Green is the new black.

Protecting the world's natural resources has become a widely embraced priority. Such leading corporations and Edelman clients as DuPont, GE, and Wal-Mart have launched major sustainability initiatives.

Others will no doubt follow suit, which will naturally make it all the more challenging for companies to differentiate themselves. Valuable white-space opportunities nevertheless remain, particularly for those companies that recognize the essential elements of a successful sustainability program:

Conduct primary research. Market research will enable a company to ...