Editor’s note: Via our SEO guy Tom, we got to meet Angela Barter of The PR Agency – a sustainability PR Communication Agency in South Africa. In this guest post, she gives useful and easy-to-understand tips for telling your sustainability story successfully.

A fast-growing number of companies are reaping the economic and productivity benefits of implementing sustainable practices in their business operations. By also sharing its sustainability story successfully, a business can also position itself as the top choice for fast-growing numbers of environmentally conscious consumers, and as an environmental leader in its industry.

To environmentally-conscious consumers, the environment – and environmental accountability – are important. They want to support transparent, authentic, and honest companies that are environmentally accountable and do not harm – or profit at the expense of – the environment or people.  

Based on 20 years of experience, and working with sustainability and conservation leaders such as World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), EcoMetrix Africa, GreenCape, Amakhala Game Reserve, Chipembere Rhino Foundation, and Sustainable Seas Trust, Angela Barter of The PR Agency – a sustainability PR Communication Agency in South Africa-  provides these tips for telling your sustainability story successfully.

How to share your sustainability story 

1. Credibly and accurately – Develop your sustainability story from solid research and facts. Publish only credible, accurate content that is grounded in truth and backed-up by reliable data and verifiable evidence. Share these facts and data accurately and responsibly.
2. Clearly and compellingly – Don’t lose the story in jargon and details. Translate scientific terminology and technical data into understandable language, making it easy for your target audience to understand and relate to your sustainability story.
3. Ethically and responsibly –It is unethical to mislead consumers to believe that a company or product is ‘environmentally sound’ when it is not by making false, deceptive, exaggerated and inaccurate social and environmental claims – also known as ‘greenwashing’. Inexperience, a lack of understanding, poor PR and false or misleading information could lead to unintentional ‘greenwashing’. When exposed, it will result in reputational damage, negative publicity and the lack of consumer trust and investor confidence.

Ethical and responsible companies provide consumers with accurate, transparent and authentic environmental information. This enables consumers to make informed decisions and to support companies that are making a difference by reducing environmental impact.

Implementing these tips to communicate your company’s sustainability credentials will unlock benefits of sharing a sustainability story successfully. These include, among others, capturing the attention of the growing numbers of ‘green or eco-conscious consumers’, differentiating your products in the fast-growing ‘green economy’, and gaining a competitive advantage in the market. It both portrays your company as a good environmental steward; and also creates long term stakeholder value. It also unlocks further benefits such as enhanced brand value and reputation, improved consumer trust and loyalty, and increased investor confidence.

“Unlocking all these benefits professionally is exactly what we do at The PR Agency,” says founder Angela Barter, a leading Sustainability Communication Strategist specialising both in Sustainability and in Public Relations, with a Masters (MPhil) in Environmental Management from Stellenbosch University and accreditation as a PRISA Chartered Public Relations Practitioner. “After more than 10 years experience in championing sustainability communications, The PR Agency is now 100% focussed on sharing sustainability stories – a first in the South African market!”

“A fully-fledged public relations agency with a 20-year track record, The PR Agency has built strategic partnerships and collaborations, enabling us to create and distribute accurate and engaging content across a full range of communication channels ranging from traditional PR and media relations to social media, sustainability podcasts and full-service digital marketing,” says Barter. “We ensure your sustainability message unlocks all the benefits of sharing your sustainability story – and gets results: for your business, for the people, and for the planet.”

For more information, please visit The PR Agency South Africa (Website designed by Arctic Online Web Design Cornwall, UK)