Sustainability is still a buzzword, writes Sarah Keith, group managing director of Active International and Involved Media. But that needs to change. Here, she issues a call for a mindset shift ahead of her session at Cairns Crocodiles, presented by Pinterest next week.
It is plastered on coffee cups, emblazoned on ad campaigns, and proudly declared on corporate websites. But for all the talk of compostable lids and net-zero targets, a more sobering question looms for marketers: are we actually creating meaningful change, or just recycling marketing spin?
In an era where brands are under pressure to do better for future generations the rhetoric of sustainability has become ubiquitous. The risk, however, is that good intentions turn into easy slogans, and meaningful progress gets lost in all the noise.
Let’s be honest. In boardrooms and media planning meetings alike, ROI still calls the shots. Purpose is powerful, but if it doesn’t prove its commercial value, it often struggles to compete. That’s the very real tension that many marketers and brands are quietly navigating: how far can you stretch your sustainability agenda before your budget snaps?
The days of green or having sustainability credentials as a brand differentiator are over.
Today, it’s an expectation, driven increasingly by markets and governance requirements, and consumers are increasingly savvy. They can spot greenwashing a mile away and are quick to call out superficial commitments. Brands that fail to back up their claims with credible, measurable action don’t just risk reputational damage, rather they risk irrelevance.
We’re seeing this play out across the industry. Ad Net Zero Australia has 25 foundation supporters and organisations such as the Payback Project are starting to get traction and the Climate Changers meet up grows each quarter Media buyers are beginning to weigh sustainability in their decisions, but it’s often the first consideration to fall away when cost pressures and budgetary consideration really hit. And while some organisations are investing in carbon calculators or cleaner supply chains, many others are at risk of just ticking ESG boxes.
So, let’s look at some of the tough questions that brands and marketers should be asking:
Is my brand truly reshaping their operations to be more sustainable, or just playing the optics (read: greenwashing) game and ticking the boxes?
Does sustainability influence our media spend—or does it sit on the sidelines as the budget tightens? Are we prepared to spend more on channels that align with our sustainability goals?
Where’s the line between green ambition and greenwashing, and who’s holding it? What checks are in place to ensure we are doing the right thing for the right reasons?
Let’s stop pretending this is easy. Sustainability is hard. It demands investment, innovation, and often uncomfortable change. Last month’s news that Zero Co was shutting down was disappointing after the incredible job they have done changing purchasing habits and significantly reducing plastic waste along the way. But it’s not a trade-off between ethics and economics. Done well, it can deliver both. The challenge is moving from ambition to action and embedding sustainability into business models, not just marketing messages.
That means accountability. It means building partnerships that prioritise transparency. It means recognising that real change doesn’t come from one department or one campaign, but from every part of the business.
Personally I believe this moment calls for more than glossy promises. It calls for a shift in mindset. We as an industry need to move from ‘how do we market sustainability?’ to ‘how do we make it meaningful and measurable?’ Our clients, our teams, and our industry deserve nothing less.
It’s a challenge. One that the media and marketing industry must rise to meet because turning green into gold isn’t just a slogan, it’s a challenge.
Sarah Keith is hosting a session at Cairns Crocodiles on “Turning Green to Gold” looking at the future of sustainability at 4pm Wednesday May 14, 2025. She will be joined on the panel Professor Veena Sahajwalla, Caroline Wood Head of Marketing, Fever-Tree, Bella Ericson Brand Manager Vitasoy Australia.
