In this article, we’ll explore 10 actionable tips to refine your brand positioning, ensuring that your brand doesn’t just exist in the market but dominates its space.

Our Top 10 Tips on Brand Positioning

In an overcrowded market, simply having a great product or service isn’t enough, you need to own a distinct place in your customers’ minds. That’s where brand positioning comes in. The way consumers perceive your brand compared to competitors influences whether they choose you, stay loyal, or forget you entirely.

But positioning is often confused with brand identity. While they’re closely related, they are not the same. Brand identity is how you present yourself - the logo, colors, and messaging you use. Brand positioning is about how your audience perceives you and what makes you stand out.

Brand positioning is the strategic process of defining how your brand is perceived in the minds of consumers. It’s about carving out a unique space in the market and ensuring that when people think about a product or service in your category, your brand stands out for the right reasons. 

A well-positioned brand creates a strong association with specific values, qualities, or emotions. Think of Volvo - when people hear the name, they immediately think of safety. That’s not by accident; it’s the result of decades of strategic messaging, product development, and marketing efforts reinforcing this positioning.

How is brand positioning different from brand identity? 

It’s easy to confuse brand positioning with brand identity, but they serve different purposes:

<table>
  <tr>
    <th>Brand Positioning</th>
    <th>Brand Identity</th>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Defines your unique place in the market</td>
    <td>Expresses your brand visually and verbally</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Shapes consumer perception</td>
    <td>Shapes how your brand looks, sounds, and feels</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>Involves strategy, differentiation, and messaging</td>
    <td>Includes logos, colors, typography, and tone of voice</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td><strong>Example:</strong> Tesla positions itself as an <em>innovative, sustainable car brand</em></td>
    <td><strong>Example:</strong> Tesla’s clean, minimalist branding and futuristic product design</td>
  </tr>
</table>


Both elements work together: your positioning defines what makes you different, while your identity communicates it through design, language, and experience.

For example, Apple and Samsung both sell premium smartphones (brand identity), but their positioning is different. Apple focuses on innovation, simplicity, and exclusivity, while Samsung leans into cutting-edge technology and customization.

Read on to discover actionable tips to help you craft a brand positioning strategy that sets you apart from the competition. 

Video made possible thanks to AI voice generator Eleven Labs, https://elevenlabs.io/?from=josephale...

Brand positioning is all about how your business, product, or brand differentiates itself from its competitors. It also relates to how customers and consumers in general identify and connect with your brand.


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What is Brand Positioning?

1. Know your audience better than they know themselves

Strong brand positioning starts with a deep understanding of your target audience. If you don’t know exactly who you’re speaking to, your message will lack clarity and impact. 

Instead of trying to appeal to everyone, focus on a specific audience segment that aligns with your brand’s strengths. Define key characteristics such as demographics, values, pain points, and purchasing behaviors.

Nike, for example, doesn’t just sell sportswear, it positions itself as a brand for those striving for greatness, whether they’re elite athletes or everyday fitness enthusiasts. Its tagline, ‘Just Do It’, taps into the mindset of ambition and determination, making the brand universally aspirational.

By understanding your audience’s motivations, you can position your brand as the best choice for their needs.

2. Identify your unique value proposition (UVP)

Your brand positioning is only as strong as the unique value you bring to the market. If customers don’t immediately understand why they should choose you over competitors, your brand will struggle to stand out.

Instead of competing on price or features alone, define what makes your brand truly different. Your UVP should highlight a benefit that competitors can’t easily replicate, whether it’s innovation, quality, sustainability, or an exclusive experience.

Tesla isn’t just another car manufacturer, with its electronic cars it positions itself as a leader in sustainable innovation. While other luxury car brands focus on speed or comfort, Tesla’s brand positioning is built around cutting-edge electric technology and environmental responsibility.

A well-defined UVP ensures that your brand occupies a clear and memorable place in the market.

This short, entertaining business video delivered by https://chunkofchange.com business author, marketing expert and speaker Olga Mizrahi will get you understanding how to use UVP as the basis of all your business communication.  Now, the boring definition: A value proposition is an inherent promise of benefit that a business and/or organization gives the customer, employee, or business partner. The customer understands the value as a benefits minus cost equation for a product or service in the given market. A large part of determining value is comparing to alternatives. Therefore, it is paramount that  the firm communicates the unique part of the UVP, answering the "Why should they choose you?" and  "What makes you different?" questions that are the most overlooked part of any business transaction. Basically: Why Choose YOU???
Transcript
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How To Create a Unique Value Proposition (UVP)

3. Analyse competitors (but don’t copy them)

Understanding your competition is essential for positioning your brand effectively. If you don’t know how other brands are positioning themselves, you risk blending in, or worse, competing in a space that’s already crowded. 

