Can Marketing Save the Planet?

In a climate where many organisations are nervously dialling back on their social and environmental commitments, a surprising group is emerging as the new purpose pioneers - B2B brands. In this episode of Can Marketing Save the Planet?, we sit down with Dave Vann, MD of agency, said & done, to unpack their latest revealing research, ‘The Purpose Reckoning,’ which surveyed over 300 businesses. Our conversation delves into the current situation we are seeing across the business landscape where leaders feel caught between political and economic pressures to stay quiet, and their personal desire to be more outspoken and drive impact. Dave shares a whole host of key findings such as, while organisations overall are pulling back, this trend is heavily influenced by size and exposure to the US market. Larger, US-connected firms are retreating, while smaller UK-focused SMEs are largely "carrying on as before." A central insight which we dive into is that B2B leaders are notably bullish on purpose, with “87% believing it will be a key differentiator in the future”. We explore why the B2B landscape is uniquely positioned for this, citing factors like emotionally-driven procurement decisions, a lower risk of public backlash compared to B2C, and the need to build resilient, future-proof supply chains. Dave issues a powerful call to action for marketers, urging them to step up and guide their organisations with both courage and strategic savvy. "We've got to be brave and we've got to be smart. This isn't just about doing the right thing. This is good for business.” When asked about the future of business, Dave hopes, we're in a place where the baseline has risen and there's just a widespread acceptance that of course business is here for improving the lives of people and the planet that we live in." And, we couldn’t ages more. Tune in as we talk to Dave about: How, not talking about purpose isn’t universal. Why B2B organisations see purpose as a future differentiator and aligns with the growing humanisation of B2B marketing. Why there's a significant disconnect between corporate action and personal conviction. How many leaders wish their organisations were more vocal, even as external pressures force them to dial back. The need to look beyond compliance. Regulation may set a baseline but true progress requires a "care" mindset which focuses on genuine impact and brand building. The need to find your strategic niche, which aligns with your business, customers, and differentiates you from your competitors. For more information: said & done website: https://www.saidanddone.co.uk/ ‘The Purpose Reckoning’ research: https://www.saidanddone.co.uk/purpose-reckoning-research Dave’s LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-vann/ We also talk about the recent MarketingKind webinar-turned-podcast he sharfed. And so, here’s a link to that: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ty-heath-thomas-kolster-dave-vann-on-b2b-marketing-purpose/id1725793542?i=1000733018569 Enjoy - and if you love the podcast, share with your friends, family and colleagues. ________________________________________________________________________ About us… We help Marketers save the planet. 🌍 Join the Marketers and organisations who have signed our manifesto, engage with our newsletter and training and, work with us to communicate sustainability more effectively. Sign our Sustainable Marketer Manifesto, and join us on our mission. Get in touch to chat. You’ll find the Podcast on all the usual pod platforms - and also on The Global Player. If you love it, do share it and spread the word. Talking about climate change and the role we play is one of the most important things we can do. So join the conversation. We’re all in this together. Our podcasts are recorded purely via online conferencing platforms, we apologise for any minor sound quality issues.            

Community work at scale is like hope with its sleeves rolled up … We loved this latest podcast conversation with Rob Hopkins, co-founder of the Transition Network, climate activist and author of the fabulous feel good book, ‘How to Fall in Love with the Future’. Rob argues that the most critical work of our time is to actively imagine and cultivate a longing for a better future. He talks about the climate crisis being at its heart, a failure of the imagination telling us, “I think we live in a time where the future is being cancelled and the future is being colonized, and if you talk to a lot of young people, the future has just sort of disappeared, they can't think about the future”. The solution, he suggests, is not more dire warnings, but a radical shift towards what activist Ouassima Laabich calls "sensual futuring" - making a positive future feel tangible, desirable, and within reach. And that is exactly what his book sets out to do as he takes the reader (or listener) off in a time machine! Rob talks about how traditional activism, rooted in an "information deficit model," has failed to engage the vast majority of people. Simply presenting facts about collapse and extinction leads to paralysis, not action. Instead, he proposes that the primary objective of any movement for change should be "the cultivation of longing," using storytelling, play, and immersive experiences. Rob explains people should be able to, “see, smell, and taste” what a sustainable, equitable world could be like. Rob tells us how he has taken thousands of people through his "time travel" workshops, guiding them to a positive 2030, making the alternative future an emotional reality for them. His book, “How to Fall in Love with the Future”, is the antidote to where we currently find ourselves, in a world where we’ve had our collective imaginations stifled and the promotion of fear is all too familiar. Countering this head-on he explains, “I try to fill people's cupboards with stories so that then when someone says that's not possible they say, yes it is”, the book is packed with real-world examples of what is already possible, from car-free neighbourhoods in Germany to community-led energy projects. He emphasises that we must connect visionary thinking with on-the-ground action. For Marketers, Rob acknowledges the need for our skills in shaping desire and cultivating longing, not to drive consumption but instead help tell the stories that will guide humanity toward a thriving future. This is a wonderful conversation which had Michelle scribbling away throughout, his book is a MUST read! Tune in as we talk to Rob about: The crisis of imagination – how our collective ability to imagine a positive future has declined, leaving us stuck in the present. Why we need to cultivate longing over fear - change-makers should be pushing to inspire a deep, emotional longing for a different future. Making the future tangible through "time travel" – the power of immersive storytelling should not be underestimated in helping people experience a positive future, making it feel real and worth fighting for. “We must imagine while we build” Mariame Kaba: Action and imagination go hand-in-hand. Building a better world requires constantly articulating and refining the vision we are working towards. Marketing's role: understanding psychology and cultivating desire is key to bridging the gap between abstract ideas and public longing. For more information about Rob, visit: https://www.robhopkins.net/ where you’ll find links to his books. Enjoy - and if you love the podcast, share with your friends, family and colleagues. ________________________________________________________________________ About us… We help Marketers save the planet. 🌍 Join the Marketers and organisations who have signed our manifesto, engage with our newsletter and training and, work with us to communicate sustainability more effectively. Sign our Sustainable Marketer Manifesto, and jo

