Despite growing pressure to act on climate change and social responsibility, many organisations struggle to turn commitments into real change. The problem isn’t a lack of ambition or want to contribute, it’s a disconnect between strategy and people. 

At Reset Connect London 2025, Europe’s largest sustainability ecosystem and green investment event, we had the privilege of exhibiting and speaking on a critical yet often overlooked aspect of sustainability success: employee engagement.

 Our session, “Effective Communication – The Key to Embedding Sustainability Across Your Workforce”, tackled a pressing issue:

• 78% of employees want to contribute to sustainability but only 12% feel equipped to do so – (Gallup, 2024)

We’re just out of Mental Health Awareness Week and whilst it’s been a timely reminder to pause and ask ourselves: How am I really doing? It’s also a reminder that mental health self-care matters all year round.

For those of you who have read our latest book, (and for those who have yet to), Chapter 99 was the moment we turned our attention to our readers and focused in on the importance of developing a sense of self-care in the pursuit of managing your own wellbeing and energy.

In this increasingly crazy world, where we’re constantly bombarded by overwhelming news, eco-anxiety, and the pressures of work and life, taking care of our mental health isn’t just important - it’s essential - yet so many of us still don’t take enough time to take care of ourselves. Afterall - if we don’t look after ourselves, how can we show up fully for others?

As part of our impact commitments, each participant at COM2 was gifted with a ‘Square’ of rainforest, and a login to the Native Squared platform enabling them to visually see their plot and hopefully, grow it, to protect even more.

Creating an inspiring and meaningful event that drives action and fosters connection is no small feat – yet, COM2 not only met but exceeded expectations. Building on the success of COM1, the second Conference of Marketers (COM2) delivered an even more impactful experience, bringing together a diverse group of marketers, sustainability experts, and thought leaders to tackle real-world challenges.

While Gemma and I set the theme and agenda, it’s the collective effort of speakers, panelists, and attendees that truly bring the event to life. The honesty, passion, and generosity of all that participated created an atmosphere of collaboration and inspiration that resonated throughout the day.

In the context of sustainability, the language we use can either motivate and educate audiences raising awareness and triggering collective action or, alienate them giving way to feelings of overwhelm or disengagement. As marketers and business leaders we have a unique opportunity to bridge the gap between the challenges we face and society by sharing messages that resonate, educate and make people see that we all have a role to play. But how do we move from jargon-filled corporate speak to language that truly connects? Let’s explore why how we communicate matters and how we can use language in an effective and meaningful way to meet our broader goals and objectives.

Many organisations continue to focus on external stakeholders when it comes to talking about their sustainability agendas, but here’s the thing – have you actually talked about what you are doing internally yet? More and more organisation are overlooking their biggest asset, their employees. Engaged, aware and empowered employees are the biggest driving force behind your sustainability strategy, turning goals into action and action into progress. So, how do you tap into this potential?

We were thrilled to be approached by the C Space team to be two of the six experts sharing viewpoints and insights around their recent research project, The ‘S’ Word.

The climate emergency is the most existential issue facing the planet. Yet ‘sustainability’ is one of the biggest drivers of inaction. It challenges governments who remain hostage to short-term needs for votes and vested corporate interests. It roots brands fearful of greenwashing and green-hushing to the spot. It makes culture warriors of consumers who feel lost, humbled, righteous, confused and guilty all at once. Sustainability is toxic. Sustainability is life-giving. Sustainability needs a new approach.

Can Marketing Save the Planet is thrilled to be hosting our next Conference of Marketers in March 2025.

COM2 is set for 12th March and we're back with a brilliantly inspirational set of speakers, panels and 'action focused workshops'. 

Our 2025 theme explores ‘How does/do business/Marketers drive being a force for change from the inside.’ And we'd love for you to join us.