Instead of mimicking successful competitors, identify gaps in the market where your brand can stand out. Look at their messaging, target audience, and key differentiators, then position yourself in a way that offers something new or better.

Lush, the handmade cosmetics brand, entered a highly competitive beauty industry but carved out its own niche by focusing on ethical sourcing, sustainability, and cruelty-free practices. While other brands emphasized luxury or affordability, Lush positioned itself around fresh, handmade, and eco-conscious products, creating a loyal customer base that aligns with its values.

A strong positioning strategy isn’t about being the best - it’s about being different in a way that matters to your audience.

4. Craft a clear and compelling positioning statement

A strong brand positioning statement acts as a guide for all your messaging. It defines how you want your audience to perceive your brand and ensures consistency across marketing, sales, and customer interactions.

Keep your positioning statement concise and specific. Your positioning statement should answer three key questions:

What category or industry does your brand operate in?

What makes your brand unique or better than competitors?

This helps ensure that your brand’s value is instantly clear.

Amazon's positioning vision is to be ‘Earth's most customer-centric company’. This reflects its commitment to providing unparalleled customer satisfaction through a vast selection of products, competitive pricing, and exceptional convenience.

A well-defined positioning statement helps your brand stay focused, memorable, and differentiated in a crowded market.

Learn how to write a positioning statement for your brand with this brand template and example.

#brandpositioningstatement #branding #brandstrategy

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By the end of this video, you’ll know how to write a positioning statement for your brand using a brand positioning statement formula used by top brands.

First, you’ll learn the importance of the brand positioning strategy and how critical it is to construct a positioning statement for clarity of brand message.

Next, you’ll learn what a positioning statement is and how it acts as an internal guide for strategic brand development and communication.

Then, we’ll clear up the overarching strategic purpose of the brand positioning statement and cover the key elements to an effective positi9oning statement.

Next, you’ll learn the steps used by top brand strategists to create a brand positioning statement.

Finally, we’ll look at a brand positioning statement example using this formula so you can see exactly how to apply it to your brand.

0:00 How To Write A Positioning Statement
1:04 What Is A Positioning Statement?
1:54 What Is The Purpose Of A Positioning Statement?
2:45 Key Elements Of A Positioning Statement
3:16 Step #1 Define Your Target Audience
3:43 Step #2 Uncover Their Pain Points
4:13 Step #3 Define The Outcome Or Experience
4:35 Step #4 Competitive Alternative
4:59 Step #5 Differentiation






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How To Write A Positioning Statement (Brand Template + Example)

5. Align your messaging with your positioning

Your brand positioning should be reinforced through every interaction customers have with your business. If your messaging is inconsistent, it creates confusion and weakens your position in the market.

Ensure that your website, ads, social media, and customer service all reflect your brand’s positioning. Use a consistent tone, storytelling approach, and key messages to reinforce how you want your brand to be perceived.

Patagonia’s brand positioning is built around environmental responsibility and sustainable outdoor gear. This message is consistently reinforced through:

Product descriptions that emphasize ethical sourcing

Marketing campaigns focused on environmental activism

A commitment to repairing, not just selling, outdoor clothing

When brands maintain consistent messaging across all channels, they build trust, strengthen their market position, and create a clear, lasting impression in the minds of consumers.

Consumers don’t just buy products, they buy into feelings, values, and experiences. The most successful brands create an emotional connection with their audience, making their positioning more powerful and memorable.

Identify the core emotion you want your brand to evoke, whether it’s excitement, trust, nostalgia, or empowerment. Then, weave that emotion into your branding, messaging, and customer interactions.

Apple doesn’t just position itself as a tech company, it connects with consumers through innovation, creativity, and a sense of exclusivity. Its marketing focuses on the idea that owning an Apple product is about self-expression and thinking differently, rather than just using technology.

In contrast, Microsoft focuses on productivity, reliability, and functionality. While Apple’s brand positioning is about inspiring creativity, Microsoft’s positioning is built around efficiency and empowering businesses. Both are successful, but Apple’s emotional branding fosters a more aspirational connection with its audience.

Brands that successfully tap into emotions create stronger customer loyalty and differentiate themselves in ways that go beyond price or features.

