Sustainability is no longer just a buzzword. It’s a key driver of economic, social and environmental progress. For retailers, sustainability goes beyond rethinking the supply chain or instituting specific policies and programs. Brands need to be mindful of both how and when they’re communicating their sustainability commitments and practices. The socio-economic context demands it: recent years have been the hottest on record, there are geopolitical instabilities with the United States, and a growing mental health crisis has left Canadians faced with a seemingly perma-crisis.
What can be done to reverse this trajectory?
What Consumers Want
Today’s consumers aren’t only asking government representatives for change. According to a report by Wunderman Thompson (now VML) that unpacks emerging and future trends in sustainability, 86 per cent of people expect companies to play an important role in solving challenges like climate change and social injustice, and 70 per cent are prepared to make dramatic changes to their lifestyle if it will help tackle climate change. Above all, consumers want responsible products or services and they’re willing to pay a premium for them. In addition to this, the gap between consumer intention and action is narrowing despite inflation, and that gap gets smaller for Gen Z and Gen Alpha.
With high consumer expectations, brands need to be more transparent than ever before and proactive in communications. They can’t afford not to be.
But how does a brand talk to consumers when its sustainability practices may still be in development or not quite at the standard hoped for? And what if the brand is accused of greenwashing — making false or misleading statements about environmental practices — which comes not only with consumer backlash but with government fines?
Talking about sustainability has become more complex than ever before and, ultimately, many brands are choosing to be silent rather than risk being criticized, an act now called ‘green hushing.’
While these fears are entirely understandable, remaining silent also has serious consequences. People need to see action to generate change. Communicating transparently tells consumers where the company stands, even if it isn’t leading the pack. In the absence of information, consumer perceptions can swing the other way and lead to a decline in trust.
So where to start?
Taking a Step in the Right Direction
No company is perfect but when there is an initiative that is a step in the right direction, it should be observed internally and externally. Sustainability is often a long and difficult road, so it can be extremely valuable to note key milestones along the way and bring customers along the journey.
Three questions brands should ask before talking about a business’ sustainability initiatives: What can we say? To what extent can we say it? How should we say it?
With these guidelines, any communications should meet consumers where they are while being brand-aligned. There are many precautions for each step.
Step One: What Can We Say?
The starting point for avoiding greenwashing is to be aware of what the company is doing well and what it does less well at every stage of the value chain. Rely on the verified facts and then clarify what actions are being actively undertaken versus what’s intended in the future. Few companies have absolute control over their entire value chain, so instead of talking about a company’s impact with sweeping vague statements, communicate the specific actions being taken in detail. For example, talk about the Oeko-Tex certified organic cotton used in the product rather than labelling it as ‘eco-friendly’ material, or speak to the annual fundraiser you host that supports underprivileged youth and enabled 1,000 children to play recreational sports this year, rather than simply saying the company is socially responsible.
When reporting, make sure to back up any claims with recognized standards and benchmarks to build consumer confidence. If adopting a carbon-neutral plan, for example, use verifiable, science-based data like the Science Based Targets initiative. When uncertain of the validity of existing practices, don’t hesitate to use external experts or independent auditors to ensure the credibility of claims. There are many organizations qualified to assess whether something is truly sustainable or greenwashing.
Before launching messaging, hold a meeting to imagine how things could go wrong. Assess the ways in which the statements could be misinterpreted, criticized or questioned. Play the role of skeptical consumer, journalist and even competitor. Then try to pre-address concerns in the messaging and prepare Q&As so the team can give clear and rapid responses when asked.
Step Two: To What Extent Can We Say It?
Not all companies are at the same level of maturity when it comes to sustainability. The key is to ensure the weight of impact communication matches the significance of actions within the organization.
A non-scientific scale that presents the various approaches to sustainable practice simplifies the different levels of maturity. On one end of the scale are convenience strategies, which are unique initiatives and one-off projects often in response to an emergency or the market. At this level, there is minimal integration of sustainability into the business model. On the other end of the spectrum are zero impact companies — ones wherein sustainable impact is treated as part of the business strategy, and environmental, social and governance factors are completely integrated into the business model.
Knowing where a business stands on this scale will dictate how much depth is expected in its communications. A good rule of thumb when thinking about the extent of communications is to make sure it’s proportional to the importance of actions within the organization. If the initiative only represents one per cent of its impact, it’s not justifiable to make it 80 per cent of the messaging. On the flip side, if a company intends to be a thought leader in its market for sustainability efforts, it should be a significant part of the business model and well-integrated in its value chain.
Step Three: How Should We Say It?
Beyond the messaging itself, retailers need to take into account the production and distribution of those messages. This is part of the principles of responsible design, which goes beyond thinking about traditional design and communication best practices to also consider the environmental, social and economic impacts. For example, if a business typically relies on print materials for communicating with employees on a warehouse floor, consider methods to reduce the amount of paper waste like creating summary memos of messaging with a QR code that links to the intranet for more details.
While the gut reaction to being ‘green’ is to cut back on paper and turn to digital, even websites have a carbon footprint. If a business has an e-commerce platform and is adding an impact report or blog section, make sure they aren’t designed or hosted in a way that results in higher emissions. Today, there are many website carbon calculators that businesses can use to check their emissions. Retailers should also evaluate whether a website has accessibility features, such as dark mode and compatibility with text-to-speech readers, to ensure all consumers are able to access the messages. The best communications combine both performance and responsibility.
Making Communications More Impactful
In the end, effective sustainability communication can drive significant change, both in the world and in customers’ perceptions. When done right, it will give consumers the confidence that a brand aligns with their values and demonstrate retailers’ sincere commitments. All citizens have the power to vote with their wallets and businesses have a duty to make that vote sustainable for our world.
Keith Barry is a partner and vice-president of strategy at LG2, the largest independent creative agency in Canada. Trained in industrial design, Keith has always taken a unique, user-centric approach to solving business problems and building brands. For more than 20 years, his insightful approach has helped him connect people to brands to drive business at top-tier agencies in Canada and the United States. Keith can be reached at keith.barry@lg2.com.