Sustainability: the devil really is in the detail

B2B organisations risk losing business or attracting the wrong sort of headlines if they don’t have the stats to back up their claims.??

Go beyond the green of sustainability writing and see how you can show prospective partners and customers that your walk is every bit as good as your talk (and the other way around too).?

How UN Sustainability Goals can shape action?

The United Nations’ have designed the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as an ‘urgent call for action by all countries…in global partnership’. Companies often connect the challenges they want to help solve to one (or a combination of) these standardised goals.??

Look to leaders like Unilever and IKEA for inspo. Use the SDGs to find your place in the bigger picture. And prioritise goals that match the part you want to play.?

The importance of a policy for B2B businesses?

You're about to close with a big client you’ve been courting for weeks. They ask for your sustainability policy, and… crickets. You don't have one (or it’s out of date). Now, your partnership might be on the rocks.?

Whereas having rock-solid policies backed by purpose and action can make those partnerships bloom –something that companies like Patagonia and Interface know well.??

More and more companies are using requests-for-proposals (RFPs) to ask potential partners to show policy and proof of practice. Just ask Landsec , who require detailed sustainability responses from potential suppliers.?

Pick a term, any term: ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) or Sustainability??

ESG, sustainability—what's the difference ? ESG is all about measurable impact, while sustainability is more to do with the big picture – and takes ESG into account.?

For both, clarity is key to crafting messages that can carry your ambitions, your efforts, and your progress towards achieving your goals.?

Writing about the future, today.?

Our take here is simple: tell stories. Anchor them in hard facts, toss out the hyperbole, and weave in the real-life hits—and misses. No one gets this 100% right. Ditch the jargon (or help people make sense of it) and harness the power of punchy verbs that push your impact forward authentically. Substance and style make real change.??

Ready to join the global conversation??

Take a look at our session “Say It Like You Mean It” and unlock the secrets to sustainability writing. Or drop us a line and we’ll help you find the words to refocus your sustainability policies on the future you want to help build.??