7. Choose the right market positioning strategy

Every brand needs a clear and intentional strategy for how it positions itself in the market. Choosing the right approach ensures that your brand stands out and appeals to the right audience. 

There are several types of market positioning strategies, and selecting the right one depends on your industry, target audience, and competitive landscape. Some common approaches include:

Price-based positioning: Competing on affordability (eg. Walmart’s focus on low prices)

Luxury-based positioning: Emphasising exclusivity and premium quality (eg. Rolex)

Niche positioning: Targeting a highly specific audience segment (eg. Glossier’s appeal to millennial beauty consumers)

Innovation-led positioning: Standing out through cutting-edge technology (eg. Tesla)

Customer service positioning: Competing by offering the best customer experience (eg. Amazon)

Dollar Shave Club disrupted the razor industry by positioning itself against premium-priced brands like Gillette. Instead of competing on product quality alone, it used a price-based and convenience-driven positioning strategy, offering an affordable subscription model with a playful brand personality. This unique positioning helped it quickly gain market share and redefine the category.

Choosing the right strategy ensures that your brand is memorable, competitive, and relevant to your audience.

What is brand positioning?  In this video, you’ll learn exactly what it is and how to go about developing your own strategy.

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It is without a doubt the most critical element of a brand strategy and places your brand in the mind of your audience.


Using a unique differentiator, you must plant a seed in the mind of your audience as to why they should choose your brand over your competitors.



If you succeed, your audience will place your brand in a unique position in their mind that they can easily recall when it comes to the buying decision.


Your Audience Positions Your Brand
Contrary to popular belief, a brand doesn’t position itself. The audience positions the brand.


As much as your brand attempts to influence where your audience places your brand within their mind, ultimately that’s something your audience does by themselves.




The end goal of brand positioning is to own an idea that your audience associates with your brand and your brand alone.


This idea is spawned in the development of your positioning strategy and once the idea is clear, the supporting elements of your brand strategy places that idea in the mind of your audience. 


Depending on how well your messaging is aligned with your positioning strategy, the idea might land or might not.





Philip Kotler is thought of as “The Father of Modern Marketing” and he defined brand positioning as 
“the act of designing the company’s offering and image to occupy a distinctive place in the mind of the target market”




The strategy of your brand positioning is the research and development of your idea.


Simply coming up with an idea as to why you’re different doesn’t mean your idea is the right one.


There are a number of important elements at play, which need to be considered during the development of the strategy.




0:00   3 Keys To A Brand Positioning Strategy
1:36   Defining What You Do Differently
1:59   Philip Kotler's Definition Of Positioning
2:39   Key #1 - Make The Position Easy For Your Audience
3:59   Key #2 - Always Keep The End Goal In Mind
6:17   Key #3 - Differentiation Is Creative Thinking

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3 Keys To A Brand Positioning Strategy

8. Communicate consistently across every touchpoint

Brand positioning isn’t just about what you say, it’s about how consistently you say it. If your messaging, visuals, and customer experience don’t align, your brand’s position in the market will become unclear.

Every interaction a customer has with your brand should reinforce the same core message and values. From your website and ads to customer service and packaging, ensure that your tone, design, and messaging stay consistent.

Red Bull’s brand positioning is built around energy, action, and extreme sports. This is reinforced across all touchpoints:

Sponsoring adrenaline-fueled events like cliff diving and Formula 1

Using high-energy visuals and short, punchy messaging in advertising

Maintaining an informal and adventurous brand tone across social media

When a brand’s messaging remains consistent, it strengthens recognition, builds trust, and ensures that customers associate it with the right positioning.

9. Monitor and adapt your positioning over time

Brand positioning isn’t static, it needs to evolve with market trends, consumer preferences, and competitive shifts. A positioning strategy that worked five years ago may not be as effective today. 

Regularly assess your brand’s positioning by gathering customer feedback, tracking market trends, and analyzing competitors. If your audience’s needs change or new competitors emerge, be prepared to refine your messaging and strategy.

Netflix originally positioned itself as a DVD rental service, competing with Blockbuster. As consumer behavior shifted toward streaming, it adapted its positioning to become a global leader in on-demand entertainment. Had Netflix stuck to its original positioning, it would have met a similar fate to Blockbuster. 

Brands that stay responsive to changes in their industry maintain relevance and strengthen their position in the long term.

A strong brand positioning strategy doesn’t just attract customers, it turns them into loyal advocates who actively promote your brand. Word-of-mouth marketing and customer recommendations can be more powerful than any advertising campaign. 

