assuming that this trend continues it is considered that a huge new market will
emerge, and the success of a particular product may rely on targeting such consumers.
This Marketing Mix resembles closely classical marketing, to which is added variable
production. In Green Marketing it is very important that the product, its raw materials through to
its method of manufacture, respect all the promises published in company communications.
1. Production
Production is the first link in the chain. If the manufacturing process is not ecologic, the product
itself cannot boast being ecologic and from a Green aspect the communication policy will appear
as nonsense. This is important for the credibility of the product, company communications and
above all the company itself. To produce an ecological product requires considerations of
environmental protection and the limitation of variables linked to the environment: avoidance of
water pollution, harm to the ground and the underlying strata, noise limitation, waste control and
energy consumption.
Environmentally conscious manufacturing (ECM) is a new way of considering manufacturing,
which focuses on the most efficient and productive use of raw materials and natural resources,
and minimizes any adverse effects on workers and the surrounding environment. In its most
advanced form, a product's entire life cycle is considered from the design stage, the utilization of
raw materials and the use of natural resources, right through to its intended usage and subsequent
27

disposal. In order to reach this goal, tools such as life cycle analysis (LCA) may be used.
Concepts like pollution prevention, energy efficiency, material substitution and maximization of
recycled content guide the process. Many of these alternative terms and concepts are used in
conjunction with ECM.
Green production is a business strategy that focuses on profitability through environmentally
friendly operating processes. Proponents of this management philosophy contend that green
production is a sensible course to follow, not only because of the benefits that it bestows on the
natural environment, but also because of its fundamental strategic soundness.
Many people think that green production simply entails instituting pollution controls or recycling
programs in the manufacture of goods. In reality green production processes seek to minimize the
impact of the manufacturing process on the environment at every stage. Green consumers are
concerned about more than just purchasing and consumption processes; they are just as much
concerned about the production process as they are depletion of finite resources.
It is important to use Green raw materials because of increasing concern over deforestation and
other natural resources. Opponents of the environmental degradation created by mining and fossil
fuel production suggest that corporations should rethink their raw material procurement
strategies.
It is important to use Green production processes. Indeed, information from industrial studies and
consumer research is being used to develop new products and to redesign existing products and
services in order to reduce their impact on the environment. In fact, supporters of green
production assert that it makes financial sense for businesses of all sizes and types to undertake
the process of green design. In response to this call, certain businesses have re-engineered their
product and packaging designs to use fewer materials or to be easily disassembled so that high-
value components can be recycled or refurbished more readily.
Although most media attention to green production has been directed at the efforts of large
corporations, an increasing number of small companies has also successfully established
28

ecologically sensitive business practices. Indeed, some small companies operate in regions or
industries that are ideally suited to green production. Many companies that provide goods (e.g.
equipment and clothing manufacturers) or services (e.g. retail stores, guiding services) to
mountain bikers, canoeists, campers, and other aficionados of outdoor life, are very careful to
operate in environmentally friendly ways. Similarly, companies that operate in geographical
regions that are very supportive of environmental protection may well publicize their use of green
production methods and strategies. The value of the goodwill prevailing in such situations should
not be underestimated.
Small business consultants, meanwhile, advise their clients to carefully research the obligations
that a commitment to green production entails before making any decision. Sometimes, the
smaller business has difficulty securing the necessary financing to switch physical operations to a
green production mode. Moreover, higher operating costs as a result of changes to green
production methods sometimes result in higher prices for customers, and a consequent drop in
sales. Whilst larger companies can usually shrug off such ripple effects with ease, smaller
businesses are often less able to do so. But consultants acknowledge that green production
methods are also capable of boosting business, increasing sales whilst decreasing production
costs. Indeed, proponents argue that for many small businesses, and especially new ventures
where there is not yet an established mode of operation, green production can be a rewarding
business philosophy.
2. Product
The product is probably the most important item in the Mix Marketing of companies. Indeed, it is
the result of the company's research and development work, not only as regards its manufacture,
but also in the way it is commercialized and distributed. Moreover, the product is the common
factor tying the company to the consumer and ideally responding to the latter's needs. The
consumer should be left with a positive image of the company which supplies the answer to his
needs.
29

The product is made up of two main characteristics: its function and the associated services, and
its image (that of the brand name and of the company).
To put a Green Marketing policy in place, it is possible to draw on all these elements.
The material aspect of the product is adapted to environmental restrictions by the way it is
manufactured, the way it is recycled, and its energy consumption (e.g. classification of the
product depending on its electricity consumption from A for the least wasteful through to G for
the most).
Product packaging is also very important and considerable effort has been expended in this area.
Nevertheless, the production of packaging materials has quadrupled since the 1960s, the annual
figure currently attaining 120kg per capita.
It is also possible to play on associated services by making them more Green. Examples are the
ecological refills for dispensers for such household products such as laundry detergent, sugar or
salt.
It is seen that the product and its associated services are one of the first means of contact between
the customer and the company. It is principally the product itself which gives the feel as to its
quality, rather than that given by its associated publicity, and further yields an indication of the
ecological aspects.
Consequently for a growing number of consumers there is an ecological aspect within their
decision to purchase, this driven by a desire for environmental conservation. This is the reason
for their seeking out Green Products, knowing that their elaboration required extra work and extra
investment for the companies that have made a conscious decision to supply this market sector.
This phenomenon, which is growing, drove supply companies to innovate and to put in place new
product concepts. They also have had to restyle product packaging due to its important role in
convincing the customer as to product legitimacy; this has included the creation of new product
labels in order to prove the quality of these products.
30

a. New product concepts
These new concepts of Green Products are present in all steps of the product life cycle, from its
conception to its ultimate destruction, and also extending to recycling and reuse. There now are
green concepts for the life cycle of green products, inciting companies to endeavor to play a role
in all steps of the product's life cycle.
At the production step, companies have to limit the consumption of non-renewable energy or
polluting fuels, and to avoid using materials which require their consuming polluting fuel or child
labor (this also relates to sustainable development).
Turning attention to the product itself, this has to be designed to facilitate its consumption,
storage, transportation, and its packaging, for example to limit the consumption of cardboard or
shipping costs (with inherent reduction of pollution).
Finally, forward thought at the design stage can facilitate product recycling at the end of working
life by the careful choice of materials, or its proportions in order to reduce the space it occupies in
the trash can for example.
The “3R” concept is a directive concerning the product at the end of its life cycle: Reduce, Reuse,
and Recycle, these three alternatives being proposed in order to favor environmental protection
by such means as recovery of used products. This constitutes increasing the intrinsic value of
what would otherwise be waste product. Three methods of achieving this are proposed below.
First, waste reduction would permit space saving so limiting the volume of polluting
materials in the garbage dump, alternatively the product might be manufactured from
biodegradable materials which will naturally decompose to harmless by-products without
human intervention.
Second, products might be redesigned in order that they can be redeployed at the end of
their working life, either by integrating them into another product life cycle or by easily
repairing them to produce a remanufactured product.
31

Third, it is sometimes possible to recycle products, that is to reprocess them such that they
serve as new raw materials for future manufacture.
Most of these concepts are derived from the principle that manufacturing must respect without
exception the four following steps:
Conception: before product fabrication, the manufacturer has to give consideration to all
solutions favorable to the environment
Production: it is important to limit all forms of pollution and to favor sustainable
development during product manufacture
Consumption: it is important to educate the consumer such that he thinks in a similar
manner as the company from which he purchases green products
Destruction: consider potential recycling and the “3R” concept.
A fourth R also exists: recovery. It may be possible to recuperate materials or energy from waste
products which cannot be reduced, reused or recycled.
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Life cycle of a Green Product
The above flowchart 6 depicts the reiterative cycle, where at the end of the life cycle of a product
it is reintegrated into the beginning of the life cycle of another product, or to the life cycle of the
same product if it is entirely recycled.
The chart indicates that ecology is at the forefront of company thinking right from the product
manufacturing step. Not only does the product have to comply with legal standards, it has to
additionally satisfy the virtual or moral standards and requirements of the customer as regards
environmental considerations.
6 Viardot, E. (2000, May). In L'Harmattan (Ed.), Ecologie et entreprise : Les leçons de l’expérience.
33

At the manufacturing and consumer steps the chart proposes to create ecological packaging to
limit the pollution created during the manufacture and to facilitate its use during consumption.
At the destruction step waste recuperation is favored with a view to recycle or reuse.
Finally, the scheme shows a further step, this latter being more in the domain of management
than the designer: the eco assessment of the product. It comprises making a quantitative
assessment to evaluate the environmental impact of the product at all steps of its life cycle. Four
aspects are studied: the employment of natural resources; pollution during manufacture; the
production process; and the production of polluting waste products. The loop closes following
this study, indicating that the feedback of ideas enables a reiterative evaluation of parameters
requiring modification in order to create an ecological product, and this pertaining to the entire
manufacturing process. Consequently, companies and consumers alike must become “eco
efficient”, to be able to do more with less; this follows the principle “to consume better” where it
is recommended to buy less but of better quality).
The notions of “eco design” or “eco conception” follow on from this conceptual principle of the
life cycle of a product. This principle indicates to industry that it needs to become
environmentally efficient by learning to produce more whilst consuming less. Above all, eco
design is a new way of conceptual thinking related to products, which explores both the
legitimacy of the product and its intended use. For example, when contemplating the launch of a
new product the manufacturer is required to research the market to ensure that a similar product
does not already exist which might render his efforts fruitless. The aim is to review the essential
product specification, in terms of utility and functionality; this is not current practice in our
consumer society. To achieve this, companies have to constantly review working procedures over
the entire manufacturing life cycle, specifically to re-specify the requirement for raw materials, to
render production processes more efficient, and to simplify packaging, as recommended by the
Japanese brand Muji.
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Eco conception is depicted by the following figure from which it is seen that all steps in the
product life cycle are equally important. It enlists points to be considered based on product
attributes:
The eco design principle : to avoid negative external aspects and to encourage positive
external aspects of the product in all its life steps, both in the short and long term:
By placing the environmental and social sustainability at the core of working practice and
professional responsibility
By developing and continually improving practices, procedures, products, services, and
standards for sustainable design
By educating the construction industry, clients, and the general public on the importance
of sustainable design
By working to change policies, regulations, and standards in government and business,
and so gain full support such that sustainable design becomes standard practice
By bringing the existing environmental infrastructure up to sustainable design standards
Bill McDonough, an eco designer, has proposed a design which limits not only the negative
impact of the product on the environment, but also increases its positive effect; the sport shoes
that he created for Nike consolidate the nutritive elements in the ground as the runner traverses
the terrain. The objective is clearly to not only respond to the customer's classic demands, as
indicated in the Maslow pyramid, that is a desire for useful, solid, reliable, and durable products,
but also to cater for new needs leading to a review of important parameters (the protection of the
planet, etc) or the need to feel a sense of participation by buying in a responsible manner. To
answer to these needs and to align with humanity, nature and technology, Bill McDonough
established nine principles defining eco design 7 :
7 McDonough, W. (2000). The Hannover Principles, Design for Sustainability. The World’s Fair. Hannover.
35

THE HANNOVER PRINCIPLES
1. Insist on rights of humanity and nature to co-exist in a healthy, supportive, diverse and
sustainable condition.
2. Recognize interdependence. The elements of human design interact with and depend upon
the natural world, with broad and diverse implications at every scale. Expand design
considerations to recognize even distant effects.
3. Respect relationships between spirit and matter. Consider all aspects of human settlement
including community, dwelling, industry and trade in terms of existing and evolving connections
between spiritual and material consciousness.
4. Accept responsibility for the consequences of design decisions upon human well-being, the
viability of natural systems and their right to co-exist.
5. Create safe objects of long-term value. Do not burden future generations with requirements
for maintenance or vigilant administration of potential danger due to the careless creation of
products, processes or standards.
6. Eliminate the concept of waste. Evaluate and optimize the full life-cycle of products and
processes, to approach the state of natural systems, in which there is no waste.
7. Rely on natural energy flows. Human designs should, like the living world, derive their
creative forces from perpetual solar income. Incorporate this energy efficiently and safely for
responsible use.
8. Understand the limitations of design. No human creations last forever and design does not
solve all problems. Those who create and plan should practice humility in the face of nature.
Treat nature as a model and mentor, not as an inconvenience to be evaded or controlled.
9. Seek constant improvement by the sharing of knowledge. Encourage direct and open
communication between colleagues, patrons, manufacturers and users to link long term
sustainable considerations with ethical responsibility, and re-establish the integral relationship
between natural processes and human activity.
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New terminology includes such phrases as Management of the Environment and ecological
strategy. In the middle 1980s, the French industrialist Paul de Backer created a working model
enabling integration of environmental management into companies. His model has a highly
structured approach (the various services are interdependent). It employs a grading system which
results in an ecological global diagnostic. After receiving its environmental grade, the company
can establish its ecological strategy and start its different plans (communication, investments,
training, administrative organization, and research).
The following figure 8 establishes the ecological strategy which is divided into four steps:
8 Meyronneinc, J-P. (1994, January). In Association Française de Normalisation (Ed.), Le management de
l’environnement dans l’entreprise.
37

