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The keys to winning sustainability communications in the CSRD era was the topic of discussion at a breakfast gathering at Miltton on Wednesday morning. 140 of Miltton's clients and partners were present to discuss this timely topic. Miltton's Senior Communications Consultant, Sustainability Heidi Kalmari presented three theses for sustainability communications in the CSRD era. “In the CSRD era, without a precise sustainability communications plan, there is a risk that your company's sustainability narrative is lost. The key questions to consider are: How do we reach our main target audiences in the right channels and with the right tone of voice? What are the most important channels for strategic sustainability communications? What tone of voice is needed for reporting to be credible and understandable?” A variety of perspectives on winning communications were raised by Miltton's clients: Nokia 's Emma Rispoli?described double materiality analysis, one of Miltton’s core sustainability services, as a communicator's best friend: It helps narrow down the focus of communications and create stories around key themes. Meira Oy 's Sanna Kylm?nen explained how regulation on greenwashing is already forcing us to make tough decisions in marketing communications. Outokumpu was one of the Finnish companies participating in last year's COP28 climate conference. Heidi Peltonen told us why participating in the international arena paid off. In a panel discussion, Inari Kinnunen from Dittmar & Indrenius law firm highlighted the importance of preparing for Green Claims legislation. According to her, changing the whole process will be a challenge for companies, as sustainability communications are no longer only relevant to communications professionals. Comms now need to involve others, too, such as lawyers. Jussi Kekkonen, Miltton's Public Affairs expert, pointed out that during the last parliamentary term, there has been a significant increase in regulation on sustainability. He added that it is highly likely that this trend will continue, and the upcoming EU elections will have a significant impact on this development. “It’s important to understand that this regulation will not be a given, but that companies should now actively seek to influence it.” Need support?? In these turbulent times, corporate reporting is being transformed, and communications need to be stronger and more credible.?Miltton's services include both strategic sustainability advisory and sustainability communications. As Finland's largest reporting house, shaping reports to CSRD compliance and finding winning communications solutions is our core competence. Read?more?about?our?reporting?services?on?our?website: https://lnkd.in/dVz68V3m

Can I help you juggle your sustainability communications needs? Meet 'Stephen' (pic below). He works as the Head of Sustainability for a global business and is tasked with making sure every stakeholder understands his business' work on sustainability. Also that all reporting and legislative requirements are met, that all reported activity is delivered by the entire organisation, and that anyone who wants it can have instant access to a plethora of well produced sustainability content and metrics. As well as learning to juggle Stephen is also considering a "How to please all of the people all of the time" course to help him further in his work too. I'm joking of course, but as Stephen would doubtless tell you communicating an organisation's work on sustainability has never been more important or more challenging. And as the teams leading sustainability get busier they often find that they simply don't have enough time in the day to get the critically important communications work done. Compounding this is the the fact that increasingly many sustainability team members come from a scientific or accountancy backgrounds, which means that communications is not always their natural area of specialism or even priority. So, what can an organisation do to help fix this? The best solution, if the inhouse team can't help, is to hire an interim or a consultant to step in and help deliver this work for you. Either to get things started (strategy, narrative or planning) or on a retainer to help deliver the work on an ongoing basis. In short - speak to me! I've done this work for many years now for a wide range of high profile clients. And over the last 6 months I've working almost full time across three clients including: ?? A global PLC - a group of 50+ life-saving technology companies where I have acted as an interim communications manager helping with reporting and crafting case studies. ?? A specialist podcasting agency where I continue to be an associate, supporting on sustainability podcasting ?? A communications agency who specialise in sustainability communications, for whom I am helping to develop a client's new sustainability narrative and strategy Working concurrently across different clients means I have been able to develop comprehensive experience of sustainability comms that is sector agnostic. This while making use of my 'can do' approach to jump into a team at a moment's notice, or work on the outside as an almost invisible resource just getting the job done. I do this in house and through agency teams. As an interim or a consultant. I honestly love the work I do and have some capacity on the horizon so if you think your organisation could do with some help please do let me know and I can help you learn to juggle with ease. ??♂?

