Consumer attitudes towards sustainability have evolved dramatically over recent years. Once confined to recycling and renewable energy, environmental consciousness now permeates nearly every aspect of daily life – including how we communicate with businesses. According to YouGov research, 60% of Britons agree that climate change is the biggest threat to civilisation. As people become more aware of the broader environmental impacts of their everyday choices, businesses must respond by aligning their communication strategies with consumer sustainability expectations.
For a long time, digital communications – especially email – have been widely recognised as the environmentally friendly alternative to traditional print. In fact, 94% of UK consumers believe that digital channels are the most sustainable form of communication, and email tops the list as the most environmentally friendly.
As sustainability becomes an increasing priority, consumers are seeking reassurance and guidance to feel confident that their communication choices align with their environmental values. This presents an opportunity for businesses to proactively support their customers by providing clear, accessible information about the sustainability of different communication options.
The sustainability perception challenge
Today’s consumers are increasingly scrutinising their interactions with businesses through the lens of sustainability. More than half (52%) of UK consumers would like more guidance on the environmental impact of their communication choices, and 44% admit that they are still unsure about the most sustainable choice. This highlights a significant gap between existing perceptions and consumers’ desire for transparency and clarity.
A generational shift further amplifies this challenge. Younger consumers have a higher awareness and concern about environmental sustainability. In fact, 61% of 18-34-year-olds want to better understand the environmental impact of communication channels compared to 47% of 55+. For younger consumers, sustainability isn’t just an additional consideration. It’s becoming a fundamental criterion influencing their brand loyalty and purchasing decisions. In fact, the same YouGov research found that Gen Z are the most concerned with climate change, with 70% believing that it was the biggest threat to civilisation. They expect businesses to proactively engage, educate, and reassure them that their interactions align with broader environmental values.
For businesses, this represents an opportunity rather than a threat. Companies can proactively bridge this knowledge gap by providing clear, credible information for instance on how they’re improving sustainability or reducing emissions. Businesses willing to engage openly and transparently around sustainability issues stand to gain substantial customer loyalty, particularly among younger, environmentally conscious consumers.
Aligning consumer preferences through strategic communications
True sustainability in communication doesn’t come from choosing one channel labelled as the ‘greenest’. Instead, you can best achieve sustainability by closely matching communication methods to individual customer preferences. When businesses deliver messages via a customer’s preferred channel, they ensure higher engagement, fewer repetitions, and significantly reduced waste from ignored or redundant communications. For instance, a company may choose to send emails rather than physical mail to reduce its carbon footprint. However, if a customer doesn’t regularly check their email, then this attempt at sustainability becomes redundant as the energy usage can build up over time. Instead, the customer may prefer to receive SMS messages or in-app notifications, but the organisation is missing out on these alternative communication channels. Not only will this reduce the impact of sustainability efforts but frustrate the customer and push them to competitors.
As well as communicating on the right channel, companies need to ensure they’re messaging at the right time. For example, retailers should time promotional communications for when they’re going to have the greatest effect rather than bombarding customers in the lead up to a sale in the hope it will lead to more conversions.
Likewise, utilities companies should communicate updates to a customer’s account in one consolidated and clear message, rather than letting customers know about multiple minor changes over a longer period. By adopting an omnichannel communication strategy, businesses can ensure that customers aren’t getting overwhelmed by the amount of information they’re receiving and be more environmentally responsible.
Educating and reassuring consumers
To fully realise the benefits of sustainable communications, businesses must actively educate and reassure their customers.
Consumers desire greater transparency; nearly 70% say they want businesses to communicate more clearly about their sustainability efforts. Consumer education campaigns can take various forms, from clearly articulated sustainability statements in regular annual mortgage reports, to dedicated online interactive tools demonstrating the environmental impact of different communication choices. By proactively educating customers about why certain channels are used and the environmental considerations behind these decisions, businesses build trust and credibility.
When consumers understand the reasoning behind communication choices – and see genuine sustainability commitment – they feel reassured. This not only supports environmental goals but also strengthens brand relationships and customer loyalty.
Sustainability through customer-centric communications
Ultimately, effective sustainability in communications is closely tied to understanding and respecting customer preferences. Sustainability is not about simply choosing digital or traditional methods. It’s about meaningful, thoughtful engagement tailored to individual preferences to maximise impact and minimise waste.
Businesses adopting customer-centric, sustainable communication strategies will not only demonstrate environmental responsibility but also deepen customer trust and loyalty. By thoughtfully aligning customer preferences with strategic, environmentally responsible communications, organisations position themselves as sustainable and forward-thinking, trusted leaders in their sectors.
- People & Culture
- Sustainability Technology