Everyone is jumping into the Green trend. Not everyone is doing it right though. Adopting ecologically friendly initiatives cannot be just a marketing plot. This is what is called “greenwashing” and consumers see right through it. A company needs to be sincere in its approach. It is a fundamental component of the authenticity consumers are looking for in their dealings with a company.

For a Green initiative to be successful -and therefore interesting as an investment opportunity-, we need to look for three key components: a) integrity; b) performance; and c) affordability. Let’s discuss these requirements:

There are different levels of features a company can incorporate in a product in order to make it more eco-friendly. Some measures can be limited and represent just a small step in the right direction: for example, a change in packaging, using a little less plastic or incorporating recycled cardboard. Others can represent a radical and thorough re-design of a product or type of products, ensuring that everything in it significantly reduces its impact to the environment.

All these steps are good: they all represent progress in the right direction. What is not right, though, is making just a small change and then try to hype it as major breakthrough in ecological responsibility. As indicated, consumers see right through these hypes and judge them as insincere attempts to prey on their genuine concerns. If as a company all you are doing is including 30% recycled post-consumer content in your cardboard boxes, just say it that way, and devote a little corner in you packaging to let consumers know; they will notice it and appreciate it. But don’t suddenly launch a full campaign touting that small change as the new “eco-friendly pack” for your product and thump your chest about how concerned you are about the environment and how seriously you are taking your ecological responsibility.

Nah… that does not cut it. It’s not authentic. On the other side of the spectrum, the more comprehensive is the change or the innovation, the more evidence consumers can see of a thought-through, purposefully designed product that comprehensively addresses their environmental concerns, then the stronger will be the manufacturer’s grounds to genuinely support the innovation in force and the higher the potential for consumers to pay attention and ultimately adopt the product. This thoroughness in the offer is what we need to look for in considering a potential investment opportunity.

Tags: affordability, amp, cardboard box, dis, dl, ins, measures, pose, right direction

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