The integral role of the CMO in driving authentic sustainability… In this final episode of our Responsible CMO mini-series, we’re joined by Sophie Collins, CMO at MPB. Sophie shares her experience and provides compelling insight for how a Chief Marketing Officer can be the driving force behind an organisations’ sustainability mission. At MPB, a platform for buying and selling used photography equipment, the CMO role transcends traditional marketing, integrating sustainability directly into the function and business strategy. Sophie’s approach is rooted in the authenticity of MPB’s purpose and circular business model. She emphasises that her role is not to invent a sustainability narrative but to articulate the organisation’s genuine commitment, “we are genuinely on a sustainability journey, and we genuinely care, and my job is to say that out loud.” A key structural decision that underscores this integration is having the VP of Sustainability report directly into her within the marketing department. This creates a “two-way street,” ensuring that sustainability goals inform marketing communications and that customer insights, in turn, push the organisation to be more ambitious in its sustainability initiatives. Internally, Sophie’s team uses employees as a “litmus paper” for new initiatives, prioritising internal communication to ensure ideas resonate and maintain authenticity before external launch. This has helped cultivate a passionate, purpose-led marketing team empowered to make decisions that balance people, planet, and profit. Externally, this philosophy translates into bold, long-term commitments. For Sophie, the CMO’s responsibility in sustainability is paramount, “I sort of think it's entirely the CMOs responsibility...if you think about the people whose job and skill set it is to drive behavioural change and communicate well, then that's the challenge that we have in sustainability.” She argues that the core skills of a marketer, communication and driving behavioural change, are what is needed to tackle the complex challenges of sustainability. Her leadership is motivated by a desire to have a positive impact, using her skills to foster a more sustainable form of consumerism. She concludes that while it is challenging work, it is the collective responsibility of marketers to lead this change and we couldn’t agree more. Tune in as we talk to Sophie about: How the CMO’s role is simplified and empowered when sustainability is an authentic, core part of the business model. Why embedding the sustainability function within the marketing department ensures strategic alignment and creates a system of accountability that pushes the organisation to be better. Testing with internal communication is a crucial first audience for sustainability initiatives, helping to gauge authenticity and passion, before external launch. Practical ways marketers can green out their media plans and campaigns. Why we need long-term commitment over short-term campaigns. For more information about Sophie , tune in via LinkedIn. And find out more about MPB. Enjoy - and if you love the podcast, share with your friends, family and colleagues. More to come in this series… and it’s great to be back! ________________________________________________________________________ About us… We help Marketers save the planet. 🌍 Join the Marketers and organisations who have signed our manifesto, engage with our newsletter and training and, work with us to communicate sustainability more effectively. Sign our Sustainable Marketer Manifesto, and join us on our mission. Get in touch to chat. You’ll find the Podcast on all the usual pod platforms - and also on The Global Player. If you love it, do share it and spread the word. Talking about climate change and the role we play is one of the most important things we can do. So join the conversation. We’re all in this together. Our podcasts are recorded purely via online conferencing platforms, we a

