With 2024 and 2025 set to see major sustainability regulations put in place, the time for businesses to start actively planning and communicating their sustainability efforts is now. Be they to reduce, reuse, recycle or its better half – refurbish.
But while the old adage of there being ‘no one way to do it’ still applies to sustainability communications, it’s only half the picture. Because there’s definitely a right and wrong way to deliver those messages among those many ways.
And with tightening regulations around EU operating companies found to be ‘greenwashing’ now voted into law, it could be a very costly mistake to make, in more ways than one.
At AD Communications, we have been advising our customers along their sustainability journeys on how to best communicate and connect to their audience for a number of years. From using stand-out visuals to communicate complex processes to informing internal strategies and propositions, we help businesses present their sustainability messages effectively. That’s why in this blog we look at three ‘don’ts’ and a ‘do’ to deliver effective sustainability communications, so you can start telling your side of the story clearly and confidently:
1. Don’t overcomplicate
Sustainability is a complex and evolving topic. And although it’s important that you know your carbon neutrals from your net zeros when communicating your policies, it’s equally integral to deliver them in a clear and simple way.
Example: Instead of saying “We’re committed to a circular economy model to minimise waste,” try “We working towards a waste reduction of xx% by xx date, by reusing and recycling materials whenever possible.”
Sharing less will allow you to craft a narrative that’s more focused, rather than one that’s left for interpretation or worst debunking and interrogation.
2. Don’t exaggerate
So you don’t have a fully-fledged ESG strategy yet? No problem. Unique in the realm of business strategy domains, it’s widely acceptable, even encouraged, that businesses should be on a journey to becoming more sustainable rather than believing they have all the answers. The key is to keep it simple and factual. Be clear on the policies and initiatives that you are undertaking as a business and share the information about what it means for you as a business and how you are going about achieving those goals.
3. Don’t forget your audience
Although being clear, and as importantly true, in your sustainability communications is imperative, so is making them relevant and relatable to your audience. That is independent of your industry or sustainability messaging, whether you’re a print, visual communications, packaging, or logistics professional.
Consider the daily and operational reality for the customers you serve. Does your communication reflect those experiences while clearly delivering your priorities? Are you presenting key information in a way that’s digestible to your audience and using all aids at your disposal both visually and through examples?
Do: value expertise
As an expert in your field, you understand the value and transformation that an expert with years of experience can harness. At AD Communications, we work closely with businesses across a number of B2B industries to showcase their unique capabilities and CSR initiatives in a way that resonates with their target customers and wider stakeholders.
Whether you’re considering your first sustainability communications, or already down the path to more sustainable operations and looking to stand out in this crowded space, we can help.
Ready to craft clear sustainability messages? Contact us today.