Don’t hide your sustainability story

Here’s a quick stat to get you thinking:

There are 762,000 monthly searches globally for “sustainability”.

Recently we noticed that a brand with amazing sustainability credentials was hiding their story in a poorly executed video on their About page.

It was a great story, but nobody knew about it.

Why do brands hide their sustainability stories? Maybe it’s because they believe they’re not quite there yet.

Guess what? Most other brands aren’t either.

Don’t fear the rules

Telstra Digital Channels exec Jeremy Nicholas recently urged brands not to excuse inaction through fear of regulation, saying “It's there to keep us on the straight and narrow…but make sure it drives you forward”.

He also cited the Federal election as the biggest market research event in determining public demand for action on climate change.

What the election shows is a shared ambition to make things better, and that’s where the opportunity lies for brands. Consumers want brands that are tackling the problem and have a voice in the global conversation.

How to bring sustainability to the forefront

Content pillars are a powerful way to tell your sustainability story and build it into your brand DNA. They allow you to be authentic and create a relatable, shared ambition with customers.

You don’t have to be 100% there yet. Admit you’re not, but have a shared vision with your customers, society, and planet.

Then, highlight who you’re partnering with on the journey.

Avoid green washing

Brands need to make choices at an agile pace to avoid being seen as green washing, and tough decisions around consumer experience will come into those conversations.

If we want to drive change, we must also show consumers that they have a role to play. Think of free returns in online retailing - when will they be switched off?

According to Jeremy Nicholas, giving customers the choice could begin to move the needle.

“If you want same-day, communicating that the carbon impact is high, but a one-week delivery may be low or neutral…make people think about that within the customer experience.”

Brands getting it right

We recently helped EY to not only tell their story but also show how they’re helping others, with a new narrative; “The flow on economy”. We developed beautiful films with images from nature, and a computer-generated forest in the shape of a lung.

The films have smashed completed view metrics on LinkedIn by 300%.

Aurecon is another brand that’s leading with their purpose: To imagine, co-create and bring ideas to life with clients in order to build a better future for people and the planet.

We helped reinvigorate this with content led campaigns and an overall look and feel that brings their sustainability message to life.

Be ambitious and real

Brands don't have to be perfect. You should be talking about what you’re currently doing that’s having a positive impact, and where you plan to take your net-zero and sustainable agenda.

It’s also OK to say you don't have all the answers. Telling your story in a dynamic, inspiring, and thought-provoking way will build a much deeper connection with customers.

By engaging your customers on your journey, they’ll help you make the best calls for the planet, your business, and their lives.

If you’d like some further insights to put a case to the business, please reach out.

rob@3rdspace.com.au

Rob Logan - Founder and CEO