Step I
Step II
Communication
& Marketing
Step III
Communication
Plan
Step IV
The Green
Book
Transformation
processes
Identification of the Priorities
Communication & Marketing
Transformation/Production
Human Resources
Administrative & Financial
Research & Development
Ecomanagement
Human
Resources
Plans
Investment Plan Training/
sensitization/
evaluation plan
The Green
Balance Sheet
Synthesis : the eco strategy
The Green
Training
The figure shows that all departments have their say in decision making processes which
culminate in the environmental strategy (from marketing to human resources, and even research
and development). Ecological management is applied to this environmental strategy and to each
service, which will follow by establishing an action plan. Finally, each service is assessed,
allowing the final ecological strategy of the company to be drawn up.
Administration
& Finance
Administrative
organization
plan
The Green
Structure
Research
& Development
Research &
Development
projects
The Green
Projects
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Numerous conceptual innovations followed the arrival of the Green Product; relating mainly to
the product application level, these concerned the entire life cycle from conception (by eco
design) through its intended purpose in life (employing eco efficiency) through to its eventual
recycling stage.
The fruit of these diverse concepts was the birth of ecological strategy, a revolutionary way of
company thinking. The most accepted of these concepts appearing to be Green Packaging, which
concerns the external packaging materials and its distribution, rather than directly concerning the
product itself.
b. Green Packaging
Packaging presents a visible image of the company; it immediately reveals to the customer what
the product is and from which source. However, packaging is often bulky, and is responsible for
creating an ever increasing source of harm to the planet. Companies are producing more and
more waste products. Employing environmental friendly materials, ecological packaging or
Green Packaging has found its way onto today's supermarket shelf. This packaging has been
specifically designed to facilitate later waste product recycling or reuse, or to reduce the quantity
of waste, or alternatively to impart biodegradability to the waste material.
The time has come to provide more and better information relating to packaging materials so that
the customer (buyer, manufacturer and final consumer combined) can intelligently select the
appropriate material: to save space; to pollute less by reducing road transportation; to facilitate
waste separation at the recycling stage; and especially to consume less raw material (cardboard,
aluminum, pallet wood, etc.)
An alternative idea is to establish a close working relation between the different actors in an
effort to find solutions to distribution problems. One such idea is that the product remains in
storage until needed to avoid transportation costs. Nevertheless, there are other problems to
39

esolve, to which end manufacturers must turn their attention to the underlying requirement to
create work methods which lead to improved environmental and waste packaging management.
Several examples of a new initiative of cooperative waste management have been created,
whereby companies share recycling facilities in order to divide the management cost of recycling
their waste industrial and packaging materials.
The role of innovation is at the origin of the product life cycle in Green company policy, to the
benefit of the entire ensuing manufacturing process. So innovations, such as the compressible
plastic bottle conceived by Evian which reduces the volume of waste materials and so facilitates
recycling, should lead to the creation of models in certain domains, and improve the entire sector
as regards environmental protection. Furthermore, assuming that such innovation meets current
standards, patent application is open to the most creative companies with consequent financial
benefit.
Protection of today's environment is partly funded from taxing certain products; vague terms and
claims on the product label are so avoided. Well defined standards and labels are taking the place
of descriptions such as “degradable, biodegradable, respectful of the environment, respectful of
the ozone layer, non-polluting, etc”. The outcome of the debate on storage and waste destruction
has led the authorities to levy this tax at source, that is, directly on companies, with the aim of
ensuring sustainable development.
c. Standards and labels
Since the late 1980s, there has been a growing demand from consumers to buy products that
inflict less harm on the environment. This is reflected in the emergence of products such as non-
toxic household cleaning agents, chlorine-free paper, recycled oil, and mercury-free batteries.
Consumers are willing to use buying power as a weapon to protect the environment, providing
manufacturers with an opportunity to develop new products. But how does a consumer judge the
40

environmental impact of a product? He does not know what to buy and what to avoid. Could it be
that the manufacturer is spreading confusion by selectively promoting certain environmental
attributes to the detriment of others?
This begs the question: how should one assess the validity of a statement concerning the
environmental impact of a product?
The need for rules governing eco-labeling has led to concerted efforts to develop labeling
protocols and standards worthy of public trust.
Both government and the private sector have become involved in eco-labeling programs.
Government involvement in eco-labeling schemes can improve the economic stability of the
program, its legal protection and its credibility in the eyes of manufacturers and consumers. It
can also provide more dependable, long-term resources, overcome high start-up and compliance
monitoring costs, thus allowing for greater participation. It can furthermore allow the
incorporation of international standards, provide better accountability and technical expertise, and
ensure public involvement in setting new standards.
But corporate involvement in eco-labeling schemes is also an important prerequisite, especially in
private-sector programs. They may be correspondingly less vulnerable to shifting political
priorities and budget constraints. They may also be able to set more stringent standards than
government agencies in some product sectors, since they do not have to take into account the
impact of employment. And finally, there are effective means of pressurizing overseas companies
to comply with environmental regulations.
The credibility of these labels is extremely important. It is essential that the bodies which assign
eco-labels are properly accredited. Their task is to enforce discipline in eco-labeling programs,
and they should consequently be above suspicion. They may have to disclose their finances,
evaluation criteria, standard settings and monitoring procedures in order to ensure trust. These
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odies should be allowed to take severe action against companies whose products no longer merit
certification, but their certification procedures should nevertheless be open to audit,
To avoid conflicts of interest, manufacturers should not be allowed to operate labeling schemes.
Benefits of eco-labeling
Green labels bestow a number of major benefits 9 :
1. Informing consumer choice
Eco-labeling is an effective way of informing customers about the environmental impact of
certain products and the choices they can make. It enables people to discriminate between
products that are harmful to the environment and those more compatible with environmental
objectives. An eco-label makes the customer more aware of the benefits of certain products, for
example, recycled paper or toxic-free cleaning agents; it also promotes energy efficiency, waste
reduction and product stewardship.
2. Promoting economic efficiency
Eco-labeling is generally cheaper than regulatory controls. By enabling customers and
manufacturers to make decisions associated with environmental protection, the need for
regulation is kept to a minimum; this benefits government and industry alike.
3. Stimulating market development
When a customer chooses eco-labeled products, he is exerting a direct influence on supply and
demand in the marketplace. This is a signal which guides the market towards greater
environmental awareness.
4. Encouraging continuous improvement
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42

A dynamic market for eco-labeled products encourages a corporate commitment to continuous
environmental improvement; with time customers can expect to see a reduction of harmful
product impact on the environment.
5. Promoting certification
An environmental certification program serves as a seal of approval which is witness to the fact
that a product meets a certain eco-label standard. It provides customers with visible evidence of
the product's compatibility from an environmental point of view. Certification therefore, has an
educational role for customers and promotes competition amongst manufacturers. Since certified
products have a prominent logo to catch the customer's eye, the product stands out more readily
on store shelves. Manufacturers may be induced to re-engineer products such that they become
environmental friendly and thus allow application for the coveted logo.
6. Assisting in monitoring
Another benefit of an official eco-labeling program is that environmental claims can be more
easily monitored. Competitors and customers are in a better position to judge the validity of a
claim, and will have an incentive to do so should a claim appear dubious.
Challenges of eco-labeling
1. Misleading or fraudulent claims
An eco-label has no value to the environmentally-conscious customer if it is misleading or
fraudulent. Trust is a major consideration of the credibility of a labeling program, so the label
must be above suspicion. The terms such as recyclable, biodegradable and ozone friendly must be
used accurately. When claims are used arbitrarily in advertising and labeling, customers will
become confused, discouraged, and skeptical, even in regard to legitimate claims.
2. Uninformative claims
Labels that provide trivial or irrelevant Green information do nothing to reduce environmental
impact.
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3. Unfair competition
Some companies are concerned about unfair competition. They are reluctant to give credence to
the assurances affirmed by an overseas eco-labeling program, regardless of the provision of
specific environmental criteria that are well observed. Indeed, some companies may intentionally
misrepresent their products as environmentally friendly in order to bolster profits. This
constitutes unfair competition for those genuine companies which must devote time and money to
adhering to regulations.
4. Green consumerism
Many environmentalists are critical of consumerism. They argue that the Green Consumerism is
a self-contradicting term, and believe that the goal should be to reduce consumption, not merely
redefine it. They claim that Green shopping will do little to bring about the fundamental
economic and social changes that are required to protect the planet. Indeed, consumer preference
and market forces cannot guarantee environmental protection by themselves.
5. Feasibility
Another concern is that in reality only a small number of products can be labeled as Green. As
the vast majority of goods will not be covered by eco-labeling programs, some critics point to
regulation as a more effective tool than the development of voluntary standards.
6. Methodologies
Differences in testing and certification methods have created difficulties in the application of
Green labels to particular product categories. For example, should the label represent an overall
assessment of a product's environmental burden over its entire life cycle, or only part of it? What
techniques can be used to measure environmental impact? Who should be responsible for
determining what specific environmental impacts are the most detrimental? And what criteria are
appropriate in rating such impact?
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The ISO 14000 family
ISO14000 comprises a package of standards, the most well known being 14001 gained by
companies adopting acceptable environmental measures in their global strategies.
The standards 14040, 14041, 14042 and 14043 all allow reduction of the normalization processes
throughout the various steps. These steps constitute the life cycle as seen in the following figure:
The different steps illustrated are: input of raw material; processing; transportation between
different areas; the consumer; and finally the recycling step at the end of product life. In order to
satisfy ISO14000, environmental strategies have to integrate all these steps.
These standards lay down the steps to follow in establishing a global strategy.
The first standard, ISO 14040, defines the objectives and the study content, detailing items such
as determination of objectives, choice of the functional unity, etc. The second standard, 14041,
provides means of calculation and analysis, and addresses other related issues such as the means
of data collection and its use. The third standard, ISO 14042, evaluates environmental impact,
45

