Due to consumer demand, governmental requirements, and competitive pressure, the client decided to enter the market for sustainable furniture by launching a new sustainable living-room furniture. Their strategic intent is to position themselves more distinctly and consistently as an eco-friendly company and market leader in the production and distribution of sustainable furniture. Customer satisfaction and building lasting profitable relationships are within their main objectives to maintain their business and further promote their brand within an increasingly competitive environment.

This thesis applies a triangulated approach to data collection and analysis, combining literature review, surveys, and a case study of the client company. The review explores conceptualizations of ‘green marketing’, ‘circular economies’, and ‘life cycle analysis’. The aforementioned ‘requirement sheets’ are identified as tools relevant to addressing the expectations of environmentally conscious consumers. These expectations are elicited and tested in the surveys. In conclusion, the thesis offers recommendations relevant to future business practices and research in the field of green marketing.

The methods applied indicate that the concept of sustainability cannot be defined uniformly, as different consumers identify varying aspects as sustainable. Our sample populations consider raw materials, long-life span, and avoidance of pollutants as key elements of sustainability. Besides, we discovered that the Swiss origin and sustainability in itself triggers a willingness of customers to pay a premium. Hence, we find evidence of the benefit of merging the concepts ‘green marketing’ and ‘life cycle analysis (LCA)’ and integrating them into requirement sheets. We have linked aligned identified customer needs with the 4 Ps (McCarthy's marketing mix, 1960) to ensure that green marketing strategies are examined early in the client’s product development. LCA enables us to adopt sustainability aspects at all stages of the product life. Thus, we offer a practical benefit to the client by presenting an applicable requirement sheet which entails these merges of concepts. This composition can be a benefit to other companies, as in its structure the tool can be applied across various industries. Upon the client's consent, the thesis remains confidential.