Originating in America during the 1970s, Earth Day is a movement aimed at raising awareness about environmental issues. By 1990, the practice had gained global traction, giving rise to Earth Month, which occurs annually in April. Today, this occasion for reflection is observed in 190 countries!
To commemorate World Earth Month, we’re dedicating April’s book club selections to all things related to sustainability — from initiatives to inspire change in B2B marketing to resources shedding light on climate change.
As always, if you have any recommendations or sources of inspiration to share, drop us a line at hello@digitalradish.co.uk.
Don’t forget, you can check out March’s book club here.
Why marketing needs to take sustainability seriously
What’s it about?
To gain a better understanding of the evolution of sustainability and its implications for marketing, Lina Vaz from B2B Marketing interviews Paul Randle, a senior marketing and sustainability consultant, co-founder of The Sustainable Compass, and co-author of “Sustainable Marketing: The Industry’s Role in a Sustainable Future“.
How does the author sum it up?
Paul suggests that marketers should embrace partnerships with NGOs and other stakeholders to collectively address complex sustainability challenges. The integration of sustainability into B2B marketing represents a fundamental shift in how companies engage with their customers, stakeholders, and the broader community.
Why we love it
“This is a comprehensive examination of the relationship between sustainability and marketing. It not only highlights the apprehension that marketers may feel in the face of sustainability but also provides clear guidance and reasoning on how to overcome it.” – Charlotte Bresnahan
What we learned
Prioritising sustainability can not only drive commercial success for B2B marketers but also contribute to positive environmental and social outcomes.
Can marketing save the planet with Michelle Carvill
What’s it about?
As a follow-up to the book “Sustainable Marketing – How to Drive Profits with Purpose“, this podcast series aims to underscore the importance of sustainable approaches and provide a comprehensive guide to implementing, driving, and maintaining these practices in any organisation.
How is it summed up?
The podcast explores the question of whether marketing can play a role in saving the planet, featuring discussions with marketers, senior leaders, CMOs, sustainability consultants, and experts. Its purpose is to educate, share best practices, inspire, and empower listeners to take action.
Why we love it
“Unlike many podcasts that fade away quickly, this one is currently on episode 78 and going strong. Each episode is filled with informative content, and there’s still plenty more for me to listen to.” – Sarah Purvis
What we learned
Michelle, along with co-writing “Sustainable Marketing” and co-presenting the “Can Marketing Save the Planet” podcast, has also directed us to highly informative resources. Among these is The Green Claims Code, a government directive against greenwashing, which outlines six key points to ensure environmental claims are genuinely green.
The Financial Times’ interactive net zero game
What’s it about?
In this gamified interactive content piece, aptly named The Climate Game, players are tasked with making decisions on climate change as the global minister for future generations, based on real science and reporting.
How is it summed up?
The scenarios used in the game are recalculated from the International Energy Agency’s “Net Zero by 2050” report to track temperature outcomes for specific pathways.
Why we love it
“This is a wonderful piece of interactive content. Not only does the gamification element make it engaging, but the questions also highlight the challenges faced by decision-makers in pursuing sustainability.” – Izzy Hannah
What we learned
While reducing emissions like CO2 is an obvious step towards sustainability, it is just a small piece of a much larger puzzle. There is more progress being made than we were aware of, but importantly, much more still to do.
Share your favourites with us
Do you have any books, podcasts, videos, blogs, or documents you’d like to recommend to the Radishes? Share them with us at hello@digitalradish.co.uk!
Selbey Anderson Group of agencies