Sustainability is now a crucial part of business responsibility and consumer expectation. While adopting sustainable practices is essential, effectively communicating these efforts is equally important.

Here we take a look at some of the key traits amongst successful companies when it comes to properly marketing and integrating sustainability initiatives within their communications. In addition to tips on how to implement it, we will look at some of the examples in recent history of companies that have shown they understand their audience, can be transparent and honest, and know how to leverage PR and storytelling when it comes to converting their message.

Outline:

Section 1: Understand your audience
Section 2: Be transparent and authentic
Section 3: Leverage storytelling and engaging PR
Key takeaways

Section 1: Understand your audience

The nature of your service or product offering will determine the styling and tone of your messaging, but having a good understanding of your target audience will enable you to link both of them together.

This is crucial when it comes to talking about sustainability initiatives: knowing what your audience expects from you, what their pain points are and what they are passionate about is essential. If your audience is particularly interested in waste reduction, lean into that. If it's more focused around habitat preservation, then ensure you are covering that within your messaging (provided it makes sense for your sustainability initiative).

If you have an international audience, tailor the messaging to each demographic. Put it in their language and frame it in a way that they will understand. This will help create a more authentic feeling message.

Nike effectively understands and communicates with its audience regarding sustainability by tailoring its messaging to resonate with eco-conscious consumers, especially the younger generation. Through initiatives like the "Move to Zero" campaign, Nike commits to zero carbon and zero waste, appealing to climate-conscious buyers.

By involving athletes and influencers who share its values, Nike can get their target demographics better engaged with what they are doing. This strategic approach strengthens consumer engagement and brand loyalty.

Section 2: Be transparent and authentic

When customers think of sustainability marketing, unfortunately many will be suspicious of greenwashing and for good reason: according to Zippia 58% of global companies admit to greenwashing. Whilst it is naturally on a varied scale with some offenders worse than others, greenwashing can make marketing sustainability a tricky area to operate in.

One of the best ways to mitigate this is to be as transparent and authentic as possible. Do not say you are carbon neutral or positive if you are not and be honest about where you are in your journey.

For the most part, people want to be spoken to by brands that don't come across as patronising or corporate, so talk to them in a way that they can relate to. No one is perfect, especially when it comes to sustainability.

Ensuring you have a strong omnichannel approach that has your messaging aligned is essential and is just as important as the core message being conveyed. Keep your website, newsletter and social media platforms up to date with your latest sustainability marketing messaging. Not only will this help with consistency, it will also help you build your platforms and increase the spread of your message.

An example of a business that has been honest about the challenges it faces is Ikea. While the company has made progress in sustainable material sourcing and renewable energy, it admits that not all materials are yet sustainable, and its overall carbon footprint has increased due to business growth.

Ikea is also candid about the challenges inherent in reducing waste, particularly in packaging and product disposal. By openly discussing these areas for improvement, Ikea demonstrates a commitment to genuine sustainability and continuous progress.

Section 3: Leverage storytelling and engaging PR

As previously mentioned, most potential customers do not want to be bombarded with overly corporate messaging; this is where storytelling and a powerful tone of voice can come in. One of the ways that you can make your message resonate is through linking it to real world examples. A company that has had a good example of this strategy is Unilever, with a campaign it launched back in 2012. They asked 12 UK families to reduce their household waste by 25% while saving 15% of their food bill. It put the consumer at the heart of the story and tapped into the motivations of those who were looking to save money and the environment.

Another example from 2012 comes from ethical footwear brand Veja.

Ethical footwear brand Veja operates a ‘no advertising’ policy, preferring to communicate the environmental and social benefits of its products through a mix of PR, social media and events. This French brand increased its sales dramatically from €313,000 in 2005 to €5m in 2012, and attributed part of this success to sharing its story widely via fashion, business and sustainability press, as well as starting conversations with consumers online and being quick to respond to questions.

Veja ensures that its fashion and sustainability stories reinforce and enhance each other, infusing a sustainability event with glamour or a fashion event with a strong sense of ethical values.

The brand rewards workers fairly for their work, employs Amazonian rubber tappers to source rubber using sustainable methods, and sources natural dyes and organically farmed cotton. Goods are shipped to France by boat and socially disadvantaged people are offered work packing products in Paris.

Key takeaways:

Effectively getting the word out about your sustainability efforts is a must for meeting what consumers expect and fulfilling your business responsibilities.

The best companies know their audience inside and out, tailoring their messages to fit their audience's needs and interests.
Being transparent and genuine is key to avoiding greenwashing and building trust. Openly sharing your sustainability achievements, progress, and challenges makes your messages more relatable and engaging.
Using storytelling to connect your initiatives to real-world examples can make your sustainability efforts more tangible and impactful for your customers.

About the Author:

David Foy is one of the account managers at Varn: an SEO agency with strong sustainability credentials and even a Woodland Office!