The author's views are entirely his or her own (excluding the unlikely event of hypnosis) and may not always reflect the views of Moz.
Sustainable marketing, purpose-driven marketing, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) are terms that are getting more and more popular. Brands are expected to already have strategies in place to become as sustainable as possible, as quickly as possible.
With that said, there's no one-size-fits-all way of measuring just how sustainable an organization is. Businesses are being told to do it now but are being left with no idea how to start.
I wholeheartedly believe that digital marketers can help with this, and by taking a more purpose-driven approach, the entire organization, their customers, and the planet can benefit.
I'm going to provide a glossary of terminology, give a brief history of how businesses have lost their focus on CSR, and show how taking a more purpose-driven approach to company operations and digital marketing doesn't have to be a big scary thing. It can actually be fun, fulfilling, and hugely rewarding.
You can use these links to jump to each section.
Glossary
Before I dive into everything purpose-driven marketing related, here are some definitions for terms I'll be referring to throughout this piece. If you want to skip this and head straight to the next section, feel free to use the jump links just above.
What is sustainability in digital marketing?
Sustainability can mean one of two things:
1) Ensuring that your marketing efforts don't cause harm to people or the planet and, where it does, taking steps to reduce or equalize that harm. This could include:
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Offsetting your carbon emissions (although please, please, please, don't buy carbon credits — these aren’t a