Promo Insiders: Avoid Greenwashing & Grow Sales With Data-Driven Sustainability Practices
Lindsay Hampson, founder of ThisRock and a speaker at the upcoming ASI Orlando show, explains how taking simple steps to measure and mitigate environmental impact can help all distributors save money and increase business.
Greenwashing is so passe.
“Businesses don’t want you to just turn your logo green or have a leaf over it and a paragraph about how you planted a tree last year,” says Lindsay Hampson, founder of sustainability consultancy ThisRock.
What they do want is the “stamp of approval” that comes from third-party certification and assessment firms looking at your emissions and other environmental and social impact data, she adds.
In this episode of Promo Insiders, ASI Media’s Theresa Hegel chats with Hampson about the kinds of data clients are looking for, why small steps can have big results, and gets a preview of the information Hampson will share during her sessions at the upcoming ASI Orlando, to be held from Jan. 5 to 7.
One thing Hampson wants to emphasize: Reducing energy use and minimizing waste are not only beneficial from an environmental perspective. They’re also smart business moves. “When you put the spotlight on parts of your business you haven’t really looked at before, there are ways to save money,” she says.
Key Takeaways
• Lindsay Hampson, founder of ThisRock, says sustainability is now a client-driven requirement, especially for distributors working with major brands. It’s no longer a niche or optional initiative.
• Companies are increasingly asking small and mid-size promo firms for specific verifiable data, such as EcoVadis certifications or Scope 1 and 2 emissions reporting.
• Despite what many people think, sustainability efforts don’t have to be expensive, Hampson says. Many tools and certifications are affordable, and distributors don’t need to hire a consultant from a giant firm like Deloitte, she adds.
• Building sustainability systems is hardest the first year when baselines need to be set and mindsets shift. Subsequent years get easier as processes and tracking structures are put in place.
• Sustainability often exposes operational inefficiencies, meaning companies can save money by tracking utilities, reducing waste and optimizing energy use.
• The key to avoiding greenwashing is using data and transparency, not vague claims, and sharing both progress and shortcomings openly.
• ESG (environmental, social and governance) as a term may be fading from prominence, Hampson says, but sustainability expectations from clients remain strong and aren’t going away.