Strategic Focus: The Growing Importance Of A Coherent Sustainability Narrative

Report

Corporate Sustainability Leaders

Priyanka Bawa

Kim Knickle

10 Jun, 2024

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Executive Summary

In light of increasing ESG-related litigation, and rising greenwashing allegations, a growing number of businesses are harmonizing their ESG and sustainability aspirations, initiatives and messaging. Achieving this requires careful consideration not only of the content of a firm’s sustainability efforts, but of the way in which these efforts are communicated. Many organizations are struggling to simultaneously improve sustainability performance and convey the results of their efforts meaningfully. This report provides an overview of how businesses can authentically communicate their sustainability efforts, to build trust with stakeholders and enhance their reputation for responsible and ethical practices. Chief sustainability officers (CSOs), CSR leads and heads of brand, marketing and investor relations should use this report to understand the key challenges necessitating effective sustainability communication, as well as the ways in which they can navigate these within an evolving ESG and sustainability market.

Table of contents

Firms are recognizing the importance of a coherent ESG and sustainability narrative
Sustainability communication is crucial for building credibility and ensuring business resilience
The ESG and sustainability market is rapidly evolving, to help businesses build authenticity in sustainability communication
Steps – and actions – businesses should take to enhance the effectiveness of their sustainability communication

Table of figures

Figure 1. The wash-tactic web
Figure 2. Conceptual table of emerging marketing and communication tactics
Figure 3. Sustainability communication gone wrong: examples of firms facing the heat
Figure 4. Snapshot of ESG-related litigation
Figure 5. The 101 of sustainability communication
Figure 6. Decision-makers responsible for defining ESG strategies

Organisations mentioned

Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW), Amazon, American Chemistry Council (ACC), Amsterdam District Court, Anheuser-Busch InBev, Anthesis, ASDA, ASOS, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC), Ben & Jerry’s, Bloomberg, Bloomberg Law, BNY Mellon, Boohoo, BP, Bud Light, Changing Markets Foundation, Charlescannon, Chevron, Coca-Cola, ConocoPhillips, Deloitte, Delta Airlines, Deutsche Bank, DWS, Earth Day, Earthsight, Euronews, European Commission, European Council, European Parliament , ExxonMobil, EY, Facebook, FORBES, Fossielvrij NL, Given, Google, Greenpeace, H&M, Hague District Court, Higher Regional Court Hamm, KLM, KPMG, Lazada, McKinsey & Company, Milieudefensie/Friends of the Earth Netherlands, MIT Technology Review, Mobius Farms, New York Times, NewClimate Institute, Oatly, PepsiCo, Persil, Planet Tracker, Puma, Purdue Pharma, PwC, Quartz, Revolt, RWE, Sealed Air, Shell, South Pole, State of California, The Verge, The Washington Post, The Weber Shandwick Collective, Toyota, UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), UN, Unilever, US Climate Change Litigation Databases, US Office of Public Affairs, Vanguard Investments Australia (Vanguard Group), World Economic Forum (WEF)

About the Authors

Priyanka Bawa

Senior Analyst

Priyanka is a Senior Analyst at Verdantix, where she leads research to enable sustainability leaders and services firms to analyse shifting market dynamics and evaluate innova...

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Kim Knickle

Research Director

Kim Knickle is a Research Director at Verdantix, bringing more than two decades of analyst experience to the evolving world of sustainability. Her current research spans ESG a...

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