Climate Communication

“Stories alone won’t save the world, but they have a massive role to play”

Szilvia Szabó — Thu, 22 Aug 2024 18:09:55 +0000

“Stories alone won’t save the world, but they have a massive role to play”

Tags

Business Sustainability

Climate Communication

Circular Economy

Topic

Climate Communication

This article is part of the 'Celebrating Circular` initiative and story collection that spotlights trailblazer Irish businesses making strides towards a more sustainable and low-carbon economy.

It aims to highlight the encouraging achievements of companies that participated in the MODOS circular economy training provided by Local Authorities to local businesses and supported by the Regional Waste Management Planning Offices and Dublin City Council.

Expert Insight

As Co-Founder of Change by Degrees, an online sustainability skill-building business, Madeleine Murray has been at the forefront of engaging companies and organisations in climate action and implementing sustainability strategies for many years.

She delivers the communication and customer engagement modules of the MODOS programme, aiming to help companies explore what makes a good story and how to use storytelling for good.

Smashing the ‘green assumption’

She warns that greenhushing, when deliberately concealing your sustainability efforts due to fear of being called out, is a trend that can set back climate action since learning from each other and seeing how others are taking steps towards this direction is a crucial element in shifting mindsets.

Madeleine explains: “I want them to find authentic stories so they can share what they are doing without drifting into greenwashing.”

“To be clear, nobody ever has the perfect story, but everyone has an impact and a mission. I try to focus on the power of using your influence, which can become your superpower on the market to grab attention and engage stakeholders.”

Madeleine Murray, Co-Founder of Change by Degrees

She adds, "Stories alone won`t save the world, but they play a massive role in steering attention, priorities and actions. We are social beings heavily influenced by other people and brands.”

When Madeleine and her team started developing training to get employees more involved with sustainability, they first wanted to smash the big ‘green assumption’ that it's all about the environment.

Breaking down carbon silo thinking

“We asked what colour sustainability is for you. The overwhelming answer was green. Then we started showcasing that sustainability is so much more than environmental issues, and it definitely involves social issues.”

Once they get to break down the ‘carbon silo’ thinking, it opens up a library of stories that shines a light on how multidimensionally sustainability can be.

Although she admits that it is an uphill battle to position sustainability as a core business issue.

“People are distracted by the day job – meeting targets, scaling, HR, finance – a million things that can take the place of sustainability, so one of the most important things is to make businesses realise that this is an overarching theme that will guide actions on all fronts.”

Learn more about the Celebrating Circular initiative!

The 'Celebrating Circular` digital publication and online story collection spotlight trailblazer Irish businesses making strides towards a more sustainable and low-carbon economy.

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Focusing on the ‘human hook’

Madeleine shares that a critical part often missing from sustainability communication is the “human hook,” which could help people relate to a story.

She explains that some simple yet strategic steps can help companies find their authentic voice and tell genuine stories. She uses a model that starts with finding ‘The Ambition’ and identifying specific goals you want to achieve with a piece of communication. The more specific, the more you can target your message and measure your impact.

Next, you choose a definite audience and understand it to tailor your message. Ideally, you select the most influential audience that can have the biggest impact on achieving your goals.

Finally, you find your hook that resonates with your selected target group and craft a story in human language, making your message easier to receive on the other side.

“Certain things will enhance your success in telling your story, such as finding a relatable and lovable ‘messenger’ to tell your story besides having clear actions you want your audience to do.”

She adds that calibrating your communication also heavily depends on knowing your available time, talent and budget so you can set realistic goals and assign resources accordingly.

At the MODOS training, she shares many realistic real-life examples, examining potentials, tensions and conflicts between what works and what to avoid.

Revising language to engage audiences

One of the case studies she highlights is a campaign run by AnPost to promote green loans, where they used softer and more likeable language.

For instance, instead of saying ‘retrofit’ or ‘insulation’, they used ‘cosy’ and ‘upgrade’, which made their offer more appealing. Madeleine adds that besides choosing their words carefully, the other success factor was having a relatable messenger to deliver the message.

She believes that, in addition to showcasing examples, participants need time to internalise learning as part of the MODOS course.

“I like to pause and allow people to reflect. Awkward silence is OK for me, so they have time to digest and get back to sharing instead of swallowing it down. This is the space where real connections are built.”

Exploring synergies and spotting opportunities

Madeleine is inspired by the fact that participants typically develop an appetite to learn more and explore further opportunities after a training session she or her colleagues host.

While learning is essential, she believes the power of collaboration can play a vital role in boosting impact.

Since she has worked with a wide variety of clients across multiple sectors, she loves taping into her extensive network to explore synergies by connecting people.

Spotting opportunities is one thing that drives her to push beyond boundaries.

