Marketing manifesto: industry bodies on the carbon reduction agenda
The great and the good of the marketing industry are facing up to the various challenges thrown up by the green agenda.
As representatives of the marketing industry, they have a responsibility to promote best practice and offer advice to member companies. Here, we summarise their recent activity and policies in this area.
Direct Marketing Association
The DMA has been the driving force behind the development of PAS 2020. This standard is a set of environmental objectives, performance levels and indicators which set out how to create and manage an environmentally responsible direct marketing campaign.
It is the first BSI accredited environmental standard to be produced specifically for the direct marketing industry. The DMA is running pilots of the standard and hosting a series of roadshows to inform its members.
In a busy year on the green front for the DMA, it also launched an Environmental Planning Tool (EPT), an online application that enables direct marketers to produce a tailor–made environmental policy for their organisation.
November saw the association release a report on the environmental performance of the financial services sector, traditionally an industry heavily reliant on direct mail campaigns. The survey found that the downturn had caused financial services marketers to shelve their sustainability efforts.
Robert Keitch, chief of membership and brand at the DMA, says: ‘What it highlights is there’s a slight disconnect between understanding that the environment is not a waste, but an investment. That’s the bit that we are now starting to challenge.
ISBA
Two years ago ISBA created a Sustainability Working Group to co–ordinate its work in this area. This resolved to focus on three key areas: environmental claims in advertising, sustainable procurement and the challenge of direct mail.
Ian Twinn, the public affairs director and convenor of the working group, reports differing levels of progress on the plans.
ISBA sits on Defra’s environmental marketing steering group, which is developing a new green claims code to help advertisers avoid greenwash accusations. The government department is due to unveil the fruits of its labour next year but the early signs are that the guidelines will bring clarity, so are to be welcomed by marketers.
The organisation’s pledge on direct mail has been met by contributing to work on PAS 2020, the BSI standard aimed at reducing the environmental impact of direct marketing.
However Twinn admits that work on sustainable procurement has slowed, chiefly due to the onset of the recession, but vows to press on nonetheless.
‘It’s an important area and we will not be letting up on the pressure,’ he adds.
Institute of Practioners in Advertising
The IPA's green efforts this year have centred on achieving and spreading the word on ISO14001, the international accepted standard, which helps organisations establish an environmental management system.
Lettie Hannon, the IPA’s director of resources, says: ‘Clients are demanding that agencies have the standard so as the trade body for the ad industry we felt that we should be leading the way and looking at getting the accreditation ourselves.’ The body has taken a number of steps including the launch of an in–house Green Team to motivate staff on the issue.
In June, the IPA held a seminar attended by a number of leading agencies where Bartle Bogle Hegarty, one of the first agencies to become ISO14001–accredited gave a presentation.
Last year the IPA launched a 'one–stop shop' sustainability web page with five sections: renew, recycle, reinvent, reduce and resource. Hannon says it should be in a position to add more content to this practical guide soon.
Marketing Society
The Marketing Society is setting its sights high this year and has tasked itself with creating a new language with which brands can communicate with consumers. It is undertaking this through a joint venture called the Marketing Society May Day Alliance, a partnership between The Marketing Society and Prince Charles' May Day Trust.
Jo Kenrick, a former B&Q, Asda and Camelot marketer, is leading the charge and has set about the task with vigour. Results have come quickly, and a theme has already emerged.
'Reduce, renew, recycle, respect and reward' was the top idea in a poll of its membership and the society is investigating how it can take this concept forward.
Kenrick is no fan of using the word ‘carbon’ in consumer communication, questioning whether it is understood by members of the public. However as many Marketing Society members have begun to embrace terms such as ‘carbon neutral’ and ‘carbon footprinting’, there could be some lively discussions to come.
