Whether it’s from scrolling on LinkedIn, passing billboards and buses, or even picking up dinner ingredients at your local supermarket – you’re likely bombarded by hundreds of marketing messages about sustainability. So many, in fact, that they probably blur together.

But with 80% of UK businesses prioritising sustainability goals, there’s a high chance that you’re also doing something you’d like to shout about. How can you communicate your sustainability action in a way that encourages people to stop and think – and maybe even join you?

We’ve been to a few events recently where speakers have shared some real pearls of wisdom on this topic. Here are three strategies we particularly agree with, plus some advice for putting them into action.

1. Be transparent about what is and isn’t working

We’re often told to make sustainability communications transparent by not overinflating achievements. But what about being honest about when you don’t meet a sustainability target, or couldn’t do something you set out to?

Chris Dunford from We the Curious made a brilliant point at a recent Bristol & Climate Nature Partnerships event, pointing out that trying to turn the tide on the climate crisis and achieve net zero is a brand-new goal for everyone. No one has achieved this or created a failsafe framework for everyone else to follow.

So, why should we shy away from our missteps or misestimations? Being honest about them may help others on their own journeys and, from a marketing perspective, build authenticity for your brand.

So instead of only shouting about your successes, consider the following:

• Root your communications in data. If you haven’t achieved a goal you set out to, such as “become carbon neutral by 2030”, use data to show the progress you have made towards it and what you’ll be doing next.
• Be upfront and proactive. Adapt targets sooner rather than later and be honest about why; don’t wait until 2031 to share that you didn’t meet your 2030 targets!
• Create a two-way conversation with your audience. Listen to their potential concerns and consider them as you move forward with your goal setting.

2. Don’t make yourself the hero of your sustainability story

It’s natural to want to shout about your achievements, especially when they’re as pivotal as reducing your carbon emissions or contributing to a regenerative initiative. But will putting your business in the limelight encourage your audience to join your sustainability journey, or could it leave them feeling alienated?

Emmelie Brownlee from Energisprong shares this brilliant piece of advice: “Don’t make yourself the hero of your sustainability story”. Instead, think about how your audience helped you get to where you are.

Did their feedback encourage you to consider how you manage your product’s end of life? Were they patient about supply chain disruptions as you found more carbon-efficient partners? By buying your product, have they donated to climate action programmes?

Here are some other simple ways of bringing your audience into your sustainability communications, so they feel empowered too:

• Use the second person! Using “you” instead of referring to your business again and again is a subtle way of involving your audience in your actions and achievements.
• If you want your audience to take a particular action, make the benefits to them relatable and tangible. Will they save money in the long-term? Will they contribute to a less polluted local area? Focusing on the personal and immediate can drive people to act for the greater good!

Here’s an example from Who Gives a Crap, a brand that always put their buyers’ impact at the core of their messaging.

3. Be inclusive in action and language

At this year’s Purposefest, we heard a fantastic talk by Tori Tsui, Marvin Rees OBE, Lizzi Testani and Helena Hills on climate injustice. This is the reality that the communities who contribute least to climate change are often those most vulnerable to its catastrophic effects. This conversation then raised the question: how do we communicate about sustainability, without alienating those most affected by it?

A key thing is to tailor your language to who you’re speaking to. We do this all the time, and the same principles apply here. So, when you’re encouraging others to take part in climate action, whether by buying a sustainable product or donating to a cause, consider the following tips:

• Try not to point the finger. Accusing people of doing something negative – or not doing enough ‘good’ – is likely to alienate them instead of getting them onside.
• Instead, really get to know your audience. Why is it that they aren’t recycling, for instance? Is it that they don’t know how important it is – or do they just not have the time? If it’s the latter, then account for this in your communications.
• Think carefully about the language you’re using (and for who). Your annual carbon emissions report doesn’t need to shy away from jargon like “scope 3”, for instance, but this niche terminology won’t be effective everywhere.

Learning how to communicate sustainability is an ongoing journey, but it’s a really important one. If you’d like some inspiration from brands we really admire, you might enjoy this blog next: 5 tech brands doing sustainability marketing, perfectly.