She says: “What I love about sustainability is the endless possibilities. Recently, I became a bit obsessed with AI, exploring how it can be used in our field of work. Maybe it’s the nerd in me, so I get to do more research. But in the end, this lets us go ahead of the market and help clients do the same.”

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Celebrating Circular

Celebrating five years of getting sustainable stories hit the headlines

Szilvia Szabó — Wed, 26 Jun 2024 09:59:22 +0000

Celebrating five years of getting sustainable stories hit the headlines

Tags

Sustainability

Business Sustainability

Climate Communication

communication

Topic

Communication

Sustainability is carving out more space in the media year after year, still it is an uphill battle to fight for attention, especially when you have limited sources.

Fiona Donnellan, a real pioneer in this field, founded Sustainable PR public relations agency in 2019 to defy the odds and open up media opportunities for Irish eco-conscious and sustainable businesses to amplify their reach and catalyse positive change.

Now celebrating five years of actively shaping the media landscape, she shares what propels her forward:

"My focus on working with sustainable brands is a commitment to making a positive impact, resonating with consumers who increasingly value ethical and eco-friendly practices and products."

Fiona adds that sustainability and sustainable living have been part of her everyday life, and merging her passion with her profession seemed like a natural fit when she decided to leave a great job to pursue her dreams in 2019.

Fiona Donnellan, Founder of Sustainable PR

"I work with smart, eco-conscious, and sustainable brands that care about the planet, providing simple and effective PR strategies and storytelling to enhance their reputation," says Fiona.

With over 12 years of experience in PR, journalism, and communications, she is dedicated to getting purpose-driven brands the attention they deserve while promoting sustainability and ethical practices in business.

Her current and previous clients include Volvo, Etsy, Street Feast, De’Longhi, KIND Snacks, Thanks Plants, Sligo’s The Canopy, Cairde Sligo Arts Festival and Shells Cafe.

While embracing PR can seem like an inaccessible opportunity for many smaller businesses, Fiona firmly believes there is a lot of untapped potential here, regardless of the size of a company or organisation.

“I think some businesses and business owners know they need marketing and PR, but they're not quite sure how it all works, so then it can seem out of their reach or expensive, but actually, I can custom campaigns for any sized business.

I’m also so proud of how much cut-through my clients have had in the press; they’re competing with all the top brands, but they’re independently owned, sustainable Irish brands for the most part. How cool.”

When she started Sustainable PR five years ago, she recalls that talking about sustainability was more low-key and a niche area.

However, since then, it has become part of many business strategies and is getting more attention than ever.

Sustainable PR is public relations agency based in Sligo, amplifying the voice of eco-conscious and sustainable brands.

“It’s also something customers look for now when they’re buying. One recent survey I saw said 65% of customers want to buy purpose-driven brands, which is a huge shift, and that’s down to how we communicate about it,” Fiona explains.

Communication is crucial in shifting conversations about sustainability, but it is easier to be said than done to get it right.

“I have to be careful not to use too much jargon when I’m pitching stories just because I live and breathe sustainability. I have to be mindful that not everyone does, so it’s about explaining it clearly and concisely.

To break through the noise, you have to put it in simple terms, I think. Too convoluted, and your message will be lost.”

One project she has been recently working on is helping The Good Neighbour refill store communicate that they are changing locations so existing and new customers know about the move.

“I worked with the owner Jess Dollinger on a press release with all the information and sent the press release along with gorgeous images to journalists across the country.

The Good Neighbour was then featured on LovinDublin, in Irish Country Magazine, and on FM104, and Jess spoke to Dublin City FM and South Dublin FM.”

This two-month campaign was a great success, as Fiona managed to get the exposure they were after.

Jess Dollinger, owner of The Good Neighbour refill store is one of Sustainable PR`s clients.

She adds that there is no magic formula to make things work, but every press release or story can be reshaped if it`s not working, for example, by drawing on the personal story of a business rather than the product itself.

She adds that other clients might be looking for a more long-term PR campaign in the build-up to Christmas from September to December.

“Every year, I work with Emmet Bosonnet from Kopper Kreation, a homewares brand that uses reclaimed and recycled materials, to get news about his beautiful products out there.”

Building on all the learning curves and successes, Fiona is optimistic about the future and looks forward to continuing to champion sustainable brands.

“When I started out, I made a wish list of clients I’d love to work with, and I’m so proud that I got to check all these brands off my list. Time to make a new list.”

She feels the media landscape will change significantly again in the next five years, shifting from print and radio to TikTok and podcasts.

Therefore, evolving her business is inevitable to ensure she can keep up with the new trends and benefit her clients.

"There is a growing global consciousness about environmental and social responsibility, and my agency complements this," Fiona adds.

"I want to see people making smarter, mindful purchases rather than overconsuming."

