Green Marketing: Are you sending the right message?

The way you communicate your green initiatives to your customers and stakeholders plays a huge part on spreading sustainability, and more importantly, in creating real impact and change of mindsets.

Take, for instance, my recent stay at a 4-star hotel. In the bathroom they had a little card telling me to “Help them save the planet by reusing my towel” – yet right beside it, there were six plastic mini toiletries and two individually wrapped plastic shower caps.

I felt cheated. The scenario smelled entirely like greenwashing.

And if there is anything more annoying to a green traveller than mini toiletries, it is greenwashing. Please don’t tell me reusing my towel will help you save the planet, when on the other hand you are polluting the environment with unnecessary single use plastics.

Greenwashing can alienate eco-conscious travellers more than any other faux pas in the hospitality industry. So, it’s critical not to undermine genuine green efforts with mixed messages.

3 Green Marketing Tips

1. Be honest with your marketing messaging. Instead of using broad statements, be specific and use phrases like “Help us reduce our use of energy and water by reusing your towels.” This honest approach avoids the pitfalls of greenwashing.
2. Don’t contradict yourself, by placing eco-friendly messages with non-sustainable practices. If unavoidable, explain that you are on a green journey and plan to phase our harmful practices. Mention any timelines for when you plan to eliminate problematic items.
3. Create a dedicated Green Page on your website that outlines both your achievements to date, and your future plans in sustainability (For example). While you might not be a fully green business yet, it is good to acknowledge what you are doing and what you need to do, even if it has not happened yet. Highlighting your highs and lows builds trust and shows you are making a concerted effort.

Always highlight the environmental impact of your actions

When it comes to shifting mindsets, clear communication about the environmental impact of our choices is key to green marketing. Compare these two messages from a coffee shop:

“Get a €0.20 discount on takeaway drinks with our reusable cup.”

“22,000 takeaway cups are disposed of every hour in Ireland. Help reduce waste by purchasing a reusable cup that lasts forever.” 

The second message not only offers a discount but also educates the customer about the environmental benefits of their choice, fostering a greater sense of urgency and responsibility.

In all your green marketing efforts, prioritise honesty. When you highlight the environmental impact of a sustainable action, it transforms your message into a tangible reality for the reader. This not only creates a sense of urgency for change but also empowers individuals to see how their actions can genuinely make a difference.

Tell your audience exactly what you are doing to reduce your environmental footprint, no matter how small the impact might seem. I’ve always believed that a small action done by many people can have a huge environmental impact. Many experts disagree and say it is too late for small actions, but at the end of the day I believe in spreading sustainability to everyone. The key to engaging the sceptics is to convincingly show them how their individual actions can create meaningful change.

Be Honest

Always be honest when marketing your green efforts. It isn’t just about self-promotion—it's about fostering a larger movement towards environmental sustainability. Tell the world exactly what you are doing, however big or small your results are. By being honest, consistent, and educational in your green marketing, you can inspire others and make a significant difference. Ultimately, the important thing is that you are trying to reduce your business’s impact on the environment, and that’s something worth talking about.

For more insights on effective sustainability practices in hospitality, check out our Sustainability Training Programmes for Hospitality or our How To Guide on Green Teams and Leadership.

The FSG Team. 💚