Continuous communication: follow-up comms is a non-negotiable for strong sustainability narratives - here's why
Creating a more sustainable world requires a long-term approach from government and global organisations. This necessity extends to establishing a successful sustainability comms strategy. For the second edition of our three-part series on effective sustainability content, we spoke to consultants Thil Sathyamoorthy and Adrian Segens to find out why a 'one-and-done' approach to sustainability comms isn't always effective and how crafting a follow-up comms strategy builds consumer and stakeholder engagement, and a strong environmental, social and governance (ESG) agenda.
In the second instalment of our three-part series on crafting powerful sustainability narratives, Speak caught up with Thil Sathyamoorthy, a Sustainability Transformation Lead who has worked for firms in the finance and tech industries, and Adrian Segens, Sustainability Consultant and Founder of start-up consultancy Leveller Tech, to understand why a follow-up style of comms will be vital for future client loyalty and long-term business success.
Read on to find out why compelling data and human stories are just one part of the solution when it comes to truly earning stakeholder trust and engagement on sustainability.
An overarching sustainability narrative
Prioritising sustainability comms is non-negotiable for businesses of all sizes. With almost six in 10 adults in Great Britain viewing climate change as an important issue, companies must demonstrate an ongoing commitment to sustainability to secure customer loyalty and prove they are committed to meeting the UK government's 2050 net-zero target.
Creating a follow-up approach to comms enables businesses to keep pace with environmental innovation, says Thil Sathyamoorthy, who has worked in the sustainability transformation space for companies including Baringa Partners and BlackRock. From his perspective, taking a long-term view is key to generating consistent ESG coverage: "The time horizon is the biggest challenge at the core of climate action - it has to be approached as a multi-generational problem. In a lot of cases, companies are just not set up organisationally for a long-term timeline."
For Sathyamoorthy, consistency in sustainability communications is essential: "If it's not regular, you're not doing it right." Going forward, businesses who only supply occasional sustainability content will struggle to remain relevant. Viewing sustainability as an "ongoing comms cycle" is the first step to success, Sathyamoorthy adds, while companies must also commit to annual sustainability reviewing and reporting processes.
L'Oréal provides a prime example of this approach in action. The beauty giant maintains a consistent stream of sustainability communications through its 'L'Oréal for the Future' initiative, which sets clear, long-term commitments for environmental and social impact. Similarly, Amazon takes a high-profile approach to follow-up comms via its 'Climate Pledge' initiative and annual Amazon Sustainability Report. By releasing periodic updates on its progress toward net-zero emissions, both brands showcase transparency in its environmental efforts, building engagement with customers, investors, and regulators alike.
Long-term engagement for sustained results
Establishing a consistent pipeline of sustainability content enhances both a company's environmental and fiscal reputation. As recent YouGov research shows, trust in industry efforts to address climate change remains low among UK customers. By adopting follow-up comms strategies, companies can demonstrate genuine commitment to sustainability, regain essential customer support and leverage results.
For Sustainability Tech Consultant, Adrian Segens, "sustainable companies tend to be more successful companies." In his opinion, there is a "very sound marketing reason" for high frequency sustainability comms: "The public are looking to be reassured by the brands that they trust... and are increasingly aware of the environmental impact of products. Companies really need to think about how they stay in touch with customers in order to retain that strong market positioning."
According to Segens, follow-up sustainability comms are also imperative for securing investment: "Regulations like the EU's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and other ESG reporting formats show just how important sustainability engagement is for financial institutions." Failing to deliver a powerful comms cycle, moreover, will considerably limit a company's financial growth and potential, explains Segens: "If you are not openly considering how to tackle environmental risks in the future and reduce emissions, then large investors won't be interested in your company because you're not thinking strategically."
Circular communications for the circular economy
The circular economy, where materials are continuously reused and regenerated, should also play a starring role in follow-up sustainability comms. As consumers become more alert to greenwashing, companies must always highlight how they are adopting environmentally friendly practices to prolong a product's lifespan, says Segens: "You're no longer in a position where your supply chain is what's behind you - your supply chain is what's in front of you as well."
Follow-up comms provide an ideal opportunity to promote these circular practices and demonstrate the durability of products over time. Crucially, this approach also satisfies key stakeholders for the long-term, adds Segens: "Customers need to see that you're making progress and investors are more impressed by a company that is not solely reliant on the sale of new products for growing revenue."
When engaging key stakeholders, companies should actively draw inspiration from their internal business models with a circular style of sustainability comms. Sathyamoorthy strongly recommends for companies to develop "a long-term five-year narrative, and then build a rhythm around that on a yearly basis". Creating an annual sustainability report combining a "mixture of data, visuals and human stories", should serve as a central pillar of this approach. In addition, businesses must deliver effective interim comms alongside annual reports to react to industry news and regularly spotlight key company initiatives.
Image: L'Oréal’s Instagram
L'Oréal’ collects data on biodiversity as part of its partnership with Tara Océan Foundation
Building a sustainable legacy
Follow-up comms are crucial as businesses adapt to environmental challenges and innovative business solutions. Regular, forward-looking communication is also imperative for retaining all-important stakeholder trust and market longevity.
In the long-term, Sathyamoorthy concludes, this style of comms will integrate sustainable action into a company's DNA: "[tracking your] environmental activity will eventually become part of your company's history."