Encourage customers to engage with and talk about your brand. This can be done through referral programs, user-generated content, loyalty rewards, or exceptional customer service. A brand with passionate advocates reinforces its positioning and strengthens credibility.

Peloton positioned itself as not just a fitness brand, but a movement. Through interactive classes, social engagement, and leaderboards, it fostered a strong community where users motivate each other. This sense of belonging has turned Peloton users into active brand advocates who promote the experience organically.

When customers identify strongly with your brand’s positioning, they become your most valuable marketing asset.

No description has been added to this video.
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Greenly - The go-to carbon accounting platform for your business!

Regardless of your brand’s positioning, one thing is clear, consumers increasingly care about the sustainability of the brands they engage with. Companies that integrate sustainability into their business strategy not only meet regulatory expectations but also strengthen their positioning as responsible, forward-thinking brands.

At Greenly, we help businesses take real action on sustainability by providing: 

Comprehensive carbon tracking: Measure and monitor your company’s carbon footprint across Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions.

Tailored action plans: Identify specific ways to reduce emissions while maintaining business efficiency.

Sustainable supply chain solutions: Ensure your brand aligns with sustainability expectations by working with low-impact suppliers.

Regulatory compliance support: Stay ahead of environmental regulations and build credibility with transparent sustainability reporting.

Integrating carbon management into your brand strategy isn’t just good for the planet, it’s a key differentiator in today’s market.

Want to learn how Greenly can help strengthen your brand’s positioning through sustainability? Get in touch with us today.

Forbes, Branding Vs. Positioning—And How To Seamlessly Blend Them, https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesagencycouncil/2023/09/13/branding-vs-positioning-and-how-to-seamlessly-blend-them/

Forbes, What Brand Positioning Is And Why It’s Important For Your Business, https://www.forbes.com/councils/theyec/2022/01/14/what-brand-positioning-is-and-why-its-important-for-your-business/

Branding Compass, Value Proposition: What it is and why it’s helpful, https://brandingcompass.com/unique-value-proposition-uvp/value-proposition-what-it-is-and-why-its-helpful/

Harvard Business School Business Insights, Crafting the Perfect Brand Positioning Statement, https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/brand-positioning-statement

Greenly, Greenhouse gas emissions Scopes 1,2 and 3, https://greenly.earth/en-us/blog/company-guide/greenhouse-gas-emissions-scopes-1-2-and-3

Greenly, Electric cars: are they really ecological?, https://greenly.earth/en-us/blog/ecology-news/electric-cars-are-they-really-ecological

If you’re going carbon neutral or net zero, you’ll need sophisticated carbon tracking and reporting in place. In this article, we explain why carbon tracking is pivotal in your climate journey.

Why is Carbon Tracking Essential to Stay Accountable?

In the wake of COP28, headlining natural disasters and frequent public protests, rising efforts to reduce carbon emissions and pave the way for a more sustainable future – many businesses are making an effort to go green: such as by abandoning the use of fossil fuels, shifting to renewable energy, giving up plastics, and more.

Ultimately, all of these efforts are meant to help business hit their reduction targets and also strive towards carbon neutral or net zero – as the main goal is to offset their ecological impact, in order to limit world temperature's rise and tackle climate change.

However, without sophisticated tracking and reporting in place such as a carbon tracker to help reduce your carbon footprint or improve supplier engagement – these announcements hold little weight.

When it comes to carbon footprints, the old business adage holds true: what gets measured gets managed. If you don’t have a clear picture of the size of your carbon footprint, and don’t know which activities are responsible for which portion of emissions – any claims for sustainability are about as helpful as declaring that your diet starts tomorrow.

👉 In this article, we’ll dive deep into carbon technologies, explaining the difference between tracking and reporting, breaking down how emissions are calculated, and analyzing why measurement and reporting are essential for achieving corporate emissions targets and staying on track with CSR and ESG commitments.

Carbon tracking is a comprehensive way to measure and track carbon emissions from both direct emissions and indirect emissions. It allows businesses to calculate the greenhouse gas emissions that result from every one of their business activities, and get a clear picture of their footprint and the best opportunities for making reductions. 

💡 Carbon tracking is key to success for companies looking to save money, reduce their ecological footprint, better understand emission factors, avoid excess carbon dioxide emissions, and most importantly – if they want to demonstrate themselves as a sustainable company to the global community.

