ABSTRACT
It is difficult to see why the environment is still an issue. Companies around the world have already realized the importance and the possible financial gains of adopting green marketing or environmentally friendly approaches (Rees, 1994: 123–124; Oyewole, 2001: 239; McManus and Haughton, 2006: 118; Fuerst and McAllister, 2011: 45). They are also aware of the probable drawbacks associated with non-green policies (Linstroth, 2009: 81; Cronin et al., 2011: 158). Public opinion has progressively become more conscious of the environment, and on occasion even agrees that priority should be given to environmental policies when they conflict with economic growth, although it is not totally clear to what extent this priority has to be given (Oyewole, 2001: 239; Ginsberg and Bloom, 2004: 79; Brown, 2007: 5). Some consumers are still not prepared to sacrifice their other desires in order to be green (Ginsberg and Bloom, 2004: 79). Although there are some controversial aspects of public engagement in green consumption, public pressure towards green policies continues to increase (Noiseux and Hostetler, 2010: 571; Cronin et al., 2011: 159). The integration of environmental policies into marketing theory and practice is understood as part of the societal marketing concept (Peattie and Charter, 2003: 727). Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), where environmental strategies are normally inserted, is a key part of companies’ policies and has strategic importance for many of them. Environmental policies are also known as the ‘triple-bottom line’ concept, or ‘3P’ (planet, people and profit). Firms have gradually been introducing the ‘3P’ actions into their management guidelines (Brown et al., 2006: 20). Almost every corporation mentions on its website some degree of the triple-bottom line policies, normally described as the ‘sustainability report’ (Ginsberg and Bloom, 2004: 80; Linstroth, 2009: 81). The ways in which companies communicate these strategies to investors and consumers are also highly important, along with the media coverage that they produce (Bhattacharya and Xueming, 2006: 1).
