Efficiency is critical to make the best use of your resources. Productivity is paramount to fulfilling orders on time. But there’s a third attribute that tends to define the most successful manufacturers — one that may be less obvious to the public at large: transparency.
When many manufacturers first set up a factory or some other kind of facility, for example, they often share their plans with media in the local community and provide insight into the estimated number of new jobs that might be created.
Once a manufacturing facility has been up and running for a time, it’s not uncommon for firms to offer transparency through guided tours, where members of the public can see for themselves how everyday goods are produced and how safety protocols are maintained.
Manufacturers have another opportunity today to build upon this history of transparency by sharing more details about their use of clean energy as part of their sustainability strategy.
At an industry-wide level, there is little doubt that the future of clean energy is bright. According to a 2021 report from Clean Energy Canada, for example, the clean energy sector’s gross domestic product will grow 58% by 2030, at which point it will make up 29% of the country’ total energy GDP.
This is not just good news for the planet, but for the labour market as well. The same report forecasts clean energy jobs will grow 50% over the next eight years. Contrast that with the growth of jobs in fossil fuels, which is projected to grow at only 9%.
Customers may hear some of these statistics when they’re reported in the news, but the story becomes more meaningful when they see concrete examples of clean energy adoption by specific manufacturers.
Of course, most marketing in the manufacturing sector is done in a business-to-business (B2B) context because firms are trying to attract more orders. Clean energy use might not be an obvious theme for those kinds of campaigns, but telling that story could provide incredible value. This includes:
Encouraging The Right Customer Behaviours
Setting a goal to be carbon neutral or even carbon negative is great, but the most meaningful change will come when customers base more of their purchasing decisions on how they affect the environment.
The investments manufacturers have made in developing clean energy practices makes them subject matter experts to help show customers how to do the right thing. The marketing in this case doesn’t have to be self-serving or specifically about your own firm. It can involve creating content that helps define what clean energy is, and the different approaches manufacturers can take.
Improving Access To Talent
Like any sector, manufacturing depends on an constant influx of highly qualified people to take on jobs that are becoming ever more sophisticated.
The adoption of clean energy will only increase the need for good people, and some roles will no doubt be competitive.
Promoting how you’re using clean energy and why could help position you as an employer of choice, particularly if you can talk about your targets and demonstrate your commitment to hitting them.
Enhancing Employee Experiences
Manufacturing has sometimes suffered from a reputation of being a “dirty sector” that contributes negatively to pollution levels. It can’t be easy for those on the front lines in factories having to justify working in manufacturing to their friends and families.
As clean energy strategies become more common in the marketing manufacturers do, employees might feel more engaged in the work that they do, and proud to be part of an organization that shares many of the values of those they know and the community in which they live.
Accelerating Ecosystem Evolution
There are a host of vendors, suppliers and distribution partners who depend on strong ties with manufacturers in order to grow successfully. Marketing a clean energy strategy can not only influence customer decision-making, but how the entire ecosystem could change long-established practices.
Someone needs to get the ball rolling to address some of the environmental dangers that now besiege the planet. A manufacturer who makes its efforts more visible through marketing can create a domino effect of more clean energy adoption across the entire supply chain, which of course makes that company a true industry leader.
Increased Investor Confidence
Beyond the problems they pose to our natural resources, fossil fuels represent a legitimate concern to those who support the businesses that depend upon them.
The cost savings, reduced waste and other business benefits of shifting to clean energy mean those manufacturers will have increased long-term security and stability. That counts when manufactures need further investment to continue their path to growth.
More Opportunity To Gather Insight
The clean energy sector is only possible through the extensive research that has been conducted to find viable alternatives to fossil fuels. We are in many ways still in the early chapters of this story, and experts will continue to look for approaches that can maximize the benefits of clean energy.
Manufacturers who make it clear they are on board with clean energy adoption through their marketing could find it easier to forge effective partnerships with the research community. After all, when progress of any kind is achieved, researchers are looking for help in letting the wider world know. Nothing is more credible than when the news comes straight from manufacturers who have applied the latest research.
If marketing based on sustainability initiatives is new to your organization, remember that this story isn’t just about you. It’s really the story of a journey we’re all taking to decrease our reliance on fossil fuels and make clean energy the basis for a better future.
As a manufacturer, it can only serve to bolster consumer trust and demonstrate you’re not just in existence to roll more products off an assembly line. You’re there to serve society.
