Author Archives: Averill Doering
Social media can be a powerful tool to help companies better understand stakeholder interests, needs, and concerns—and thus to drive shifts in business practice which create lasting economic, environmental and social value.
Social media effectively pulls back the curtain of traditional sustainability communications to reveal not only what has been or is being accomplished, but who is involved in the process, how programs are implemented and ultimately why sustainability decisions are made in the first place.
The powerful effects of social media stem from a few defining characteristics:
Credibility—Social media communities are built on a common understanding that contributions are authentic, personal perspectives without veiled motivation.
Relevance—Tools to search, sort, rank, and feed enable users and marketers to access content and follow people that are of personal interest and… More
On October 8, 2009, I had the opportunity to attend the Green Effect awards, an event showcasing winners of the sustainability-focused, social media competition sponsored by National Geographic and SunChips.
With winners selected by online voters and a panel of judges, the contest awarded five $20,000 grants to consumers with innovative ideas for how to green their communities.
Following the ceremony I spoke with Gannon Jones, Vice President of Marketing at Frito Lay, about Green Effect and the natural synergies between social media and sustainability.
Gannon emphasized the importance of consumer engagement for driving change in and outside of the organization and reiterated the inspiration behind the contest. “When the SunChips brand first started its sustainability journey, we discovered that there are so many innovative ideas out there which can have a positive impact on the planet. While we’re very proud of… More
