Sustainability marketing
A framework for progressive brands.
Consumers now want brands that share their values, but cause campaigns and vague green claims no longer earn their trust. With my colleagues at Tikao, I developed a framework that moves sustainability from one-off campaigns into the core of a brand: built on verifiable data, shown through real impact, and told in clear, compliant language.
Why it is hard
The say-do gap
Many consumers say they care about sustainability; far fewer buy accordingly.
Communicating impact
Brands struggle to choose which metrics to show, and how to make them matter to people.
Finding the audience
Beyond the committed few: the “conscious non-consumers” who are open to change.
Benefit and price
People want what is good for them and for the planet, at a fair price.
Rapid shifts
Preferences change fast, so messages need real-time testing and change.
Greenwashing
Unproven claims backfire, and the rules against them are getting stricter.
The Tikao framework
Three layers, from the ground up: first earn the right to speak, then show the impact, then say it so that people understand and believe it.
Layer 1
Sustainability foundation
A credible, transparent commitment.
- Expression of intent: clear, specific goals, aligned with frameworks such as SBTi or the UN SDGs
- Traceability: published data that backs every claim
- Third-party validation: certifications that confirm the effort
Layer 2
Impact dimensions
The actual impact, on the dimensions that matter to consumers.
- Clean factory and sustainable packaging: now expected, still important
- Ethical sourcing: fair treatment of workers and responsible materials
- Social responsibility: support for communities, diversity and inclusion
- Circularity services: return, repair and recycling after the sale
Layer 3
Effective communication
Clear, compliant and relevant to the buyer.
- Consumer-friendly: ESG jargon translated into plain language
- Compliance: every claim within green marketing regulations
- Relevance and pricing transparency: why the premium is fair, and who benefits
Good for you, then good for the planet
Lead with the reasons to buy: the product benefits that solve a real need. Then weave in the reasons to believe: how the sustainability effort makes the product better, and the data and certifications behind it.
Messages that urge people to consume less, or make them feel guilty, rarely work. Narratives that join a person’s own goals to the planet’s do: good for you is good for the planet.
What consumers told us
A pilot survey of 124 consumers on their awareness of sustainability labels, how often they buy sustainable brands, and what moves their choices, including circularity services. Consumers think hard about buying sustainable products, and often feel guilty when they cannot.
Ethical engagement
Give the whole, correct information. Never mislead.
Beyond advertising
Let consumers take part in sustainability initiatives, and give them more control.
Consumer education
People who understand the impact are more likely to choose the sustainable product.
Brand love
Resonate with consumer values and aspirations.
Narrative of change
Align personal goals with environmental ones.
Measured, scored, compliant
The framework becomes an assessment: an overall score for a brand, with scores for each layer, so it can see exactly where to improve.
Behind it, Tikao’s platform uses AI to read what a brand publishes, check its claims against the green marketing rules of each country, and help rewrite them for every channel, with human experts in the loop.
The conference deck
Presented at the SEE Global Sustainability Summit (International Conference on Net Zero Solutions and Circular Economy).
Download the deck (PDF, 3 MB) ↓
The paper · co-author
Influencing Consumer Adoption of Sustainable Brands Using a New Framework for Sustainability Marketing
Jogitha Kanappaly, Nikhil Deshpande, Sandip Maiti, Mihir Herlekar
Chapter 10 in Redefining Sustainability: International Conference on Net Zero Solutions and Circular Economy, Volume 1 (2026), pp. 99–102. Springer Nature Switzerland.
Read at Springer ↗