Failing the Future
Marketers keeps dropping the ball on sustainability, and it’s getting embarrassing. We talk about innovation and differentiation, but when it comes to sustainability, we're playing it safe. Instead of leading the way, we're bogged down by short-term thinking, focused on tactical wins, and failing to build a meaningful, strategic vision. We're leaving massive opportunities on the table.
After going over the WFA and Kantar 2023 report again, it’s clear why we’re still struggling. Look at what’s holding us back:
Marketing is behind, plain and simple. While departments like operations and finance have embedded sustainability as part of their core processes, marketing is still treating it as an afterthought. Why are we the last ones to see that sustainability is an asset, not a chore?
30 percent of companies are still running sustainability from separate departments. This isolation is not just inefficient; it’s a straight-up waste of marketing’s potential. Every time sustainability sits in a silo, we miss the chance to connect on a level that matters to today’s consumers, who are increasingly demanding authentic, purpose-driven brands.
We don’t even have our own sustainability KPIs. Without metrics, we’re just guessing. We can’t measure progress, and we definitely can’t prove any real impact. The absence of KPIs keeps us from being taken seriously on sustainability. How can we claim to be making progress if we don’t even know what progress looks like?
Marketing is perfectly positioned to lead the sustainability charge, but we need a shift in mindset. If we stay in tactical mode, we’ll keep failing. It’s time to stop running from campaign to campaign and instead commit to a long-term brand strategy rooted in sustainability. Forget the short-term wins; focus on building a brand with longevity and purpose.
And here’s the kicker: over half of marketers already see the potential to push sustainability throughout the value chain. So what’s stopping us? We’ve talked about leading the way for years, now we need to actually do it. Let’s start making moves that matter.