which is the effect of a company’s strategy on the environment. The fourth standard, ISO 14043,
serves to analyze results.
The objective is to effectuate a global step as shown in the following figure:
In the above figure ISO 14040 serves to firstly define the type of gas consumed by a company or
rejected to atmosphere. ISO 14041 subsequently defines its environmental effect, which in this
example is depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer. ISO 14042 then evaluates the percentage
effect of environmental measures. Results are yielded by the final step (ISO 14043).
ISO 14040 evaluates the environmental effect of the company’s activity on a global scale.
Whether it relates to communication, product marketing or customer satisfaction, a company's
application for ISO certification must relate to all its activities; applications which consider only
an isolated part are rejected.
The ISO standard is granted only to companies whose global strategy gives consideration to the
environment 10 .
10 ADEME survey
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The ISO 14020 series
As part of its ISO 14000 series of environmental standards, the International Standards
Organization has drawn up a group of standards specifically governing environmental labeling.
The ISO 14020 family covers three types of labeling schemes:
Type I is a multi-attribute label developed by a third party
Type II is a single-attribute label developed by the producer
Type III is an eco-label whose awarding is based on a full life-cycle assessment
The following table presents the family of standards 11 :
Standard Description Application
ISO 14020
ISO 14021
ISO 14022
ISO 14023
Environmental Labeling: General
Principles
Environmental Labels and
Declarations: Self-Declaration
Environmental Claims, Terms and
Definitions
Environmental Labels and
Declarations: Self-Declaration
Environmental Claims, Symbols
Environmental Labels and
Declarations: Self-Declaration
Sets out nine general principles that apply not only to
labeling schemes but also to all environmental claims,
designed to promote accurate, verifiable and relevant
information
Sets out requirements for Type II labels, i.e.
environmental claims made for goods and services by
the producer
Promotes the standardization of terms and symbols used
in environmental claims, e.g. 'recycled content'
(Currently under review)
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ISO 14024
Environmental Claims, Testing and
Verification
Environmental Labels and
Declarations: Environmental
Labeling Type I, Guiding Principles
and Procedures
Provides guidance on developing programs that verify
the environmental attributes of a product via a seal of
approval
In addition to the five standards outlined above, an ISO technical report, ISO/TR 14025,
addresses Type III schemes, and offers guidance on technical, formatting and administrative
issues.
3. Place
Transportation and distribution are equally under obligation to be fully considered. Indeed,
producing products respectful of the environment is rather pointless if the distributor or the
carrier does not respect his environmental responsibilities.
To this end the company must be selective in their choice of means of transport for their product;
for example is rail to be considered advantageous when compared with road? Can savings be
made on pallets, or plastic, or cardboard, etc?
Moreover, a simple packaging modification or changing the pallet layout may reduce the number
of palletising steps required. Clearly companies are well advised to give sufficient planning to
such issues.
Local, national, European and international taxes are levied directly on the company's activities
and serve to fund environmental protection measures. An awareness of the problems associated
with storage of products and waste destruction led authorities to apply these taxes at source viz on
the company.
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Under the ISO scheme initiatives are created. Such is the case in Europe where the purchaser has
to pay a tax integrated into the selling price of the product, so funding the cost of recycling waste
products. In addition, consumers are required to deposit their old material at defined reception
points. The standard goes further in obliging shops to accept the old household appliance from
each customer who buys an electrical product.
In addition to these taxes, the proportion of the company budget spent on environmental issues is
ever increasing. The ecological aspect of providing new building and correctly integrating
buildings into the environment is becoming more and more important. Between 20% and 30% of
the cost of enlarging production site facilities is commonly devoted to environmental
consideration.
a. What creates market for new technology?
Markets are the key issues for the companies. How can they ensure that they are targeting real
markets? How can they ensure that the product or service actually meets customers' needs? The
following tools help answer these questions and minimize risk.
First, the companies have to understand the environmental laws, the regulations, and the
standards as technology drivers. They need to identify and assess which environmental laws,
regulations, and standards will present business opportunities. The field is complex, but staying
in touch and anticipating trends can help them to capitalize on opportunities. Regulations are
driving the development of environmental technologies. Most companies in the environmental
sector attempt to anticipate and follow the introduction of new regulations and standards, since
they can create or destroy technology markets.
Current regulations and standards cover a wide range of subjects including the discharge of
pollutants to air, water, and land, the worker and industrial safety, the product content, including
chemicals and recycled materials, the technical performance, including energy and water use the
labeling information on environmental, energy, safety and performance standards, the
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equirements for reusing and recycling products and packaging and the protection of endangered
habitats and species.
Several predictions can be made about the future of environmental regulations and standards. The
regulations will probably become more stringent, the highest standard among trading partners
will likely become the relevant measure of performance, the enforcement will increase, and the
so-called voluntary standards will increase in number and stringency. Moreover, there will be
more use of third-party certification, there will be a slow transition to market-based mechanisms,
such as energy taxes, the principle of the polluter who pays will become more prevalent, the
precautionary principle will be more widely adopted and a law passed in one country will have
impacts beyond national boundaries.
The US Clean Air Act is an example of legislation that is generating significant international
business opportunities, primarily in the field of abatement but also in pollution prevention and
sustainable technology. New fuels, vehicles, appliances, paints, and electricity-generating
technologies are being developed around the world to comply with the Act. Technology leaders
in the most advanced market soon become technology leaders globally.
Second, the companies have to assess international agreements as sustainable technology drivers.
The demand for sustainable technologies is being driven, in part, by global problems such as
climate change, loss of biodiversity, toxic chemical accumulations, and resource depletions.
Scientists, environmental groups, governments and international agencies are attempting to deal
with these issues via international forums. The resulting agreements can stimulate momentous
changes. Domestic legislation follows as individual countries deliver on their commitments.
Protracted negotiations and lengthy implementation schedules present a window of opportunity
during which companies can judge whether a profitable business venture will result. Recent
international agreements on ozone depletion, climate change and biodiversity represent a unique
set of drivers for developing new products, technologies and processes. Financial rewards await
the companies that develop timely solutions. The key is to be aware of, and able to assess, such
agreements for their business potential.
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Third, the companies have to exploit new demands for sustainable technology. As environmental
protection becomes a higher priority and the concept of sustainable development becomes more
understood and more broadly implemented, price changes are likely to pull technologies.
For example, commodity prices can change in response to scarcity, removal of subsidies, or the
introduction of full-cost pricing. When commodity prices increase (particularly when the increase
is rapid, as for oil in the 1970s), a range of technologies and techniques can suddenly become
more financially attractive.
Many governments and utilities, particularly in North America, have recently adopted new
approaches to assessing their costs, and have introduced programs to encourage the development
and market penetration of new technologies. These initiatives have been of two principal types:
Programs to develop new technologies that improve resource efficiency and
environmental protection (for example renewable energy demonstration projects)
Subsidies, rebates, and financing instruments to promote technology penetration into new
markets, primarily by reducing the initial cost of these products (for example energy-
efficient appliances).
Rising disposal costs for municipal and hazardous waste have pulled new technologies and
products into the marketplace. The reduction of the volume and of the toxicity of waste, and the
development of products made from secondary materials have become a big business. Similarly,
the recycling of industrial solvents, construction debris, tires and plastics are all growing markets.
b. To find and to assess new technologies
The pace of technical change in environmental sectors is accelerating. Even recently developed
abatement technologies can be rendered obsolete by new pollution prevention technologies. The
Green companies should be aware of the opportunities arising from these changes.
The Technology trees are an abstract hierarchical visual representation of the possible sequences
of technology a company can take. They offer a mean to identify market opportunities, based on
an understanding sound of the key influences. An international agreement, such as the climate
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change convention, is taken as the driver. One of the resulting demands is increased energy
efficiency and eco-efficiency. By evaluating what is, or will soon be, in demand, as well as the
products or technologies currently on the market, the companies can assess which technology
they should develop.
The technologists, the innovators, and the researchers can use technology trees to identify the
relationship between a technology they may be developing and the international agreements that
will drive the new technologies: is there a place for their technology on one of the trees? They
can gauge the importance of their technology to particular sustainable development goals. They
can identify competing technologies that occupy the same niche, then compare cost and
performance, and identify unmet needs for technical innovation.
The companies in small and medium-sized businesses can use technology trees to identify
promising technologies that can leapfrog existing control strategies, to obtain an initial idea of the
likely market for a particular technology and to identify technologies that are competing for a
particular niche and select the one with the most technical, financial, and marketing advantages.
The investors and the financiers can use technology trees to situate a proposed technology
relative to market drivers and mandated goals, to identify competing technologies and evaluate
any competitive advantage, to identify potential markets for a new technology.
The policy planners can use technology trees to survey possible technology responses and
identify opportunities for accelerating market penetration, to orient government activities, in the
fields of industrial strategy, environmental regulation, research, and training, towards
technologies that promote sustainable development, and to identify technologies that merit a
government support.
There are four generations of environmental technology, ranging from remediation to sustainable.
Some technologies can be modified in order to reach the next step along the evolutionary path.
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The progression reflects the increasing sophistication of science and society in dealing with
environmental problems. This model can help companies understand the risks and opportunities
that exist along the way.
The first generation, remediation technologies, treat environmental problems after they have
occurred, and attempt to repair or remediate the damage. They include various soil clean-up
methods, treatment of surface or ground water, and a variety of technologies to restore damaged
or degraded landscapes. Remediation technologies are typically expensive, and prove the adage
that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
The next generation is abatement technologies. During the last 30 years, many abatement
technologies have been developed to capture or treat pollutants before they escape into the
environment. These employ physical, chemical, or biological mechanisms to reduce emissions.
They can include municipal sewage processing systems, catalytic converters for cars, heavy
metal treatment for the plating industry, and electrostatic precipitators and flue gas
desulphurization equipment for coal-fired power plants.
Generally, these technologies do not eliminate the pollutant; they merely capture or treat the
waste stream before it enters the environment. Abatement technologies are usually capital and
technology-intensive, they require large amounts of energy and resources to operate, and produce
a waste disposal problem of their own. Most regulatory and investment activity in the
environmental field remains focused on abatement technologies.
The huge industries have developed to serve these markets, and billions of dollars have been
spent to purchase and install abatement technologies. Vested interests have hampered the
transition to the next generation of technologies.
The pollution prevention technologies, the third generation, are attracting the interest of
regulators, policymakers, and the private sector. Generally, there are two types of pollution
prevention technologies: first, improved processes that avoid the production of pollutants (for
example paper-making processes that eliminate chlorine bleaching, cleaning techniques that
eliminate toxic solvents, and farming practices that eliminate the use of chemical pesticides and
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fertilizers), and second, alternative products whose use prevent or reduce pollution (for example
phosphate-free, biodegradable detergents, lead-free gasoline, mercury-free batteries, and water-
based paints and adhesives).
The prevention of the pollution is being driven by environmental regulation, and by the pressures
of economics, consumer awareness, and the need to modernize industry. The industrial pollution
is often caused by outdated and inefficient processes that are material and energy-intensive and
which produce unwanted by-products. Replacing these with more eco-efficient processes
generally reduces input costs, reduces waste streams, and in the long term saves money.
The fourth and final category is the sustainable technologies. Because of the need to achieve a
combination of environmental, economic, and social objectives, the transition to sustainable
technologies is becoming imperative.
The sustainable technologies, and the products and services they provide, are useful solutions
because they deliver a number of benefits simultaneously. They reduce the need for the
environment/economy trade-offs that often characterize remediation and abatement approaches,
principally by capturing the economic advantages of energy and resource efficiency.
For example, the sustainable technologies include the daylight-sensitive, energy-efficient lighting
products, free from toxics and heavy metals, the wood products grown, harvested, and
manufactured sustainably, the non-bleached, recycled paper with high post-consumer fiber
content, the cosmetics and pharmaceuticals made from plant extracts, the heating and cooling
technologies that are efficient, low in emissions, based on renewable energy, and CFC-free, and
the organically produced food.
Because the concept of sustainable technologies is in its early stages, the tool should be
considered to give new directions, not final answers. It should be used to spark new ideas and to
stretch the imagination of those developing processes and products.
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The companies can add sustainable attributes to existing technologies. There are many existing
processes, products and services to which the attributes of sustainability could be added. A
product can be made more sustainable by making it more resource-efficient. It might be made
from recycled material, or designed to live longer and be recyclable. It might be possible to
reduce the toxicity of the materials used or of the by-products.
In the aftermath of the cold war, green applications are being found for a number of military
technologies. Entrepreneurs should be aware of the value of defense-related technology: in
particular, its high development costs have been borne by the taxpayer. The cost of conversion to
civilian applications is often quite small. The combination of high technology and low marginal
cost can rapidly drive the technology into new markets.
One technology that has been successfully converted was developed by General Electric to detect
diesel smoke from submarines up to 150km away. A group of employees obtained the license
from GE, and now use the technology in devices that monitor air pollution. In the early 1990s
their company, Environment One, had annual sales of $12 million.
Meanwhile satellite technologies are increasingly being used to track deforestation, soil erosion
and land use patterns. Similarly, military propulsion systems are being adapted for electric
vehicles and public transit networks.
The environmental technologies, like others, often reach a plateau in their development cycle,
remaining stuck at a certain performance or cost level that constrains their ability to penetrate the
market. Technical performance (for example energy efficiency, energy output or pollutant
capture) may be low, rendering the technology uncompetitive. Alternatively, production costs
may be too high, despite good performance. A breakthrough, whatever causes it, can suddenly
make the technology competitive and profitable. Successful entrepreneurs can position
themselves to take advantage of these step-changes.
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The most obvious example is the electronics industry, where ongoing research and development
have led to dramatic improvements in performance ratios. Entrepreneurs should be aware of
intensive technical work being done in areas relevant to their interests.
A good example in the environmental field is the increasing efficiency and falling cost of
photovoltaic cells. Once they were only cost-effective in satellites and solar calculators, but now
PV cells are competitive in many remote power situations, and may one day be competitive with
grid power.
4. Promotion
Once the product concept is established and environmentally friendly manufacture under way, it
is necessary to focus on communication so guaranteeing successful sales.
Communication is in fact one of the principal items in Mix Marketing due to its role in linking
the company and its environment, this latter being either the economical environment (with
customers, suppliers, and distributors), or the social environment (with the authorities and the
organizations concerned with sustainable development) or indeed the financial environment (with
company shareholders). Moreover, it will be the communication which will portray the image of
the company and the way it will be perceived by the world. So it is this function which will
ensure the longevity the company. This is especially true in the domain of environmental
protection because it seems to be a convincing sales argument for many customers. Moreover, it
also seems to be good for the company image when considered from the viewpoint of a large
customer sector.
The company which wants to be considered as "Green" has to be sure that its Green
Communication, internal as much as external, liaises fully with all the organizations with which
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the company would be called to deal with, and that such policy is necessary whatever the
managerial strategy adopted. This phenomenon is very well shown in the following figure 12 :
The author shows that companies are obliged to communicate with the authorities (because of the
standards in effect), with other companies (competitors or partners), and with consumers (to
initiate purchase).
Nevertheless communication seems to have limits because the different actors remain suspicious
as to the sincerity of companies in the realm of environmental protection. This is borne out by an
internet survey which found that only 30% of respondents have confidence in the promise given
by companies in respect of their environmental protection responsibilities.
12 Holliday, C. O., Schmidheiny, S. & Watts, P. (2002, August). In Greenleaf Publishing (Ed.), Walking the talk.
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There is clearly a real issue of company credibility which is likely to place in doubt their actions.
We can imagine that to regain the credulity of its customers, a company should show its
engagement in environmental measures by publishing convincing and quantifiable results.
a. External communication
This type of communication concerns the company's customers, that affecting turnover, and
finally that which serves to increase the company's share of the market. It is this type of
communication which can help the company to not only sell its products, but also improve its
image. Moreover companies have noticed that ecology and environmental protection could
become even more dominant factors.
Communication with the general public concerning Green Products can be effected by traditional
methods. Companies have to favor corporate communication implicating the entire company. It's
very important that the entire company is “Green” because its actions will be seen through its
communications. In this case advertising is obliged to inform the customer in order that he be
aware of the measures taken by the company. The product, the brand name and the society form
together an image of a company engaged in protection of the environment.
It follows that companies have accepted the idea that people are more and more interested in
ecology and in sustainable development. That is why it bases communication on these
phenomena, a trend for some people, vital for others. Companies have realized that to gain the
Green Consumer's confidence, they have to get to know him first, and then inform him as to their
actions in this field, particularly thanks to direct and indirect advertising. In fact present day
communication no longer has the aim of inciting people to consume more, but to better consume
and to understand other social and environmental issues targeted by the company. Indeed, this
type of propaganda increases the notoriety of the brand name behind such action. It can help to
develop customer loyalty and to seize part of their competitors' market.
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Consequently, whatever the type of communication adopted, it is beneficial to formulate a
promotion for several reasons. According to Elizabeth Laville, there are three ways to effect
responsible communication:
1. reduction of any negative effect of advertising
To apply alternative thinking as to the choice of media coverage and publicity
campaigns to avoid environmental and mental pollution
To develop a positive message which increases self-esteem and avoids any guilty
feeling stereotypes
To avoid wrongly targeted advertising, which is a great waste and at the very
worst can cause frustrations
To incorporate an ecological approach to communication (paper and electricity
consumption, etc)
2. To communicate the responsible actions taken by the company
To be engaged in progress
To engage a dialogue, open and transparent, not only concerning company
successes, but also relating to sustainable development issues
To establish a factual assessment of the responsible actions taken by the company
3. To establish communication, which is a responsible action in itself
To allow their communication to serve causes which would not otherwise have
access to alternative means of communication
To notify the public opinion of fields which the company considers to be
important for its market, and to distance itself from myth
To promote responsible behavior within the consumer market
To publish educational consumer information in order that he can distinguish for
himself product quality and so be able to judge, compare and buy better with his
increased awareness of all elements.
Clearly the author believes it advantageous that the company carries out its declared action in
communicating along the lines laid down by Green Marketing, starting by informing the
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customer, and finally promising him that it will continue to strive for improvement in this
domain. Such customer communication has to continue over a period of time, in good times and
in bad, and to impart a sense of consumer responsibility. Finally, the company should give an
assessment at the end of the fiscal year (for example in a final year report by giving their
consumption of water, energy, raw materials, land usage, noise pollution, waste production, etc).
Informing the consumer:
Companies engaged in environmental actions have several means at their disposal to inform their
customers (potential or already loyal) in order to help them to understand the benefits of these
actions during their routine daily purchasing.
First, there is the environmental audit, which allows companies to check whether they have
adapted their production in accordance with environmental legislation. This audit is carried out
throughout the production phase, and even earlier during product conception, by advocating
Green manufacturing methods, without forgetting waste treatment by recycling, reuse or
reduction, etc. The audit would be well applied if it were be possible or even necessary to
produce in a different way to appear more ecological and more credible in the eyes of the
consumer, thanks to the eventual acquisition of a Green Label. The audits are genuinely
beneficial because in the majority of cases they are carried out by external companies,
consequently they are totally objective and neutral in their judgment.
Companies are obliged to communicate the results of these audits to prove to their customers that
they are striving to improve the environment, and they succeed by being rewarded by labels.
Companies are ever encouraged to employ the internet or CD-Rom to publish environmental or
sustainable reports or societal balance sheets to avoid the use of paper. They can also initiate
decrees or laws on the subject of environmental protection. These remain linked to the company
which raised the amendment and serve to demonstrate to their customer that the respective
company is concerned by such issues as citizen contact, environmental and social values, and not
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just by turnover. Some companies even go as far as creating ethical directives within their
manufacturing unit. The consumer is thus aware of the product he buys: knows how it was
produced; where the raw materials came from; and the method of finally recycling the product.
The following table is abstracted from the sustainability report of Danone in 2008. It shows the
quantity of waste generated, the quantity of waste eliminated and the proportion of waste
eliminated:
Here is an extract from this report:
Groupe DANONE
Head Office: 17, boulevard Haussmann –
75009 Paris
Auditors’ Report on the “Danone Way Fundamentals”
Initiative and a Selection of Environmental and Social
Performance Indicators of Groupe Danone for 2008
(Scope Fresh Dairy Products, Waters and Blédina)
This is a free translation into English of the original report issued in the French language and is provided
solely for the convenience of English-speaking readers.
As requested by Groupe Danone, we have performed a review to enable us to provide a moderate level of
assurance on:
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The “Danone Way Fundamentals” initiative presented on pages 29 to 35 of the Sustainability
Report for 2008,
The environmental and social performance indicators for 2008 („the Data‟) selected by Groupe
Danone and indicated by the symbol presented on pages 60 to 103 of the Sustainability
Report for 2008.
This information was prepared under the responsibility of the Group's Sustainable Development
department, in accordance with the internal methodological protocol “Danone Way Fundamentals” („the
Protocol‟), which is available on request from that department. The methodological note “Report
Parameters” presented on pages 42 to 53 provides further details on the consolidation scope, and on the
definitions and methods used to collect data and calculate the performance indicators. It is our
responsibility, based on the work performed, to express a conclusion on the Data and on the “Danone
Way Fundamentals” initiative. The conclusions below only relate to this information, and not to the whole
Sustainability Report 2008.
In Denmark, the D.C.I (Danish Consumer Information) created an ethical data base on Internet
allowing companies to provide consumer information on their products and services in
accordance with a certain social responsibility.
Advertising provides another means of communication which is the most developed. We can
distinguish several types of advertising:
There is the everyday type of advertising such as that employed by EDF where for
example, they explain that their commercial vehicle functions on both LPG and
electricity, and consequently is less polluting. Similarly some urban authorities advertise
the fact that their mass transit systems are environment conscious, that public lighting has
undergone study in order to become more energy conscious, and that their open spaces
and buildings are designed to avoid visual pollution etc.
There is the “classical” advertising, which seeks to create new trends, new values and new
life styles responding to today's consumer concern for the environment. Its aim is to
stimulate emotional consumer reaction. A typical example of this is provided by those
insurance companies which associate themselves with brands of cars which are less
polluting. Their partnership with producers of such cars provides cheaper insurance for
the purchaser. Some companies seek to portray a responsible attitude by such measures as
reduction of visual pollution, avoiding roadside commercial advertising, noise reduction,
and by limiting the duration of their radio and TV commercials. Advertising which
provides propaganda on what is commonly considered to be socially acceptable issues
such as sustainable development is also considered as responsible. This is the case of the
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Benetton team which founded their advertising on antiracism and human rights
protection. Luciano Benetton, CEO, confirms that the objective of these commercials is to
stimulate debate on important issues to which we should pay attention due to alternative
means of information.
And finally there is passive advertising which permits the company to gain notoriety. This
relates to companies which mobilize action on humanitarian or environmental grounds,
either by furnishing funds or sponsoring such events. The Group Leclerc for example, was
associated with the litter campaign for the collection of plastic bags which were blown
across the French Riviera landscape by the Mistral wind.
It is thus seen that environmentally responsible advertising can take several forms: it can provide
a message concerning an environmental action; alternatively it can relate to sustainable
development, or it can be fundamentally responsible in its conception.
There are many other means of informing the customer on the ecological aspect of a company,
such as flyers, tests, partnerships and magazine coverage.
Developing customer loyalty
Companies are obliged to make their customers more loyal so that they become “regulars” of
their products; they have several means at their disposal. They can endeavour to impart a sense of
role sharing by the customer as regards sustainable development; alternatively they can seek to
dissociate themselves with everyday practices commonly seen as undesirable; or finally they can
target marketing towards public sectors where consumer confidence is already high or where
potential future consumers have been identified.
The objective could be to directly involve the customer in role-playing related to environmental
issues, so promoting a responsible behavior in the consumer sector, as illustrated by the following
publicity from Tetrapak and Carrefour:
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Such combined action is likely to be particularly efficient; this responsible attitude enables their
working in close collaboration. A typical example is given by the pharmacist who asks his
customers to bring back their empty or out-of-date medicine packages, so that they can be
recycled.
It follows that responsible companies are obliged to admit any fault they find within their own
organization. An example is given by the Coca-Cola Company which buys cane sugar in
Salvador and yet decries bad working practice and conditions suffered by employees in these
cane fields. Sometimes, companies boycott entirely previous suppliers. This gives the consumer
the choice of supporting companies opposed to irresponsible practices without affecting product
quality.
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Certainly there exists a risk that companies adopting such action may loose supplier support, but
this is outweighed by the increased esteem won through such action, such respect being gained
from both customer and competitor alike due to their having proposed a new viewpoint on the
market and a new interpretation of their sales offer.
Finally, these Green Companies have to try to gain the confidence of their consumers. In the
words of Robert Walker, chief executive of environment services company Severn Trent “to meet
the goal of sustainability, we must move away from a throwaway society to one that is better able
to recover resources and use them more productively. We have a key role to play, using our
expertise to help our customers meet their environmental responsibilities” 13 . His words serve to
illustrate the importance of showing to the consumer that the professionals are aware of their
environmental responsibilities and want to show that they are ready to help the consumer move in
the direction of improving collective well-being. The clear ploy is that on hearing this, customer
confidence in these product brands will increase yielding a boost in sales. Companies desirous of
gaining an ecological label can also resort to more abstract means in their marketing activities
and try to influence consumer behavior, so endeavoring to attract new customers or draw on the
loyalty of existing customers.
13 Holliday, C. O., Schmidheiny, S. & Watts, P. (2002, August). In Greenleaf Publishing (Ed.), Walking the talk.
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The limits
Several sources of limits can be distinguished which can render the target, the customer, dubious
towards Green Communication. First, there is the publication of false or misleading information.
Some companies do not disclose all available information to the consumer and so demonstrate a
certain lack of transparency concerning their manufacturing procedures (for example, the level of
rejection of CO2 from their plant or their failure to recycle some of their products…) or the
traceability of raw materials consumed. So when contacted, consumers become suspicious when
faced with false information, the majority remaining skeptical in the absence of quantifiable
evidence.
There is also "Green washing", a term describing certain forms of company communication
relating to its sustainable development strategy, these which deliver a loud message, but which
are hollow in the sense of total absence of follow up action. There are companies which lie to the
consumer to attract new custom or to exploit the loyalty of others. They are adept at persuading
people to believe that the high selling price charged for their Green Products is partly due to their
direct involvement in environmental protection activities or to donations to NGOs which are
oriented towards protection of the environment.
b. Alternative types of communication
As suggested above, companies involved in ecological matters invest heavily in communication;
this serves first to attract new custom, then to develop loyalty in consumers buying their brand
name. However, these companies go further by using this tool to achieve other goals, specifically
in internal communication directed at employees or shareholders. When all interested parties are
so informed and share a common responsibility for environmental protection, a better company
image frequently emerges due to a common message appearing at each level of the company:
ecologist shareholders will be more ready to provide funding; employees will derive a sense of
pride from working for a Green company; and trading partners will be persuaded to offer
discounts or help promote and distribute company products.
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To succeed in Green Communication, companies have to abide by the following Key Factors of
Success (KFS):
1. To achieve concrete objectives
2. To avoid appearing defensive
3. To be realistic
a. First to be skeptic
b. To maintain product quality
c. To offer the customer a choice
d. To avoid vagueness when referring to nature generally
4. To choose indisputable advertising slots
5. Not to go it alone
6. To be the first
As seen from above, it is essential not to attempt Green Communications in isolation, this is
essential in order to be successful. It seems advantageous therefore, to target several different
actors because they will likely become allies, provided the communication carried out properly.
Internal communication
Green Communication apart, ecological management is increasingly prevalent these days. It
serves to illustrate that for success from Green activities, all departments of the company have to
feel actively involved in the ecological movement. That is why schemes such as protection of the
environment must nurture employee involvement right across the board: research and
development might request the most environmental friendly process; purchasing might seek the
mode of transport rejecting the least pollution or require to enter negotiations with "Green"
suppliers; and marketing might work directly on the product to reduce the volume of packaging
materials. Management will be required to intervene by communicating with employees at all
levels to ensure that they are receptive to this strategy.
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The following table 14 is a recap of the topics covered by an internal communication centered on
the protection of the environment.
Internal department Green Management topics
Human Resources
Sales Forces
Import-Export
Techniques
Purchase
Finance
Juridical
Security
Valorization of the agents
Commercial advantages of the Green Product
Exportation bonus, avoidance of protectionism in foreign countries
Development of innovations
Diverse economy, reduction of the waste processing cost
Reduction of costs
Stay abreast of rule applications, anticipate changes and influence them
Prevent industrial risks
Several means are at the disposal of executives when implementing an environmental protection
campaign within a company, these being based on internal communication. These include the
company internal magazine, the office notice board, and showing informative movies during
meetings.
In presenting the company's activities, their aim will be to educate the employee in order that he
becomes supportive of the company's viewpoint on ecology and adopts correspondingly fresh
ideas. The objective is to set up a communication channel which effectively links the policies
made by general management at the top, to the professional and private lives of the employee at
shop floor level; this channel is the responsibility of intermediate company services.
However, there are limits to this form of communication if the company is not entirely sincere as
regards protection of the environment. An example is given by the distributor Leclerc whose
employees do not feel particularly concerned by this phenomenon and correspondingly exhibit a
lack of strong motivation to change the habits of their consumers and employees.
14 Cathelat, B. & Libaert, T. (1992, April). In Liaisons (Ed.), La communication verte.
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Internal communication related to sustainable development is therefore required to bring
awareness of the problem to their employees, to educate and motivate them. This is the reason
why some companies, particularly in the chemical sector, resort to seminars to disseminate their
message. They have the intention of bringing awareness not only to new employees, but also to
those having occupied the same post over a considerable period and whose working methods
were perhaps not always respectful of the environment.
Some companies draw up a medium-term (about three years) "Environmental Plan" in the context
of environmental management to justify future activities which will be pursued by the company.
This plan facilitates communication with their employees.
