Press Releases
CSR Europe Launches New Guide to Sustainable Marketing
CSR Europe, the leading European business network for corporate social responsibility, today launched a new guide to Sustainable Marketing. Written by practitioners for practitioners, the guide is designed to help marketers take the first steps towards minimising the environmental impacts of their campaigns.
Previewed at the CSR Europe General Assembly in Brussels on 19 June, the guide and accompanying online game were the outputs of a sustainable marketing working group set up by CSR Europe. Led by BT, the group's members include Sony, Unilever, Danone Group, Dassault Systemes, Johnson & Johnson, Bouygues and Epson Europe.
The guide is divided into two sections, the first focuses on the business case for sustainable marketing, while the second contains a toolkit of resources including checklists, guidance on green claims and an audit tool - all designed to help marketers evaluate the impacts of their campaigns.
Ann Vandenhende, senior director at CSR Europe, who set up the group in 2006 said: "Sustainability is the most critical business issue since industrialisation. As the world struggles with the effects of climate change, pollution, peak oil and now food shortages, this isn't an agenda that will be going away anytime soon."
Chair of the working group and author of the guide, Emma Williams from BT said: "Sustainable Marketing presents a tremendous opportunity for business. However, the rise in consumer scepticism resulting from dubious 'green claims' is not only damaging brands, it's jeopardising the sustainability agenda while damaging the reputation of our marketing profession. One of the aims of the guide is to help illustrate that when done properly, a genuine commitment to sustainable business practice can really help to rebuild trust and foster long-term customer relationships. The guide was written as a practical introduction to the topic and I really hope that it inspires marketers to start embedding sustainability into their own strategies."
The interactive 3D online game, which accompanies the guide, was developed by French software developer, Dassault Systemes. Set in a shopping mall, the game provides a virtual shopping experience which illustrates the complexities facing the ethical shopper.
The guide and game are available to download free from www.csreurope.org/sustainablemarketing
For more information, please contact:
Laura Maanavilja, Communications Coordinator, lm@csreurope.org, tel. +32 2 541 1618
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About CSR Europe
CSR Europe is the leading European business network for corporate social responsibility with around 80 multinational corporations and 25 national partner organisations as members. CSR Europe is a platform for connecting companies to share best practice on CSR, innovating new projects between business and stakeholders, and shaping the modern day business and political agenda on sustainability and competitiveness. The organisation was founded in 1995 by senior European business leaders in response to an appeal by the European Commission President Jacques Delors. It has since grown to become an inspiring network of business people working at the very forefront of CSR across Europe and globally. For more information, visit www.csreurope.org.
About BT
BT is one of the world's leading providers of communications solutions and services operating in 170 countries. Its principal activities include local, national and international telecommunications services to our customers for use at home, at work and on the move; higher-value broadband and internet products and services and converged fixed/mobile products and services. BT consists principally of four lines of business: BT Global Services, Openreach, BT Retail and BT Wholesale. In the year ended 31 March 2007, BT Group plc's revenue was £20,223 million with profit before taxation of £2,484 million. British Telecommunications plc (BT) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group. BT Group plc is listed on stock exchanges in London and New York. For more information, visit www.bt.com/aboutbt.
About Dassault Systèmes
As a world leader in 3D and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions, Dassault Systèmes brings value to more than 100,000 customers in 80 countries. A pioneer in the 3D software market since 1981, Dassault Systèmes develops and markets PLM application software and services that support industrial processes and provide a 3D vision of the entire lifecycle of products from conception to maintenance to recycling. The Dassault Systèmes portfolio consists of CATIA for designing the virtual product - SolidWorks for 3D mechanical design - DELMIA for virtual production - SIMULIA for virtual testing - ENOVIA for global collaborative lifecycle management, and 3DVIA for online 3D lifelike experiences. Dassault Systèmes is listed on the Nasdaq (DASTY) and Euronext Paris (#13065, DSY.PA) stock exchanges. For more information, visit www.
CATIA, DELMIA, ENOVIA, SIMULIA, SolidWorks and 3D VIA are registered trademarks of Dassault Systèmes or its subsidiaries in the US and/or other countries.
27 June 2008
