To be or not to be…green, that is the question

Abstract: Purpose: To explore the roles of brand culture, brand image and brand vision in the context of “green” corporate brands, and identify pitfalls when these elements are not aligned. Methodology: Qualitative research method using primary data (interviews with former and current employees) and secondary data. Findings: In this paper, there are several findings derived from an employee perspective and related to “green” culture, “green” image, and “green” vision, the three main elements of corporate branding. Considering these elements in the context of “green” branding within organizations, numerous examples of inconsistencies become evident. These stem from misalignment between internal elements such as corporate culture (values and behaviors) and vision, and external elements such as brand image. This results in tendencies such as “green cynicism” among employees, perceptions of “green hypocrisy” and “green labeling”. On the other hand, lack of communication when it comes to “green” shared vision is reflected in unclear goals and guidelines regarding “green” behaviors, which in turn lead to poorly managed “green” expectations and inconsistency in “green” employee behavior. Originality/value: The originality of the paper is manifested in its unique approach to exploring concepts such as green corporate branding, for which there is limited research available. This study provides value by combining well-established models of corporate branding with more recent research on the "green" aspects of brand vision, culture and image. Simultaneously, it views these topics in a unique perspective by identifying pitfalls in relation to green corporate branding, a subject that has not been researched before. Keywords: Corporate branding, green brand culture, green brand image, green shared vision, green corporate branding Paper type: Research paper