The Sometimes Overlooked Role of Communications in an ESG Effort

 

Communicators have a broad toolkit for making waves in this crucial area.

Tony Silber, Editorial Director, Ragan CommunicationsThe rise of ESG—Environmental, Social and Governance—and the notion of building a sustainable business, is one of the defining business imperatives of the last half decade. It will increase in importance going forward.At its core it’s an organizational strategy that seeks to align risk mitigation and reputation enhancement with business objectives and performance. Communicators have a major opportunity—and a responsibility—to tell their organization’s ESG story, so it’s important to understand the role.As it is now, ESG communications is an overlooked part of the communications portfolio, says Sandy Skees, global lead for Porter Novelli’s Purpose + Impact practice. “Businesses are used to providing ongoing communications across owned, earned and paid channels when it comes to business updates, product marketing, brand advertising,” she says. “I call this the ‘Language of Business.’ What’s been missing is a broad communications program that expands this language to include goals, progress, challenges and anecdotes about how a company is operating across its entire ESG continuum.”[FREE REPORT: Strengthen your knowledge and skill around ESG communications]Continue reading here...