Published 2014-09-18

Blocket’s focus on CSR and climate benefits of second-hand trading

Blocket launches both a CSR page and an advertising campaign that focuses on the climate benefits of second-hand trading.

To make Blocket’s efforts in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) available to users and other stakeholders, the company has launched a CSR web page.

The page includes information about the environmental benefits of secondhand trade, customer security, internal environmental responsibility of Blocket and the support of Retoy, an organization teaching children to exchange toys instead of buying, using and disposing.

“We have been working on different aspects of CSR in the last few years and now we felt an urge to share the story with our users. By introducing a CSR web page we can gather the information in an accessible but still comprehensive way,” says Anna Backe, marketing manager at Blocket.

The CSR page includes an introduction by CEO Jan Prokopec and condensed versions of the different parts of Blocket’s CSR work. It also contains two animated short films explaining the environmental benefits of secondhand trade and how to buy secondhand goods in a secure way.

“Customer security has always been a highly prioritized area at Blocket and so it will remain. When it comes to the environmental aspects we are excited to inform our users on how they are contributing to a better ecosystem by buying and selling second hand goods,” says Backe.

See the full CSR page here

Climate benefits of second-hand trading in new advertising campaign

In its new advertising campaign, Blocket shifts the focus of second-hand trading from the practical and financial benefits to the climate benefits. Buying and selling second-hand items extends their life cycle and benefits the environment.
The campaign runs both on TV and on internal and external digital channels. Blocket has also launched a campaign web page highlighting the benefits of second-hand trading.

“The aim for the campaign is help our users understand that they are doing the environment a favour by buying and selling second-hand. We’ve wanted to emphasize the environmental benefits for some time, but we haven’t felt ready until now. We even have calculations of how much carbons emission are reduced by second-hand trading,” says Backe.

In mid August, Blocket launched a native ad campaign in Aftonbladet highlighting Overshoot Day – the day on which we overdrew on our annual quota of natural resources – in which they also explained how second-hand trading is good for the environment.

The advertising campaign represents a new step in getting the message across that the climate benefits from second-hand trading.

“Our users are environmental heroes, and it pleases us that the environment is becoming a stronger motivator for buying and selling second-hand goods for each year that passes. Our users contribute every day towards saving the world’s resources. In our advertising campaign we thank our users on behalf of the environment for extending the life of goods by buying and selling second-hand,” says Backe.

Watch the film: ‘Miljöhjältar är vi allihopa’ (We are all environmental heroes)