How to make people believe you’re serious on sustainability

Wildfires in Australia, global protests from Extinction Rebellion and a teenage Swedish activist have really made the world sit up and take notice on climate change.

Everybody wants to demonstrate their green credentials. But how can your content show you mean business, without facing claims of ‘greenwashing?’

Be part of the conversation

Larry Fink, head of the BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, called climate change 'a defining factor in companies’ long-term prospects’ in his annual letter to CEOs this year, claiming his industry is ‘on the edge of a fundamental reshaping of finance.’ Meanwhile, the new boss of BP Bernard Looney has said the company needs to reinvent itself as it aims to make its emissions ‘net zero’ by 2050.

These comments haven’t come out of nowhere. There is a growing clamour from investors for ESG (environmental, social and governance) issues to be scrutinised as carefully as financial information. Both BlackRock and BP have been the focus of pressure from environmental groups and their respective CEOs know they need to talk – loudly – about sustainability.

Whatever industry you’re in, if you’re not talking and writing about these issues, you run the risk of customers, clients and bystanders thinking ‘if you’re not part of the conversation, you’re part of the problem.’

Be specific

You want to show the world you get it. You care about being a good corporate citizen. You want to protect the environment. That’s great. But how?

There’s a fair amount of cynicism over whether companies are inflating their green credentials, or even making it up entirely. We even mistrust whether the contents of our recycling bin aren’t just dumped in the same place as our landfill.

So, if you’ve got a sustainability claim to make, you can guarantee it will be picked over. You say your plan will create green jobs? How many jobs? What exactly will they be doing? And when will this happen?

If you’re claiming your product is eco-friendly, but without an explanation of how, don’t be surprised if it’s written off by your customers as a gimmick.

Actually mean it

Talk is cheap. The only way to make sure people take you seriously on sustainability is by your actions.

Just look at the car manufacturers who admitted to falsifying emissions data. The scandal led to billions wiped off share prices and some of those companies involved are still trying to restore their reputations.

A study of US citizens’ attitudes to CSR issues in 2017 found that nearly 90% would be more loyal to a company if it supports a social or environmental issue. But well over half said they would do their research to make sure companies taking a stand is living up to its promises.

So the message is clear. Make sure you’ve got something to shout about – then shout about it. People are most definitely listening.