But there is a risk that the initiatives taken by management are not put into effect by employees at
shop floor level. Some companies in the chemical sector have put in place information systems
with a view to subsequent follow-up of management policy by reviewing their implementation,
revising objectives where necessary, and furnishing the necessary tools with which to achieve
these objectives.
External communication
Company communications can target diverse sectors, when it can claim to being involved in
protecting the environment throughout its entire manufacturing operations and the life cycle of its
products; these can include trading partners (in particular suppliers and distributors), authorities
responsible for policing environmental protection, and organizations with whom the company has
to maintain good relations in order to avoid bad publicity and eventual product boycott.
Such a company could, for example, orient its environmental message by way of a responsible
working requirement, so obliging the supplier to resort to environmentally friendly transport to
effect deliveries; in this way, environmental respect begins upstream of the manufacturing
process.
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It could draw up a working agreement with its trading partner, so stipulating that they will jointly
limit the consumption of non-renewable resources, or to ensure that consideration be given to raw
materials management and sourcing.
They might also sign similar agreements with partners in the distribution chain, requiring that
they limit the consumption of packaging materials used to protect their products.
To minimize costs related to shelf-space, the company should negotiate the optimal site for their
products within the departmental store.
It is in the interest of Green companies to openly communicate, such that the authorities are
aware that they are following their stated environmental objectives, this to avoid being penalized
by sanctions or taxes related to environmental protection. These companies try to foster good
working relations with local authorities, from which they can expect environmental contracts, but
additionally from which they will obtain essential consents for such activities as new factory
development and hopefully, financial assistance.
To favor good relations with the press and so obtain their support, companies need to
communicate with the various NGO's including consumer protection organizations, these
themselves which have close relationships with the press; failure to follow these guidelines or to
ensure that ecological objectives to which they are committed are achieved, can lead to
publication of severely damaging criticism.
They can also resort to patronage to improve their image, seduce the public and favor dialogue
with the various third-party organizations. By entering into partnership with a nature protection
organization for example, the company can acquire a certain status of sincerity in its actions.
However, in addition to supplying financial and interpersonal liaison, the company must show a
real involvement through its activities. The objectives of Green Patronage are different according
to the type of activity of the company 15 :
15 Cathelat, B. & Libaert, T. (1992, April). In Liaisons (Ed.), La communication verte.
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Type of company Goal sought by the Green Patronage
Companies with strong environmental
influence or where there are risks
Big companies or financial institutions
Small and Medium-sized business
Trading companies
Intermediate companies
Strategy of image bypass and of counter-attack
on sensitive issues to create a Green image. e.g.
Chemical companies
To create a warmer image, more human, closer
to the public, and more natural
To take advantage of an expanding market to
locally increase its social recognition
To captivate the consumer by educating him to
increase the sales
To develop the loyalty of trading partners by an
operation across several brand names
It is seen that Green Marketing communication is neither entirely profit orientated nor entirely
trade orientated. Green communications naturally inform the public as to ecological company
activities, its industrial processes, or new technologies used to improve health or cleanliness.
Through its environmental activities, Green Communication also has the objective of developing
customer loyalty to the brand name. However, Green Communication targets many other sectors:
the employees within the company (accepting that employees can also be consumers); outside the
company there are environmental protection groups; NGOs including consumer protection
organizations; local authorities; the media, etc. This type of communication has for objective, to
demonstrate to the public generally the sincerity of the green image portrayed by the company,
this with the clear purpose of avoiding breakdown of understanding, boycotts and sanctions.
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5. The company management
For an effective Marketing Mix, the various actors in the company, such as employees and
management, have to demonstrate a real concern for the environment. The company’s culture has
to be Green to make it really Green.
This is a sensitive point which goes further than the basic notion of Green Marketing. The
environment and its protection are not only exploited as a selling gimmick, but these values must
be "breathed" daily by company executives during their working routine. The environment
becomes an obsession as it is the habitat lived in by the managers and the employees, even
outside of the company.
Protecting the environment is becoming an increasingly high priority for business, and legislation
in this area is becoming ever more stringent. In order to survive and prosper, companies must
anticipate future legislations by putting in place environmental management systems (EMSs).
An EMS is a tool used in management which can help a business increase its awareness of, and
its control over environmental impacts. It is designed to be flexible enough to be applicable to
any size of company and to any industry sector. An EMS can be applied to a single site, to a
division that operates at many sites, or to a company as a whole. This flexibility can be
particularly useful in industries where companies may be involved at many different levels, and
where the associated environmental impacts may vary widely.
However, companies that do not implement their EMS at all the relevant levels run the risk of
undermining their credibility.
The key requirements of an EMS:
The commitment must include senior management: in some jurisdictions, this has
important legal implications;
Legal and other requirements must be addressed;
Interested parties' concerns must be reflected in the development of objectives and targets;
and
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A commitment must be made to continuous improvement.
There is no fixed approach to establishing an EMS, but the framework set out below shows one
such example 16 .
1. Commitment by senior management
Senior management defines and commits itself to the implementation of an EMS.
2. Background analysis
All aspects of the activities of the organization which are expected to have an environmental
impact are identified, relevant laws and regulations are identified and any other commitments
which the organization has already made are identified.
3. Planning
Objectives and targets are set and quantified where possible.
4. Monitoring
A process is established to monitor performance against the objectives, targets and legal
requirements, and to channel this information back into the EMS.
5. Work plan
16 Business and sustainable development: A global guide, from www.bsdglobal.com/
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A work plan is created through which the objectives and targets can be achieved. The plan may
involve changes in production processes, new product designs, training, communication of
results, evaluation of performance indicators, and documentation.
6. Review
Possible changes to the policy and objectives of the EMS are considered on a regular basis, the
EMS is audited and possible changes to the work plan are considered.
7. Recommitment to EMS
A recommitment is made to the prevention of pollution and to the continuous improvement of
environmental performance.
A company can seek official accreditation for its EMS with one of several schemes. The
certification helps to ensure that the company gets the greatest benefit from its efforts. The
Standards section details two of the most popular schemes for EMSs, namely ISO 14001 and
EMAS.
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Part III: The consumer
1. The actors within sustainable development
a. The consumers
Consumers in general, but specifically the public at large, are becoming increasingly concerned
by the environment and its protection. They have many means at their disposal with which to
influence the thinking of companies and authorities: as consumers, by their purchasing habits; as
shareholders, by selecting environmentally active companies in which to invest; as citizens, by
their political vote; taking an active role in NGO's, etc.
In addition to the ordinary consumer, there is a Green Consumer. The website of Business and
Sustainable Development 17 has studied his behavior and his expectations regarding the
environmental market and the Green Companies. Research has shown that green consumers are
sincere in their intentions, with a growing commitment to greener lifestyles. They almost always
judge their environmental practices as inadequate, and they do not expect companies to be perfect
in order to be considered “Green”. Rather, they look for companies that are taking substantive
steps and have made a commitment to improve.
However, they also tend to overstate their Green Behavior, including the number of green
products they actually use. They also want the protection of the environment to be easy, and not
to entail major sacrifices. They tend to distrust companies' environmental claims, unless they
have been independently verified. They have a lack of knowledge about environmental issues,
and tend not to trust themselves to evaluate scientific information about environmental impacts.
Nevertheless, at the same time they are willing to learn, and this means that consumer education
is one of the most effective strategies that entrepreneurs can employ.
17 Business and sustainable development: A global guide, from www.bsdglobal.com/
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The most responsive age group tends to be young adults, many of whom are influenced by their
children. Moreover, companies have to pay particular attention to women who are a key target for
greener products, and often make purchases on behalf of men.
The best Green Customers are people with money to spend. As a result, the most promising
products for greening tend to be at the higher end of the market. The most promising outlets for
green products are retail stores frequented by better-off shoppers.
In general, Green Consumers have the education and intellectual orientation to appreciate values
and they will understand evidence that is presented in support of environmental claims.
In the US, children and teenagers are generally more concerned than adults about the
environment, and are more willing to learn about green alternatives. To an increasing degree,
they influence their parents' purchasing decisions. It is also important to notice that millions of
them will reach adulthood in the next decade, and gain purchasing power of their own.
At the opposite end of the age spectrum, US consumers born before the 1950s are the least Green
Consumers. As their numbers diminish, their share of consumer purchases will dwindle. In
Canada, children and parents alike tend to have strong environmental concerns. Older people,
too, tend to be active green purchasers.
b. The companies
Companies also play a very important role in the protection of the environment, by external
constraint or by their own choice.
When a company provides information as to the way it contributes to the protection of the
environment, it must do so in strict accordance with its published politic. The consumer is not
only better informed and his involvement sought, but he has an increasing degree of control and
can turn to an ever growing number of organizations for help. The lever that he can exert on a
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company should not be underestimated and his veto in the form of product boycott has to be
taken seriously.
For this reason, when a company uses Green Marketing, it has to respect its commitments,
otherwise, it can be sanctioned by consumers and NGOs alike.
2. Studying the consumer
a. The consumers’ choices
Consumers pay more and more attention to the ethical aspect of companies. Sometimes they
prefer to favor protection of the environment in place of seeking shareholder dividends.
The consumer’s point of view of the company has changed: the financial aspect is no longer
given priority, and profitability is no longer the sole objective. Today it has been replaced by
employee protection schemes, and protection of the environment and of the consumers. However,
if this trend is already in evidence in company trading reports and surveys, its adoption by
consumers generally appears only just to have started.
b. purchasing power
According to an IPSOS survey carried out in 1999 on 4000 people, in France, Germany, Italy and
the United Kingdom, almost 84% of french consumers are ready to avoid purchasing products
from companies which do nothing to protect the environment or that do not have an acceptable
social behavior. Nevertheless, the same survey shows that only 75% of those surveyed are ready
to modify their consumption behavior.
In a similar vein, the survey showed that 86% of european consumers are prepared to buy from
companies committed to environmental protection; for example the consumption of coffee sold
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under the Max Havelaar Label has just started to increase (french yearly per capita sales of this
Label in 2002 were 0.4€)
c. Accepting to pay
Usually consumers are prepared to pay a premium price for products which guarantee to be less
polluting or more ethical. Unfortunately quantifying this statement is not easy. According to a
survey 18 conducted in 2001, 91% of all american consumers would be willing to change brands
for ecological reasons, provided that product price and quality were unchanged (against 76% in
1997 and 66% in 1993).
3. Survey
To understand how consumers view Green Marketing and sustainable development, the author
conducted a survey by way of a questionnaire, the object of which was to respond to the
following questions:
What is the profile of the population surveyed?
Are these people sensitive to environmental problems? Which ones?
Are they sensitive to a Green Marketing campaign?
Do they consume in a responsible way?
What level of sacrifice are these people ready accept for the environment?
To provide an answer to these points, the author drew up a questionnaire of 10 points concerning
the habits of the french population; this was divided into four sections. The first section concerns
questions 1 and 2, and yields a greater understanding of the respondent's profile.
18 2002 Cone Corporate Citizenship Study ; 1997 Cone/Roper Cause Related Marketing Trends Report ; Cone/Roper
Study, 1993/94
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The second section relates to questions 3, 4 and 5 and explores the respondent's knowledge of
Green Marketing and the sustainable development.
The third part (questions 6, 7 and 8) determines the level of sacrifice the respondent is willing to
accept on behalf of environmental causes.
The fourth and last part (questions 9 and 10) serves to indicate whether the company Green
Marketing campaigns is likely to have a positive impact on the consumer.
The profile of the people questioned
The questionnaire was accessible on Internet thanks to the website “Sphinx online”. The
questionnaire was answered by 60 men and women living in various regions of France.
Q1 Age
Grade Less than 25 Between 25 and 39 Between 40 and 59 More than 60
Number of people 41 5 11 3
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The majority of the population surveyed (68%) were aged less than 25; some 9% were between
25 and 39 years old; 18% were between 40 and 59 years old; and only 5% were aged more than
60.
Q2 Level of Studies
Grade Less than baccalaureate Bac +1 Bac +2 Bac +3 Bac +4 Bac +5 or more
Number of people 4 1 8 0 6 41
The baccalaureate is the French equivalent of A-Levels. Respondents are required to answer how
many years they studied after obtaining the baccalaureate.
The majority of people questioned have a high level of studies (5 years after the baccalaureate or
more). About 10% studied for a further 4 years after the baccalaureate, 13% for a further 2 years,
2% for a further 1 year of study, and 7% have no baccalaureate.
So the survey was in the main conducted on under 25's having a high educational level. Whilst
this sample is not representative of the French population, it can produce coherent results for the
current topic. Indeed, companies realize that this sector of the population are not only big
consumers, they are also responsive to environmental issues.
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Consequently people responding to this survey find themselves targeted by both current and
future Green Marketing campaigns.
Sensitivity toward the environment
Q3 Heard of Green Marketing and Sustainable Development
Responses Yes No
Number of people 58 2
The first clear indication is that almost all people questioned had heard of Green Marketing and
Sustainable Development: 96.67%. It is proof of the success during recent years of company
campaigns designed to bring a greater awareness to the subject of protection of the environment.
The two people who had not heard of these terms were under 25 years old and had studied for 4
years after the baccalaureate. Apparently, knowledge of these terms is not in relation with the
level of studies.
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Q4 Bought Green Product
Responses Yes No
Number of people 48 12
80% of the people questioned admit to having purchased an environmental friendly product in
preference to another product. It is evident that the environment is a preoccupation for the
consumer. In general, they are sensitive to environment issues.
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Q5 Most worrying problems
Responses Pollution Oil Slick Wastes Proliferation Species prone to extinction Global warming
Number of people 38 8 26 34 34
Note that multiple answers to this question were permitted, therefore the sum of percentage
replies is not equal to 100%.
The three most worrying problems were considered to be pollution (27.14% of people
questioned), and global warming which has the same percentage response as the "Species prone
to extinction" viz. 24.29% of the people questioned. Waste proliferation arrived in fourth position
with 18% of the replies. And finally, the problem of least concern was the oil slick.
An oil slick is one of the rarer problem heard about in the media. By comparison pollution is
present in our everyday lives and above all in Paris and its suburbs where most of the respondents
live. So it appears that people are more preoccupied by the problems relevant to their everyday
lives.
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The level of acceptable sacrifice
Q6 Is green more expensive?
Responses Yes No
Number of people 49 11
Q7 Are the high prices justified?
Responses Yes No
Number of people 28 32
The majority of people questioned (81.67%) consider that environmentally friendly products are
more expensive. The majority of these (about 53%) think that these prices are not justified, the
remainder (about 47%) considering that such prices are justified.
Results
Responses Q6 Yes No
Number of people 49 11
Responses Q7 Yes No Yes No
Number of people 20 29 8 3
Three people out of the eleven who believe that the price of Green products is not elevated also
think that their price is not justified. So, we can consider that they think they can be higher.
Finally half of the people questioned consider the high price justified.
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However, companies have to take great care when setting the pricing level of their products. The
production of environmentally friendly products frequently implies added costs, but more than
half of the people questioned obviously consider that higher prices are not justified. So
companies have to put forward a persuasive argument in order to sell their Green Product at a
high price.
In addition, the current economic crisis has reduced consumer purchasing power. Had the survey
been conducted under different economic conditions, perhaps the results would have been
different. It has already been shown above that 80% of the people questioned had previously
bought a Green product. Finally, even if half of the people questioned believe that the high prices
of Green products are not justified, this still leaves a lot of consumers ready to spend out on these
products. So, the level of sacrifice appears rather high.
Q8 Waste separation
Responses Yes No
Number of people 56 4
93.33% of people questioned indicated that they sort recyclable waste. Proliferation of wastes is
the fourth most concerning problem. Perhaps in separating their waste materials people think that
this represents but a small problem.
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For the majority of people questioned, waste separation has becoming a habit. Most cities and
towns render waste separation easier by providing different trash cans for the various types of
waste. So sorting recyclable waste material is not a particularly difficult job, as confirmed by the
high number of positive answers.
This corroborates with previous responses which indicate that the notion of sacrifice is an
important consideration for many people, who are prepared to adopt environmental measures as
long as they judge the level of sacrifice to be not excessively high.
The efficiency of the Green Marketing campaign
Q9 Trust toward the Green companies
Grade Not at all Not really It depends Probably yes Of course
Number of people 1 12 31 16 0
This graph illustrates that people questioned responded with a qualified answer; indeed, 51.67%
do not trust all the companies which affirm being engaged in environmental protection, and
nobody really trusts them. However, the results are encouraging because only one person
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answered that he does not trust Green companies at all. Moreover, 26.67% of the people
questioned tend reacted positively to this new trend against 20% who do not really trust it.
Consequently, almost 80% (52% + 27%) of the people questioned tend to have confidence in
Green companies.
Nevertheless, for the tenth and last question, only 40% of the people questioned were able to give
an example of a Green Communication Campaign.
It is seen from the above graph that government campaigns and the campaigns of Suez have been
the most memorable campaigns with 8.33% of answers. Then follows the automotive industry
campaign and in particular their communication about hybrid engines which are considered less
polluting. The other campaigns include the brand Innocent drinks, Veolia, Areva and movies
based on the evolution of the planet.
There are also the NGO campaigns from Greenpeace and WWF, and the campaign against the
use of animals for product testing.
Finally, the less memorable campaigns concern the distribution chains of Leclerc and Carrefour.
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Part IV: The consequences of Green Marketing on the company
The image portrayed by a company is not only based upon the different activities conducted in
the form of external communication, but also on employee participation and company life in
general. The best example of this is given by the social plan. When a company carries out a social
plan, it is difficult for it to communicate in isolation on social values such as its respect for small
manufacturers; this would probably not appear acceptable practice to the consumer, even though
the two sectors are not directly linked.
A similar difficulty exists on environmental matters; from the moment a company decides to
commence environmental activities, it is necessary that the company adopts a set of rules
governing its conduct and that of its employees, who must in turn be receptive to this idea.
It is difficult to imagine a company which is willfully engaged in large-scale pollution, as
commencing environmental activities; such would not appear mutually compatible. But industry
has the ever increasing burden of meeting environmental standards for moral reasons, and
particularly for financial reasons. Industrial companies engaged in sales direct to the public can
neither be considered as creating pollution, nor can they associate their activities with other firms
which are themselves producing pollution.
There is increasing concern for the environment from all political parties. Companies therefore
have to generally respect certain working standards and in particular the requirements of ISO
14001 et sec (14040, 14041, 14042, 14043…), to be able to form a stable base from which to
continue developing the company.
A treatise of the different procedures that gave rise to the ISO 14001 standard is essentially
outside the scope of this study which is devoted to environmental marketing. Nevertheless, it is
considered pertinent to consider employee reaction within companies which have gained and
adopted the ISO 14001 standard.
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As put forward earlier, employees have a considerable role to play in building the company
image, and being also consumers themselves, it is interesting to note their personal involvement
in environmental protection issues, both within their private lives and at their work place. It
would also be interesting to study the different ISO 14000 standards and the effect on company
strategy of having adopted these standards.
1. The employees’ point of view on the environment
A survey conducted by ADEME (Agence de l'Environnement et de la Maîtrise de l'Energie)
shows some results of employee involvement in the protection of the environment in France.
This survey provided a response to four questions:
Is the ISO 14001 standard producing a behavioral change in employees and consumers?
In which domains are the employees ready to react?
Does it have an impact beyond their professional life?
Who is responsible for the environmental politic inside the company?
The change of behavior:
Question: Following the adoption of the ISO 14001 standard, have you changed your behavior
towards protection of the environment?
Result: 100% of the employees answered YES.
This result is revealing, it shows that every person questioned claims to have changed his
behavior pattern, which has a direct consequence on the environment. However, this 100% figure
should be read with caution; this answer does not show that each employee is a protector of the
environment, but that he exhibits a positive reaction when his company is engaged in an action in
favor of the environment.
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In which domain are they ready to react?
Domain Result
Respect of waste material recuperation procedures 100%
Care in the manipulation and storage of potentially dangerous products 89%
Supervision of processes which could have a negative impact in case of
malfunction (sewage plant, central heating, painting room, drying oven…) 50%
Environmental training 36%
Supervision of energy economy 84%
An interesting point emerges from these questions. Each employee wants and needs to react as an
individual, and will naturally react to those actions having a direct effect on his life. It is
remarkable that the questions which return the greatest percentages are those concerning the
easiest actions to achieve, those requiring the smallest investment and the least sacrifices. Waste
material recuperation is the best example that includes all these parameters. There is no cost, is
easy to do, and neither requires very much effort nor much sacrifice. The spin off from
employees thinking about waste material recuperation at work, is that they will go home still
thinking in this vein about recuperation in their private lives.
There is a similar principle to be learned for the supervision of energy economy.
In relation to the supervision of processes having a potentially negative impact, it is noted that
employees want to be engaged in the protection of the environment. In these cases, the potential
effect of not properly protecting the environment might lead to serious consequences in their
future personal lives.
Therefore, employees become particularly interested in environmental measures, provided that
personal sacrifice is not too great, and when they think that their personal safety is threatened.
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Measures taken to reduce paper consumption within industry and related economy measures,
have known considerable success. Protection of the environment is perhaps the extrapolation of
such simple actions which are in themselves really efficient.
Limits and impacts of the ISO 14001 standard
Impact of ISO 14001 on the behavior within the company
Personal and individual investment in the management of the environment 48%
Management responsibilities towards public health 11%
Assume responsibility for waste recuperation 22%
Assume political responsibility in the environmental management industry 3%
Don't know 33%
Impact of ISO 14001 on the behavior outside the company
Indifferent 22%
Separation between private and professional life 44%
Weariness towards quality certification, the environment,etc. 22%
Inefficiency of the certification as a mean of training and communication 0%
These results show that according to the employees, the investment in the environmental
management has above all a personal nature. 44% of employees want to separate their private life
from their professional life, even in environmental actions. Therefore, it follows that these
employees are unlikely to continue environmental actions outside their place of work. Moreover,
22% feel that they have had enough of the many actions of standardization put in place within the
company; so these people will likely be reluctant to accept the application of new standards to
their private lives.
Companies have to establish a real dialogue with their employees to understand what motivates
them on environment topics. Measures have to be negotiated and put in place progressively. It is
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increasingly clear that top down negotiations can effectively convey the message and so lead to
the implementations of working standards. Each party plays their role, the management
considering the economical feasibility of environmental measures, with the operational feasibility
being resolved at shop floor level.
This serves to illustrate the necessity for team role playing within the company when considering
putting in place environmental measures.
The following results corroborate what has been shown above:
Management of the environment has to be: Percentage of YES
The concern of management 26%
The concern of the CHSCT only 26%
The concern of everybody 100%
These results prove that the effectiveness of an environmental policy is directly related to how it
is put in place, its acceptance by all actors, and by its being employed by everyone. Everybody
has to be involved in the exercise.
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Part V: Weleda: A company heavily involved in Sustainable Development
Progress can have a real sense when it considers the human being within his environment. The
study of the interdependence which exists between the human being and his environment gave
birth to the term ecology. This science refers to fundamental values of solidarity, not only
between human beings and Mother Nature, but also between human beings themselves. This is
the modus operandi of Weleda’s laboratories and how they see their future development.
Riding on the wave of interest shown by household consumers and patients alike, for healthier
life styles for real natural cosmetics and complementary medicines, Weleda has seen an
economical and industrial boom during recent years.
Since their creation in 1921, Weleda’s laboratories have formulated medicines and cosmetics
under a global care conception, one which is considerate both of human beings and nature.
Since its creation Weleda has grown up following strong, original ethics based on the quality of
its products and the harmony sought between the human being and nature. The company insists
upon raw materials of proven quality in the formulation of its medicines and care products.
Weleda has its own gardens operating on organic farming methods.
With a desire to protect both the environment and human health, Weleda designs its process plant
according to strict ecological principles and manages its production of waste materials along
similar lines.
Managed by the fundamental principles of sustainable development, Weleda considers the
economical, social and environmental responsibility as inseparable from its ethic of care.
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1. Presentation of the Company
Founded in 1921, Weleda is one of the largest brands of natural cosmetics.
Weleda operates on all five continents with 1800 employees worldwide. The Weleda Group has
its headquarters in Arlesheim, Switzerland. Ever since its foundation, Weleda has been
developing and selling complementary medicines, nutritional supplements and cosmetics. In later
years Weleda oriented its products to include the needs of doctors and patients seeking a source
of natural medicines.
Weleda has developed an original ethic based on the quality of its products and nature. Its motto
is “Harmony between the Human Being and Nature”. It implies research into the structures of life
and nature, as well as insight into the processes of the human soul and spirit.
The principle of Weleda is to base its marketing firmly upon the quality of its products, to be
considered a reliable source of supply, and to respect nature. Weleda’s team is made up of
doctors, pharmacists and patients.
Weleda develops its products in accordance with understanding the human being, and the respect
of the human being extends to encompass all actors.
The company desires close collaboration with its patients, its partners and its employees.
Therefore each Weleda venture, independently managed as regards initiative and responsibility,
has the incentive to reinforce the Weleda Group and to bring its contribution to the realization of
this in terms of worldwide objectives.
Weleda serves the human being by looking after and reinforcing health.
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Weleda’s marketing strategy is to keep an ethical and responsible approach in favor of the human
being and of the nature:
Medicinal plants issue of biological agriculture (e.g.: Iris, Edelweiss…)
Wild medicinal plants (e.g.: Arnica, Ratanthia…)
Natural elixir
Natural fragrances
No tests on animals
Rigorous controls to enforce high quality
Protection of the environment: scrap, recyclable packaging
Natural cosmetics are guaranteed by BDIH:
Weleda in the world
Weleda owns 17 subsidiaries, including Weleda France, and operates in more than 50 countries.
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In France, products are distributed by drugstores, natural goods stores and the Weleda wellness
centre in Paris.
Weleda cosmetics are not sold in department stores because Weleda does not want to be
associated with traditional products.
The fact of being sold in drugstores and in natural goods stores maintains a high quality profile
and healthy image of Weleda.
1921
1924
2. Company History
Creation of the Weleda Laboratories in Switzerland (Arlesheim) and in Germany
(Schwäbisch Gmünd)
Creation of the first medicines formulated from natural substances.
Creation of the Weleda Laboratories in the south of Alsace (Saint-Louis)
Birth of the first cosmetic products
Birth of organic farming in Koberwitz (Poland), applied to the first Weleda gardens in
1939 – 1947
1952
1971
Germany and in Switzerland
Temporary suspension of the activity of Weleda in France during the Second World War.
New site in Saint-Louis with the first french production of medicine and cosmetics
Weleda France has its first garden cultivated by organic farming methods
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1993
Construction of a new production site with a garden in Huningue
New factory opened meeting the standards of the pharmaceutical industry by respecting
1994
1997
2003
2005
2006
the ecological criterion: mineral paint without harmful solvents, wood composites without
the use of urea formaldehyde, lime wash for coatings, etc.
Harmonization of product formulae, and refocusing of the production of cosmetics on the
three most important structures of the group
Weleda Germany is certified EMAS / ISO 14001
Management decision to obtain the certification EMAS / ISO 14001 for the two other
principal sites of the group (Switzerland and France)
Constitution of an environmental commission and data collection to make a complete
ecological balance sheet
Creation of the job Responsible Environment in Weleda France
Weleda France acquires the certification ISO 14001 for the Huningue site
1 st prize Enterprise and Environment for the Edelweiss suntan cream range in the
Ecological product range for the sustainable development category
Inauguration of the wellness center “Espace Weleda” in Paris. It is a place of
communication for the brand which associates design and nature, built with ecological
materials
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2007
2008
Creation of Weleda Natural in Germany, on a site of 20ha cultivated by using biological
farming methods.
Launching of the “EcoSur” project which aims at developing more ecological and more
secure alternatives for the transportation of its employees in partnership with the
ADEME.
Participation in the first “Planète Durable” show in Paris
3. Industry Environment Analysis
More and more women are becoming aware of the fact that to use organic cosmetics not only
implies protecting their own health, but also that of the environment.
43% of women over 25 years old are ready to use an organic cosmetic to replace their usual make
up. A convincing 90% of women over 20 years old were satisfied after a test.
Biological farming is an original method of production which respects the balance of nature. So it
excludes the use of perfumes, synthetic coloring agents, etc. Very few synthetic components are
authorized, and only where there is no natural version existing.
This principle is applied to cosmetics: the percentage of each component is considered. The
conditioning of the raw materials is essential because the bio cosmetic excludes parabens, the
conservator with the most strongly based synthetic origin. Consequently, all possible product
effects on the skin or on the air, are limited by optimal conditioning.
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There are three criteria which distinguish natural cosmetics from the traditional products: the
quality, the relative quantities of the various components, and the manufacturing process of the
product.
For example, a natural product often contains as much as 35% of active ingredients, this figure
which might typically be just 1% in a traditional product. Moreover, traditional products use
perfumes and additives which are considered as imparting only a feeling of comfort; natural
products use none.
Despite these differences, natural cosmetics have sparked off interest in the consumer market,
where turnover has risen during the last fifteen years. Natural cosmetics enjoy 3 to 6% of the
market share, representing a turnover of 340 to 650 million euros.
There are real prospects for development of natural products. Due to the appearance of skin
diseases and allergies thought due to active substances, consumers are becoming actively
interested in this market.
4. Product review
Weleda has several product lines: cosmetics, elixir and medication.
a. The cosmetics
Weleda cosmetics are stringently produced from carefully selected high quality raw materials
under natural conditions in modern manufacturing plants.
These cosmetics are composed of natural products and are designed above all to take great care
of the skin and protect its vulnerability; they contain no synthetic preserving agents, nor
colouring or flavouring. Weleda has never conducted or commissioned animal experiments,
neither at research level nor in connection with quality and usage tests. This has been made
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possible by the high quality of the raw materials employed, which have been proven dependable
through long-term experience. On the other hand, Weleda employs alternative means of testing
prior to the introduction of a new product line onto the market. To this end Weleda pharmacists
or volunteers test the products under the guidance of medical specialists.
The well-balanced composition and processing of Weleda's natural cosmetics provide a healthy
balance, as they support the health and life processes of the whole organism. They contribute to
well-being and vitality by their naturalness and freshness.
Weleda cosmetic products are Body cares, Face cares, Essential oils for massage, Personal
hygiene, and Suntan creams.
b. The elixirs
Weleda elixirs are extracted from living plants that are known to be especially suited to a
nutritious diet. Apart from the basic nutrients like proteins, carbohydrates and fat, the body must
be sufficiently provided with minerals, vitamins, trace elements, fibres and other vital substances.
These substances are converted into life energy.
Deficiency symptoms may appear when the body is weakened, malnourished, or suffering
additional strain. Symptoms may appear as exhaustion, lack of appetite, metabolic disturbances
or insomnia. Weleda claims that its elixirs invigorate the organism, promote well-being, and
support the immune system and cellular rebuilding. They can be taken as supplements to the
daily diet.
Weleda elixirs are Birch juices, Birch syrups, Sea buckthorn juices, Sea buckthorn syrups, and
Hawthorn syrups.
100

