Harnessing the power of social marketing for sustainable development

Organizations with a mandate to advance sustainable development could harness more social marketing to attain social, economic, and environmental outcomes. This article provides evidence of the positioning of social marketing among these organizations, and recommendations to facilitate the integration of social marketing concepts and techniques into their work. The article starts with an overview of key social marketing and sustainable development concepts, followed by a revision of policy documents providing insights about how social marketing is positioned within these institutions. These findings are complemented by two case studies portraying how governments and international organizations incorporate elements of social marketing, with or without acknowledging it. The first case presents an initiative addressing female genital mutilation and cutting (FGM/C), and the second summarizes a program focused on food systems to tackle malnutrition and climate change impacts. Subsequently, key challenges that limit the use of social marketing approaches among organizations working toward sustainable development are presented. The article ends with reflections and ideas to contribute to debates about how social marketing could be better embedded into the work of organizations engaged in sustainable development.