Upcoming green marketing event

Regular readers will know about my fondness for Peterborough, the UK's 'environmental capital' and hopefully someday soon a transition town. They are now together with the chartered institute of marketing, hosting a green marketing conference and a very good day it is likely to be too. Here's the scoop:

Does marketing hold answers to the challenge of sustainable business?

With more and more businesses embracing sustainable practices, a conference in Peterborough next March will look at the role marketing can play in responding to the green agenda.

With the green agenda gathering pace, organisations are assessing their impact on the environment. They are also looking for opportunities to establish green credentials that can forge relationships, build brands and increase bottom line results.

But responding to this challenge isn’t straightforward. It demands a deep understanding of the issues and potential pitfalls, as well as the opportunities. There is a growing feeling that marketing can lead the way in meeting the challenge - but is that really the case?

To further the debate on the subject - and provide ideas and inspiration to anyone attending - this national one-day conference looks at how organisations can go beyond basic ‘eco-friendly’ claims and instead integrate sustainability policies with wider corporate social responsibility programmes.

John Luff, a former Head of Global Brand and of Global CSR at BT is speaking at the conference. John says, "If you’re looking for a lecture on CSR, don’t come to hear me speak at this conference! But if you’re looking for the ammunition to help you make sustainable marketing a reality for your own brand, I'll show you a way forward through greater understanding - a way to think multi-dimensionally about your brand.

“No hugging trees - CSR and sustainable marketing is about the economics of being in business. The most corporately irresponsible business is one that goes out of business.”

Conference highlights…
• Join the debate: does marketing really hold the key to sustainable business?
• Talk directly to people who have made green marketing work for them.
• Find out how to avoid ‘greenwash’ and make meaningful business decisions that benefit you and the planet.

Key speakers…
• Jonathon Porritt, Programme Director, Forum for the Future and Chairman, UK Sustainable Development Commission
• John Grant, Author of the Green Marketing Manifesto
• Ed Gillespie from Futerra Creative Director and Co-founder, Futerra Sustainability Communications,
• John Luff, international consultant on sustainable marketing
• Ecover, environmentally friendly cleaning products.
• Royal Mail, greening the fleet, making direct mail more planet friendly.


The conference takes place on 12 March 2009 in Peterborough. Prices for the event start from £140. More information and booking facilities can be found at www.greenmarketingconference.co.uk