c. Medications
All Weleda medicaments are aimed at enhancing self-healing processes of the human organism,
and answering to the human needs in an integral manner.
Whereas conventional medicine is directed at killing germs, suppressing processes of illness and
replacing missing substances, anthroposophic medicine goes one step further by integrally
focussing on human needs, offering medication and therapies that help the organism combat
illnesses by its own strength whenever practicable and meaningful.
Weleda prescriptions are based on the knowledge of the affinity that man has for nature, and of
the human organism. They guide the organism towards health, showing it healthy functioning,
and helping the body to overcome disease.
Some examples of Weleda medicaments: Arnicagel, Choleodon, Digestodoron, Gencydo,
Infludo, Rheumadoron…
5. Competitive review
The bio cosmetics market has grown over the three last years. In wanting to take care of their
health, consumers realized that traditional cosmetics contain dangerous products such as paraben.
In 2005 natural cosmetics represented only 1% of the sales of all cosmetics; by 2007 this figure
had risen to just 2%. Nevertheless, specialists predict that they will represent 30% of the market
within five years.
France is the country which has seen the greatest number of new brands launched and which has
the largest increase in consumption of natural and bio cosmetics.
Manufacturers distributing traditional cosmetics understand that organic cosmetics represent an
alternative consumer market and are not just a current vogue; correspondingly they want to
101

