Speaking your ESG efforts by way of content material advertising and marketing

Successfully speaking your Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) credentials by way of content material advertising and marketing is an important prerequisite of corporations of all sizes as we speak.

Nevertheless, there are three key developments surrounding ESG in the intervening time to pay attention to:

The primary is the politicisation and controversy of ESG as a time period regardless of normal recognition of underlying values, resulting in “greenhushing”, notably within the US.
The second is modifications to sustainability reporting necessities, notably within the EU.
The third development is modifications to greenwashing laws to reinforce shopper safety.

On this piece, we’ll discover how these developments have an effect on small to medium companies, and the way creatives can use content material advertising and marketing to successfully talk their small enterprise’ ESG efforts.

The ‘anti-ESG’ motion could appear distant, however it may possibly have a knock-on impact, producing mistrust across the time period and related motion. This will create a discouraging and tough environment for ESG communications.

In the meantime in Europe, there was a shift in direction of extra disclosure to drive transparency on company duty, such because the Company Social Accountability Directive (CSRD). This has created alternative for communications professionals, though it has additionally elevated the strain on sustainability professionals because the default staff to deal with sustainability reporting. For instance, a survey by PWC discovered that 60% of companies haven’t concerned their know-how perform and groups in aiding with knowledge assortment for his or her CSRD.

Whereas the necessities of the CSRD at present impacts giant companies, it’s probably that they are going to trickle right down to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

From a shopper perspective, there was an actual concentrate on shopper safety in recent times with the discharge of the Inexperienced Claims Code in 2021. Whereas the first focus is consumer-facing communications and promoting, the principles apply throughout the board and artistic businesses ought to use this as a information to verify if their shopper’s sustainability claims are deceptive, defending all events from authorized fallout.

Greenwashing can also be talked about within the Digital Markets, Competitors and Shopper’s Invoice, which has been within the pipeline for the final 12 months and was hurried by way of parliament as a result of normal election on the 4th July. The most up-to-date modification of the Invoice, explicitly states that it’s looking for to ban greenwashing by way of its insurance policies and states the necessity for a authorized definition of sustainability.

How does this apply to content material advertising and marketing?

Sometimes, one would possibly affiliate greenwashing with deceptive statistics, or phrases, however it is very important keep in mind that the Inexperienced Claims Code applies throughout all contexts—together with visible, equivalent to graphics, imagery and movies.

For instance, Harmless smoothies was accused on greenwashing in 2022, after one in all their adverts known as for customers to “get fixing up the planet” by selecting their merchandise. The sing-song jingle, and animated animals appeared that purchasing Harmless drinks would clear up local weather change— and was deemed to be deceptive. Certainly, Harmless is owned by Coca-Cola thelargest identified contributor of branded plastic.

It’s necessary to think about tone and context in addition to any written content material when advertising and marketing sustainability and local weather claims.

Creatives for Local weather lay out tips very clearly of their anti-greenwash information for businesses which creatives can seek the advice of when creating any type of consumer-facing content material advertising and marketing.

Utilizing an affect report back to content material market your ESG efforts

An annual report focuses on the enterprise efficiency of the organisation that 12 months, whereas an affect report focuses on the affect the organisation has on folks and the planet.

Usually, an affect report communicates your ESG targets and technique, and studies in your progress in reaching these. You possibly can tie this into your organisation’s mission and tradition. For instance, in case your aim is to cut back Scope 3 carbon emissions by 20%, you possibly can describe the way you strove in direction of this, and listing your precise Scope 3 carbon discount. You might need used an organization tradition initiative to realize this—equivalent to implementing a cycle to work scheme, or a journey coverage.

Transparency about your outcomes is necessary—keep in mind the selective omission anti-greenwashing rule! For those who didn’t obtain your aim, being sincere will construct belief, and the accountability of the affect report will encourage your organisation to reassess their technique.

An affect report can set out your ESG targets, and align your online business’s targets with frameworks, such because the UN Sustainable Growth Objectives. Every trade could have its personal frameworks to work collectively in direction of an trade affect—equivalent to Advert Web Zero for the promoting trade.

It’s necessary that these are a part of your organisations enterprise technique. For instance, in case your organisation targeted on SDG 3 ‘Ensure Healthy Lives and Promote Wellbeing For All Ages’, and maybe you targeted on overhauling the work wellbeing or illness coverage, or offering a gymnasium membership as a piece perk, in addition to company donations going in direction of international well being charities that 12 months.

You possibly can then have a look at the consequences of this – by specializing in well being did your employees really feel extra motivated? Have been there fewer sick days taken? How did their psychological well being fare? Did you’ve any suggestions from the charities you donated to? You possibly can embrace any quotes out of your employees or different stakeholders. Weaving compelling tales in amongst your knowledge factors makes it extra fascinating and provides authenticity.

One other a part of the affect report, as with every content material, is knowledge visualisation. Having clear and interesting visuals will assist readers perceive your knowledge and statistics.

Easy methods to market an affect report

As a public-facing doc, it’s necessary that your affect report fulfils anti-greenwashing tips and the Inexperienced Claims Code.

As such, any belongings syndicated from this central report ought to be checked as nicely, particularly within the context of a social media profile. For instance, solely posting concerning the “good” components of the report, or solely sharing sure targets is perhaps perceived as selective omission. Ensuring you at all times hyperlink to the entire affect report so the reader can discover extra element can also be pertinent.

You possibly can maximise the worth of your affect report by breaking it down into social media belongings. For instance, you possibly can take the important thing highlights and switch that right into a graphic with icons for LinkedIn titled ‘Our top three impacts this year’.

Any knowledge visualisation, or photos may be repurposed as a visible for a LinkedIn submit, together with a hyperlink to the total report.

TikTok

Video footage of any volunteering initiatives, or of staff biking to work and many others may be made right into a light-hearted TikTok submit. You might create a highlights reel from the final 12 months of constructive impacts, and even make a TikTok asking your employees if something shocked them from the affect report.

Blogs

There’s a lot to be written across the notion of an affect report: why are they necessary for SMEs? How did you conduct yours? What did you prioritise? What issues did you encounter?

A weblog can also be an opportunity to dive deeper right into a topic from the report, for instance why your organisation selected your specific charity. Or maybe a staff member wish to share private testimony about one thing from the affect report—an intern would possibly share their story and their steps since leaving the internship.

In conclusion, speaking your ESG efforts is an intimidating activity, however by way of creating an annual affect report, you possibly can create a dependable central doc to create content material belongings throughout a variety of channels.

Sarah Woodhouse

Sarah Woodhouse is a director and co-owner at AMBITIOUS, a strategic communications company. Sarah is a seasoned public relations and communications skilled with over 21 years’ expertise working within the UK and Asia. Primarily based in Bristol, however with a nationwide and worldwide attain, AMBITIOUS helps shoppers discover, have interaction and develop audiences. From print and digital PR to communications technique, media coaching, social media and content material companies – it connects shoppers to the conversations that matter.