Sustainability: from important to urgent

m&k: «Nachhaltigkeit» and «Sustainability» have become buzzwords—many companies talk about them, but by no means all of them are making an effort to implement them in practice. What do these terms mean to you?

Pascal Schaub: While Ewz has been pursuing renewable energy as a business concept since 1892, the “green” trend has now taken over marketing everywhere. Nothing against companies that plant trees just for show, even if their business has absolutely nothing to do with gardening. We don’t need a sustainability campaign—we are the campaign.

How do you incorporate sustainability into your daily work?

In our Facebook posts, we’re happy to show our customers that we’re saving 80 percent on electricity by switching the Platzspitz lighting to LED. In our ads, we portray Greencity as 100 percent climate-neutral. In presentations, we explain how we heat buildings in Seefeld using seawater instead of fossil fuels. Our direct mail assures customers that since 2015, we’ve been supplying our well over 200,000 customers with electricity produced entirely from renewable sources—wind, water, sun, and biomass. Our email signature notes that the Swiss Federal Office of Energy has repeatedly recognized Ewz as Switzerland’s most sustainable energy provider for years. So in our weekly newsroom meetings, we don’t just discuss topics like «turning off the lights» and «shutting down screens after every meeting»—» (laughs).

You've got it— for example, with your solar campaign – We’ve succeeded in making it easy for people to get involved in environmental protection and sustainability. Do other companies sometimes make it too difficult to «do something for the climate»?

Simplicity is a visionary Ewz brand value. Our citizen participation model for solar energy embodies this. However, our campaigns are the key to driving impact. Consistently refined based on data, we are currently in the third wave. The analytics show with laser-like precision how advertising works. Here, too, simplicity is key—but with a touch of charm. The lifestyle conveyed by our solar participation photos, for example, is a powerful driver. Style opens doors and hearts more effectively than fear-mongering or anger over geopolitical change.

What specific challenges do you face in the area of communication related to sustainability—I’m thinking here of both B2B and B2C communication?

Unlike the globalization of entire industries—such as “Amazoning,” “Googleing,” and “Netflixing”—energy is becoming increasingly regional and local. District heating and cooling networks are the key to climate-friendly heating and cooling in the future. Brilliant on a local scale. A project for the ages. Millions in B2B investments are decided by B2C referendums.

You can experience the climate firsthand. Climate protection, climate-neutral, climate-positive—these are words people are happy to embrace.

What strategies do you use to address these challenges?

Climate is the big issue for us. We’ve analyzed various aspects of it. “Green” has become an incredibly political term—there’s no getting away from that. “Sustainability” is an academic term—apart from hardcore fundamentalists, no one wants to have to understand it in detail. Climate, however, is something we experience every day. Climate protection, climate-neutral, climate-positive—these are words people are happy to embrace. For us, climate is a key focus in our communications—naturally, combined with transparency. To achieve this, we’re increasingly relying on partnerships. In sponsorship, ewz is a climate partner, not just a logo placer. In the B2B sector, we’re successfully collaborating with trade journalists whose white papers generate enormous download numbers on LinkedIn. In the B2C sector, we’re collaborating with Energy to develop the energy podcast “Vitamin E” and the “Züri Climate Quiz,” because their radio shows and social media stories reach a young audience phenomenally well.

What are your communication goals in both areas over the short, medium, and long term?

We are establishing and expanding three platforms: «Solar City,» «Climate Thanks,» and «Real Estate Economy.» Measuring, measuring, and measuring again is the foundation for continuous optimization, rather than constantly reinventing the wheel. I’ve also noticed a shift: from “important” to “urgent.” Tomorrow begins today. Our customers don’t want a Plan B. We’re responding to that need, because bringing innovations to life as committed doers—rather than just making grandiose promises—is in ewz’s DNA.

In the spring of 2021, Ewz and Publicis launched a campaign promoting participation in solar power systems in the city of Zurich. Now they’ve taken their communication efforts a step further—explaining the «why,» or the purpose, behind the campaign. How are people responding to your current communication strategy?

Sensational. The three-tiered campaign architecture—with “Purpose” driving awareness, consideration, and sales—is working so brilliantly that, unfortunately, we’re constantly sold out. 7,544 square meters have already been sold since the campaign launched in May, which represents 189 percent of our target. In addition, all ewz KPIs are on the rise, whether it’s brand awareness, perception as a driver of renewable energy, or recognition as a solar energy specialist.

Have you already noticed that the campaign is having a positive impact on the Ewz brand image—or was that not the intention at all when you launched it?

The perception of a billion-dollar company doesn't change overnight. However, we're managing to transform ourselves from a bureaucratic department that sends out bills into a brand that evokes an emotional connection faster than we expected.