When you consider the priorities of a Sustainability team, which span everything from getting buy-in for setting Science-Based Targets to working cross functionally with various function leaders, it’s easy to see why a topic as fraught with misunderstanding as communications can take a back seat. 

But that’s a mistake, according to Alex Heath who leads the US social impact and sustainability practice for Edelman. The biggest reason to put time and effort into sustainability communications is simple: stakeholders like employees, investors, suppliers and customers are asking for it and the trust that’s built through actions amplified through communications leads to better business outcomes. 

According to Edleman’s Trust Barometer: 

• 69% say that lack of societal impact is a deal breaker when looking at a place to work
• 63% of people say that they'll buy or advocate for a brand based on the company’s beliefs and values 
• A majority of people globally want business to take more action, not less, on issues like climate change, economic inequality, energy shortage, healthcare access, and workforce reskilling. 

In short, by focusing on societal good and communicating that to stakeholders, businesses gain more buyers as well as attract and retain talent.

In the following webinar Alex discusses:

• The steps involved with starting your comms strategy
• The different stakeholders that need to be communicated with
• The increasing role of collaborative communication and how to navigate working with suppliers or other partners on a comms plan
• And tips on avoiding greenwashing 

As Alex shares, “No company can do everything but every company should be doing something.” 

Taking action and communicating it to the people who care is at the absolute root of a comms strategy that can create trust and deliver on your business objectives. 

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View the 30 minute webinar on demand here.

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About Alex:

Alex Heath is Edelman’s US Head of Social Impact & Sustainability, where he focuses on the role of business in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. Prior to Edelman, Alex served in the Peace Corps working on youth development and safe migration in rural northeast Thailand, led strategic partnerships and created issue-based messaging for MTV International’s global anti-human trafficking campaign out of Bangkok, and developed programming for non-profit organizations in Nicaragua and the US. For the last decade plus, he has worked closely with businesses across almost every sector, including many Fortune 500 companies, to create, evolve, and execute their sustainable impact strategies and communications.

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