storytelling for organizational engagement: selling sustainability internally

Gain a sustainable advantage


Storytelling for Organizational

Engagement

Selling sustainability internally

Sustainable Brands

June 6, 2013


We help companies define

and leverage their

sustainability commitment to

gain a market advantage


Why should you tell a corporate

sustainability story?


Environmental efforts at the brand or

corporate level ARE a reason for consumers

to choose one product over another


of Americans say corporate environmental

reputation impacts product choices

48%


How do you know that a product is green?

48.8% 39.7% 31.0% 25.0% 22.8%

Ingredients,

content, energy

savings details

Label says so Company

has green

reputation

Certified by

3rd party

Advertising

says so

27.0% Researched

on the

internet


34% Know a product is green because the

brand has a reputation for green

products


33%

Say a Company’s Non-profit Partnerships and Donations Impact

Purchase Decisions


Who does this matter to?


Actives – 24% of Americans

• Slightly more likely to be female than male

(56% vs. 44%)

• Somewhat more likely to be age 45 or older

• Well educated and relatively affluent – almost

twice as likely to be professionals

• Predominantly white

• More likely to be homeowners

• More likely to have children under 18

• More likely to vote Democrat

• More likely to be physically and culturally

active


Actives have high expectations

• Want products and packaging

that are recyclable and/or

biodegradable

• Want companies to be more

socially responsible – and will

reward them with purchases

• Strongest sense of personal

responsibility

• Participate in 20 green

behaviors


Actives also:

• Shop more often than any other consumer segment

• Are more brand loyal on average

• Will regularly pay more for brands they trust

• Prefer new products vs. used

• Rank themselves the happiest

• Are the most materialistic of the groups


Rethink “materialism.”

Materialism for Actives = “external

expressions of internal values.”


Rethink “Green Consumers.”


Brand-hugger (N)

Nearly a quarter of the

American population; pretty

well-off, educated, shops

often, buys lots of new stuff,

and pays more for brands

they trust. Oh, and searching

for meaning in those brands

they purchase. Actively

seeking to buy from brands

and companies with a sense

of purpose that either aligns

with or expands their own.


A strong corporate sustainability and/or

CSR story can drive better employee

recruitment & retention outcomes


2010 Gallup Poll:

Only 28% of workers are

engaged/emotionally connected to their

work. 53% are indifferent; 19% are

actively hostile


Millennials don’t see corporate responsibility as an

optional add-on; they expect & demand it.

• Deloitte survey: 61% of Millennials said they would prefer to work for a

company that offers volunteer opportunities.

• Shelton’s Green Living Pulse: Millennials are more likely than non-

Millennials to purchase items associated with a particular cause (37%

vs. 30%).

• After learning a company is socially and/or environmentally responsible:

− 83% of Millennials are likely to trust the company more.

− 79% are likely to purchase that company’s products.

− 44% are likely to actively pursue working at that company.

Sources: 2011 Deloitte Volunteer IMPACT Survey; The

Millennial Consumer, Boston Consulting Group; Millennial

Cause Study, Cone Communications


The right corporate sustainability story

can help you sell more products and

attract/retain the best employees Now, how do you build that story and sell it

internally?

Promote

Responsible

Resource

Use Conserve

Energy

Improve

Transportation

Efficiency

Build

Team Member

Engagement

Protect

Corporate

Reputation

Manage

Carbon

Footprint

1st Choice

Customer

Offer

Grainger’s Sustainability

Strategic Framework

Sustainability

We will operate our business to help

preserve and improve the environment. We

will help our customers by offering products

and services that are more sustainable or that will

make our customers more sustainable.

What does the word

‘sustainable’ mean to you?

What is Grainger’s commitment

level?

Are you aware of current

initiatives?

How should we communicate?

Kohler Co.: 140 Years and Counting

Every day of our working lives, we seek to improve the level of gracious living for those people who are

touched by our products and services.

Gracious living is marked by qualities of charm, good taste and generosity of spirit. It is further characterized

by self-fulfillment and enhancement of nature.

We reflect this mission in our work, in our team approach to meeting objectives and in each of the products and services we provide our customers.

Kohler Co. Mission Statement

• live on the leading edge of design and technology in

product and process.

• maintain a single level of quality across all product

categories. Prices will vary based on differences in

materials, functions and design detail, but should never

vary in quality.

• provide consistent quick delivery to the end user.

• employ service-minded people who enjoy solving

problems, are passionate about their work and business,

who take ownership, and are accountable.

• reinvest an average of at least 90% of our earnings back

into the Company.

Kohler Co. Guiding Principles

Kitchen &

Bath

Global Power

Interiors

Hospitality

Sustainability Champions

Over 130 Kohler Associates leading our efforts

globally…

Use All Existing Tools to Communicate

• Intranet site

• Learning

Academy

• Orientation

• Newsletters

• Team meetings

• Management

training

• Executive meetings

• Awards

• Performance

Evals

63

Lunch ‘n’ Learn

1. Develop a simple message that invites all associates to engage.

2. Identify and engage your Champions.

3. Adapt the tools/processes you have to communicate and educate.

4. Always, ALWAYS embed sustainability with other business objectives.

What Have We Learned?

storytelling for organizational engagement: selling sustainability internally

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