exploit the evolution of this market. In comparison, the producers of natural cosmetics, which
tend to be relatively small organizations, want to continue developing themselves in the world
and thus, have to find funding.
6. Weleda and the environment
a. To establish environment thinking within the company
As seen previously, it is important for a company that wishes to be engaged in the protection of
the environment to involve its employees and trading partners. Indeed, a company's trading
activities are essentially due to the women and men who make it progress and prosper. This is
Weleda's reason for fully involving each employee in improving the ecological performance of
the company. Thematic modules are currently used which allow employees to understand the
importance of environmental issues. Other means of communication are also used such as the
internal information letter “Environment Info”, exhibitions devoted to sustainable development
issues, and informative posters. A welcome brochure and leaflets explaining current working
practices on the site, present the company to the new employee.
A special team is charged with communicating company trading results and new acquisitions;
they are also responsible for receiving the remarks and suggestions of the workforce. These
motivated company executives play a significant role in the organization because they allow a
decentralization of the system and so supply a feedback of information gathered close to the
ground.
They participate in the initiation of new collaborators by explaining to them the company
commitments made as regards environmental politics and the working practices of their
respective departments.
A committee has also been set up to manage actions in favor of the environment. They regularly
examine the progress towards company objectives and the action plans. They supervise the
102

smooth functioning of the system by avoiding obstacles. They propose new product orientations
and justify new budget demands to Management.
b. Waste management
Today, collective consideration in favor of environmental protection has seen the emergence of
new kinds of waste recovery. As new processes are created, the Weleda laboratories search for
improved methods of dealing with the generation of waste materials, and seek to ensure the
maximum possible recovery of such materials.
The waste generated by Weleda is in the main packaging materials (cardboard, wood, plastics),
manufacturing spoils (out-of-date, non-adapted), and office scrap paper.
Only a small part of the waste, less than 3% is considered dangerous: the reactive used for quality
control of raw materials and the final products, and the development of analysis. The proportion
represented by this element decreased by 25% in 2008, compared with the figure for 2007.
Recycling and heat generation
2008 has seen significant developments in the field of waste management within Weleda; despite
production volumes having increased during the year 2008, the quantity of waste generated has
not significantly changed.
Year 2005 2006 2007 2008
Waste quantity (tons) 279.03 274.38 252.98 257.02
Material recovery 155.81 170.65 153.99 157.06
Energy recovery 75.00 60.93 66.21 75.91
Processing 44.28 36.54 28.80 21.12
Landfill 3.94 6.58 3.50 2.58
103

