Green Gone Wild – A change in brand perception?

In 2008 Business Pundit (BP) listed one of the most controversial companies in their 25 Big Companies That Are Going Green article. Who was it you ask? (Insert drum roll here) Goldman Sachs!

According to BP, in 2005 Goldman Sachs got on the green bandwagon by investing in renewable energy including solar, ethanol, and wind. Consequently they made another financial killing! FYI, they also ranked #102 Newsweek’s 2016 list of Top Green Companies in the U.S.

Their interest in going green was purely financial (the other green). After all, when we think of Goldman Sachs as a brand,  some folks would put it on the list of “All Things Evil in the World”. Therefore, when it comes to company branding, perception is everything (Arslanagic-Kalajdzic & Zabkar, 2017). Nowadays, essentially every major company has adopted a CSR policy as part of their company branding.

However for some brands, getting a green thumb seems a bit of a mix match. Along with Goldman Sachs, other brands associated with often harmful products or unfriendly business practices include: Clorox (Clorox Green), ExxonMobil, and Walmart.

My feelings are mixed when it comes to companies expanding their brand by incorporating better environmental practices. Don’t get me wrong, I believe taking care of our environment is everyone’s responsibility – it’s already been established that corporations are people too. However, does the increase in profitability jade the level of perceived sincerity of corporate concern for Mother Earth?

What do you think, is it cause for applause regardless of the motive?

Btw, Happy 2017 World Environment Day Everyone!

References

Arslanagic-Kalajdzic, M., & Zabkar, V. (2017). Hold me responsible. Corporate Communications: An International Journal, 22(2), 209-219. doi:10.1108/ccij-01-2016-0012