As extreme weather events roiled communities around the world this summer, businesses and governments are feeling more pressure than ever to respond to climate change.

Tracking emissions has historically been difficult, because the methods for tracking a company’s carbon footprint are all over the place. In the U.S., corporate sustainability reporting remains unstandardized and largely voluntary. But the landscape looks better in Europe, as a recently adopted proposal is set to expand the number of companies that must produce sustainability reports. That measure will also require more detailed and standardized disclosures and impose mandatory audits.

That’s where companies like Plan A and Planetly come in. These Berlin-based startups make software that helps companies monitor, report and reduce their carbon emissions, and the market for their services is booming. Meanwhile, apps like Klima, which help individuals offset their own personal emissions, are also growing rapidly.

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Why Tracking Carbon Emissions Is Suddenly A Billion Dollar Opportunity

Why Tracking Carbon Emissions Is Suddenly A Billion Dollar Opportunity

Carbon reporting comes after tracking, and it simply means publishing the data you’ve collected. This helps to set benchmarks for reporting, and creates transparency both internally and externally, and allows for clearer inter-company comparisons.

Ideally, reporting isn’t a one-off activity: it’s a quarterly, bi-annual or annual document produced in a standard format, that then allows your company and other people interested in its climate impact to map your  progress and see whether you’re delivering on your promises.

Why are carbon tracking and reporting important?

Carbon tracking and reporting are important as they both can help to support overall efforts towards improved sustainability in business.

Here are a few reasons why carbon tracking and carbon reporting are important:

Tracks Environmental Impact – Companies and governments alike can more easily identify opportunities to improve their sustainable business model, make more informed decisions, and ultimately measure and reduce their carbon footprint more effectively. 

Greater Emission Reductions – By providing companies with a rough estimate of their carbon footprint using average values in respect to their business's locale, companies can then better identify areas where emissions can be reduced – such as with purchased electricity or other power sources.

 Regulatory Compliance – These days, reporting requirements such as from the CSRD and the SEC Climate Disclosure Rule make it compulsory to publicly disclose a companies emissions – and carbon tracking can help to simply this lengthy process. 

Boosts Corporate Transparency – Carbon reporting and tracking helps to boost trust with   stakeholders, investors, and customers, which can overall help a business to flourish and create a loyal base in the midst of a company's climate journey. 

Newfound Innovation & Efficiency – Working towards emissions reductions often spurs innovation and can result in the development of cleaner technologies and energy-efficient processes.

Potential Sustainable Investments – ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) investors often garner themselves towards companies with strong carbon management policies in place, meaning that businesses committed to carbon tracking and reporting may benefit from sustainable finance.

Supply Chain Sustainability – Carbon tracking often involves engaging your suppliers in the decarbonization process, allowing for scope 3 emission reductions.

The table below will further demonstrate the ways in which carbon tracking and reporting can prove useful:

<table border="1">
    <tr>
        <th>Benefit</th>
        <th>Description</th>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>Regulatory Compliance</td>
        <td>Ensures organizations meet environmental laws and carbon emissions regulations.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>Cost Savings</td>
        <td>Identifies energy inefficiencies, leading to reduced operational costs.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>Corporate Reputation</td>
        <td>Enhances brand image by demonstrating sustainability efforts to customers and stakeholders.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>Investment & Funding</td>
        <td>Attracts investors looking for environmentally responsible companies.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>Risk Management</td>
        <td>Helps mitigate risks associated with future carbon pricing and regulations.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>Supply Chain Optimization</td>
        <td>Encourages sustainable practices throughout the supply chain.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>Employee & Customer Engagement</td>
        <td>Inspires eco-conscious behavior among employees and attracts sustainability-minded customers.</td>
    </tr>
</table>


It's important to remember that the best emissions reports will not only deal with measurements or disclosures for total gas emissions, but also provide a breakdown of which activities and areas the business is most responsible – often aiming to include a specific percentage of emissions. 

👉 Furthermore, the best carbon reports will provide an analysis and report on the way to improvement, how they plan to set new goals, and readjust existing ones based on new insights. Lastly, they'll highlight new areas of opportunity for the future, and also look at opportunities for offsetting essential emissions.

If all of this sounds like a complicated, it's because it is – but the good news is, measurement and reporting can easily be a done-for-you service. As a company looking to measure and limit its emissions, it doesn’t have to be complicated from your end – that’s our job!

