JP\/16\/GREEN<\/p>\n
Martani Huseini
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nContributor<\/p>\n
Green movements, products
\nand marketing strategies<\/p>\n
Two major issues pose a serious challenge in this era of free
\ntrade: globalization and sustainable socioeconomic development.<\/p>\n
Jeffrey Sachs, an expert in policy studies, stated that there
\nwere still mysteries in the globalization process, and several
\nimportant questions still remained to be answered.<\/p>\n
Would globalization be able to jack up and stabilize the world
\neconomy? Could it improve the income growth of people in each and
\nevery nation and thereby reduce the disparity between nations?
\nWould it solve conflicts between nations or those within their
\ncommunities?<\/p>\n
Sustainable socioeconomic development also carries with it a
\nquestion. Does support for the environment serve as an anchor so
\nthat such development remains truly sustainable?<\/p>\n
Underlying these two issues are some of the most basic
\nproblems that urgently need to be taken care of now: establishing
\nliving standards and their possible enhancement without damaging
\nthe ecosystem, the reduction of conflicts between nations and
\nwithin societies and the stabilization of the world economy.<\/p>\n
Using more popular terminology, these issues are often
\nreferred to as \"increasing human and social capital for the
\nglobal community\".<\/p>\n
Within the context of sustainability many green movements have
\nemerged, such as Greenpeace, WWF, Walhi and the Indonesian
\nForestry Community (MPI). They tirelessly embark on preservation
\ncampaigns for the benefit of the current and future ecosystem.<\/p>\n
Similarly, veteran movie star Brigitte Bardot and some groups
\nof animal-lovers appear to unceasingly attack companies that use
\nanimals on which to test objects.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, many firms use sustainability as a business
\nopportunity. Bodyshop, for example, started producing a number of
\nso-termed green products, which are currently available in 76
\ncountries, using a green marketing strategy targeted toward green
\nconsumers, as can be seen in the sensational advertising slogan,
\n\"Against Animal Testing.\"<\/p>\n
This strategy was extraordinarily well received and has
\nproduced a fantastic financial return for the company over the
\npast few years.<\/p>\n
Very similar to this is what Indonesia's producer of bottled
\nwater, PT Golden Mississippi, did through its advertising
\ncampaign by showing the techniques involved in recycling its
\nbottles.<\/p>\n
In Indonesia's banking sector, the green marketing strategy
\nhas been implemented by BII, whose cards depict images of rare
\nfauna. This company also has a discount policy for contributions
\nmade to Indonesia's conservation organizations.<\/p>\n
It seems that quite a number of local, as well as
\ninternational, businesses are based on the \"friendly environment\"
\ntheme, leading them toward the attainment of the international
\nISO 14000 standard.<\/p>\n
Within the hotel business, a green marketing strategy has been
\nadopted by placing leaflets in bedrooms on the thrifty usage of
\nwater, towels, air-conditioners and so forth, which in essence
\ncreates a better awareness about energy saving and a concern to
\npreserve the environment.<\/p>\n
On top of that, in certain companies there are real efforts
\nbeing made in the thrifty usage of stationery and electricity by
\napplying the \"4-R\" approach: reduce, reuse, recycle and recovery.
\nThis concept is directly related to industries using natural
\nresources that are difficult to renew.<\/p>\n
Those in agreement with this concept believe that companies
\nthat pay little heed to zero emissions, pollution prevention,
\necolabelling and other environmentally related matters will
\nsooner or later lose their customers, because the demands made by
\n\"green consumers\" are getting stronger every day.<\/p>\n
Will the use of the \"friendly environment\" concept create a
\nnew burden for corporate organizations and deplete their
\ncompetitiveness?<\/p>\n
An expert on business strategy, and the initiator of the
\n\"learning organization\" concept, Peter Senge, explains the need
\nfor a balance between the three pillars of competitiveness in any
\norganization: rationalistic, humanistic and naturalistic. A
\nsustained competitive advantage can only come from a balance
\nbetween all three aspects.<\/p>\n
In the coming era it is likely more success stories will be
\nwritten like those of Bodyshop, Amway, PT Golden Mississippi and
\nBII due to their use of a green marketing strategy, which has
\ncreated better and sustainable performance. It has also been
\nproven that the currently popular green movement is no longer a
\nthreat to business.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jp16green-1447899208",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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