What exactly is a sustainable brand?
Sustainable branding focuses on integrating sustainability into a brand's identity, values and practices. It goes beyond the superficial use of eco-friendly imagery or slogans and requires a deep commitment to environmental, social and economic responsibility. A sustainable brand has the power to influence change, drive consumer loyalty and inspire positive action.
Now that we've established the importance of sustainable branding, it's time to explore how to create a sustainable – and successful - brand.
Here's MAp’s step-by-step guide to help you get started:
1. Apply MAp’s proprietary framework on sustainability, aptly titled MAp’s 4 Ps of Sustainability: Purpose, People, Planet, Profit.
For every brand we create, we approach it holistically through the lens of the 4 Ps to determine how we can best portray a hotel’s Purpose, inspire and uplift its people, minimise its impact on the planet and economically benefit all of its stakeholders. When you enter into a (re-)branding process, we recommend to keep these 4 Ps close to you and ensure they are reflected in every aspect of your brand – from its visual identity to its verbal identity.
2. Develop well-designed visual identities that stand the test of time and are functionally adaptable.
Not only are branding or rebranding exercises a big commitment (financial and otherwise), they necessitate the production of new marketing materials and the elimination of old ones (= more waste).
When you practice sustainable branding, you overcome this by creating a visual identity that is timeless and therefore avoids becoming quickly outdated - instead, it grows with your business across existing and future product lines, projects, subsidiaries and more.
3. Audit your supply chain to source from sustainable suppliers, wherever possible.
Sourcing materials and services from responsible partners is essential – they should align with your sustainability values and meet your sustainability expectations. Beyond that, though, it’s important to give opportunities to small businesses, local ones, and those owned by women and people of colour when possible.
Also check if your partners have sustainability certifications in order to make sure that they walk the walk too!
4. Choose eco-friendly marketing materials.
Today, there are many options for choosing environmentally-friendly materials and packaging, from biodegradable paper to eco-friendly printer ink. For your marketing material, we suggest to research and find the best partners and products to make your sustainable brand happen.
5. Follow the principles of sustainable communication and create an emotional connection with your audiences.
The brand verbal identity and messaging we develop follow MAp’s 10 Principles of Sustainable Communication: transparency, inclusiveness, cultural sensitivity, clarity, responsibility, authenticity, progress, relevance, inspirational, ethical.
We also recommend to employ emotional storytelling techniques to connect and appeal to audiences – not just your guests, but also your employees, partners and local community members. By following these steps, you can create a sustainable brand that not only resonates with your stakeholders but also empowers positive change in the world, making your brand a force for good.
The Sustainable Hotel Handbook: Communication
Master your brand's sustainability communication
Learn how to effectively communicate your sustainability activities with the help of MAp’s 10 Principles of Sustainable Communication and other practices to mitigate greenwashing and achieve more success.
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