Course content: In the rapidly changing scenario of the global economy, an important new fact is that, in a market economy with sufficiently competitive and transparent markets, and with environmentally conscious citizens and consumers, organisations will be rewarded for their environmental and social achievements, while they will face constraints if they use environmentally and socially poor practices without taking into account stakeholders’ point of views and expectations.
Due to this new trend, which is influencing also the forestry sector’s companies and the forest products and services traders and users, the societal marketing is becoming a strategic instru-ment for business. More specifically, the course includes: (i) Strategic planning: the business plan (SWOT analysis, marketing mix); (ii) Segmentation and Differentiation; competitive advan-tages and marketing positioning; (iii) Instruments and initiatives for implementing environmental and social responsibilities, included legislation, financial and voluntary instruments for enter-prises as well as initiatives such as the FLEGT action plan. Among theme are included at least: a) Environmental and social auditing and accounting, b) Environmental and social communica-tion and reporting, c) Environmental and social management systems (ISO 14001 international standards and EMAS European regulations, SA8000 standards, FSC and PEFC standards for Forest Management and Chain-of-Custody; other standards such as eco-label, Trans-fair, EPD). Case studies are presented in detail to explain how the different instruments apply in practice and which are their main pros and cons. In addition, a number of wood processing and forest management companies implementing such instruments, mainly located in the wood industrial districts and in the forests of North Italy, is visited by the students.
Teaching and learning methods: Presentations and analyses of the main subjects are carried out in classrooms sessions, with the support of exercises related to theory and case studies. In addition, the teaching is supported by visits at selected companies’ production sites or offices, where students have the opportunity to meet managers, businessmen, organisations’ staff, experts, etc. and directly discuss with them.
Examination: The students are required to prepare a written report on selected countries' case-studies. The report counts 1/3 for final marking. At the end of the course, they have to face a written and an oral examination. Each of these two examinations count for 1/3 for final marking. Internal examiner.
Competences acquired: (i) Understanding of past developments and recent trends of marketing, (ii) knowledge of key issues, instruments and methodologies of marketing, (iii) detail skills related to social marketing concepts and tools, (iv) detailed knowledge of the most important environmental and social responsibility’s instruments, including communication, codes of good practices, auditing, reporting and accounting, third party certification and labelling, (v) capacity to formulate useful questions to companies’ managers, businessmen, etc. and discuss with them in order to analyse their compa-nies’ case-studies, (vi) ability to analyse case-studies and to use them in understanding theory and concepts and in identifying weaknesses and strengths.
Course homepage: www.agraria.unipd.it
Teaching material 2007-2008 on Societal Marketing Applied to the Forestry Sector by Laura Secco now available.