Clearly defining a company’s sustainability position can be a major differentiator for companies today, but the dangers of greenwashing and commodification remain. ABI, New York, will conduct a workshop on avoiding these pitfalls and creating business opportunities through green initiatives at PIRA 2009 Sustainability in Packaging Conference, being held March 2-4 in Orlando.
Conducted by Alan Isacson, president, and Tim Colbert, director of ABI Marketing Public Relations, the workshop will give attendees one-to-one advice on:
• How to shape corporate messaging and promote company-wide sustainability initiatives more effectively
• The best ways to define sustainability and avoid claims of green washing by analyzing the market landscape and defining a company’s position in their industry
• How companies can avoid the commodity trap by positioning and differentiating based on the business value to customers rather than simply promoting products and technologies
“Sustainability is like any other positive benefit of a company—you have to communicate the value to your customer and the entire supply chain,” said Iscason. “That’s why we introduced Sustainability Driver.”
The new program identifies and positions sustainability benefits, creates strategic messaging platforms and develops a focused communications plan. These efforts help businesses fuel relationships with key customers and discover new sales opportunities. Featuring more than 40 talks, two intensive pre-conference seminars, discussions and delegate interaction, Sustainability in Packaging 2009 will offer a comprehensive assessment of the entire industry.
Several key industry players—including Estee Lauder, the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, DuPont, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Unilever, John & Johnson, The Kellogg Company and Nokia—have already committed to speaking at this year’s event.
For more information, visit www.sustainbilitydriver.com or www.sustainability-in-packaging.com.