💡Third party software and technologies like Greenly's carbon tracker will help you analyze your Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions on a daily basis, and create a custom plan for emissions reduction. While your company gets down to business with reducing emissions, Greenly can also help you find verified carbon offsets for investment.

7 reasons why carbon tracking and reporting are essential for staying accountable to your emissions targets

You can’t improve what you can’t measure

We’re used to corporations and country governments making lofty promises when it comes to reducing emissions, but an emissions target — without the right structures and measurements in place to measure progress and bring it to fruition — is just an empty promise (and could lead to greenwashing).

Carbon accounting turns carbon emissions data into numeric equivalents, making your emissions quantifiable. Putting your footprint into objective metrics gives you a clear picture of where you’re at, and helps you set realistic targets and define the steps needed to achieve them.

💡 For example, when Amazon committed to achieving zero emissions by 2040, this was supported by a commitment to regular reporting, as well as implementing decarbonization strategies and investing in credible offset schemes.

When companies report publicly on their data and progress year on year, this creates the necessary framework for greater accountability.

Pressure from investors, stakeholders, employees and consumers acts as an effective incentive for corporations to deliver on their climate pledges.

Even if reports reveal that a company is struggling or has failed to achieve their targets, the benefit of collecting and disclosing climate-related data is that the data can usually uncover where the project went wrong, and how to improve it in the future.

Though it isn't mandatory for many companies yet, many governments - and investors - are already requiring that certain large  corporations track and report on carbon emissions. 

👉 The European Union, for example, requires large companies (including financial institutions like banks, insurance and listed companies) to publish regular reports on the social and environmental impacts of their activities.

With many other countries and organizations soon following suit (including the SEC’s newly proposed climate disclosure rule), as well as consumers, it’s smart to stay ahead of the curve, anticipate legal constraints, and start tracking greenhouse gas emissions across as many or all areas of your business – if possible.

These days, we’re skeptical of bold promises, but won over by data. If your company plans to make environmental commitments, the only way to ensure consumers, stakeholders and employees are actually invested in and supportive of your efforts is to disclose your environmental impact data in regular reports.

Consistently reporting on your way towards your net zero targets, as well as admitting and analyzing your failures when they happen, has a great importance. It is an extremely effective way to build a culture of trust, and demonstrate transparency internally and externally.

A climate declaration is one thing, but regular reporting on your climate change progress can be an enormous asset for your brand image. When the world is exhausted by offset scams, greenwashing scandals and vague, empty statements, transparency over exactly how much carbon your company emits is a way to answer the demand for confidence. This can help your business win over new customers, and secure the loyalty of existing ones.

💡 In other words: your brand becomes more competitive in its respective market, by contributing to limit global warming.

If you’re B2B, it also opens new opportunities for companies looking specifically for quality and sustainable providers, and if you’re  publicly listed or looking for funding, ESG investing has never been more popular.

Carbon tracker uncovers carbon-cutting opportunities

When you conduct a carbon assessment, you’ll often find that your most polluting expenses come from Scope 3 — your supply chain.

Switching to carbon-light providers can make an enormous difference to your company’s carbon footprint, even though these emissions are considered indirect, rather than direct

💡 It’s estimated that about 90% of a company’s greenhouse gas emissions come from its supply chain. Therefore, if you want to shift to sustainability model – don’t ignore Scope 3! In addition to this, switching to more carbon-friendly suppliers — such as renewable energy providers — often has the effect of being more financially friendly, too.

Tracking optimizes your business model and turnover

And carbon assessments don’t just reveal opportunities for emissions savings. Inevitably, when you calculate your carbon footprint, you produce a full audit of all your business activities, logistics, and expenses.

This is the kind of audit that might not happen when you’re simply operating in "business-as-usual" mode, but it can reveal incredible opportunities for your business (that aren’t necessarily carbon-related). 

💡 When you analyze every inch of your business activities, you’re bound to uncover ways to optimize your business' production and processes, reduce turnover, cut down on waste, improve efficiency, and build better products.

Ultimately, your company will experience better financial performance by making use of carbon tracking.

5 simple ways to reduce your company’s carbon emissions

The best way to start reducing your company’s carbon emissions is — wait for it — to track your carbon footprint. Shocking, we know – but it’s true.

Conducting a rigorous carbon footprint assessment will show you, very quickly, the highest-leverage areas of your business for making emissions changes. These are the places where large amounts of emissions can be cut, with little investment and minimal disruption to business as usual.

Getting proper carbon accounting systems set up for the long-term is equally essential, because as your business changes and grows, so will its emissions breakdown. Receiving up-to-date information on which activities and areas are causing the most carbon emissions is the best way to keep your carbon footprint in check.