Improvement of the waste separation: the processing of the plastics
Concern over effective waste separation has lead Weleda to improve waste material recovery by
removing plastics from its general waste. In 2005 the company began collecting and recycling
packaging materials, which lead to the segregation of more than 10 tons of plastics in 2008,
which in itself, was an increase of 11% over the 2007 figure.
After washing and grinding to form granules, these waste materials are reincorporated into other
plastic parts, so reducing raw material consumption.
Evolution of the wastes repartition (tons)
Processing dangerous materials
Before launching medicines or care products onto the market, Weleda has to check their quality
in their laboratories; raw materials undergo similar checks. Toxic solvents are necessary in the
chromatography techniques employed in these laboratories during analysis and checking; these
substances are potentially dangerous for both the worker and the environment.
Landfill
Processing
Energetic recovery
Material recovery
104

Weleda employs specialists who are constantly seeking laboratory techniques which limit the use
of solvents or their toxicity. Constant vigilance is necessary, as is an awareness of responsibility.
There is a continual need to invest in new equipment, and also in the time necessary to
demonstrate the official acceptability of these new methods of quality control.
The waste products arising from these controls are collected and regrouped according to their
chemical nature; they are then eliminated by a specialist.
The adoption of a new chromatography technique has allowed reducing by 90% the use of
solvents for some checking methods.
c. The packaging
As previously suggested, the establishment of a company environmental strategy starts at the
beginning of a project, at the product conception stage. A new product proposal necessarily
invokes the manufacturer's responsibility in that he must consider effective means of dealing with
products at the end of the life cycle, without leaving the task of waste elimination at the door of
local authorities. For consumer products this implies that not only is product quality important,
but that the effective elimination of used packaging materials must also be considered.
To this end, Weleda laboratories develop their new ventures by integrating environmental
considerations from the time of project conception. Specifically, packaging is studied in order to
arrive at the lowest possible environmental cost by minimizing the weight of packaging materials
and by employing recyclable materials (cardboard, aluminum, glass, etc). Such activity, which is
under continuous improvement, is given as much emphasis as the product formulation itself.
Weleda also excludes the use of artificial conservators.
Year 2005 2006 2007 2008
105

Total (Kg) % Total (Kg) % Total (Kg) % Total (Kg) %
Wood 40,922 3 55,324 4 61,796 5 66,150 5
Metal 15,978 1 10,118 1 1,266 0 723 0
Paper / Cardboard 264,514 21 286,228 20 263,506 21 261,615 19
Plastic 43,543 3 44,153 3 34,294 3 41,147 3
Glass 891,983 71 1,047,067 73 879,799 71 977,059 73
TOTAL 1,256,940 1,442,890 1,240,661 1,346,694
Annual progress +15% -14% +9%
106

Conclusion
Concern for the environment has firmly established itself as a key issue within companies, due to
the evolution of morals and a changing way of thinking; this has been driven by the expectations
of the customer; authority directives; pressure groups and other NGO's, etc.
In conclusion, it is noted that Green Marketing is a relatively recent phenomenon which concerns
the management of all types of activity and reaches across all sectors of every company.
Sustainable development holds the key to the future, as the consumer becomes increasingly
involved in ecology, with the outcome that commercial products reflect to an ever greater degree
his personal desires. Consumers are eager to buy such products despite the higher price tag, this
due to increased manufacturing costs, significant research and development effort, and the work
involved in obtaining Green labels. Following specialist studies of this phenomenon, several
working models have evolved concerning the integration of sustainable development into
company strategy. Nevertheless, companies must be prudent in their adoption of such ideas, as
these new management techniques have their limits, and the consumer is well known to have a
potentially changeable temperament.
Thankfully, companies have realized that if no changes occur in our behavioral pattern, the future
of this planet is in danger. It is probable that Green Marketing can serve as a tool to improve
company management and therefore our plight.
107

Recommendations
As the environment and its protection become increasingly important to the consumer, all
companies should employ Green Marketing in their global strategy as a means of consumer
seduction.
Wherever possible, companies should integrate environmental consideration into both their short-
term and long-term strategies, the determination of how this might be achieved being the
objective of this thesis.
Two important points are noted here: first that the state of the environment is likely to modify
consumer purchasing habits; and second that different sectors of the community exhibit varying
levels of involvement in environmental schemes, and are therefore willing to accept different
degrees of sacrifice. Given this argument, it is recommended that implementation of
environmental activity of a company should not only be in line with their Green communication
strategy, but should also seek to achieve customer satisfaction, by tailoring its actions to avoid
imposing sacrifices beyond those which the consumer is willing to accept. It is important that
companies implement the most apt measures at their disposal, such as an awareness campaign,
consumer involvement, partner cooperation, efficient and quantifiable measures, informative
communication, etc.
The environment is clearly a variable parameter which has to be considered at the centre of
company global strategy. Implementation of Green Marketing has to be achieved in an
institutional way (throughout the entire company), by educating and involving both the consumer
and the company employee on a long-term basis, this effected by simple but efficient means.
Companies must avoid underestimating the importance of this topic, because the consumer is
frequently both astute and well informed on such matters. The customer will not forgive being
misled; his purchasing habits have changed and he will not hesitate in abandoning one brand
name for another.
108

Bibliography
Books:
Cathelat, B. & Libaert, T. (1992, April). In Liaisons (Ed.), La communication verte.
Holliday, C. O., Schmidheiny, S. & Watts, P. (2002, August). In Greenleaf Publishing
(Ed.), Walking the talk.
Laville, E. (2006, March). In Village Mondial (Ed.), L’entreprise verte (2 nd ed.).
Meyronneinc, J-P. (1994, January). In Association Française de Normalisation (Ed.), Le
management de l’environnement dans l’entreprise.
Moffatt, I. (1995, July). In Taylor & Francis Ltd (Ed.), Sustainable development:
principles, analysis, and policies.
Ottman, J. A., & Reilly, W. R. (2006, March). In Booksurge Llc (Ed.), Green marketing:
Opportunity for innovation.
Viardot, E. (2000, May). In L'Harmattan (Ed.), Ecologie et entreprise : Les leçons de
l’expérience.
Villeneuve, C. (2005, September). In Multimondes (Ed.), Qui a peur de l’an 2000 ?
Documentation
Bernard, M. & Boisvert, J. M. (1992, March). Le marketing vert.
Hartman, C. L., Ottman, J. A. & Stafford, E. R. (2006, June). Avoiding Green Marketing
myopia. Environment, 48 (5), 22-36.
Holmes, J. D. Sustainability and the Triple Bottom. ecoOpportunities.
McDonough, W. (2000). The Hannover Principles, Design for Sustainability. The
World’s Fair. Hannover, Germany
NGO Committee on Education (1987). Report of the World Commission on Environment
and Development: Our Common Future. Oxford, Oxford University Press.
Vaillancourt, J. (1998, May). Évolution conceptuelle et historique du développement
durable.
109

