Sustainable Marketing and Consumer Trends
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Sustainable Marketing and Consumer Trends
This course is part of Transformative Leadership in the Circular Economy Specialization
Instructor: Christy Bozic, PhD, PMP
Included with
Recommended experience
Recommended experience
What you'll learn
Create a marketing strategy that supports a circular business model.
Identify key motivators and barriers that influence sustainable consumer behavior.
Discover how a company's purpose, values, and messaging shape a sustainability-aligned brand.
Apply knowledge of policy, market trends, and traceability tools to develop sustainability messaging.
Skills you'll gain
- Ethical Standards And Conduct
- Brand Marketing
- Advertising
- Marketing Communications
- Sustainable Business
- Regulatory Compliance
- Environmental Regulations
- Driving engagement
- Market Opportunities
- Engineering Management
- Digital Marketing
- Data-Driven Marketing
- Customer Engagement
- Regulatory Requirements
- Emerging Technologies
- Corporate Sustainability
- Environmental Social And Corporate Governance (ESG)
- Branding
Details to know
15 assignments
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- Earn a shareable career certificate
There are 4 modules in this course
Offered as the second course in the Transformative Leadership in the Circular Economy specialization, Sustainable Marketing and Consumer Trends examines how marketing serves as a critical driver of sustainable transformation. As circular business models and ESG expectations reshape competitive landscapes, marketing leaders must navigate new pressures to communicate responsibly, build trust, and align with shifting consumer values.
This course examines the evolving role of marketing in driving environmental and social impact, from foundational principles of sustainable marketing to strategic brand alignment, stakeholder engagement, and regulatory compliance. Through real-world case studies, emerging market trends, and interactive assignments, you will learn how to craft credible, values-driven messaging and identify opportunities where marketing can accelerate sustainable business transformation. Topics include greenwashing, the say-do gap, ESG communication, circular marketing, regulatory influence, and digital traceability tools. The course prepares learners from all backgrounds to lead ethically, navigate complexity, and connect sustainability to consumer value. This course was developed in collaboration with Siemens Digital Industries Software and is part of the "Design for the Circular Economy" collection. Learners who complete and pass the course can receive an industry-recognized digital badge. The “Design for the Circular Economy” microcredential and graduate certificate are developed around the educational goals of providing technical, business, and leadership knowledge and skills that inspire the transformation towards a more circular economy. This includes gaining technical knowledge to apply circular economy principles in product design, minimizing waste and maximizing impact; developing business acumen to implement innovative circular economic models that prioritize sustainability and resilience; and acquiring leadership strategies to communicate effectively and inspire change within an organization. This course can be taken for academic credit as part of CU Boulder’s Master of Engineering in Engineering Management (ME-EM) degree offered on the Coursera platform. The ME-EM is designed to help engineers, scientists, and technical professionals move into leadership and management roles in the engineering and technical sectors. With performance-based admissions and no application process, the ME-EM is ideal for individuals with a broad range of undergraduate education and/or professional experience. Learn more about the ME-EM program at https://www.coursera.org/degrees/me-engineering-management-boulder.
Welcome to Sustainable Marketing and Consumer Trends! This first module introduces the principles of sustainable marketing and explores how businesses can respond to rising consumer expectations around sustainability, ethics, and transparency. You will learn how marketing strategies can support both environmental goals and business value through consumer engagement, circular business models, and value-driven messaging. Topics include sustainable consumer behavior, ethical consumption, greenwashing, and marketing’s role in promoting circular practices like reclaim, repair, and reuse. Through readings, interactive activities, and real-world case studies, you will evaluate brand strategies and create your own sustainable marketing ideas.
What's included
6 videos8 readings3 assignments2 discussion prompts
6 videos•Total 27 minutes
- Design for the Circular Economy: Program Overview•5 minutes
- Introduction to the Course•1 minute
- Redefining Marketing in the Age of Sustainability•7 minutes
- Behavioral Insights of the Sustainably-Minded Consumer•4 minutes
- Why Ethics Matter at the Checkout•3 minutes
- Marketing and the Circular Economy•6 minutes
8 readings•Total 119 minutes
- Course Updates and Accessibility Support•1 minute
- Welcome to Design for the Circular Economy•15 minutes
- More About Siemens•10 minutes
- Non-Credit Students: Welcome and Where to Find Help•10 minutes
- The Rise of Consumer Demand for Sustainability•12 minutes
- The Sustainable Consumer•25 minutes
- What is Greenwashing?•6 minutes
- The Marketing Playbook for a Circular Economy•40 minutes
3 assignments•Total 105 minutes
- Introduction to Sustainable Marketing and Consumer Trends•15 minutes
- Designing a Marketing Strategy for the Circular Economy•60 minutes
- End of Module 1 Graded Assessment•30 minutes
2 discussion prompts•Total 60 minutes
- Decoding Greenwashing in the Real World•30 minutes
- Share and Reflect On Developing a Circular Marketing Strategy•30 minutes
This module explores how businesses can understand and engage eco-conscious consumers through data-driven insights and ethical marketing practices. You will examine consumer behavior trends, segmentation strategies, and how sustainability can be authentically integrated into the marketing mix. The module also introduces best practices in digital marketing and social media engagement to build trust, avoid greenwashing, and promote long-term brand value.
