Head of Marketing
Published: 1 Feb 2025
15 min read
As environmental concerns become increasingly central to consumer and corporate agendas, businesses are recognising the need to make a positive climate impact. Implementing effective sustainability strategies not only meets corporate responsibilities but also offers significant advantages in boosting brand reputation, customer engagement, and competitive positioning.
Engage colleagues
Communicate your impact and avoid greenwashing
Grow your brand reputation
Attract more (eco-conscious) customers
Increase competitive advantage
In this article, we’ll share 5 ways to boost your business’s climate impact this year, with examples of how Ecologi’s partners are leading the way.
Engage colleagues in your climate strategy
Involving employees in sustainability initiatives fosters a culture of environmental responsibility and strengthens their connection to the company’s climate goals. Engaged employees are more likely to contribute to and advocate for the company’s mission and objectives, enhancing overall organisational culture.
See it in action:
Mulberry, a luxury fashion brand, integrates sustainability into its employee experience through its partnership with Ecologi. New employees are welcomed with a tree planted in Mulberry’s virtual ‘Welcome Forest’ and quarterly the company calculates and offsets its carbon impact from business flights. This aligns with a new travel policy encouraging employees to consider their environmental impact when planning trips.
Mulberry also funds tree planting for internal milestones, such as the annual Festive Advent Calendar and training days. These initiatives serve as opportunities to educate and inspire employees around Mulberry’s climate journey through internal communications.
"Our partnership with Ecologi has support employee understanding of our net-zero journey"
— Rosie Wollacott Phillips, Head of Sustainability at Mulberry
Communicate your impact and avoid greenwashing
Transparent communication around sustainability efforts is crucial to building trust with stakeholders and avoiding accusations of greenwashing. Clearly articulating environmental actions and their impacts ensures credibility and fosters stakeholder confidence, in turn boosting your business’s climate impact story. Ecologi’s 2024 Climate Commitments Survey found that 40% of businesses are confident in sharing their sustainability actions transparently.
See it in action:
EET Group, a leading IT distributor, actively shares its reforestation efforts at customer and supplier events. The team invites suppliers to contribute to their collective impact by helping grow the EET Group company forest, cultivating a collaborative approach to sustainability.
At Ecologi, we want to make it as easy as possible for our partners to share their impact. Using Ecologi’s communication tools, including badges and guidelines, has enabled the team at EET Group to effectively showcase their climate initiatives, enhancing transparency and stakeholder engagement.
"Ecologi's transparency and ability to connect us with other users, helped build trust"
— Kristian Lading, CSPO at EET Group
Grow your brand reputation through sustainability
Sustainability directly enhances brand reputation, with 29% of businesses identifying it as the leading driver for environmental action. Consumers are increasingly favouring brands that demonstrate environmental responsibility and align with their own eco-conscious values, leading to improved customer perception, trust, and loyalty.
See it in action:
MSQ, a global marketing group, has achieved carbon-negative status across its 13 offices by offsetting more carbon than they produce. They are true leaders in sustainability. With approved Science-Based Targets for 2030 and a partnership with Ecologi, the company offsets emissions through tree planting and carbon removals.
MSQ also promotes sustainable service offerings across its agencies, such as low-carbon film shoots and websites. Through innovative projects like Covent Carbon Capture, MSQ showcases its creativity in addressing carbon emissions, further strengthening its brand reputation. MSQ is also a signed-up member of the Million Tree Pledge and has planted over 150,000 trees to date.
"Planting 500 trees per pitch is a great slide for our commercial team. Our sustainability work plays well to our clients, too: Net-zero strategy and Science-based targets, low-carbon digital solutions and our work with Ecologi and Million Tree Pledge"
— James Cannings, Chief Sustainability Officer at MSQ
Attract more (eco-conscious) customers
Implementing sustainable policies is a magnet for green consumers, with 28% of businesses experiencing increased interest from environmentally-aware customers. Actions like using greener suppliers and reducing single-use plastics resonate with this demographic, drawing them towards brands that prioritise climate responsibility. Sustainability works wonders for both customer attraction and long-term loyalty.
See it in action:
SmartestEnergy Business was founded on a commitment to renewable energy and when the team decided to take a more proactive stance on tackling climate change, they formed a partnership with Ecologi.
SmartestEnergy Business uses the partnership to plant ten trees for every renewable energy customer who joins or renews. Customers receive certificates recognising their contributions, creating a tangible connection to climate action and fostering goodwill.
Through a Climate Action Calendar, the company funds monthly carbon avoidance or removal projects, from wildlife protection to blue carbon initiatives. These efforts are highlighted in the Sustainable Spotlight, which shares impactful stories across their Info Hub, social media, and newsletters, attracting more eco-conscious customers to the brand.
"Engaging with Ecologi provides a unique opportunity to attract and retain environmentally conscious customers, strengthening our customer base"
— John-Paul Jenner, Senior Marketing Manager at SmartestEnergy Business
See it in action:
The Midcounties Co-operative seeks to attract eco-conscious customers by showcasing the impact of its partnership with Ecologi. Through personalised online project spotlights and detailed climate impact pages, the team highlights the success of the initiatives they support. Customers and members are encouraged to explore their impact via Ecologi profile pages featuring sub-forests for each trading division.
By sharing tangible achievements and fostering collaboration, the Midcounties Co-operative demonstrates its commitment to climate action, building deeper connections with customers who prioritise sustainability.
Increase competitive advantage
Adopting sustainable practices can differentiate a company from its competitors, providing a significant competitive edge. Our Climate Commitments Survey found that 22% of businesses say eco-friendly practices differentiate them from competitors.
As more companies make environmental commitments, those who take proactive steps—such as measuring carbon footprints, setting reduction targets, and investing in renewable energy—position themselves ahead of others who are slower to adapt. These kinds of environmental strategies signal innovation and forward-thinking, appealing to consumers and investors alike.
See it in action:
Remarkably, a creative consultancy focused on building brands for a better world, has been climate positive since its inception and achieved B Corp certification in 2021. By quantifying its carbon footprint using Ecologi Zero and investing in global impact projects, Remarkably demonstrates a steadfast commitment to sustainability. This dedication not only aligns with their core purpose but also distinguishes them in the marketplace as a leader in responsible business practices.
"We actively choose to work with clients, suppliers and partners who are purposeful and care about the planet, people and possibilities. In fact, 83% of our revenues came from projects with a positive impact"
— Rich Pemberton, CEO at Remarkably
Integrating sustainability into your business strategy is not only good for the environment but also enhances employee engagement, brand reputation, customer attraction, and competitive advantage. By adopting transparent and impactful climate action, your business can make a meaningful difference in the world.
Ready to elevate your company’s climate impact?
Partner with Ecologi to support verified climate projects and achieve your sustainability goals. Schedule a 30-minute discovery call with one of our climate experts to discuss your business goals and receive a tailored solution.