The power of small steps – “I would say... keep pushing on to be a force for good as a marketer.” In this episode, the second in our “CMO mini-series” we go on a bit of dive deep with Gerald Breatnach, a seasoned insights professional with a passion for sustainability - which led him to complete a Masters in Sustainability Leadership at the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership. We’ve wanted to catch up with Gerald ever since he joined us at our COM2 (Conference of the Marketer) event to share findings from his work and dissertation around the role of the CMO and sustainability. Gerald begins by acknowledging the stark gap between sustainability theory and marketing practice. Whilst it’s true that many CMOs feel the pressure of the climate crisis, they are often constrained by short-term commercial targets – on the commercial reality he explains, “it comes back to the fact that businesses are not charities. Ultimately, you miss your profit number, your share price gets hammered, your CEO gets fired. That's still the brutal reality of it.". However as Gerald’s research reveals, the leaders making real progress are those operating within a purpose-driven corporate culture, integrating sustainability into the core of their marketing strategy, and beginning to tackle complex systemic challenges. We explore the tensions and trade-offs for CMOs, an area that keeps coming up, however, the tremendous opportunities facing today's marketing leaders far outweighs the tensions over the long term and whilst we acknowledge these, Gerald, like us remains optimistic about marketing's critical role in shaping a better future, as he puts it, "Marketers do have critical skills that are going to be needed in spades." This conversation is all about the practical human challenges and opportunities that come with embedding purpose into the core of an organisation and thinking in systems. Tune in as we talk to Gerald about… The single biggest factor enabling CMOs to drive change is a purpose-driven CEO and board who establish environmental and social goals alongside commercial ones, allowing for longer-term strategic thinking. The need to integrate not separate sustainability into the core marketing strategy and metrics. How successful CMOs treat sustainability as a functional pillar, not an optional add-on. The need to embrace systems thinking: Marketers are hitting understanding and influencing the complex systems we operate within, from supply chains to consumer habits. Building internal bridges with marketing working closely with sustainability teams. For more information about Gerald , tune in via LinkedIn. Enjoy - and if you love the podcast, share with your friends, family and colleagues. More to come in this series… and it’s great to be back! ________________________________________________________________________ About us… We help Marketers save the planet. 🌍 Join the Marketers and organisations who have signed our manifesto, engage with our newsletter and training and, work with us to communicate sustainability more effectively. Sign our Sustainable Marketer Manifesto, and join us on our mission. Get in touch to chat. You’ll find the Podcast on all the usual pod platforms - and also on The Global Player. If you love it, do share it and spread the word. Talking about climate change and the role we play is one of the most important things we can do. So join the conversation. We’re all in this together. Our podcasts are recorded purely via online conferencing platforms, we apologise for any minor sound quality issues.          

“When it comes to climate – a brand cannot effectively power growth if it has an albatross around its neck, managing reputational risk is a huge part of a CMO's job today.” In this episode of Can Marketing Save the Planet? we kick off our “CMO mini-series” and catch up with Nick Lembo, Head of Marketing at Isometric, a carbon registry on a mission to reveal trust in carbon markets. Nick provides an expert breakdown of the carbon removal market he’s involved in, explaining how organisations can, and are, purchasing scientifically verified credits to offset their unavoidable emissions. We discuss a whole host of areas with Nick, focusing in at times on the role of CMOs and the tensions between ambitious growth targets and authentic, defensible sustainability commitments. From brand and growth, which we know are intrinsically linked, to managing reputational risk, these are a core function of marketing leadership, which as environmental and societal challenges grow, become ever more complex. Nick offers pragmatic advice on building internal partnerships, finding your stories, and communicating progress without falling into the traps of greenwashing. We discuss the situation many have watched unfold this year, with organisations seemingly pulling back from sustainability commitments or at least, pulling back from communicating them. From Nick’s perspective he reveals, "The reality that we're seeing on the ground is that organisations are absolutely still committed to climate goals and still making progress, most companies, when you actually dig a layer deeper, still have really aggressive emissions reductions and climate goals." When it comes to communicating what you are doing, Nick explains, “the reputational risk of not meeting your sustainability claims for your stakeholders is really real and can be a real drag on your growth, I think managing that is a huge part of a CMO’s role today, if they don’t want to dilute their brand.” This episode, along with the others in this mini-series provide food for thought for CMOs and senior marketer. So… Tune in as we talk to Nick about. The reality vs. the headlines – what are organisations doing. Credible carbon removal - the difference between legacy carbon credits and new, scientifically rigorous carbon removal, and why this matters for making defensible marketing claims. Why sustainability is not a trade-off but a critical force multiplier for your brand and a key lever for mitigating reputational risk. How CMOs can partner with sustainability officers as the internal experts, and learn to tell compelling, human stories backed by data. The need for CMOs to understand their organisational (sustainability) commitments, stepping forward to do the work and, communicating the small wins on the road to progress. For more information about Nick and the work he does at Isometric visit https://isometric.com/ . Enjoy - and if you love the podcast, share with your friends, family and colleagues. More to come in this series… and it’s great to be back! ________________________________________________________________________ About us… We help Marketers save the planet. 🌍 Join the Marketers and organisations who have signed our manifesto, engage with our newsletter and training and, work with us to communicate sustainability more effectively. Sign our Sustainable Marketer Manifesto, and join us on our mission. Get in touch to chat. You’ll find the Podcast on all the usual pod platforms - and also on The Global Player. If you love it, do share it and spread the word. Talking about climate change and the role we play is one of the most important things we can do. So join the conversation. We’re all in this together. Our podcasts are recorded purely via online conferencing platforms, we apologise for any minor sound quality issues.