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Communicating sustainability

How to market and communicate your sustainability credentials.

VisitBritain/Ben Selway

People walking on path between tall intertwined trees

How to market and communicate your sustainability credentials

This guide is intended for all those businesses that behave sustainably, but struggle to know how to turn their efforts into real commercial advantage.

Who is this guide for?

The information in this guide will help improve how you communicate your sustainability credentials, use them as a key marketing tool, and avoid greenwashing:

  • To attract new customers;
  • To tempt them with more interesting products; 
  • To persuade them to behave more responsibly; 
  • To encourage them to spread the word and return.

If you’re already working hard to be more socially and environmentally sustainable, it’s time to find how to make sure your customers know about it. But don’t forget to keep it real – authenticity makes your customers’ holidays and days out more enjoyable and their business trips more meaningful. 

Businesses like yours across England are becoming more sustainable but are often too shy to tell their customers, for fear they aren’t interested or that their claims will be misunderstood or that they will breech Advertising Standards Authority regulations on greenwashing.

Some of you have public recognition in the form of awards and certification but still struggle to know how these can be used to best effect.

Contents

VisitBritain/Getty Images/SolStock

A multi-racial family of four, a mother, father and their two little boys walking along the platform at Newcastle railway station

Who do I tell?

Identify your target audiences to share your sustainability credentials.

Getty Images/Nick Stone Schearer

A man (no face shown) prepares an oyster at a seafood market in Whitstable, England

Why do I tell?

Why is it important to your business to communicate openly about your sustainability credentials?

Buxton Family5

What do I tell?

What impression do you want to create with your sustainability text and images?

Pure Outdoor

Six people on bikes, all wearing helmets, are stood across a stony path in front of pine trees. Pure Outdoor - Gold award winner for the Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Award at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2023.

Where do I tell?

Where can you integrate sustainability to communicate quality?

National Forest Company

Two people sat at a picnic table, looking at an Ordinance Survey Explorer map of the National Forest. Two Ebikes are parked behind them. National Forest EBike Holidays - Silver award winner for the Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Award at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2023.

When do I tell?

Communicate your sustainability credentials at each stage of the customer journey.

VisitBritain/stock.adobe.com

Row of Recycling Bins overlooking the coast

Keeping up to date with regulation

Follow the latest guidance on environmental claims in advertising.