New Path Forward for Sustainability Comms
As communicators, we have a responsibility to amplify the voices of the companies and campaigns we support. However, navigating sustainability in today’s world has become increasingly complex, especially with the ever-changing public policies and conflicting discourses around the topic. That’s why on April 2nd, I found myself sitting at the New Path Forward for Sustainability Comms summit surrounded by a group of intellectual professionals discussing their approaches to these challenging conversations.
Hosted by NYWICI and facilitated by Cat Addo, Social Impact Strategist and founder of Issue Space, the summit kicked off with an intriguing question about how the political climate affects their work and operations. Emily Goodstein, CEO and Founder of Greater Good Strategy, was quick to respond, saying, “We wear our politics on our sleeves. We’re not trying to be politically correct; we only work with like-minded organizations.”
Responses and Choice
When faced with the topic of sustainability, partner companies approach the issue from many different angles, reflecting the variety of audiences and points of view they represent. Sara Adams, Chief Communications Officer at Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose, shared how corporations are adjusting the language they use but staying the course on policies and practices that contribute both to the bottom line and stakeholder needs. Reed Handley, Executive Vice President and Financial Services Practice Co-Lead at, The Bliss Group, adds onto this thought and suggested corporations use data to better understand their employees and stakeholders rather than getting distracted by headlines. Communications folks should ask themselves questions like, “Why is it that we are we having an emotional reaction? Where’s the evidence for and against it?” and “What’s the best strategic approach for my business?”
Emily Goodstein, on the other hand, approaches the issue from a more reactive standpoint, emphasizing the importance of considering who will be viewing our content and what actions we want them to take with that information. Her focus is on attracting like-minded nonprofits to take meaningful action. “People respond in a crisis,” Goodstein noted. She shared that her team at Greater Good Strategy has seen increased donation revenue from organizations that are more vocal and transparent about their sustainability efforts.
Influence in the field
On the topic of influence, Handley also observed that there are more opportunities than ever in financial and professional services to lead with their values. “It’s all about having a clear perspective and focusing on outcomes,” Handley said.
Additionally, as some of the largest organizations in the nation are being targeted by challenges to take a partisan stance on issues, employees are asserting their power, especially in industries where that hasn’t always been the case. “What we’ve been noticing is the bravery of employees who are coming forward with strong points of view,” she said, referencing a recent situation with law firms and their stance on Trump’s policies. “Employees have a tremendous amount of power.”
Goodstein agreed, emphasizing the importance of having a clear point of view. She pointed out that the nonprofits she works with, which have strong mission statements, are able to attract a diverse range of micro-influencers. “The world needs to hear what you have to say. We are all influencers.”
Adams offered a different perspective, focusing on the influence CEOs have over their employees. She recalled attending a CEO meeting where one theme centered around the strength of CEOs supporting one another. “They don’t want to do it alone or be the first movers,” Adams noted. “They want to be able to rally around each other and drive conversations together.”
Social Impact and personal correlation
Goodstein quickly reflected on her privilege of being able to host an event at her home, where she could freely discuss some of her political beliefs. However, she acknowledged that there are certain sensitive topics she prefers not to discuss openly. “I’m especially appreciative of those who can speak up without having their financial livelihood on the line to make bold statements that I sometimes can’t,” she shared.
Handley, who often mediates and listens to various perspectives, shared her own challenges. “I often find myself holding back on the things I really want to say,” she said. She noted the difficulty of commenting on issues when there isn’t enough data to support the conversation. “There’s a different way to approach these conversations from a communications perspective. We often counsel clients to focus on the 5 Ps. Is what you want to say predictive, prescriptive, provocative, prudent or personal?” Handley explained.
Goodstein also emphasized the importance of the human aspect in sustainability communications. “It’s the human side of things,” she explained. She stressed how important it is for companies to explain the reasoning behind their actions to employees in order to dig deeper into the issues at hand. “What I can do is provide companies with frameworks,” she said. Adams’ company uses the “When and How to Speak Out” framework to guide organizations in defining issues. This allows companies to stay true to their values while reframing their messaging in a way that aligns with their mission.
Adams agreed with the notion that finding common ground is essential. “Most people want to find something to agree on,” she said. Goodstein echoed this thought, sharing one of her favorite icebreakers: “I love asking people where they’re from. Nine times out of ten, someone is from the same area, and it immediately creates a sense of community, no matter the topic.”
What silver linings you have at this moment? How can we support each other as communicators?
As the summit came to a close, Catherine Addo emphasized the importance of finding silver linings in our work and asked the panelists for their thoughts on how we can better support one another as communicators.
Adams emphasized the importance of supporting one another: “Networks are critical. If we don’t have that, we don’t have anything. When someone calls to meet for coffee, do it.”
Handley advised communicators not to shy away from asking “why?” She explained that the path forward requires balancing values with pragmatism so organizations can keep doing the impactful work they’ve set out to do without being targeted or getting distracted by the need to be reactive. “Don’t be afraid to ask why—it’s essential for stopping the reactive cycle when you’re leading with emotion,” Handley advised. Asking this simple question can be key to breaking the cycle of reacting emotionally in the moment.
