You may have noticed that what we call "marketing-focused" advocacy is now trendy (think isolated social media posts, NYT ads, photo ops, and not much else).

But there are very few companies that really do advocate and help drive positive systemic change on issues related to ingredient safety, environmental impacts, benefits for people, etc.

The list of companies engaging in authentic advocacy is pretty short in our opinion: Seventh Generation, Ben & Jerry’s, Beautycounter, Naturepedic, and Patagonia, among a few others .

And even among these leaders, they all have different approaches to how they advocate for systemic change.

In some cases, we see companies publicly advocating for policies that will help protect people and the planet but also appear to be supporting efforts to undermine those same kinds of laws.

You can learn more about this particular dynamic in this blog.

Unfortunately, it seems like many of the companies talking about how they “advocate” for change don’t really know what that means.

Or worse, they know what credible advocacy looks like but don’t want to actually invest in it.

The general vibe you get from them is that they seem more focused on using advocacy as a marketing message than on taking concrete actions

In our experience, you should be skeptical about advocacy-related claims if the company is:

1. Working in isolation

The company appears to be working in isolation without partners from their industry or NGOs.

2. Failing to provide context

They don’t seem to talk about their broader vision, strategy, or mention a campaign plan.

3. Uses opportunistic timing

You notice a lack of consistency in their advocacy work (does it only appear around key moments like Earth Day, climate week?).

4. Poorly aligned with others

The company is a member of industry and trade associations that clearly contradict their claimed advocacy objectives and they fail to provide any explanation for how they are addressing that conflict.

Many companies are engaging in some sort of policy advocacy or related political activities.

That can happen passively through their membership in trade associations or more directly.

The question for the Hilde team is always: Is their advocacy working to protect people and our planet?

While it’s always easy to call out the activism-washers (okay, it doesn’t really work, stay with us) here are some things that showcase legitimacy:

1. Engaging the grassroots

The company is taking credible steps to educate and mobilize grassroots action including their customers, their suppliers, the broader public.

2. Public receipts

They have clearly articulated and shared policy positions (e.g. on their websites) including letters of support to Congress or state legislative bodies

3. Part of a team

The company is joining forces and supporting existing NGO policy efforts, amplifying on the ground leaders.

4. Taking a stand

The company is willing to buck trade association positions or even take some heat from their competitors.

Or simply to try and protect their financial interests?

In many cases a company can do both: Reduce risks (thereby protecting their financial interests) while helping drive transformational change.

But that win-win typically only occurs for companies who have already invested in credible, authentic sustainability efforts.

And quite frankly, sometimes the kind of transformation we need is going to mean that a company needs to advocate in support of policies that may not align with their immediate financial interests.

Because not every change is going to be profitable for every company but that shouldn't stop them from acting in ethical and responsible ways.

Ask Hilde is our blog series focused on answering your questions.

If you have a topic or issue that you'd like us to feature in a future Ask Hilde post, please get in touch

We look forward to hearing from you!