June 11, 2008 - No company has a perfect track record on environmental issues, but that shouldn't stop them from communicating their efforts to consumers, Conservation International CEO Peter Seligmann told marketers at Advertising Age's Green Conference yesterday.

"None of us are pure. None of your brands are pure," Seligmann said in his keynote address. "We need an aspiration to be pure. We're not going to achieve that if we wait until we're pure to say something. We're going to be silent. And we can't afford to be silent."

Seligmann noted that both McDonald's and Wal-Mart - brands not traditionally associated with the green movement - have both become more vocal about their environmental efforts in recent years.

McDonald's has taken a number of very public steps into the sustainability sphere recently, switching to fairtrade coffee and tea at many of its locations and experimenting with green-store technologies such as geothermal. The fast food giant is now incorporating sustainability messaging into its iconic Happy Meal offerings.

"Before, we were more behind the scenes, and now its more direct-to-consumer. We feel it's time to be a little more public about it," according to Mary Dillon, McDonald's VP of global marketing.

Wal-Mart is another prime example. Just three years after CEO Lee Scott committed to greening up his retail operation, the company is showcasing its efforts, from sustainable sourcing to greener stores. In April, Wal-Mart kicked off a major in-store promotion of its green-product offerings. Also in April, the retailer earned a Green Effie award for its Personal Sustainability Project, which encourages employees to find small ways to green their personal environments.

"Lee Scott is very open about the fact that they got into this as a PR effort, and it's a religion now," according to Mike Hughes, president and creative director of The Martin Agency, which has worked with the retailer on its communications efforts.

Whatever the motivation, Wal-Mart's sheer size and reach guarantees it a seat at the sustainability table, according to Seligmann.

"We don't tout sustainability for Wal-Mart," Hughes says. "We communicate what would happen if [Wal-Mart customers] all bought organic milk or [energy-efficient] light bulbs."