Global companies like Hewlett Packard and IBM have long considered the environmental and social performance of their suppliers. Recently, many others have begun to show positive signs (hello, Wal-Mart). Opportunities abound! Now is the time for you, the supplier, to begin telling your sustainability story. Here are my top tips for selling yourself as a green asset to business customers. By Phil Berry

1. Tell the real story. Businesses that care about sustainability are looking for serious commitment. They likely have some experience of their own in this area and will appreciate how hard this work is. They will also know if the program you are communicating is too simplistic.
2. Don't overstate your case. Far too many companies are passing off a loosely organized series of projects moving in the same general direction as a real sustainability program. Those companies will pay a price with the value of their brand.
3. Talk footprints. Any discussion of environmental performance should be couched in terms of reducing the footprint of your company and its products. If you can't yet make the connection to product footprints, then highlight your progress in reducing the environmental impact of your processes and operations.
4. Back it up with hard data. For a story to wow your customers, it needs to be supported with credible numbers. If you have an environmental management system (EMS), talk about it. Take credit for what you have done, but remember there will be an expectation that your data continue to show progress.
5. Talk to your best customers first. You know what these customers most care about and can prioritize your message accordingly.
6. Be creative; don't limit yourself to what everyone else is talking about. Many years ago, I had a manufacturing customer that paid-above average wages in a highly competitive market. When the company discovered that more than 90% of their employees owned their own homes far above average for the area they used this unique metric to tell their sustainability story.