The DMA is aiming to transform the environmental credentials of direct marketing via a new standard developed and launched in January, in association with BSI, Royal Mail and Acxiom.

According to the DMA, PAS2020 is designed to “place responsibility for the sustainable development of direct marketing into the hands of practitioners... by providing an independently-accredited standard of best environmental practice.”

Companies seeking to qualify for the standard will have their marketing activity independently audited to assess their compliance.

The standard has been in development for two years, and was formally launched by Roy Hathaway, head of waste management at DEFRA; and Frank Post, marketing director of BSI, at a news conference in the Millbank Tower, London.

Robert Keitch, the DMA's director of media, channel development and environmental affairs, has been a key figure in the development of the standard.

He describes PAS (Publicly Available Standard) as the BSI's 'fast track' accreditation tool, which is not as onerous or as complex as the BSI kitemark.

However, Keitch is adamant that PAS2020 is designed to be far more than a rubber stamp, and achieving this form of accreditation will require a significant effort by organisations, at which point they will be provided with a logo which they can use in their marketing activities.

There will be three levels of compliance, with number three being top and level one being a more entry level. “Most DMA members should be able to achieve level one relatively easily,” he explains. “Level three will require them to make an adjustment to how they do business.” He claims it is “impossible” to predict how many brands could realistically achieve level three of the standard straight away, implying that this top tier accreditation is a relatively significant achievement.

However, according to Keitch, the standard is specifically designed to be as inclusive as possible, rather than exclusive. “The first target is to get as many people as possible compliant at entry-level. This provides an opportunity for them to improve.”

Lack of green guidance

The pressure on marketers to be green is mounting, says Keitch, and not only are customers (both business and consumer) becoming increasingly focused on marketing waste, but so too are wider stakeholders. “All organisations need to be careful about their non-financial reporting,” says Keitch. “Clients are asking their suppliers how they can help them with this, and the implications are the same across the board, in both B2B and B2C.”

He suggests the recession has only exacerbated this situation, particularly for those organisations requiring finance. “Many companies will need to get their investment bases sorted out, and they are likely to be under close scrutiny.” Areas like environmental compliance will therefore increasingly come under the spotlight as organisations seek to woo financial partners. “In the future, the environment will be seen as a distinctive organisational capability, rather than just a cost. This standard will demonstrate that the organisation has quality management. It is about the fundamentals of business.”

But as well as helping brands and marketers, Keitch contends the standard will also benefit the industry as a whole by keeping the threat of legislation at bay. “It tells policymakers that the industry is dealing with its obligations.”

FMCG brands may blaze a trail

Whilst Keitch maintains that PAS2020 is relevant to companies across all industries – both in B2B and B2C – he accepts there may be more onus on the high profile FMCG brands and companies to adopt this faster than less visible business-focused brands. “There will be organisations in the vanguard, and the major brands will want to get there ASAP,” he says. This explains the involvement of the ISBA, the marketing trade body for consumer brands.

The DMA is also anxious to emphasise that the standard is applicable to all forms of direct marketing – not just direct mail. Yet Keitch is vague on how exactly it is intended to accredit use of email or telemarketing channels, the environmental impacts of which are vague and debatable at best.

“The most immediate issue will be the alleviation of waste, and there will be lots of focus on physical materials. But there will be specific guidance on email. It will drive the individual disciplines, looking at things like targeting, suppression and appropriateness of offer.”

Advice on such issues may be seen by many marketers as general best practice, and should be on all agendas, regardless of environmental concerns.

Rollout and implementation

Although the standard was launched in January, it will be March at the earliest before the first accredited companies are announced.

Keitch explains that this is the time it will take to conduct the assessments. He says the DMA is developing various means to help organisations adopt PAS2020, including working with various NGOs to provide consulting services to help companies become compliant.

A guide to PAS2020 containing specification documents is available free to DMA members; non-members can purchase this from the BSI website for £80. And an online campaign management tool is available to allow companies to test their own campaigns (for more info, see box below).

Keitch is anxious to emphasise that the DMA does not stand to gain financially at all from this initiative in any way. Its only objective is to benefit the direct marketing industry, he says.

Whilst the standard is an excellent concept in principle its success hinges entirely on the extent to which it is adopted by marketers; this may prove difficult in the current economic climate.

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