Why sustainability needs stronger communication
The way we communicate sustainability dictates how the reader perceives it. The reader could be an investor, a government official, a businessman, a philanthropist, or a consumer. Every single person has their own perceptions and belief systems around what sustainability means. Some of those ideas may have been formed from listening to media bytes, others by having discussions at networking events, reading books, and possibly interacting with real players who are involved in sustainability, such as climate scientists, farmers, supply chain workers, etc. However, ultimately, each of these people will value specific parts of sustainability based on what is most important to them at that given moment. For example, an investor, depending on the type of fund he/she is managing, will first look at significant returns, and then at parts of sustainability that are interesting to them. It could be saving biodiversity or water, but it will usually align with something personal to them. A rich philanthropist, on the other hand, will likely view it through the lens of social impact first, with little desire for financial returns since this is his/her way of giving back to humanity. An impact investor, however, will still look at returns, albeit not as much as a private equity or a venture capital investor, but he/she will still want to follow a proper process of valuing a business, analyzing data, and expecting reports to see how their investments are performing. Therefore, the whole concept of sustainability is no longer that of charity as is mistakenly perceived in the eyes of consumers. It is, in fact, a business. And if sustainability has to operate as its own industry with proper business strategies, regulations, and ethics in place, its positioning and communication have to be such. It cannot be hidden under the garb of charity and non-profits, though I’m not dismissing the value of these types of organizational structures to improve traction towards Earth and humanity’s well-being. But we need to stop using vague terms like “green” and “eco-friendly”; they don’t move the needle towards real progress, and they sound misleading. At this crucial juncture that we stand in today, with temperatures set to surpass 2+ degrees Celsius in the next decade, sustainability must be positioned as an interesting and exciting business proposition with clear economic value to countries, companies, and people. The role of communication will become even more vital in this space as more climate-focused startups and philanthropic capital increase towards sectors like clean energy, agriculture, biodiversity conservation, biosciences, built environment, and more. Sure, ChatGPT and AI can help businesses formulate narratives, but the role of human communicators and media professionals will become more important than ever since AI cannot function without the right prompts. Also, since AI possibly cannot know everything that a business represents including its real-time culture and values, it will require a communication professional who thinks systemically and creatively, and can synthesize complex patterns between how the world works, how a business works, how a leader thinks, what different stakeholders value, and what will move the needle towards real progress for sustainability efforts in a specific domain. This complexity will then have to be narrated to AI using proper prompts, so you get the right output. We know the ramifications of poor communication on a company or a founder’s reputation, which can directly impact its revenues, employee retention, and even attract the right candidates. Communicating sustainability with clarity, power, and conviction, with clear business metrics and emotional tonality, can influence capital.