Fiona’s dedication goes beyond her professional life as she takes up the role of Climate Ambassador with An Taisce, advocating for environmental education and action.

Besides, as a proud member of the 1% for the Planet movement, she is dedicating 1% of the annual profit generated by Sustainable PR to support nature conversation efforts in Ireland.

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Meaningful local climate actions spotlighted in UNDP`s new campaign

Szilvia Szabó — Fri, 22 Mar 2024 16:58:01 +0000

Meaningful local climate actions spotlighted in UNDP`s new campaign

Tags

Climate Communication

Topic

The Climate Action Explained new video series was launched by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) to take viewers on a world tour featuring viable and scalable climate solutions from all corners of the world to spark action.

The four episodes available on YouTube, hosted by UNDP’s Goodwill Ambassador and actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, cover specific topics representing high-demand and high-opportunity areas of impactful and ambitious climate action.

They focus on how forests can help fight climate change, sustainable energy, climate adaptation and youth inclusion, featuring solutions from 12 countries across five continents, including Cambodia, Ghana, Georgia, Egypt, Panama, Uruguay, and Zimbabwe.

How do we adapt to climate change? - Climate Action Explained video series

“The climate crisis can feel overwhelming and scary, but we do have the solutions we need to address this challenge head-on,”

said Cassie Flynn, Global Director of Climate Change at UNDP, regarding the campaign.

She added that “what we now need is to boldly scale up these solutions, together.”

In the climate adaptation episode, a citizen of Tuvalu, a country comprised of nine islands in the South Pacific, illustrates the devastating impact of flooding, which has damaged the homes of many community members living in more exposed areas.

Finance Minister of Tuvalu Seve Paeniu says the only way for his country to protect its shores and people is to reclaim land, build upwards, and rehabilitate the coastal foreshore, which they started to work on in their capital city.

The case of Tuvalu serves as a chilling preview of the challenges many coastal nations will face as sea levels continue to rise due to climate change, reinforcing the urgency of finding effective adaptation strategies.

The journey takes viewers further to Kenya, where water scarcity is an everyday battle – another issue already affecting many people worldwide.

Yvonne Nyokabi, UNDP Kenya Project Officer, explains that involving local communities and harnessing their knowledge is crucial in finding viable adaptation strategies while ensuring the livelihood of these communities.

Another well-known topic that still lacks mainstream solutions, explored in the Climate Action Explained video series, is “How do forests help fight climate change?”

Local voices from Ecuador share the fact that they lost over 60 per cent of their forests due to agriculture and other activities, which caused environmental damage and provoked social challenges involving indigenous tribes

How do forests help fight climate change? - Climate Action Explained video series

The Life Plan program that is implemented there supports local people in making informed decisions about managing their environment and lives in a way that restores and protects natural habitats while allowing them to stay connected with their heritage and make a living.

Deforestation is far from being an isolated issue, and Ghana is one of the many countries facing this challenge.

The campaign spotlights how they are working to restore and protect over 300,000 hectares of land to maintain sustainable forestry management that would help not only people now but also generations to come.

Finding clean energy sources is a top priority in making a low-carbon economy a reality, and the “What does clean energy look like?” episode highlights challenges alongside available scalable solutions.

In the series, the need for electricity is showcased through a hospital in Zimbabwe that requires access to energy 24/7 to meet the needs of its patients and save lives.

This hospital and hundreds of other facilities have benefited from the “Solar for Health” program, which provides solar panels to generate electricity and lower emissions.

The campaign also emphasises the importance of including young people in climate action, as they will be the ones dealing with the impacts of climate change.

How are young people becoming climate leaders? - Climate Action Explained video series

An example from Georgia features a youth inclusion project that trains Young Climate Ambassadors through a program encouraging participants to implement small-scale but impactful projects in their local communities.

This can be as simple as bringing attention to underutilised parks to inspire people to reconnect with nature and enhance their overall well-being.

Additionally, case studies from India and Panama point out the vital role of education and making information accessible to youth of all ages, highlighting that this is not at all evident to be included in state-provided educational programs.

The Climate Action Explained video series is part of UNDP’s efforts to ignite public conversation and mobilise action on climate change ahead of the COP30 climate negotiations, which will be held in Brazil in 2025.

“By presenting the solutions already available in developing countries around the world, Climate Action Explained aims to show that meeting climate targets is possible if we set the right priorities and deliver the right support – from climate finance to knowledge to technology - needed to implement them,”

says Mehmet Erdogan, Communications Lead at UNDP Climate Hub.

He adds that depending on the interest and support in this trailblazer video series, the organisation hopes to produce more episodes in the future, as there are many more stories to tell and issue areas that are demonstrating impact.

