At the CIDD General Assembly 2024 in The Hague, the participants joined a “Purposeful Marketing Business Challenge – Shifting student’s perspectives on marketing and social value creation” workshop held by Jennifer Cakir, a Lecturer-Researcher from The Hague University of Applied Sciences. The participants learned about the Purposeful Marketing Research Challenge Minor, designed at The Hague University of Applied Sciences.
In addition to learning about the Minor, the participants were told about the ethical aspects of marketing and were challenged to create advertisements for a meat hamburger patty to which seaweed had been added as a key ingredient. The participants were divided into groups, each with a different focus for their ad. Some were instructed to highlight the seaweed, while others highlighted the meat etc. After preparation, the different ads were compared to show how shifting the focus can significantly impact the message.
The workshop sparked a discussion about transparency in marketing, especially when it comes to promoting sustainability. Some ethical questions were raised in the discussion, such as whether companies should openly highlight all product features, even at the risk of losing certain customers. Is it fair to downplay important product changes that might affect consumer expectations, even if those changes make the product eco-friendlier and more sustainable? Can promoting sustainability become unethical when crossing a certain limit? How important it is for you, as a consumer, to know what the products include and how they are produced? Does that information affect your consumer behavior somehow?
The topic reminds us of the importance of teaching sustainability in universities. Teaching sustainability helps students to understand global challenges such as climate change and social inequality, and to develop sustainable solutions for these challenges. The students learn to make environmentally and socially responsible decisions and to integrate sustainability into their future careers. They learn critical thinking, and how to respond to ethical dilemmas in business and working life. By having sustainability in the curriculum, universities prepare students to become responsible professionals who can make thoughtful decisions, solve environmental and social issues, and focus on the well-being of people and the planet in their careers. Universities have an impact on the
communities and societies they serve, and by teaching sustainability, they help to build a broader culture of sustainability in these communities and societies.