We’re all in it together and we are all obliged to play our part when it comes to protecting and having a positive impact on our planet. As a business, large or small, we are expected to not only work towards a cleaner and more sustainable future – but prove it. So, if you’re not already doing so, this could be a gamechanger for encouraging current clients and winning over new ones.
Additionally, with COP27 upon us (6-18 November 2022), be sure that your business is raising its game, one step ahead of your competitors, and meeting your audience’s demands.
At Editing Edge, we recognise it can be daunting to get your business sustainability credentials out to the wider world in the best way. We work with many clients – from recruitment to the care sector, the oil industry to clinical trials – to help them confidently communicate for influence and impact.
So here are five of our top tips to help you start communicating your environmental achievements and goals with the same confidence.
1. Know your SDG Goals
There are 17 SDG Goals, including: Quality Education, Affordable and Clean Energy, Sustainable Cities and Communities, and Life on Land. The goals are the perfect place to start thinking about what is important and relatable for your business and messaging. Where does your business fit and how can you incorporate these goals into your strategy?
2. Who are you talking to?
Establishing or clarifying who you need to communicate your environmental impact to is key – right from the start. Perhaps you are communicating to multiple different target audiences – in which case you will want to carefully tailor your content for each audience. Most importantly, make it relevant. So, let’s look at the kind of content you might want to use:
- Who: The general public
- Medium: Website
- Tips: Audience expectations on sustainability are rising. So you will want to make sure your messaging on your website is clear and punchy. No one today has the time to be scrolling through lengthy garble, so keep it simple, make it human and give colourful examples of the difference you make. There is an art to explaining technical terms to non-specialists and this is where we can help. One of our favourite clients is Ground Control, who do all this really well.
- Who: Shareholders
- Medium: Report
- Tips: This is where you need to get to the nitty gritty of your environmental targets. A prime example is an annual report we have just finished for a client in the UK space sector, Catapult, demonstrating how they have put Net Zero front and centre, and are leading their industry by encouraging many others to follow suit.
- Who: Colleagues
- Medium: Internal comms
- Tips: Don’t forget about your own people! It is fundamental to practise what you preach and to encourage your colleagues to be doing the same. By doing so, you will not only build strength from within but also gain more trust from those around you. At Editing Edge, we can help you craft internal comms materials to encourage your team and make them feel included in the business’s role in helping save the world.
3. Make your voice heard
Ensure you have your brand voice down to a ‘T’ before you start shouting from the rooftops! This comes with knowing your audience and being able to speak their lingo. How do you want them to feel? How do you want to motivate them and how can you inspire action?
4. Positivity is the way forward
We can all feel overwhelmed when there is an overload of negative information! So, turn the challenge into a positive. For instance, highlight the good being done to positively impact the planet, and showcase the solutions you are providing. Alternatively, what hacks are you using within your business to make a difference? Perhaps like a couple of our clients your team are 100% remote, you have a tree-planting programme or, you offer an electric-only car scheme. If you are unsure, let us help you demonstrate your environmental impact.
5. Inspire and be inspired
There are many means of inspiring others. Storytelling, for example, is a powerful means of sharing your sustainability messages – to inspire hope and stimulate change. It is also important to listen to your audience as they will already have ideas and opinions. Listening and incorporating their thoughts can have a powerful influence on your sustainability messaging.
