In a world in which more and more companies claim to be or want to become CO2 neutral, we as a marketing agency unfortunately see all too often that not everything that shines is really green. Especially in eCommerce, we often see products that are (or want to be) marketed as sustainable simply because they were imported from China by regional founders, or social projects that are misused for greenwashing rather than being recognized for their actual purpose. However, sustainability is not a marketing trick, but must be lived from the core of the company.
What is ESG?
ESG stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance - three pillars that together form the backbone of truly sustainable corporate governance. They show that true sustainability goes beyond simply recycling paper and must be deeply embedded in corporate ethics.
- EnvironmentalThis pillar refers to a company's environmental footprint, including its resource use and waste production.
- Social: This is about the well-being of the employees and the community that the company affects.
- GovernanceGovernance deals with corporate management, ethics and transparency.
Unconsciously, I implemented & exemplified sustainability at oha! from day 1, because somehow I was already aware that the resources of this planet are not infinite. And let's be honest, wouldn't you want to be able to build on something that isn't rotten from the inside out? That goes for companies as well as for the environment we live in.
Is oha! a sustainable company?
First of all - yes and no. The insights from the ESG course I'm currently trying to complete have made me realize that oha! is already doing some things very well without me having spent weeks thinking about what we could do to make the company more sustainable. We're definitely not where I want to be yet, but I'm very proud of the foundation we're building on.
oha! is basically a paperless agency, but since we know that our invoices are often printed out, especially for accounting purposes, we donate a tree to the project for every invoice sent. Plant for the planet. You can also support our renaturation project in Ghana here and Donate trees.
We strictly separate our waste and avoid plastic wherever possible. We mainly buy our technical equipment second-hand and rely on electromobility or use public transport thanks to the climate ticket. If the weather permits, we also like to cycle to and from the office.
The physical and mental health of my employees is particularly important to me. We achieve this through flexible working hours and the option to work remotely.
Where we still struggle is in estimating the energy resources we consume, because our office structure means we have no insight into how much electricity, water or gas we use for heating. I would also like to find out how much waste in kilograms we actually produce and send for recycling. I also try to find out where exactly our data is hosted on servers and how much energy we consume here through our work. This consumption is often overlooked, especially by online agencies, but it is part of the actual consumption. The oha! website performs ok in terms of Carbon consumption, but with clear potential for improvement. Working on it!
If you deal with the topic of resource management for longer, you realize what you could and should pay attention to, so my next goal for oha! is also to create a voluntary ESG sustainability report, although as a small digital studio we would not yet be required to report.
What can other companies do for sustainability?
Every company can only achieve its sustainability goals if these goals are authentic and deeply rooted in the corporate culture. Instead of superficial actions, structured measures are required that bring about real change.
From 2025, many companies in Europe will be obliged to submit ESG reports. It is therefore wise not to wait until 2025, but to start taking sustainable measures now. This not only strengthens the reputation, but also the internal structure and the well-being of everyone involved.
Sustainability not only affects the environment, but also employee satisfaction. A valued employee remains loyal to the company and actively contributes to the company's success. In a sector where there is a shortage of skilled workers, this could be the key to attracting and retaining top talent.
Is that greenwashing then?
A few days ago I got this message on LinkedIn. Sounds like a great deal, doesn't it?
I still find it difficult to express in words how annoyed I am by news like this. The climate target for 2040 is not a nice to have - it is necessary that we drastically reduce our emissions so that we can get global warming under control. To continue to ignore the fact that the climate crisis does not exist and that there is nothing we can do as individuals or companies is, in my opinion, simply irresponsible towards the future generations to whom we will hand over our work, this world. It may sound nice to plant a tree for a vote, but sorry, that trivializes a global problem that requires more than just planting a few trees and adapting bees. If the sender had done it out of good intentions, that would be a start, but as a barter deal, I find it almost insulting to the challenge we face.
That's why my answer wasn't as nice and sweet as his offer sounded.
A healthy company inside also radiates outwards. Authentic sustainability is the way to assert oneself on the market in the long term and to be recognized as a responsible company. It is time for every company to start thinking about how it currently consumes resources, but also what it gives back, because as mentioned earlier, our own time on this planet is only a fraction of what future generations will be able to experience.