On 14th March, just shy of 100 Marketers and sustainability professionals joined together in the inaugural COM Event. The focus to bring the wisdom of the crowd to tackle three key areas impacting business and therefore, Marketers:

1. Net Zero and Decarbonisation - The Role Marketing Plays

2. Storytelling - Changing the narrative to drive necessary behaviour change

3. Rethinking Marketing Metrics and Meaningful Measures of Success

View the COM1 Summary Report for key findings, outcomes and projects we’re working on towards COM2 in Spring 2025.

We were thrilled to be invited back to a second Fireside Chat with the MarketingKind team in February.

Caroline Taylor, OBE, former CMO of IBM Global Markets, interviewed us exploring some of the most high profile environmental and sustainability challenges facing businesses and the most practical solutions from the world of marketing.

We covered ideas from our new book Can Marketing Save the Planet?: 101 Practical Ways to Use Sustainable Marketing as a Force for Good and the COM1 - Conference of Marketing, which they are organising for March 14th in London.

The discussion covered everything from our role in narrating a better pathway to sustainability, to shifting how we live, achieving environmental and social growth and recognising Earth a key stakeholder. Tune in.

We’ve given our Sustainable Marketing Learning Zone a navigational makeover!

A free resource for marketing, communications and business professionals sharing the most current information, views and insights around what is happening across sustainability and sustainable marketing. Updated regularly the Learning Zone is designed to educate and drive awareness on the biggest challenges we face. Our hope is that the resources ignite a fire to motivate continuous education and action.

So are you up for the 100 Points Challenge?

Start now.

COM1 is here… Conference of Marketers, 14th March, London. Rethinking Marketing as a Force for Good - Uniting skills, creativity, influence to drive awareness, collective action and meaningful change.

We get asked this a lot - so here goes…

Sustainable Marketing isn’t about totally reinventing marketing, but rather about rethinking all guises of marketing through a responsible lens. Sustainable Marketing typically has two fundamental operations. We refer to this as the inside outside.

So, what do we mean by that?

What a fabulous evening meeting fellow authors to celebrate achievements.

Whilst we didn’t win the overall Business Book of the Year award, our book, Sustainable Marketing - How to Drive Profits with Purpose did win Highly Commended in the Change and Sustainability category.

We’re all super proud - and of course the book has been the catalyst for the continued work Gemma and I continue with at Can Marketing Save the Planet.

WOW, well this was a surprise. Gemma and I were thrilled to be awarded the Special Award for Outstanding Contribution to Marketing by the Women in Marketing Awards 2022.

It was great to meet many other inspirational women and share the celebration and success…

We’ve been liaising and talking and agreeing with Alexis Eyre for the past couple of years, so it was great that I got to chat with Alexis when we were interviewed by Amelie Lambert, of Little Black Book Online - to talk about the education challenge around advertising and marketing’s role in the climate crisis - and why community-level thinking is needed to make systemic change.

We unpacked a number of themes, ideas - tune in…

In this exclusive, open-to-all webinar, join sustainable marketing experts Gemma Butler and Michelle Carvill, as they dissect the Green Claims Code, a recent mandate set out by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

The new code has the power to end greenwashing for good, and lays out six key questions that businesses must align their environmental claims with, or risk facing legal action. Join our live webinar to discover what these questions are, how they can be implemented and common mistakes to avoid when making any green claims.

Watch now

What a year for our Can Marketing Save the Planet podcast - with 23 incredible guests and conversations. So many insights and such diversity of knowledge and expertise - all pulled together answering the question...'Can Marketing Save the Planet?'.

As members of the MarketingKind community, Gemma and I were thrilled to be invited as part of their ‘Fair COP’ series, in the run up to COP26 to discuss the question… ‘Can Marketing Save the Planet?’

We’re thrilled that The Carbon Literacy Project are the latest Partnersto support our Sustainable Marketer Manifesto- a ‘hippocratic oath’ for marketers.

So what is Carbon Literacy?: “An awareness of the carbon dioxide costs and impacts of everyday activities, and the ability and motivation to reduce emissions, on an individual, community and organisational basis.”

And the Carbon Literacy Project is championing helping individuals get on board with educating themselves and others around what can be done to reduce emissions.