Required Reading: Green Marketing 101

I recently came across the syllabus I put together for a graduate-level course in green marketing and communications and looking it over, it occurred to me that the materials included in the required reading list would outfit a nice library for anyone interested in learning about the topic.

COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES
This course covers the ways that the marketing and public relations functions can facilitate organizational sustainability objectives. Engaging employees and other stakeholders on sustainability issues; outreach and forming partnerships. Includes understanding customers’ and prospects’ expectations about environmental and social impacts; environmentally-friendly product strategies; green branding; social marketing; cause-related marketing; the role of marketing in social innovation and entrepreneurship; eco-labeling; fair trade, organic, and environmental certifications.

REQUIRED MATERIALS AND TOOLS

1. The New Rules of Green Marketing: Strategies, Tools, and Inspiration for Sustainable Branding [Paperback] Jacquelyn Ottman.
2. Green to Gold: How Smart Companies Use Environmental Strategy to Innovate, Create Value, and Build Competitive Advantage [Paperback] Daniel C. Esty, Andrew Winston.
3. Revolution in a Bottle: How TerraCycle Is Redefining Green Business [Paperback] Tom Szaky.

Cases, available from Harvard Business Publishing.

1. Marketing Myopia” by Theodore Levitt (Publication date: Jul 01, 2004. Prod. #: R0407L-PDF-ENG)
2. “The Drivers of Greenwashing” (Product #: CMR494-PDF-ENG)
3.  “Method: Sustainable Design for the Home as Corporate Strategy” (Product #:UV0812-PDF-ENG)

Other articles:

1. “Greenwashing Report 2010”
2. “Green Marketing Myopia” [free download]
3. The PFSK Good Brands 2010 Report [free download]
4. “Green Allure” from Entreprenuer Magazine.

Books image via shutterstock