If you haven’t started carbon accounting or tracking yet, and you’re looking for some quick wins to reduce your footprint today, here’s a short list of some of our top recommendations.

👉 If you look closely, you’ll notice that most of our recommendations for reducing company emissions look very similar to reducing emissions in your personal life. Climate science is complicated, but at the end of the day – cutting down on your carbon footprint isn't all that hard to do.

What actions make the biggest difference in reducing your carbon footprint? When you look at the data, you might be surprised.

Many folks who work to promote everyday sustainability practices place emphasis on reducing your personal carbon emissions through recycling, changing light bulbs and hang-drying clothes. And while there’s no doubt that these habits have clear positive effects, they’re only the beginning of the journey.

We’ve gathered information from carbon impact studies to pin down some of the most effective ways for you to lower your carbon footprint. If you’re just starting out and looking for ways to build new habits, choose one small thing to start making a difference. If you’re already doing some of these things, that’s great! Now’s the perfect time to add something new to your sustainability journey.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/3gdLzpA

About Green Mountain Energy: As the nation’s longest-serving renewable energy retailer, we’ve been on a mission to change the way power is made since 1997. By choosing our 100% clean, renewable wind and solar energy plans for their homes and businesses, Green Mountain customers have avoided more than 81 billion pounds of CO2 emissions to date — that’s like taking 8.6 million cars off the road for an entire year! But, we’re more than just an energy company. We’re helping our customers make a positive environmental impact, support a cleaner grid and green their carbon footprints with sustainable living solutions, renewable energy plans and the purchase of carbon offsets. And, our charitable program, Green Mountain Energy Sun Club®, has donated more than $10 million in grants to nonprofits for sustainability projects focused on renewable energy, energy efficiency, resource conservation and environmental stewardship. For more information, visit greenmountainenergy.com and gmesunclub.org. Together, we’re building a cleaner, greener tomorrow. 

greenmountainenergy.com 

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How to Lower Your Carbon Footprint — Green Mountain Energy

Just like you do at home, be conscious of the energy you use within your company. Look for quick wins — for example, do office lights need to be left on at night? Can computers and equipment be unplugged when they’re not in use? Can you replace existing light bulbs with more energy-efficient ones, or turn off heating/cooling when no one’s there?

Even better, switch to an energy provider that shifts from fossil fuels to renewable energy (at least to some degree). If you’re building a new office or facility, opt for low-carbon construction with efficiency measures built in, such as triple-glazed windows, modern insulation, rooftop solar panels, and sustainable building materials

This one’s an easy one made even more popular by the pandemic. These days, virtual events can replace conferences, video meetings can replace in-person get-togethers, and working from home can cut down on commute- and office-related emissions.

If 100% remote work isn’t for your company, there are other ways you can minimize the impact of staff business travel, such as offering compensation for public transport, organizing car pooling opportunities, and installing electric vehicle charging stations on your premises.

Just like the close-to-home holidays inspired by the pandemic, one of the best things you can do for sustainability is to keep it local. 

Whether you’re sourcing new materials or hunting for consultants, searching for local options first can help drastically cut down on unnecessary transport-related emissions, and can also help you forge strong partnerships and strengthen local communities.

Consumption (particularly unnecessary consumption) is an enormous contributor to our global carbon footprint. Buying things we don’t need is an unequivocal problem, because it means carbon emissions and natural resources are used up, and it means those things are often thrown away (and end up in landfill). 

Therefore, be mindful regarding your company’s consumption, only buy products when you actually need them, and wherever possible – buy second-hand, or buy products made from recycled and sustainable materials.

The waste your company produces can make up a significant portion of its carbon footprint, without bringing any of the benefits. It is, quite literally, money — and carbon — down the drain (or, more accurately into landfill). Just like with their carbon emissions, companies need to be thinking about reducing their waste materials to the absolute bare minimum.

They can do this by first reusing as many materials as possible. It’s easy to think you’re already doing this, but often a re-assessment of your company’s waste can lead to some innovative and cost-saving reuse solutions. Even if your company can’t reuse the materials, perhaps there’s another company or organization that can

After that, recycling is the next best step. Look for ways to recycle as many of your company’s individual waste materials as possible.

If reading this article about carbon tracking has made you interested in reducing your carbon emissions to further fight against climate change – Greenly can help you!