Environmental Reports:
Danone Sustainability Report 2008
Weleda Report: Transparence, 2006-2007 & 2008
Internet:
Administration éco-responsable from www.ecoresponsabilite.environnement.gouv.fr/
Agence de l'Environnement et de la Maîtrise de l'Energie, from www.ademe.fr
Ben and Jerry’s mission from www.benjerry.com/activism/mission-statement/
Business and sustainable development: A global guide, from www.bsdglobal.com/
Buy Green, from www.buygreen.com
Consumer International : The global voice for consumers, from
http://www.consumersinternational.org/
International Standards for Business, Government and Society, from
www.iso.org/iso/home.htm
Le marché de la cosmétique bio en plein boom : causes et conséquences. Evydemment
bio: Cosmétique bio d’ici & d’ailleurs. Retrieved June 23, 2008, from
blog.evydemmentbio.com/index.php/2008/06/23/316-le-marche-de-la-cosmetique-bio-en-
plein-boom-causes-et-consequences
Presidio Graduate School. Green Marketing. The dictionary of sustainable Management,
from www.sustainabilitydictionary.com/g/green_marketing.php
Weleda International, www.weleda.com
110

Appendixes
Appendix 1: Questionnaire
1. How old are you?
o Less than 25 years old o Between 25 and 39 years old
o Between 40 and 59 years old o More than 60 years old
2. What is your level of studies?
o Less than Baccalaureate o 1 year of studies after
o 3 years of studies after
Baccalaureate
Baccalaureate
o 4 years of studies after
Baccalaureate
o 2 years of studies after
Baccalaureate
o 5 years of studies or more
after Baccalaureate
3. Do you know the terms “Green Marketing” and “Sustainable Development”?
o Yes o No
4. Have you ever bought a respectful of the environment product instead of another?
o Yes o No
5. In your opinion, what is the most worrying problem?
o Pollution
o Oil Slick
o Wastes proliferation
o Species prone to extinction
o Global warming
6. Do you think that the products which respect the environment are more expensive than
the others?
o Yes o No
111

7. In your opinion, are the prices justified?
o Yes o No
8. Do you separate your wastes?
o Yes o No
9. Do you trust the companies which promise to be engaged for the environment?
o Not at all o Not really o It depends o Probably yes o Of course
10. Which communication campaign for the ecology do you remember the most?
o Free answers
112

Appendix 2: Answers
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 Q6 Q7 Q8 Q9 Q10
moins de Bac+5 ou oui non Pollution oui non oui Cela
25 ans plus
dépend
moins de Bac+4 oui oui Prolifération des déchets ;
oui non non Cela dépend
25 ans
Disparition de certaines espèces
animales
moins de Bac+5 ou oui oui Pollution ; Réchauffement
oui non oui Cela dépend
25 ans plus
Planétaire ; Disparition de certaines
espèces animales
moins de Bac+5 ou oui non Pollution ; Réchauffement
non non oui Plutôt
25 ans plus
Planétaire
non
moins de Bac+5 ou oui oui Pollution ; Réchauffement
oui oui oui Plutôt les campagnes de
25 ans plus
Planétaire
oui greenpeace
moins de Bac+5 ou oui non Pollution ; Réchauffement
oui oui oui Plutôt EDF
25 ans plus
Planétaire ; Disparition de certaines
espèces animales
oui
moins de Bac+5 ou oui oui Réchauffement Planétaire ; oui non oui Plutôt
25 ans plus
Disparition de certaines espèces
animales
non
moins de Bac+5 ou oui oui Prolifération des déchets ;
oui non oui Plutôt la campgne tv de Suez
25 ans plus
Réchauffement Planétaire ; Marée
Noire
oui
de 25 à Bac+5 ou oui non Pollution ; Prolifération des déchets oui non oui Cela dépend
39 ans plus
; Réchauffement Planétaire
moins de Bac+5 ou oui oui Prolifération des déchets ;
non oui oui Cela innocent drinks
25 ans plus
Réchauffement Planétaire ;
Disparition de certaines espèces
animales
dépend
moins de Bac+5 ou oui oui Pollution ; Réchauffement
non oui oui Cela dépend
25 ans plus
Planétaire ; Disparition de certaines
espèces animales
moins de Bac+5 ou oui oui Pollution non oui oui Plutôt
25 ans plus
oui
moins de Bac+5 ou oui oui Prolifération des déchets oui non oui Plutôt
25 ans plus
non
moins de Bac +2 oui oui Prolifération des déchets ;
oui non oui Cela dépend
25 ans
Réchauffement Planétaire ; Marée
Noire ; Disparition de certaines
espèces animales
moins de Bac+5 ou oui oui Pollution ; Réchauffement
oui oui oui Plutôt Total
25 ans plus
Planétaire
oui
moins de Bac+5 ou oui oui Pollution ; Réchauffement
oui non oui Cela
25 ans plus
Planétaire ; Disparition de certaines
espèces animales
dépend
moins de Bac+5 ou oui non Pollution ; Prolifération des déchets oui non oui Plutôt Gaz de France, Suez
25 ans plus
; Réchauffement Planétaire ; Marée
Noire ; Disparition de certaines
espèces animales
non
moins de Bac+5 ou oui oui Pollution ; Réchauffement
oui oui oui Plutôt Les publicités de Toyota
25 ans plus
Planétaire ; Disparition de certaines
oui pour leurs voitures hybrides,
113

moins de
25 ans
de 40 à
59 ans
de 40 à
59 ans
moins de
25 ans
moins de
25 ans
de 40 à
59 ans
moins de
25 ans
moins de
25 ans
de 40 à
59 ans
de 40 à
59 ans
moins de
25 ans
de 40 à
59 ans
de 40 à
59 ans
Bac+5 ou
plus
Bac ou
moins
Bac+5 ou
plus
Bac+5 ou
plus
Bac+5 ou
plus
espèces animales et carrefour pour le
développement durable,
économiser l'eau et
l'electricité qui etaient très
sensibilisante
oui oui Pollution oui oui oui Cela
dépend
oui oui Pollution ; Prolifération des déchets
; Réchauffement Planétaire ;
Disparition de certaines espèces
animales
oui oui Réchauffement Planétaire ;
Disparition de certaines espèces
animales
oui oui Pollution ; Prolifération des déchets
; Réchauffement Planétaire ; Marée
Noire ; Disparition de certaines
espèces animales
oui oui Pollution ; Réchauffement
Planétaire ; Disparition de certaines
espèces animales
non oui oui Cela
dépend
oui oui oui Cela dépend
oui non oui Cela
dépend
oui oui oui Plutôt
non
Films sur l'évolution de la
planète
Les campagnes des
constructeurs automobiles
(Peugeot, Renault, Toyota,
Audi, ...).
Les campagnes publicitaires
des entreprises de transport
en commun (RATP, Tam,
...).
Celles des entreprises dans
le secteur de l'énergie
(EDF).
Les campagnes des
entreprises de la grande
distribution (Carrefour,
Leclerc).
TOTAL
Bac +2 oui oui Pollution ; Prolifération des déchets
; Réchauffement Planétaire
oui non oui Cela dépend
Bac+5 ou oui non Réchauffement Planétaire oui oui oui Cela celles du gouvernement...
plus
dépend
Bac+5 ou oui oui Pollution ; Réchauffement
non non oui Plutôt Celle sur les déchets
plus
Planétaire ; Disparition de certaines
espèces animales
oui ménagers
Bac ou oui oui Pollution ; Prolifération des déchets oui non oui Cela
moins
; Réchauffement Planétaire ;
Disparition de certaines espèces
animales
dépend
Bac+4 oui oui Prolifération des déchets non oui oui Cela campagne sur les produits
dépend non testés sur les animaux.
Bac+5 ou oui oui Pollution ; Prolifération des déchets oui oui oui Cela dépend
plus
; Réchauffement Planétaire
Bac +2 oui oui Pollution ; Réchauffement
oui oui oui Cela green peace
Planétaire ; Disparition de certaines
espèces animales
dépend
Bac+4 oui oui Réchauffement Planétaire ; non oui oui Plutôt les sacs plastiques,
Disparition de certaines espèces
oui l'intérêt de la biodiversité
animales
notamment les ravages de
certains pesticides
114

moins de
25 ans
de 25 à
39 ans
moins de
25 ans
de 25 à
39 ans
moins de
25 ans
moins de
25 ans
moins de
25 ans
moins de
25 ans
Bac+5 ou
plus
oui oui Pollution ; Prolifération des déchets
; Réchauffement Planétaire ; Marée
Noire ; Disparition de certaines
espèces animales
Bac +2 oui oui Pollution ; Réchauffement
Planétaire ; Disparition de certaines
espèces animales
Bac+5 ou oui oui Disparition de certaines espèces
plus
animales
Bac+5 ou oui oui Pollution ; Réchauffement
plus
Planétaire
Bac+5 ou oui non Pollution ; Réchauffement
plus
Bac+5 ou
plus
Planétaire
Bac +2 oui oui Prolifération des déchets ;
Disparition de certaines espèces
animales
Bac+5 ou
plus
oui non oui Plutôt
non
oui non oui Plutôt
oui
oui oui non Plutôt
oui
Total
oui oui oui Plutôt
oui
oui non oui Plutôt
oui
oui oui Pollution ; Prolifération des déchets oui non oui Cela dépend
oui oui Prolifération des déchets ;
Disparition de certaines espèces
animales
oui oui oui Cela dépend
oui non oui Cela
dépend
les chansons en faveur de
l'écologie, reportages
Ushuaia. les pubs de
voitures
aucune
aucunes
moins de
25 ans
Bac +2 oui oui Réchauffement Planétaire oui oui oui Cela dépend
moins de Bac +1 oui non Réchauffement Planétaire oui oui non Plutôt
25 ans
non
moins de Bac ou oui non Prolifération des déchets ;
oui oui oui Cela Les campagnes publicitaires
25 ans moins
Réchauffement Planétaire ;
dépend pour les voitures et la
Disparition de certaines espèces
animales
nourriture
plus de Bac ou oui oui Pollution ; Réchauffement
oui oui oui Plutôt
60 ans moins
Planétaire ; Disparition de certaines
espèces animales
oui
moins de Bac+4 non non Pollution ; Réchauffement
oui non non Cela aucune
25 ans
Planétaire ; Disparition de certaines
espèces animales
dépend
moins de Bac +2 oui oui Pollution ; Réchauffement
oui non oui Cela aucune
25 ans
Planétaire ; Disparition de certaines
espèces animales
dépend
moins de Bac+5 ou oui oui Pollution ; Prolifération des déchets oui non oui Cela Les campagnes publicitaires
25 ans plus
; Disparition de certaines espèces
dépend du gouvernement en faveur
animales
du tri des déchets et en
faveur de l'isolation
thermique des habitations.
moins de Bac+5 ou oui oui Réchauffement Planétaire oui non oui Plutôt veolia
25 ans plus
non
de 25 à Bac+5 ou oui oui Pollution ; Prolifération des déchets oui oui oui Cela Campagnes WWF sur la
39 ans plus
; Réchauffement Planétaire ; Marée
Noire ; Disparition de certaines
espèces animales
dépend disparition des baleines.
moins de Bac+5 ou oui oui Pollution ; Prolifération des déchets oui non oui Plutôt
25 ans plus
; Réchauffement Planétaire
oui
de 40 à Bac+5 ou oui oui Réchauffement Planétaire non non oui Cela dépend
59 ans plus
115

de 40 à
59 ans
moins de
25 ans
de 40 à
59 ans
plus de
60 ans
moins de
25 ans
moins de
25 ans
de 25 à
39 ans
de 40 à
59 ans
plus de
60 ans
moins de
25 ans
Bac+5 ou oui oui Pollution ; Prolifération des déchets oui non oui Plutôt
plus
oui
Bac+4 non oui Pollution ; Prolifération des déchets oui non oui Cela
dépend
?
Bac +2 oui oui Pollution ; Prolifération des déchets oui oui oui Plutôt ?
; Disparition de certaines espèces
animales
non
Bac+4 oui oui Pollution ; Prolifération des déchets non oui oui Cela les sacs plastiques
; Réchauffement Planétaire ; Marée
Noire ; Disparition de certaines
espèces animales
dépend
Bac+5 ou oui oui Disparition de certaines espèces oui non oui Plutôt cogema areva edf
plus
animales
non
Bac+5 ou oui non Réchauffement Planétaire ; oui non oui Pas du
plus
Disparition de certaines espèces
animales
tout
Bac+5 ou oui oui Pollution ; Prolifération des déchets non oui oui Plutôt Bleu ciel EDF
plus
; Réchauffement Planétaire ; Marée
Noire ; Disparition de certaines
espèces animales
non
Bac+5 ou oui oui Réchauffement Planétaire oui non oui Plutôt
plus
oui
Bac+5 ou
plus
oui oui Pollution oui non oui Cela dépend
Bac+5 ou oui non Réchauffement Planétaire oui oui oui Plutôt
plus
non
116