The video series is also underpinned by the work of UNDP’s flagship initiative, Climate Promise, and the newly established UNDP Climate Hub, which delivers the UN Systems’ most extensive portfolio of support on climate action in nearly 150 countries worth over $2 billion in grant financing.

Headline image: Getty Images

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Companies going quiet about their climate efforts is becoming a massive global trend

Szilvia Szabó — Fri, 19 Jan 2024 09:13:09 +0000

Companies going quiet about their climate efforts is becoming a massive global trend

Tags

Climate Communication

Climate Action

Climate Change

Business

Topic

Climate Communication

In recent years, business climate communication has become a spotlight issue to fight off greenwashing, and watchdogs are regularly fining companies for misleading marketing and advertising activities, as has happened lately to Shell with one of their public campaigns on green energy.

Besides, new regulations are shaping the landscape as the EU Parliament and Council new rules are coming to ban generic environmental claims and provide consumers with better product information from 2026.

All these changes seem to put too much pressure on companies, making them afraid to go public about their climate initiatives or plans.

According to the latest Net Zero Report released in January by South Pole, a global organisation supporting companies to achieve net zero emissions, the majority of surveyed companies are intentionally keeping quiet, decreasing their climate communications, otherwise known as 'greenhushing', despite increasing investment in carbon management and climate action.

Data collected from climate-conscious companies revealed that 70 per cent of them admit to 'greenhushing', which is present across nearly every major sector worldwide, from fashion to tech, consumer goods, oil and even environmental services.

The report explored why companies choose not to publicise their climate strategies or goals and deliberately decrease or cease external communications around them by surveying over 1,400 companies with dedicated sustainability leads across 12 countries and 14 sectors.

Reflecting on the result, John Davis, Interim CEO of South Pole, said:

“It reveals that regulation, industry requirements on reporting on climate goals and heightened scrutiny from various stakeholders are the core reasons for companies keeping quiet about their climate goals and progress.”

Scaling down communication happens despite most surveyed respondents (81 per cent) claiming to be on track to meet their net zero goals and recognise the value of communicating climate action.

John Davis, Interim CEO of South Pole. Image source: South Pole

Consumer goods companies marketing food, beverages, and household goods were more likely to be `greenhushing` (86 per cent), more than the oil and gas industry (72 per cent).

Controversially, 93 per cent of surveyed companies see communications as crucial to commercial success, and nearly half (46 per cent) say that customer demand is the number one reason to pursue net zero targets for the third year in a row.

Yet, they are holding back on connecting climate action and communication.

Besides customers, the desire to have better oversight of supply chain risks and to future-proof operations are the leading drivers for pledging net zero goals, surpassing the need to stay ahead of the competition.

Drivers to set net zero company targets over the years. Image source: Net Zero Report 2024, South Pole

Nearly half (44 per cent) of surveyed businesses claimed that due to lack of clarity and changing regulations, they find it more difficult than before to communicate about their net zero plans and actions despite the vast majority (81 per cent) of companies saying it is good for their bottom line.

The study showed that 2025 to 2030 is the most common net zero target year range, which raises some questions about delivering meaningful results.

The Net Zero Report found that over three quarters (76 per cent) of researched companies claim to be increasing their budgets to meet their net zero targets, and the vast majority say they feel like they are “on track" to meeting targets.

“Our latest research shows that too many companies in the surveyed cohort are working towards highly optimistic, possibly even unrealistic, net zero target dates of by 2030 or earlier.

The coming years will either bring unprecedented industry transformations or deep disappointments,”

says Franziska Sinner, Senior Director of Climate Strategies at South Pole.

She adds:

"What remains crystal clear today, however, is that corporate leaders must step up and speak up if we are to make a dent in this terrifying climate challenge.”

According to another research by Net Zero Tracker, the number of company net zero targets has risen by more than 40 per cent in 16 months from 2022 to 2023 based on numbers from assessing 1000 companies' net zero targets from the Forbes Global 2000 list of the world's largest companies.

However, only 4 per cent of these commitments meet the revised ‘Starting Line criteria’ set out in 2022 by the UN Race to Zero campaign, aiming to have clear and specific measurements and actions in place for carbon offsetting, reduction, and reporting progress.

This resonates with results based on analysing South Pole’s proprietary database of 77,000 listed companies, showing that only 8 per cent have set a net zero target, with 92 per cent having no targets or progress.

The data collected by South Pole in the Net Zero Report for the fourth year strongly suggests that most companies struggle to find the confidence to go public about their carbon management mainly because of their fear of scrutiny by stakeholders, regulatory requirements, and lack of guidance on best practices.

The lack of communication can jeopardise progress on climate action in the business community since there will be no best practices to follow or lessons to learn from.

Headline Image by DilokaStudio on Freepik

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