Yes
Anne Murphy, general manager for UK & Ireland, Birds Eye Iglo
It is often expected that, in a recession, sustainability and green issues can fall by the wayside. However, I believe that most businesses will have looked to the long term and recognised that operating in a sustainable way, regardless of the economic trends, is simply good business sense.
At Birds Eye, we recognise that our success as a business is determined not only by the products that we make, but also by the way that we interact with people and the environment around us. A thriving environment and vibrant, healthy communities are undoubtedly vital to our continued success.
We have a proud track record in promoting sustainability and have worked with conservation groups over the past 10 years, as well as having founded the Marine Stewardship Council with the WWF.
As we emerge from the recession, I believe that we will see sustainability issues re-establish themselves at the fore of brand agendas - for Birds Eye, and I think many others, they never went away.
Yes
Christopher Satterthwaite, chief executive, Chime Communications
Nowadays I sense that competitive advantage for brands is no longer just about conventional marketing issues, such as price, product and availability.
It is increasingly being redefined by 'sustainable advantage' - that is, taking sustainability factors (such as carbon, packaging, ethical sourcing etc) and leveraging them for long-term sustainable brand value.
Insights from research conducted by Corporate Citizenship indicate that while we may still be in a recession, consumers are not easing up on expect-ations of brands to address these issues.
For example, 70% of consumers say that they value brands that act on sus-tain-ability, but most of them don't feel they are getting the right information. More-over, brands that sell a 'sustain-able promise', but don't actually show the evidence, are likely to be penalised.
The big message for brands that want to get ahead of the game is that there is a sustainable advantage to be had if they do their homework, find the right sustainability 'fit', and tell their story in an open and honest way.
Maybe
Dominic Grounsell, marketing director, Capital One
Prior to the recession, promoting a business' sustainability credentials was often an effective way to drive brand preference. However, in the current economic downturn, many marketers have shifted their focus back to more traditional value-based strategies.
When the economy starts to recover, it is less clear what role sustainability will play in the marketing mix. In many ways, the unprecedented nature of the downturn has been like hitting the reset button for many marketing strategies, and the relative priority of different types of campaigns is likely to be affected for some time to come.
Big investment in sustainability-driven campaigns is likely to occur only when there is the potential to deliver material financial benefits.
That said, sustainability will play a key role when it aligns with other busi-ness strategies, such as cost reduction. An example of this would be marketers moving from paper-based communic-ations to lower-cost, more-sustainable online channels.
Yes
Meera Chandra, managing director, Syzygy
Economic constraints generate creat-ivity and cost-reduction processes can be converted into meaningful solutions for everyone, not just consumers.
The Tourism 2023 scheme seeks to take on an environmental cause and grow business while preserv-ing tourist spots, and Kenco's green packaging helps reduce costs while recycling.
Slowdowns allow for introspection into a brand's and manufacturer's DNA. It is a time to stop and think about the value system that drives a company and its commitment to corporate social responsibility.
Business concerns should not be a reason to forget about critical issues that affect our planet. What use is successful enterprise if it doesn't understand and address the real needs of its people? As the economic future starts to looks brighter, we should not neglect our environmental responsibilities.