The art of sustainability storytelling
Credit: @jhsookias
“Mummy, Mummy, Mummy… look at this!” When my kids were little, this was the proclamation that meant I was about to be shown something important. A story always accompanied it – how many attempts it had taken them to master a new football skill, how they had found or made the item in their hand or what their latest painting represented. “Show and tell” storytelling at its best.
Effective sustainability marketing needs stories too. Facts and numbers alone can be cold. Yes, accurate environmental impact measurement and scientific knowledge is crucial for sustainability credibility, but the magic happens when we combine data with storytelling. It brings those metrics to life, creating a powerful connection with stakeholders.
Examples of sustainability storytelling I’ve liked over the last few months:
Apple’s Mother Nature 2030 status video was a humorous and engaging 5 minutes that shared sustainability progress and plans as well as answering potential questions.
Seabin’s impact report, helping readers to understand their numbers eg comparing the amount of water filtered and cleaned to Olympic-sized swimming pools
Zero Co clearly explaining how their circular system works
Mysolaredge app converts the CO2 emissions saved from solar use into an equivalent number of trees planted. Eg 2244.4kg roughly translates to 44 trees.
5 tips for effective sustainability storytelling:
Purpose: Your story should serve a clear purpose, whether it's carbon reduction, water conservation, or waste management.
Show Progress: Highlight your journey and commitment to sustainability.
Humanise Data: Share stories of the impact your actions are having; how they help people and/or the planet.
Visuals: Use infographics, images, and videos for relatability.
Educate & Inspire: Your narrative should both inform and motivate.
When customers, investors and the inquisitive can relate, they take notice and remember. They engage and want to learn more. Customers become brand advocates as they can share your messages easily with their friends, family and work colleagues.
This is when sustainability marketing’s storytelling creates a ripple effect, inspiring others to take notice and join in.
Would love you to hear your favourite sustainability storytelling examples i- do drop me an email or message on LinkedIn!
#sustainabilitymarketing #Storytelling #EnvironmentalImpact #InspireChange
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As an experienced B2B marketing consultant my mission is to support companies that have products and services that make a difference to people and the planet.
By enabling organisations within the circular economy to share their profit for purpose and sustainability stories, growth is created. Together we can make the world of tomorrow an environmentally better place for future generations.
Hannah Welch