Businesses need to understand how to communicate sustainability in a way that not only conveys environmental initiatives, but enhances the internal and external brand.
As reviewed in previous posts, sustainability provides
innovative opportunities to reduce costs and reap
long-term benefits while also increasing
employee morale and commitment to the organization.
However, communicating sustainability is about more than information. Effective communications change behavior, while information alone does not always lead to action.
Effectively communicating sustainability is about attractive campaigns that make sustainable lifestyles fashionable and cool without being superficial. Marketing support including a logo, advertising, video and presentations can also help to communicate sustainability.
Effective strategies for sustainable communications involve clearly defining the target audiences and developing a corresponding message. The message objectives need to be concrete, clear, realistic and achievable. It is often better to focus on a single issue rather than numerous different points.
Decide how these objectives will be achieved by developing message(s) and defining channel(s). Do not overload an audience with information; maintain a common theme throughout all the aspects of the campaign. Identify how the particular audience prefers to receive information; consider how social networks could be used to communicate the message.
Conduct audience research using focus groups or telephone surveys. Find out what motivates the target audience, determine what they read, watch and listen to.
Perform a
SLEPT Analysis (Social, Legal, Environmental, Political and Technical issues) that might affect the campaign.
To assist with planning and implementation, develop a timeline that identifies communications milestones. Set up a green team steering group, as well as a campaign coordinator.
Continually measure and evaluate the communications. Establish what will be measured and how. Seek audience feedback, then document and report this evaluation. Make the plan and the assessment metrics readily accessible to team members and update them as needed.
Tailor all sustainable communications to the culture in which they are being launched. For a useful guide to communicating sustainability see the publication by
Futerra and UNEP.
___________________________________________
Related PostsBest Practices for Engaging Employees in SustainabilitySustainable Best PracticesSustainable Supply ChainsWalmart and HP's Sustainable Supply ChainsIT Sector Should Leverage Their Supply ChainsInnovation and the Development of Sustainable Products or ProcessesAn Integrative Approach to Eco-Innovation10 Steps to Sustainability-Driven InnovationSustainability is a Catalyst for InnovationSustainable Brands 2010Sustainable Brands Innovation Open FinalistsSustainable Successes and FailuresSustainable Business Methods, Strategy, Management and ReportingSustainability is an Unstoppable MegatrendThe Overwhelming Logic of Sustainable BusinessClimate Counts: Businesses Combating Climate ChangeSocial Action Driving Businesses to Adopt Sustainable PracticesConsumers Continue to Embrace the Burgeoning Green MarketThe 2010 World Energy Technologies SummitAmerica's Most Sustainable BusinessesCanada's Most Sustainable BusinessesSocial Media and SustainabilityEnvironmental Revolution: Leadership and Morale
Sustainability development metrics are aggregate measures that extend the concept of value beyond gross Domestic product (GDP). Commonly referred to as sustainability development indicators (SDI), these are measures of sustainability go beyond the generic concept.
Businesses are extending their metrics beyond the measurement of profit to other forms of value of creation. The new sustainability imperatives demands that we include new metrics. In response to both consumers and supply chain pressures businesses are under pressure to provide metrics that measure their sustainability efforts. While these metrics measure more than just profit, they are closely tied to financial performance and creating a competitive advantage.
Revisions are being undertaken in ISO 14001 in order to create an overarching format in conformity with Annex SL (previously ISO Guide 83) which defines the framework for a generic management system. This new guidance is holistic and is intended to end conflicts, duplication, confusion and misunderstanding from different MSS management systems. Since being issued in 1996 and then revised in 2004, the ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems standard has been adopted by more than 250,000 organizations around the world.
Businesses need to understand how to communicate sustainability in a way that not only conveys environmental initiatives, but enhances the internal and external brand.
A sustainable best practices program involves a comprehensive and holistic approach that encompasses everything a business does that impacts the environment. A best practices program assists companies in making systematic changes in areas like emissions, energy, transportation, water and waste.