Working to fight against climate change can be difficult, but don’t worry – Greenly is here to help. Click here to schedule a demo to see how Greenly can help you find ways to improve energy efficiency and decrease the dependency on fossil fuels in your own company. 

Greenly can help you make an environmental change for the better, starting with a carbon footprint assessment to know how much carbon emissions your company produces.

In this article, we’ll explain what coastal erosion is, why it’s a problem, and if coastal erosion can be prevented.

Can We Stop Coastal Erosion?

Everyone loves a summer home off of the coast somewhere in the southeast of the United States or in a foreign country, but coastal erosion may threaten the future of our beloved vacation homes and beach activities.

Coastal erosion can slowly wear down our coast lines, compromising the once stunning beach or ocean views while also putting coastal homes at risk. 

💡 As a whole, extensive coastal erosion can put coastal communities at long-term risk – threatening both their economic value and property safety. This can result in coastal property loss, as increased coastal erosion will make property owners hesitant to move forward with coastal restoration projects. 

Coastal erosion refers to how coastlines are worn down as a result of increasing winds, tides, wave energy, and currents – all of which contribute to the deterioration of rocks, soil, and sand along a beach’s coastline.


💡Over a period of time, coastal erosion can change the shape of coastal landscapes – which could deter tourists, alter biodiversity, and put the value of beach homes at risk.

Human activities and climate change are the main culprits behind coastal erosion, as increased emissions and warming oceanic temperatures have a profound effect on coastal behaviors – such as currents and rising sea levels.

Coastal erosion is a natural, ongoing process that has been happening for thousands of years. This video explains how it happens and the factors that affect the rate of erosion.

What is coastal erosion?

Here are some of the main causes of coastal erosion:

Sporadic Waves – Whenever there is an exceptionally intense wave crashing onto the shore, it dislodges sand and sediment, which can alter living shorelines and provoke shoreline erosion.

Rising Sea Levels – One of the hallmark effects of climate change, rising sea levels, contribute to coastal erosion – as global sea level rises can put beaches underwater and have an impact on wave activity.

Tides & Currents – Increased tidal and current activity can accelerate the movement of various sediment across the coastline, which can result in uneven erosion – think of one side of your body getting burnt in the sun and other staying the same. If the burn turns into a tan, it can be challenging to even out – the same way it could prove difficult to make an entire coastline the same after uneven erosion. 

Increased Winds & Various Storms – Strong winds from intense storms and natural disasters such as hurricanes can erode coastlines at a rapid pace. This is because intense winds and storms can transport rocks, sand, and sediment at an intense and unnatural speed.

Human Activity – The International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has previously stated that the main culprit behind skyrocketing greenhouse gas emissions is the increase in human activities – such as growing consumerism from the industrial revolution or travel. Continued efforts to expand society such as construction and sand mining can disrupt natural sediment flows and make shorelines more vulnerable to coastal erosion.

👉 In fact, beaches on the East Coast of the U.S. are eroding at a rate of 1 to 1.5 meters per year – whereas global sea level rise is creating a profound effect on cliff erosion on the West Coast of the U.S., demonstrating how no place is free from the negative effects of coastal erosion. 

There are four main steps to the process of coastal erosion:

Corrosion – This refers to when wave action begins to get more intense on the beach and starts to move various sediment, such as pebbles, closer to a cliff on the beach. This could form a wave-cut notch, which could then cause gigantic rocks to become unstable and collapse into the ocean entirely. 

Abrasion – The second step to coastal erosion occurs when breaking waves continue to wear away at a cliff or another part of a coastline. Known as the sandpaper effect, this is when pebbles will grind alongside a rock platform to make the surface smoother over time.

Hydraulic Action – As waves crash against a cliff, the surrounding air will become trapped in the rocks and allow them to break into smaller pieces. Often an effect of weathering, these rocks and even cliffs can sometimes fall into the ocean in massive chunks. 

Attrition – This part of coastal erosion refers to when rocks being carried by the surrounding body of water bump into one another. These rocks then break into small pieces, becoming rounder and lighter.

Weathering and erosion refers to the process of the Earth's surface breaking down into smaller components over time as a result of natural erosion processes and weather events like wind, rain, hurricanes, and more.  

Here's a breakdown of weathering and erosion:

Erosion refers to the removal of sediment like gravel and sand by natural processes such as the wind or tidal waves and water moving these pieces of the Earth.

Weathering refers to the process of these materials breaking down from events such as warmer or cooler temperatures, chemicals, or acid rain.  

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