What's included
5 videos4 readings4 assignments3 discussion prompts
5 videos•Total 23 minutes
- What Consumers Really Want•6 minutes
- Campaigns that Changed Consumer Behavior•5 minutes
- Building a Better Marketing Mix•6 minutes
- Connecting with the Eco-Conscious Consumer in the Digital World•4 minutes
- Social Media as a Sustainability Superpower•3 minutes
4 readings•Total 75 minutes
- Sustainability and the Consumer•5 minutes
- Understanding the Sustainable Consumer•30 minutes
- Interactive Reading Assignment: Sustainability Marketing Mix Audit•30 minutes
- Examples of Sustainable Marketing•10 minutes
4 assignments•Total 105 minutes
- Consumer Insights and Market Research•15 minutes
- Sustainability Marketing Mix Audit•30 minutes
- Create a Mini Social Media Campaign•30 minutes
- End of Module 2 Graded Assessment•30 minutes
3 discussion prompts•Total 50 minutes
- Connecting Segments to Strategy•10 minutes
- The Most Difficult P•20 minutes
- (Optional) Get Feedback on Your Mini Social Media Campaign•20 minutes
This module explores how sustainability becomes not just a message - but a business driver. You will examine how companies define their sustainability identity through branding, how they design communication and engagement strategies to influence customer behavior, and how consumer expectations are shaping the future of corporate sustainability. Through real-world examples and interactive assignments, you will examine how values, messaging, and market pressure all work together to move sustainability from promise to practice.
What's included
6 videos4 readings4 assignments1 discussion prompt
6 videos•Total 23 minutes
- Branding for Sustainability•1 minute
- Building a Brand that Actually Stands for Something•7 minutes
- From Awareness to Action•1 minute
- Designing Customer Engagement for Sustainable Impact•6 minutes
- Driving Corporate Sustainability with Consumer Demand•2 minutes
- When the Market Speaks•6 minutes
4 readings•Total 132 minutes
- Selling Sustainability or Stalling Progress?•12 minutes
- Nudging Customer Behavior Toward Sustainable Choices•15 minutes
- Listening to the Market: A Guide to Sustainability-Driven Strategy•45 minutes
- Teach the Gap: Activity•60 minutes
4 assignments•Total 135 minutes
- Branding for Sustainability•15 minutes
- Consumer Engagement Strategy Redesign•60 minutes
- Teach the Gap: Activity Reflection•20 minutes
- End of Module 3 Graded Assessment•40 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 30 minutes
- When Influence Becomes Impact•30 minutes
This module explores how external forces like regulation, emerging technologies, and shifting market expectations are reshaping the way companies communicate their sustainability efforts. You will learn how policy creates both constraints and opportunities for marketers, and how data-baked tools like digital product passports are becoming essential for building trust and credibility. Through case-based learning, trend analysis, and real-world examples, you will practice turning complex sustainability requirements into clear, customer-facing messaging strategies.
What's included
5 videos8 readings4 assignments3 discussion prompts
5 videos•Total 18 minutes
- Why Marketers Should Care About Policy•1 minute
- How Policy Shapes Marketing•4 minutes
- Technology-Driven Trends Shaping Sustainable Marketing•5 minutes
- Product Transparency and the DPP•4 minutes
- The Digital Battery Passport•2 minutes
8 readings•Total 88 minutes
- Policy Levers for the Circular Economy•5 minutes
- Why Marketing Needs ESG: Lessons from Lenovo•10 minutes
- Green Technology and the Sustainability Market•10 minutes
- Case Study Guide: The Digital Battery Passport•3 minutes
- The Market Signal•30 minutes
- The Regulation•10 minutes
- Siemens and the Future of Battery Transparency•10 minutes
- Claim Your Digital Badge•10 minutes
4 assignments•Total 100 minutes
- Marketing in a Regulated World •15 minutes
- Competitive Landscape and Market Trends in Sustainability•15 minutes
- Marketing the Digital Battery Passport•30 minutes
- End of Module 4 Graded Assignment•40 minutes
3 discussion prompts•Total 65 minutes
- How Policy Shapes the Marketing Message•40 minutes
- Quick Take: Which Trend Stood Out Most?•15 minutes
- (Optional) Share Your Digital Battery Passport Campaign•10 minutes
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This course is part of the following degree program(s) offered by University of Colorado Boulder. If you are admitted and enroll, your completed coursework may count toward your degree learning and your progress can transfer with you.¹
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