{"id":13247,"date":"2024-11-20T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-11-20T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/?p=13247"},"modified":"2024-11-18T22:32:05","modified_gmt":"2024-11-19T03:32:05","slug":"leading-with-purpose-how-brands-can-harness-sustainability-through-storytelling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/index.php\/2024\/11\/20\/leading-with-purpose-how-brands-can-harness-sustainability-through-storytelling\/","title":{"rendered":"Leading with Purpose: How Brands Can Harness Sustainability Through Storytelling"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Sustainability is no longer just a buzzword. It can be an essential part of a brand\u2019s identity. Nowadays customers expect a brand to have greater transparency, responsibility and alignment with their values. Brands that lead with purpose \u2014 placing sustainability at the heart of their business models \u2014 not only stand out \u200bamongst the competition \u200bbut also build stronger relationships with their customers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But how can companies effectively communicate their commitment to sustainability? The answer lies in\u202fstorytelling<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, brands must be cautious when promoting sustainability to ensure they maintain authenticity. Consumers are quick to call out \u202fgreenwashing<\/a>\u202f\u2014 the practice of making false or exaggerated claims about a company\u2019s environmental impact.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To build an evergreen s\u200btory of sustainability\u200b\u200b, honesty about successes and challenges is key. But the difference between\u200b truly\u200b doing good and \u200bseeming\u200b\u200b\u200b 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consider Unilever\u2019s approach: The company has set sustainability targets across its many brands and \u202freports on its progress,<\/a>\u202fincluding 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Successful brands don\u2019t just tell their stories; they also connect with their audience\u2019s 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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

LyondellBasell, one of the world\u2019s largest chemical companies, launched the \u202f\u201cThe New LYB \u2014 Solutions For A Better Tomorrow\u201d<\/a>\u202f campaign nearly one year ago, focusing on sustainability without relying on statistics. Instead, the campaign showcased everyday moments \u2014 parents picking up their kids from school, grocery shopping and community gatherings \u2014 to highlight how the chemicals LYB produces touch every aspect of daily life. These familiar scenes were paired with the company\u2019s low-carbon solutions,<\/a>\u202freinforcing 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\u2019s long-term vision of making a tangible difference.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To maintain such connections, brands should continually seek input from their customers, engage in meaningful dialogues and demonstrate how they\u2019re 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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019s consumers. In doing so, brands not only strengthen who they are but also contribute to a more sustainable future.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Macy Barshick is a senior at the University of Alabama studying Public Relations and Leadership Communications. She is from Pittsburgh, PA.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sustainability is no longer just a buzzword. It can be an essential part of a brand\u2019s identity. Nowadays customers expect a brand to have greater transparency, responsibility and alignment with their values. Brands that lead with purpose \u2014 placing sustainability at the heart of their business models \u2014 not only stand out \u200bamongst the competition \u200bbut also build stronger relationships […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":13248,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3742,2898,3412],"tags":[3805,637,993],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13247"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/33"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13247"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13247\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13251,"href":"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13247\/revisions\/13251"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13248"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13247"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13247"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13247"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}