Company communications on sustainability points has lengthy been a sore spot, as I’ve written about a number of instances. The questions are elementary: Discuss or not about your organization’s commitments and achievements? Communicate out in an period of political pushback on environmental, social and governance points, or hold a low profile? Be accused of greenwashing or greenhushing?
That was the idea of our daylong GreenBiz Comms Summit again in February, which introduced collectively communications, sustainability and authorized professionals from inside massive firms for a candid dialog in regards to the challenges firms face once they talk, internally or externally, on sustainability issues. The almost 200 professionals participated in hands-on workouts, the place small teams have been requested to concoct messaging for a number of hypothetical firms, each B-to-B and B-to-C. It was, by all accounts, an enticing occasion.
Even the best-laid communications plan can entice criticism — generally greater than if an organization had mentioned nothing in any respect.
We just lately printed a abstract of what befell there, which I’m happy to share, specifically the on-stage conversations versus the extra candid table-level work. The occasion was carried out beneath the Chatham Home rule, that means that no members might be recognized with out permission.
Getting inner alignment
One session constructed on a column I wrote in August, in regards to the “Bermuda Triangle” of sustainability messaging: communications; sustainability; and company counsel. Individually, every has a barely totally different curiosity when creating press releases and media pitches. In live performance, they usually undermine an organization’s messaging. Among the many solutions from a panel of consultants:
Carry the gamers collectively early and infrequently. Think about reaching the tip of a cross-functional, collaborative working group with exterior stakeholder enter — and authorized desires to border the message in another way, a sustainability skilled says the language is imprecise, and comms is at a loss for how you can inform a compelling story. That confounding state of affairs might be prevented by inviting key inner stakeholders to the desk a lot sooner than could appear crucial for the venture. Strive day one.
Combine the experience from every division and converse their language. Perceive the subject material and ache factors of different stakeholders, and be hyper-transparent. Lengthy earlier than soliciting signoff from a subject skilled, examine and double-check the accuracy of a communication. Have sources and questions prepared on an ongoing foundation; don’t simply spring an issue on somebody throughout a gathering.
Have playbooks, guides and protocols prepared. To disseminate an efficient message, have all your evaluation and information so as and be capable of stand behind them in case there’s a problem. Put together messaging playbooks, guides and protocols on your teammates to assist them perceive the entire image concerned in a messaging problem.
Avoiding greenwash
The follow of constructing exaggerated or unverifiable claims about environmental advantages is extensively frowned upon, however with out a single definition for greenwashing, firms all too simply make missteps. Some takeaways:
Greenwashing prices are up. Though it’s in all probability unimaginable to quantify how a lot greenwashing exists, regulatory challenges associated to it have risen over the previous a number of years. These embody actions by the Federal Commerce Fee (FTC) and U.S. state attorneys basic, non-public litigation and challenges by the Higher Enterprise Bureau.
Greenwashing is within the eye of the accuser. The FTC considers greenwashing by way of the eyes of the “cheap client,” which leaves a number of room for interpretation. Accusations of greenwashing are inclined to give attention to one in every of two issues: both the sorts of phrases and even the colours used to explain a product or model, equivalent to lawsuits charging that Keurig falsely known as its espresso pods as recyclable — or the ways used to attain a objective, equivalent to Bloomberg‘s calling out firms for utilizing renewable vitality credit (RECs) towards their internet zero targets. Watchdog teams might goal an trade chief, for instance, that fumbles in efforts to decarbonize its provide chain, but they depart alone opponents who haven’t even introduced an identical initiative.
Greenwashing is ‘extra sloppy than sinister.’ Instances of a nefarious enterprise getting down to mislead the general public are comparatively few and much between. Extra usually, greenwashing prices have a tendency to focus on firms fumbling their method by way of their sustainability communications. Possibly somebody with out the best experience led a public relations or advert marketing campaign, or a communication hole arose from failing to talk to the best stakeholders or offering insufficient (or inaccurate) proof factors.
Coping with haters and critics
After all, even the best-laid communications plan can entice criticism — generally greater than if an organization had mentioned nothing in any respect. “The rise of anti-ESG rhetoric” was a high concern amongst Comms Summit attendees, in keeping with a pre-event survey.
Adversaries who slur enterprise management as “woke” for addressing the world’s pressing social and environmental challenges are true “haters,” however not each critic is a hater. Listed below are the three sorts of pushback and what to study from them:
Haters. Haters are diametrically against your existence. As an example, they might hate you as an organization as a result of they consider capitalism shouldn’t exist. Normally, don’t hearken to haters — though generally they provide necessary details about what you’re getting incorrect.
Critics. Critics need you to be your greatest self, even when there’s no enterprise case now for what they demand that you just do. They gained’t cease till you do what they are saying, however they are typically proper over time. Greenpeace, for instance, has “been proper” years forward of the curve about local weather change, biodiversity and plastics. As an alternative, contemplate critics your early warning system of what is going to go mainstream subsequent.
Crucial mates. Crucial mates push you to do higher, telling you what you’re doing isn’t adequate, calling you out on greenwash or on not reaching targets or claims. However don’t confuse essential mates for haters.
That’s a style. There’s extra perception and inspiration on this free, downloadable report. Be at liberty to share it together with your inner and exterior comms companions.
What are your largest sustainability communications challenges? I’d like to know.
Thanks for studying. You will discover my previous articles right here. Additionally, I invite you to observe me on LinkedIn, subscribe to my Monday morning publication, GreenBuzz, from which this was reprinted, and hearken to GreenBiz 350, my weekly podcast, co-hosted with Heather Clancy.
