The Operational Success Factors for Sustainability Marketing among Fast-Moving Consumer Goods

Abstract or Introduction

The aim of this paper is to identify the operational factors of sustainability marketing and to translate them into a catalogue of recommendations for action that companies can follow to successfully implement the concept of sustainability marketing into their corporate activities. In the course of this work, special attention will be given to the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector, as the socio-ecological commitment of companies operating in this sector is increasingly becoming the focus of consumers.

Embedded in social, economic and cultural developments, market-oriented corporate management is subject to continuous change. In the 1990s, it was still characterised by a one-sided profit-oriented, economic perspective whose primary goal consisted in the growth of the company's value.

The resulting ecological and social problems, such as climate change, the progressive destruction of nature and the environment, and also the emerging demand of society for environmental protection, gradually caused the pendulum to swing in the other direction: Companies striving to operate efficiently in the 21st century must adapt their business activities to the changed market conditions and integrate the idea of sustainability into their corporate structures.

In such operational adaptation processes, sustainability marketing is of particular importance. It forms the link between a company and the market and not only serves to transparently communicate the new social-ecological corporate commitment but also to establish sustainable products on the market. However, the implementation of sustainability marketing poses great challenges to companies, as sustainability-related topics are often characterised by a high degree of complexity.