BUSINESSES are missing one of the simpler marketing initiatives to make their business greener, according to a survey released on June 1 by traffic marketing + design inc., a sustainable marketing and communications agency. The results of the survey mark the increased focus on green businesses, May 31 to June 5 being the Canadian Environment Week.

The survey was conducted to gauge how companies are communicating 'green' to their customers, and to measure the usage of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper. FSC is a London-based independent, non-governmental, not for profit organisation established to promote the responsible management of the world's forests.

Nearly 350 green businesses, government and not-for-profit exhibitors at the recent Green Living Show in Toronto, were examined. Surprisingly only 22% of exhibitors had marketing materials printed on FSC-certified paper.

"FSC is the only forest certification system supported by leading environmental and social organisations", states Maia Becker, Vice President FSC Canada. "Many organisations recognise FSC as the most rigorous and credible certification system for forest products in the world, including Canada Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS), Forest Ethics, Greenpeace, National Aboriginal Forestry Association, Sierra Club of Canada, and WWF Canada."

Over 66% of survey participants lacked environmentally friendly marketing materials. However, 'green' organisations such as government and not-for-profit exhibitors had the highest adoption at 50% FSC-certified paper usage, whereas segments like Fashion & Beauty, and Health & Wellness had the lowest adoption rates of less than 10%.

While producing a company's eco-friendly marketing materials FSC-certified paper is not the only measure of a firm's green marketing initiatives but it's clearly one of the easiest and least expensive ways to demonstrate sustainable leadership. "When it comes to marketing green" says Bernard Hellen, R.G.D. President and Creative Director of traffic marketing + design inc., "in this case, the medium really is the message."

About Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an international non-profit organization founded in 1993 to promote environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the world's forests. It supports the development of national and regional standards to evaluate whether a forest is being well managed. FSC's membership consists of a diverse group of representatives from environmental and social organisations, forest and derivative industries, Indigenous People's organisations, community forestry groups and certification bodies from around the world.

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The writer is an environmentalist. He can be reached at e-mail: munna_tareq@yahoo.com)888

-The Financial Express