Some Key Dos and Don’ts of Sustainability Comms
How embedded is your sustainability strategy in everyday business? If we were to stop one of your employees to quiz them on the company’s vision and goals, would they be able to provide an answer? And also share how they themselves contribute? Considering the sheer amount of information people need to consume in the course of a normal workday, engaging them in sustainability comms might pose a challenge. But it doesn’t have to! Here we share some key dos and don’ts as inspiration to fire up your team to deliver on your green ambitions.
DO tell stories (and not tall tales): As we all know, storytelling is the cornerstone of winning hearts and minds, and that’s no different when it comes to sustainability. Communicate the strategy in an engaging way, and make sure the story never ends. Meeting targets, setting new ones, bringing on new partnerships – everything is a chance to tell the story of the sustainability strategy that takes your employees along for the ride. But whatever you do, be clear, honest and open. Your people will very quickly spot inauthenticity and attempts greenwashing, and then your sustainability strategy is not worth the (recycled) paper it’s written on.
DON’T just inform - activate: Of course, it’s good to keep people up to date on progress of targets and initiative, but if you truly want to imbed sustainability within the organisation then you need people to take an active role. Your sustainability comms needs to prompt thoughts and ideas, providing opportunities to get involved, take action and contribute. How? Activate employees by asking them for their opinion, try to introduce small new routines, come up with challenges or group activities. We know from experience that action is the shortest path to behaviour change and full engagment.
DO ensure your leadership team are onboard: Assuming that sustainability is a core part of your strategy (and if it’s not it should be), then your leaders should be able to communicate it effectively and lead by example - one of the easiest and most powerful tools that leadership possesses. When your people witness leaders walking the talk, it not only enhances the credibility of sustainability efforts but also motivates them to follow suit. So, ensure they have all the tools and information they need, empower them to deliver a strong message on sustainability and demonstrate their own activity and achievements in this area.
DON’T leave people out of the discussion: While it’s good, and even imperative, that sustainability is part of board level strategy discussions, you should also create space for your employees to add to the conversation. They are in a frontline position to come up with ideas on how to integrate sustainability further into everyday business, so make sure they get a chance to contribute. Forum’s, employee groups, design workshops – there are many ways to engage people and add real value to overall sustainability efforts.
DO keep it simple: With the best will in the world, much of the information that is shared (rather than people specifically seeking it out) will likely be skimmed by people. So, keep it short, manageable, and engaging, you can always refer to longer information sources for those with more interest. And don’t overdo it – share what’s relevant and do it at the right time. You don’t want to ‘green fatigue’ to settle in.
DO recognise and reward: We humans are simple creatures, and we thrive on the dopamine hit that comes with being recognised and rewarded for our efforts. You can of course do this through more traditional formal recognition programmes, especially when you share the results of these widely. But even running competitions for people to come up with ideas for implementing sustainable measures within the company provides another platform for conversations on the topic to take place. Keep the visibility high and people will want to take part.
DON’T lose heart: Sustainability is a long game and as we all know it takes time to shift our behaviours. Your employees have a lot competing for their time and attention so understand that this topic might not be on the top of their agendas. Keep talking to them, try to figure out the barriers to participation or adoption, and work to overcome those. And stay focused on the bigger picture, keeping in mind the importance of what you’re doing.
Need some extra support to drive sustainability up the agenda and into the hearts and minds of your team? We’d love to help. Get in touch and let’s get greening.