A clarion call for marketing to return to its roots and integrate sustainability principles, this book illustrates how the marketing function can drive organizations, delighting customers and impacting positively on society and the environment. Accused of manipulation and more, marketing is one of the most misused functions and misunderstood professions. The rise of “green marketing” could have been an opportunity for the profession to exhibit its potential to transform business—but instead, there has been a turn to greenwashing, with false claims of environmental friendliness. Now, businesses must evolve, rebalancing social and environmental priorities with economic ones, and it is time for a new era: Positive Impact Marketing. Drawing on almost 30 years of experience in global marketing, management, and strategy with private, public, and non-profit organizations, this book introduces a framework organized around four key principles, “Connect 4 Impact,” and shows how these principles must govern marketing to achieve the desired net positive impact. It explains why and how marketing is key to establish sustainability at the core of business models and provides marketers with a toolkit and strategies for collaborating with other business leaders in the organization to guide rapid and effective transformations.
This book will be a transformative resource for leaders and managers looking to truly incorporate sustainability into their business models, marketing professionals at all levels, and MBA/BBA students with an interest in sustainable business.