What ‘s the purpose of crafting a sustainability narrative?

Almost every day I read about one greenwashing incident or another. Cleaning up a greenwashing scandal can be expensive. From reputational damage to legal problems, the consequences are likely to outweigh any short-term gains.

I read far less about greenhushing scandals, for obvious reasons.But is keeping quiet really the better option? I think not.It breeds mistrust, misses opportunities to connect on what matters to you and others, and slows progress. Finding the right balance and avoiding the pitfalls requires one thing above all else: aligning your intent and actions with your words.

A well-crafted sustainability narrative can be helpful, stimulating and catalytic for a number of reasons. Not just because it is capturing the essence of your sustainability strategy, the who, why, what and how, in a way that drives credibility and consistency in communication across all channels and formats.

Here are five reasons why the discipline of crafting it carefully, is your secret and essential sauce to take sustainability (and your business or brand) to the next level:

Clarifies purpose and direction:

A narrative is set in stone, at least for a while. It guides communication and action; it is assumed to be well thought out and aligned by key stakeholders. This is an opportunity to recommit to some fundamental cornerstones of your business: the original purpose, vision, mission and values. And answer why and how sustainability adds value to your business and beyond. Once agreed and put on paper in a galvanising way, this will become a catalytic and liberating framework for all those who act on your behalf.

Differentiates your strategy and brand:

Your sustainability story becomes a key element of your brand identity. It helps your key stakeholders differentiate you from your competitors. It tells them why your actions bring unique value to your customers and communities. Why your actions have a unique positive impact and make a difference to people’s future and life on the planet in a specific and original way.

Makes you want to go further:

Compliance is the single most important driver of sustainability. Avoiding penalties and legal risk is a powerful motivation. However, always complying with the law does not make for a great narrative or impression, even if it takes a lot of effort to get there. Creating an inspiring narrative makes people want to do better, to be in the next best group of their peers, or even best in class, and ultimately to be recognised as the innovators of the sector. Aligning with an ambition leads us to do our homework, carefully benchmarking our goals and actions against our industry peers for each of our material issues.

Holds you accountable:

The narrative represents a firm commitment. It makes employees, partners and shareholders proud, drives them forward, shares the vision, mission and measurable commitments with many others, including customers, supply chain and close communities. The narrative reminds you to be sure that you can achieve your goals, allocate appropriate resources and take effective action to achieve them. Clarity and transparency lead to accountability and greater progress.

Gives you laser focus and prioritization powers:

A good narrative ensures that everyone inside and outside the organisation understands your focus and priorities. They learn not only what you prioritise, but also what you do not support. It helps them make decisions and align their actions with your priorities. Consumers and stakeholders will be able to see the specific value you bring.

The process of going through all the elements of a differentiating sustainability narrative together, in a cross-functional crew led by communications specialists and informed by the perspectives of key stakeholders, has value in itself. By exploring sustainability from all angles, everyone gets on the same page. Risks and opportunities become crystal clear, fostering a “we’re in this together” mentality. It can inspire collaboration and re-commitment to more sustainable actions. And through a purely communication lens, this process replaces recycled phrases with fresh, impactful language that resonates and inspires. This task isn’t just about communication; it’s about igniting a movement within your company, one that propels you towards a truly sustainable future.