MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

After all the good work improving the sustainability of your event its very important you tell the world. This isn’t just so you can profit from your efforts (though that’s a part of it) its also to benchmark better environmental performance across the industry.

Green marketing is a key point of brand differentiation and honest communication of environmental outcomes has the potential to inspire real loyalty in your audience. However care must be taken with any green claims made by the festival. False or overstated claims have the potential to seriously damage the integrity of your event and at worst could result by fines and penalties imposed by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Even worse false claims damage consumer confidence in environmental business and hamper environmental action in general. 

Here is an excerpt from the Total Environment Centre’s Green Cred Checklist a great quick guide to environmental claims.

THE QUICK CHECK: IF YOU DO NOTHING MORE, ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS BEFORE MAKING ENVIRONMENTAL CLAIMS

1. TRUTH - If I make this green statement, can it be proven to be true 100 percent of the time?

2. MATERIALITY - Even if it is true, does the green statement really matter i.e. is the problem being avoided or remedied substantial and significant, or trivial and insignificant?

3. FULL DISCLOSURE - Are there any other environmental or sustainability issues being overlooked, especially negative ones?

4. SUBSTANTIATION – Whatever is being claimed, and whoever is making the claims, are they backed up by firm evidence?

OTHER USEFUL LINKS