As the director of ESG Communications. . . . . . what is my purpose? pt. 3 Hi again! So, last week I shared on the important duty of the Communications Specialist in making sure that all stakeholders know what is expected of them in order for the Company to achieve its ESG goals. Today, I’m speaking on the third prong of the Director’s scepter - Synergy. What does this mean? ESG standards are often driven by socially relevant topics, meaning they are more dynamic than static. New ESG goals require new collaborations between stakeholders. This could be due to new hires, new hierarchies and/or new roles and responsibilities. All of these are easy arenas for conflicts to arise between the stakeholders. While this cannot be completely avoided, the Director can contribute to creating new structures that make conflicts manageable and productive. How can they do this? By making sure every stakeholder understands what to expect from each other in achieving ESG goals. More than just what each stakeholder brings to the table, they also need to know what to expect from each other, especially where there are new workplace relationships. Why is this important? Because it will help stakeholders understand how to collaborate with each other based on these new expectations and improve their delivery on existing ones. That's all we have for today! Later in the week, we'll be doing a recap on the three pronged purpose of an ESG Communications Director. Stay tuned because next week, we'll be dealing with how to communicate ESG goals to stakeholders clearly yet accurately. Till then ??

The number of communications job descriptions mentioning ESG and sustainability have increased 1,600% since 2016. Mentions of PR have decreased by 74%.

In an age where businesses are increasingly expected to take stands on societal and political issues, corporate communications have found themselves at a crossroads. The pressure is mounting for companies to voice their positions on a range of issues, from climate change to social justice. The increased focus on corporate purpose and social responsibility, however, introduces a tension for the corporate communications function: the need to balance business imperatives with value-driven leadership. I'll take as an example an industrial company. The necessity for industrial companies to navigate the interplay between business imperatives and societal expectations has never been more acute than now. Let's consider how an industrial company might use a codified decision-making framework: 1?? Industrial companies must assess whether societal issues directly affect their operations, supply chain, workforce, or customer base. For example, a company might prioritize communication around environmental stewardship if it aligns with their business in renewable energy or waste reduction. 2?? At the same time, given the wide-ranging implications of industrial activities, it is essential to identify which societal issues align with strategic business objectives. Taking a stance on every public policy concern could distract from core business activities and may be perceived as disingenuous. 3?? Any public position must have the backing of the entire management team, particularly in industries where operations directly affect local communities and environments. For instance, initiatives for reducing carbon emissions should be supported with tangible actions and leadership commitment. By applying these 3 simple approaches, an industrial company can strategically align its communications with its business goals while also fulfilling its societal obligations. In strategic communications, prevention and planning is a lot more valuable and vital than reactiveness. Any legislation is announced or made public months before it is signed - more than enough time to prepare a well crafted communications campaign.

FRESH PR AND COMMS INSIGHTS Our experts produce regular content across a range of PR and comms topics. Here are two recent ones... 1 / How to create a successful manufacturing PR and comms campaign by Paul Tustin | https://lnkd.in/e2Ux2YnD 2 / How to get your ESG comms strategy right by Andrew Taylor | https://lnkd.in/ehb5-XFt Both useful reads.

Today’s #WeLeadComms honoree is communications strategist Emma Steele, who is based in London. ? In a career spanning more than 25 years, Emma has worked in communications across a broad range of sectors – most recently launching In Truth, a sustainability reputation advisory firm. Emma started her career in market research at Martin Hamblin, where she quickly learned the importance of understanding your audience. The psychology of communications has always been a particular draw. “I did a Masters degree in Philosophy which included a lot of theory of mind. I’m so intrigued by how society and those around us shape our ideas and expectations and desires”. This curiosity was further piqued by working in media analysis for many years, principally for CARMA. “Seeing how the same news story is interpreted by different media titles across different geographies and political environments is endlessly fascinating. This is why research is so important when trying to understand how stories or brands are perceived”. It seemed a very natural step for Emma to set up In Truth with a couple of her colleagues. “I’ve worked a lot in sustainability over recent years, and though operationally things are moving forward, so many organizations are really struggling on the comms front. Quite understandably, there’s a real nervousness around perceptions and greenwashing, but we need the climate crisis to be front and centre of conversations, and for those conversations to ultimately affect behaviour. In Truth aims to give businesses the confidence to be able to speak authentically and engagingly about being part of the solution”. She points out that issues-based comms require a unique approach. “You need a forensic, no-stone-unturned mindset in terms of understanding the landscape; subtle differences in language or presentation can really make a difference in terms of resonance. That said, in comms it’s the flair and zeitgeisty instincts that bring the magic to a campaign – and on sustainability, a topic many run away from or snore at, this has never been more important. Having a perfect mix of market knowledge and creativity – that’s the aim.” ++++ As a global leader in training and professional development for communication leaders, the?Centre for Strategic Communication Excellence?offers a range of individual professional memberships. Through these memberships, individual communication professionals can connect with a global community to grow their careers. There are three levels of professional membership, each with a range of substantial benefits. To learn more or to sign up, visit?https://lnkd.in/eV_62DcQ

