Helen Dodd, Head of Sustainability at Instinctif, welcomes Pip Wheaton, a renowned social entrepreneur and climate activist from Ashoka, on the #InstinctifTalks podcast. Together, they delve into the strategies outlined in a crucial playbook for effective climate communications.
As the demand for authentic engagement on sustainability grows, brands must enhance their approach to climate communications. Drawing insights from their discussion, here are eight strategic ways brands can genuinely connect with their audiences and drive impactful sustainability initiatives:
- Making it Personal: Effective communication starts by making climate change relevant to individuals on a personal level. It's about connecting global issues to local experiences and personal interests, thereby building internal motivation for action.
- Gathering Support: Creating change is challenging, and doing it alone is even harder. Effective strategies involve building a community or network that supports individuals and groups in their efforts, helping them to bounce back from setbacks and stay committed.
- Creating Enabling Conditions: This strategy involves addressing and removing systemic barriers to action. It can include practical steps like changing organisational processes or realigning incentives to make sustainable actions more accessible and feasible.
- Challenging Dominant Narratives: Communicators should focus on disrupting the dominant narratives that contribute to a sense of disempowerment among individuals. This involves questioning narratives that delay action or downplay the severity of climate change.
- Emphasising Agency and Empowerment: Communications should not only raise awareness but also empower people to act. This means crafting messages that increase people’s sense of agency and illustrate how collective actions contribute to larger change.
- Navigating Complexities Transparently: Avoid oversimplifying the challenges of climate change. Engage audiences in honest discussions about the complexities and trade-offs involved in tackling these issues, thus fostering a deeper understanding and support for necessary actions.
- Focusing on Connection: Research shows that messages that lead with emotions like love and focus on what people care deeply about tend to generate more support for climate policies. Such messages highlight connections to broader movements and long-term impacts.
- Supporting Safe Spaces for Discussion: Create environments where stakeholders can safely discuss and explore different strategies and challenges. This is particularly important for businesses and organisations grappling with how to implement sustainable practices effectively.
For more expert advice on enhancing your brand’s climate communications, don’t hesitate to reach out to Helen Dodd, Head of Sustainability at Instinctif at [email protected].
