Sustainability in Marketing Sustainability and its Relationship

Question: Describe about the Sustainability in Marketing? Answer: Executive Summary Sustainability is an important element in the formulation of marketing strategy. Sustainability marketing gives focus on beyond of traditional marketing mix i.e. product, price, place and promotion. It is concerned with the natural and social environments to reduce the usage of virgin resources and the discharge of wastage which are hazardous to health. According to triple bottom line approach, it has three aspects environment, society and economic viability of the organization which are connected for business communications. Sustainable marketing organization gives focus on achieving the organizational resilience both for short-term and long-term. Introduction Marketing is the process of flowing goods and services from producer to customer. Marketing management is concerned to identify and anticipate the customers need. According to that goods are produced and services are rendered for maximum satisfaction. Sustainability refers to the ability to sustain in the environments. The focus of this article is to understand the concept of sustainability and its relationship with marketing. This is most concerned with sustainability in marketing and alignment of organizational procedure and goal with the basic principles of sustainable business practices. It is also concerned how an organization set the way to communicate with sustainability goals, successes and challenges. Various terminological differences are discussed and different marketing issues are clarified which are related to sustainability. Sustainable Marketing Sustainable marketing is the procedure where organization commits to promote such kind of product which is safe for environment. This ideally aligns the organizational internal processes and acquires and manages the resources to create value for stakeholders. Stakeholders include staff, shareholders, owners and the partners in value chain. Thus, the creation of value enhances or improves the external environments (natural and social). So, sustainable marketing clearly states the values and goals which have desired effect on the economic viability and also the effect of natural and social environment within area of operation. It is applied by the organization when there is finite resource system and organization has to operate within that finite resource. Thus, it is the responsibility of the stakeholders to take strategic decision regarding the long-term benefit of whole system. Sustainable strategies are developed through several frameworks such as including the ecosystem services cost into operations, imitating the natural system for new product development and operations, minimizing the overall carbon footprint of the organization and changing the technology applied to enhance in spite of wastages of resources. Sustainable marketing is a dynamic process because it deals with the continuous improvements. It increases the resilience of social environment and restores the natural environment within area of operations. Increasing the efficiency of operational activities is one of the actions that might be taken by the organization in order to obtain greater sustainability. The process may include the commitment of increasing the consumption of recycled materials in spite of virgin raw materials. It also helps in reducing the discharge of wastages which are hazardous for health and environment (Oates et al., 2008). Sustainable marketing is different from conventional marketing according its holistic approach. If an organization is committed for sustainable marketing, the overall goals of sustainability are converted into guiding force behind the all decisions of operational activities at all hierarchy levels of the organization. It is also different from conventional marketing because the organizational procedures are fully clear to stakeholders which are committed to render. Stakeholders are engaged in creation of value of the organization and sustainable marketing is concerned with rendering such product life cycles and value chains which have favorable effect on natural and social environment. According triple bottom line (3BL) approach, it is considered to have triple bottom line. In the organization, the information passes from one level to another level regarding the society, environment and economic viability of the organization. Sustainable marketing is a macro marketing concept because it creates affect on whole marketing system such as value chains, institutions or industries in spite of exchange partners. It can be observed that sustainable marketing involves large changes in activities and outlook in case of both producers and consumers in spite of traditional marketing. Classic marketing concept involves marketing mix of four elements such as product, price, place and promotion. But, sustainable marketing involves others four tactical dimensions. First dimension is customer solutions. Customer solutions are the triple bottom line benefit which is beyond of the product and service and it is concerned with the consumers societal and social environment. Second one is customer costs which are committed to customer and it is incorporated with the costs of social and environmental of products during the product life cycle. Third one is customer communications which includes the transparency of the firm. At last, conveniences which explain that the organization thinks beyond conceptions of customer exchanges focused only sales or even lifetime value of the customers (Shin Rohani, Aung Rohani, 2014). It can be seen that not only, the large organizations have adopted sustainable marketing but also small organization. The one of the important features of sustainable marketing is non-profit. Third party certificate is provided to the private firms and they are monitored by strict guidelines. Marketing Sustainability Marketing sustainability refers to the current practice or demonstration that a firm has taken commitments for the journey towards the goals of general sustainability. It refers to the interaction between the internal and external shareholders in ways that resources are delivered and benefits are provided and stakeholders are enriched immediately. Such kinds of interactions occur in natural and social environment. Entire firm may affected by products, services, ideas and experiences where those are marketed sustainably. All those goals must be integrated in entire product life cycle from starting to end (Sharma, Iyer, Mehrotra Krishnan, 2010). Market offerings in marketing sustainability is future orientation which creates differentiate from conventional approach. The consequences of todays marketing activities cannot create effect the ability of customer in the future to fulfill their needs. At the present economy, transparency measures, sustainability reports and Corporate Social Responsibility can be called one way to market sustainability. These all have its own strengths and drawbacks. An organization, interested in marketing sustainability must be cautious that they should not make any false claims regarding their efforts. Sustainable Marketing Organization When an organization is committed to ongoing processes for the improvements the relationship of external social and natural environments and the consistency of internal processes with general goals of sustainability, it is called a sustainable marketing organization. It can be observed that a market oriented firm tries to integrate the customers need into every part of the firm. But, a SMO tries to integrate the goals of sustainability and values in every part of the organization. This orientation is used as tool in each and every decision-making process. Suitable goals and values will be adopted by SMO which should spread out into every part of the firm. SMO has the sense making power for capturing and internal diffusion of knowledge to determine the gap in needs in the immediate stakeholder community it can best serve. It can be possible because of keeping in mind the external and social environments. SMO utilizes the resources more efficiently, smartly and waste is found very less. These all are contribute value on delivery of market offerings (Weber, 2013). There are certain differences between SMO and conventional marketing organization. In SMO, economic profits are focused to accomplish the sustainability goals rather than ends in themselves. SMO firm is also made by overall goal of accomplishing the short-term and long-term organizational resilience. A SMO enhances the natural resource utilize by striving to improve the productivity from a given unit of virgin resources by a measurable and meaningful amount. At the same time, it finds out the alternative recycled resources to use in its operation. Conclusion For sustainable market, the organizational processes should be transparent to stakeholder. Stakeholders should engage in value creation and should concern to render product life cycles and value chain which have favorable effects on both natural and social environments. In case of marketing sustainability organization should not make any commitments towards the journey of general goals of sustainability which has false claims regarding their efforts. Sustainable marketing organization is more efficient and smarter in nature and makes less wastage of resources. References List Oates, C., McDonald, S., Alevizou, P., Hwang, K., Young, W., McMorland, L. 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