Environmental Sustainability as a complementary B2B Marketing Message

Considering the growing pollution of the natural environment, one can come to the conclusion that current business practices are not designed for guaranteeing a bright future. Therefore, in business markets – especially in the mechanical engineering industry – moving towards environmental sustainability becomes increasingly crucial for business success. This book reveals, how “environmental sustainability” can be implemented and used effectively as a complementary B2B marketing message. At the beginning of this paper, defining the concept of sustainability and green marketing laid the basis for further investigation. By means of an extensive literature review and primary research – conducted among managers of the Austrian mechanical engineering industry – the use of environmental sustainability in the marketing mix, possible benefits and challenges, and aspects, which need to be considered when implementing a green marketing strategy, could be identified. Finally, all results contributed to the creation of a guideline for marketers, concerning how to successfully integrate and use such a strategy.