The Role of Social Media in Promoting Sustainability
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64137/31080030/IJFEMS-V2I3P103Keywords:
Digital Marketing, Environmental Management, Greenwashing, Social Media, SustainabilityAbstract
Since its inception, social media has fundamentally changed the way that organisations, governments and individuals communicate with one another and perceive environmentally sustainable practices. This paper explores how various platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter (X), LinkedIn, YouTube and TikTok influence awareness of sustainability among consumers and help to drive their buying decisions. The analysis will be based on secondary data, a review of the literature, and a survey of 200 individuals from diverse backgrounds within India. The purpose of this research is to determine the extent to which social media can be considered a credible, effective and scalable medium for the purpose of promoting sustainability. The results show that social media has a major impact on increasing public interest in sustainability, primarily for 18- to 35-year-olds. Environmental messages perform best on sites where short-form video content can be found, like TikTok and Instagram Reels. The paper also points out that LinkedIn and Twitter are important channels for companies disclosing their sustainability practices to their stakeholders. The research highlights concerns with 'greenwashing' deceptive sustainability claims and how social media can support, as well as help stop, companies from using this form of deception. Strategic recommendations for companies to utilise social media as a way to create an environmentally conscious culture and develop authentic sustainability communications will be provided. These recommendations will add value to the body of knowledge that exists at the intersection of Digital Marketing and Environmental Management.
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