Teamwork on the road to sustainability - Different roles & their challenges ?? Marketing & Communications A company's marketing and communications department plays a vital role in its ESG strategy. If their roles and challenges are managed correctly, they contribute to its ESG performance in addition to an ESG related improvement of its reputation. ?? Their role The focal point of marketing and communications departments is a comprehensive external and internal communication of ESG initiatives and services. By highlighting a company's commitment to ESG through the proper channels, as well as promoting its sustainable products and practices, its reputation can be enhanced. Staying in open dialogue with stakeholders to gather feedback is another vital part. This includes providing transparent reporting of ESG-related metrics and progress in compliance with reporting standards and frameworks. Other aspects of their role include well prepared crisis communication plans for ESG-related controversies. ?? Their challenges While fulfilling these tasks, marketing and communication departments are faced with a number of challenges. They need to develop authentic messages when it comes to their ESG initiatives and avoid possible risks for their reputation such as greenwashing concerns by ensuring data accuracy and consistency. On the stakeholder front, meeting diverse and sometimes conflicting stakeholder expectations regarding ESG performance and communication can pose another hurdle for the department. Transparency in reporting is a vital cornerstone of a successful ESG communication strategy. Enter the ESG Transparency Award to evaluate the transparency of your sustainability measures and ESG strategy: https://zurl.co/GOIz ?? Are you a member of your company's marketing and communications department and looking for an objective assessment for your ESG strategy in relation to your specific role in implementing it? Then follow us here, connect with your peers and send us your reporting for a GAP analysis. You will receive our assessment on the current state of your target setting, overall strategy and its communication. Please contact Jens Mürke if you have any questions! #ESG #Sustainability #CorporateSustainability

. . .As the Director of ESG Communications. . . . . .how can I make the Company goals clear? pt. 1 The most daunting part for any Communications Director is communicating something they had no part in creating. Which is the case for most ESG goals as they usually stem from regulations and recommendations by international bodies like International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) or PRI. So, how can you clearly communicate these goals to company stakeholders from Board Members to Customers? First, understand your company's big picture. What is the long-term vision? In other words, know your WHY. This will help you see exactly how the ESG goals move the company forward their already existing goals. Then you can introduce ESG as an important tool for achieving business objectives, rather than just another costly CSR project or a bunch of new regulations. This way, there'll be less friction and more cooperation from stakeholders. Second, understand your company’s ESG goals yourself. The goal here is to understand them deeply so you can communicate it in the simplest way possible. The easiest way to do this is to read far and wide, following the knowledge trail wherever it leads you. Like a fun treasure hunt where every idea is a clue on a map. With ESG, everything is related, and no knowledge is wasted. Start with a simple Google search or deep dive into the SASB Standards, it all provides necessary insight for understand ESG in such a way that you can communicate it effectively. For me, I began with the SASB Standards and googled any concepts I did not understand. I also searched other documents that were referred to in the standards. It's a couple of documents to look through, but I bet I look like some kind of detective agent ?? And that's another day of learning the role of communication in ESG. I hope today's post was beneficial for you. If it was, go ahead and leave a comment to let me know. See you next week, where we'll be discussing the next step in communicating ESG goals to stakeholders - painting the outline. Stay tuned so you don't miss it ! Toodles ??

Recently, I came across an interesting post by Jorunn Aamodt about measuring the success of change communications. While I agree with several of her points, I'd like to offer a different perspective on idea that communications and change professionals should "stop measuring the outcome of change." What Jorum is suggesting is that, as communications professionals, we can influence the process, rather than control the change outcomes. For example, we can’t determine whether someone keeps their job, or where the new office is. And that’s true – these are outside the remit of our function. But here’s why I think we should measure the ‘outcome of change’ – it’s because change and communications objectives must be part of the overall change outcomes. For example, I think measuring whether people use a new system, but not their experience of it, is short-sighted. That's because over time poor experiences will lead to workarounds or abandonment. Measuring the user experience also identifies possible future improvements. I think programmes or projects that don’t take a change and communications lens to their outcomes risk being about delivering ‘widgets’, but not making real change.?