Green marketing strategies

Abstract: This chapter presents the fundamentals of “green” marketing by drawing on traditional marketing theory as well as research
focused on green marketing context. It discusses five critical areas in green marketing. The first critical area stems from green marketing
theory and practice that examines the logic for reducing the environmental impact of value creation and exchange. The second critical
area highlights green marketing strategy that focuses on achieving organizational goals in ways that can reduce or eliminate negative
impacts on the natural environment. The third critical area examines the green marketing mix that accounts for green products, green
distribution, green pricing, and green promotion. By using traditional marketing concepts, the chapter identifies how the entire
marketing mix elements should consistently provide a complete green product offering. Green products and processes need to be
researched, designed, and manufactured to include environmentally safe ingredients and components. Products need to be strategically
priced to reflect their green values, distributed in the green chain channels and displayed effectively to highlight their status, and accurately
communicated to consumers and stakeholders. The fourth critical area illustrates governance and control. It shows how the
holistic transformation toward greening the organization requires organizational culture change to gain support within and outside the
firm to ensure environmental issues are appropriately considered. These can be assessed by using existing management mechanisms,
such as environmental management systems and/or triple bottom line management, which ensure best practice and continuous
improvements to occur. Lastly, the chapter discusses the future of green marketing and the direction that businesses need to take if they
seek to be sustainable.