Internet and sustainability: remain silent, listen or engage in dialogue?

29 sep 2008

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In recent weeks, electronics manufacturers in particular have stood in their self-created spotlight. In late August, alarming reports emerged about mountains of computers, TVs and other products dumped in African countries. And on 16 September, Greenpeace published a supplementary report about the 'greenness' of electronics manufacturers. This prompted Jungle Rating to examine to what degree these companies use the internet to engage in a dialogue about their social responsibility.

Websites seem to focus primarily on announcements and financial reporting

Most electronics manufacturers devote – like many companies – part of their websites to corporate social responsibility, which include the following:

Information about mission, vision and ambition
Sustainability reports
Case studies, initiatives and other activities

However, relatively few electronics manufacturers mention the Greenpeace study, which is not surprising considering the large number of companies that have ended up in the red zone.

Greenpeace: Green guide of electronics manufacturers

Nokia and Dell in particular stand out when it comes to engaging in real dialogue.

Dell listens and responds

Dell’s own community platform, www.Direct2Dell.com, has a category called ‘environment’. This is one of the most popular subjects on the forum, measured by the number of posts it receives. Responses are not overabundant, however, but Dell is encouraging users to provide feedback about Dell’s sustainability.

Dell does not only respond on its own platform but also on external websites. A customer who had ordered a USB stick at Dell received it in a box that had enough space for four Dell computers. He voiced his surprise about Dell’s pointless wastefulness on the Y2kers.com website. Dell’s online sleuths picked up on the message and responded to the post itself and via Direct2Dell. Dell said that it will deal with their packaging policy, which is handled by a third-party vendor.

ShareIdeas.org: initiative by Nokia

What is going on in other sectors?

There appear to be a few ‘trendsetters’ in other sectors as well, who use the web to engage in a dialogue about sustainability.

TNT – www.TNTPlanetMe.com
TNT, recently re-elected as global leader on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, has established TNTPlanetMe.com. Their own employees, as well as external stakeholders, can exchange ideas and pointers on this social platform about the reduction of CO2 emissions. While co-creation is reigning supreme in online marketing, TNT is cleverly playing the co-reduction card.

Chevron – www.WillYouJoinUs.com
Shell is frequently mentioned in the energy market because of the Shell dialogues. A more recent example is the American energy giant Chevron who, together with The Economist, established a platform focusing on energy and climate change. Weekly propositions are posted on the website, WillYouJoinUs.com, which prompt frequent and intense discussions. Chevron elaborates on a variety of energy dilemmas in a game called Energyville, which resembles SimCity.

The first steps have been taken

We believe it’s a positive step that there are ‘first movers’ who are using the internet to talk about sustainability. For now, one can divide the way these companies use the internet into three variants:

1. The TNT and Nokia method: Create your own platform, the success of which – just like with other social networks – depends on the effort you put into it as a company and the interest that stakeholders express in the subject.

2. The Dell method: Immediate and recognizable responses on the site where issues are being discussed (as well as having your own platform). In the Netherlands, the UPC webcare team and Vodafone Web Relations are often mentioned as they use the same method.

3. The Chevron method: Make use of a prominent player in the media industry to conduct a targeted discussion about, in this case, energy and climate change.

Choosing one of the three methods appears to hinge mainly on the situation, the company and the importance attributed to sustainability. What the three methods do have in common is that the companies who are engaging in dialogue are making an implicit promise to listen seriously – and respond – to issues that move their supporters. That appears to be the main benefit.