Progressive companies are beginning to understand that sustainability is the future of all businesses. Thus, they have begun sustainability initiatives to address societal and environmental issues: Microsoft is investing in computer education to ensure that our next generation is tech-savvy. General Mills is encouraging parents to become better parents and are withholding artificial flavors and colors from their cereal products. CVS stopped selling tobacco. Despite their efforts, consumer attitude may be hindering many companies from not only continuing sustainability practices but even starting them.
Andrew Savitz discusses in his book, Triple Bottom Line, a few challenges companies face when pursuing sustainability. One of those challenges is consumer attitude. Many would not be willing to spend extra money just because a product was produced in a sustainable way. They would rather buy a cheaper product that performs similarly. To this, many companies may respond and say, “I’ll go green when my customers demand it” (Savitz). What can the companies do in response to consumers’ reluctance to sustainability?
Many companies are now using social media as a strategy to increase sustainability among their target consumers and to influence their consumption behavior. Using social media, they want to educate and motivate consumers to be more sustainable. Social Media Sustainability Index ranks the quality of businesses’ communication of their sustainability practices to the public via social media. This is based on the idea that businesses who are genuinely practicing sustainability will also make sure to let others know about it (Yeomans).
Social Media Sustainability Index ranked GE (General Electric) as the number one social media sustainability company of the year 2016. GE created Emoji Periodic Table of Experiments that looks like chemistry periodic table with emoji icons instead of chemistry elements. Once clicked, these icons can show array of “video, celebrity guest…a wealth of links and resources including lesson plans…” This is such a wonderful idea because “emojis are now a central part of communication, especially for Millennials, and they work especially well in social media and mobile” (Yeomans).
Sainsbury’s is another great company using social media to engage sustainability among the Millennials. They made short, animated videos with the core message of “Waste Less and Save More.” These videos are perfect “to get the attention of that short-attention Facebook community” (Yeomans).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jj2VdaumA8o
Article, “Rethinking Consumption: Consumers and the Future of Sustainability,” summarizes the BBMG, GlobeScan, and SustainAbility’s study on consumer behavior. The study showed that social media is a great strategy to influence consumer behavior because “barely one in ten consumers rely on company advertisements or website content…” (Bemporad). This shows social media may be more effective in reaching the consumers than company’s traditional communication.
There is much potential for social media to make a difference in consumers’ sustainability practices. Some companies such as GE and Salisbury’s are already taking actions. I hope that more consumers will also understand the benefits of sustainability in providing a better world for our future generations through social media. This way, more businesses would be prompted to be more sustainable.
Bemporad, R, Hebard, A and Bressler, D. Rethinking Consumption: Consumers And The
Future Of Sustainability. 1st ed. Brooklyn: BBMG, Globescan, SustainAbility, 2012. Web.
26 Oct. 2016.
http://www.globescan.com/component/edocman/?view=document&id=46&Itemid=591
Hart, S. “Creating a Culture of Sustainability.” Youtube, uploaded by Denison Consulting, 06
July, 2011. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEHCJKeNnA8
Savitz, A. The Triple Bottom Line: How Today’s Best-Run companies Are Achieving Economic
Success–and How You Can Too. San Francisco: A Wiley Brand, 2014.
Yeomans, M. “The 6th Annual Social Media Sustainability Index.” Sustainly. Blackboard.
Accessed 14 September, 2016.
https://bbhosted.cuny.edu/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_1
310213_1&content_id=_25788278_1