In their past lives, a number of Podsters worked in-house within some of the UK’s Big Six energy companies, which means we’ve been weaving sustainability into marketing messaging for decades. And as companies across all sectors have realised the importance of both taking action to become more sustainable and communicating their efforts to their stakeholders, helping businesses to shout about their green credentials has become our bread and butter.
But it’s not just businesses that have become savvier about sustainability - stakeholders are now scrutinising organisations’ sustainability claims more than ever before. This means that when you build sustainability into your marketing strategy, it’s crucial to get the messaging right, or your brand could be accused of greenwashing.
What does it take to strike the right tone when it comes to showcasing your sustainability credentials? Here are our top tips:
1. Focus on purpose
While you’re talking about what your business is doing to improve its sustainability, be sure to talk about why you’re doing it, too. Simply listing your sustainability measures is unlikely to mean much to your audience - they will want to know why you’re doing what you’re doing, and how it aligns to your business’s core values. What difference will your sustainability measures make to your team, to the local community, and to the planet? While you’re talking to businesses, you need to remember that it’s the people behind those businesses that will engage with your content. You’re much more likely to grab their attention if you can convey the positive and tangible impacts you’re making.
Video is a great way to bring your sustainability efforts to life for your stakeholders, so think about how you could show, rather than simply tell, your audience about your sustainability strategy. Perhaps you could highlight how your team puts your sustainability initiatives into action in your day to day operations, or visit the carbon offsetting project you’ve invested in to record how your funding is being used to benefit the environment.
2. Be honest
It goes without saying that you should always ensure that your marketing messages are truthful, and when it comes to sustainability, it’s absolutely essential to double check the accuracy of your claims. There is a lot of jargon used in the sustainability space, which can make messaging confusing, but unfortunately, it’s difficult to avoid. So when you’re using terms like ‘carbon neutral’ and ‘net zero’, ask the person or team that’s responsible for sustainability in your business to review your comms to make sure everything you’re saying is true.
You can go a step further by using standardised measurement methods and working with independent, external experts to back up your sustainability credentials. Rather than setting a random net zero target, for example, you could work with the Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) to assess what’s feasible for your organisation and create a verified Science Based Target (SBT) for net zero. By providing proof from a trusted third party within your content, you’ll significantly boost the credibility of your green marketing.
3. Share the ups & downs
Becoming a more sustainable business can be really beneficial, but the process of moving towards greater sustainability can also be challenging. Often, businesses strive to focus on the positive aspects of their journey to net zero, and it’s certainly a good idea to update your stakeholders when you reach new milestones or set a more ambitious target. But you should also consider sharing some of the struggles your business has faced when it comes to sustainability, as it’s these stories that are likely to resonate with your audiences the most.
Businesses of all shapes and sizes are focusing on sustainability, and it’s likely that they’re facing similar challenges to your own organisation. By sharing the hurdles you’ve faced, and how you’ve overcome them, you can create relatable content that speaks to your audience. So next time you’re talking about the progress you’ve made, be sure to include some of the challenges you faced to get there. If you share a building with other businesses, for example, perhaps it was really difficult to determine your organisation’s consumption, or maybe it took a while to encourage your team to engage with your energy efficiency measures. You could even share stories from across your business, with candid videos, by-lined blogs or social media posts from everyone from the C-suite to those in customer-facing roles, to show how sustainability changes are making an impact at every level.
4. Don’t preach
If your business is leading the way when it comes to sustainability, you should certainly share your successes through your marketing - but be careful not to preach to your audiences. Yes, it’s important for every business to play their part in the UK’s net zero target, and you might be keen to encourage your business partners in particular to join you in making sustainability a priority. But it’s crucial to remember that sustainability isn’t a priority for every organisation - many will be focusing on pivoting and adapting to new business models due to changing consumer behaviours and the wider impact of Covid-19.
So while you’re shouting about your sustainability wins, focus on what you’re doing, rather than pushing for others to do the same. If you’re truly trailblazing in your sustainability activity, simply sharing what you’re doing should be enough to inspire others to follow in your footsteps! One of our clients, Bryt Energy, does this really well - their annual Bryt By Nature sustainability report outlines the actions they’re taking to become a better business, so others can take inspiration from them.
Get the tone right every time
To recap, you can ensure your green marketing is never seen as ‘greenwashing’ by:
- Emphasising why you’re taking action to become a more sustainable business
- Verifying the credibility of your claims
- Sharing your story - both the ups and the downs
- Carefully considering whether you’re sending the right message to your audience
Our content team has helped businesses across a huge range of industries to tell their audiences all about their sustainability progress - there’s no angle they haven’t covered when it comes to net zero! If you could use some support to market your sustainability credentials successfully, email content@themarketingpod.co.uk today.
James Montgomery
Adam Leach
