Leading with Purpose: How Brands Can Harness Sustainability Through Storytelling
Sustainability is no longer just a buzzword. It can be an essential part of a brand’s identity. Nowadays customers expect a brand to have greater transparency, responsibility and alignment with their values. Brands that lead with purpose — placing sustainability at the heart of their business models — not only stand out amongst the competition but also build stronger relationships with their customers.
But how can companies effectively communicate their commitment to sustainability? The answer lies in storytelling.
We have seen it before: A company is in hot water for production emissions or unethical practices. It donates to charity, publishes statistics that are hard to understand and then releases a campaign with video footage participating in local community service.
However, brands must be cautious when promoting sustainability to ensure they maintain authenticity. Consumers are quick to call out greenwashing — the practice of making false or exaggerated claims about a company’s environmental impact.
To build an evergreen story of sustainability, honesty about successes and challenges is key. But the difference between truly doing good and seeming like you are doing good is creating a story of progress and collective action, aiming to build a bridge to resonate deeply with your audience.
Consider Unilever’s approach: The company has set sustainability targets across its many brands and reports on its progress, including areas where it is falling short. This level of transparency fosters trust and shows that the company is genuinely committed to making a difference, even if the path to achieving its goals is difficult.
Successful brands don’t just tell their stories; they also connect with their audience’s values. Companies must identify what matters to their customers and how they can meet those needs through their sustainable practices. For example, many consumers are concerned about climate change, plastic pollution and ethical labor practices. Brands can build stronger connections by aligning their efforts with these concerns.
LyondellBasell, one of the world’s largest chemical companies, launched the “The New LYB — Solutions For A Better Tomorrow” campaign nearly one year ago, focusing on sustainability without relying on statistics. Instead, the campaign showcased everyday moments — parents picking up their kids from school, grocery shopping and community gatherings — to highlight how the chemicals LYB produces touch every aspect of daily life. These familiar scenes were paired with the company’s low-carbon solutions, reinforcing its commitment to sustainability and demonstrating how its products are integral to modern living. The campaign aligned the LYB mission with the values of environmentally conscious consumers, illustrating the company’s long-term vision of making a tangible difference.
To maintain such connections, brands should continually seek input from their customers, engage in meaningful dialogues and demonstrate how they’re acting on feedback. This two-way conversation ensures that the brand remains relevant and trusted over time. While trends seem to come and go, values are evergreen as a part of a company.
The key takeaway for public relations professionals is that sustainability storytelling must go beyond glossy campaigns. It needs to be rooted in authenticity, transparency and alignment with the brand’s consumers. In doing so, brands not only strengthen who they are but also contribute to a more sustainable future.
Macy Barshick is a senior at the University of Alabama studying Public Relations and Leadership Communications. She is from Pittsburgh, PA.
