Sustainability & ESG Communications Resources
"The built environment is directly responsible for 25% of the total UK carbon footprint, and therefore has a critical role to play in the national transition to Net Zero. "
UK Green Building Council, 2022
I originally put together this sustainability resource on the back of COP 26 all the way back in 2022 when it was held in Glasgow. A lot has, and a lot hasn’t happened since then including COP 29 in 2024 held in Baku an oil producing nation which certainly sullied its importance on the climate calendar even further.
However, I’m still hopeful, there's still much that the built environment industry can still do to reduce carbon emissions and help to reduce the impacts of climate change.
As a built environment marketing consultant, it is becoming more and more apparent that all communications and marketing professionals need to be up to speed on how to communicate sustainability matters ‘Honestly, openly, and clearly’. It is no longer a 'nice to have' that people can hand to a couple of specific specialists, as it should touch and be a part of all the communications and activity that we deliver from here on in.
With the rate at which the planet is continuing to heat up - the world had one of it’s warmest years on record in 2024 and with volatile climate conditions taking place ever more frequently. Floods in Spain, droughts and prolonged dry spells, hurricanes, wildfires and more. Scientists are having to rip up their own rulebooks with predications topping 2 degrees by the end of the decade.
I'm not claiming to be a sustainability communications expert, but there is so much more that we could all be doing as a profession to support the firms that we work with to communicate better around climate change. If we don't, well let's be honest, we're all doomed.
I've built this resources page and downloadable guide to share useful stories and information.
Find something useful that you think should be added? Drop me a line and I'll add it
Best,
Ayo
Al Gore speech at COP 29 in Baku.
Al Gore’s 15 minute speech at the start of this film in Baku is a good way to start this updated resources. The urgency for action is so clear.
News
Information Hubs / Reports
A brilliant dedicated hub for marketing communications folk. Loads there.
Marketing plays a significant and central role in driving a more sustainable future and marketers need to place a sustainable lens on everything they do.
Sustainable Marketing Hub - University of Cambridge
Our new hub for Sustainable Marketing, Media and Creative industries presents insights, resources and courses to support the industry in sustainable development.
WARC Sustainability Hub
WARC's Sustainability Hub features best practice, expert guidance and effectiveness case studies that will help marketers understand – and solve – the challenges of sustainability, including net zero.
Podcast Series
Can Marketing Save the Planet
It’s a big question, and one our podcast sets out to explore with marketers, senior leaders, CMOs and sustainability consultants and experts. Our purpose is to drive education, share best practices, inspire and empower listeners to ask questions and importantly… start taking action.
The Sustainable Communicator
The Sustainability Communicator explores the intersection of corporate sustainability and storytelling hosted by, Mike Hower.
During each episode, he explores interesting sustainability communication challenges, risks and opportunities facing folks in the business community and beyond.
The Eco Marketing Podcast
For marketers wanting to be more green! Rockin’ personalities from both marketing & sustainability professions discuss today’s big questions. These eco-marketing conversations provide a resource to help you drive more sustainable marketing. Warning: Not for the passive, prepare to activate!
Sustainability Uncovered
What are the climate stories that really matter? What breakthrough innovations and ambitious business initiatives could genuinely accelerate the transition to a net-zero, circular economy?.
Marketing for what matters
Join Peaceful Media on the “Marketing for What Matters” podcast as we explore revolutionary brands proving you can thrive while leaving a positive impact.
Straight talking sustainability
We keep hearing from sustainability professionals that they are banging their heads against a brick wall, that they’re spending a lot of time doing reporting and just not feeling that impactful anymore. We know we have to move fast, and to be successful, we need to keep things simple and share a whole lot more. This is why Emma has launched this new podcast. .
The Responsible Marketing podcast
The Responsible Marketing Podcast, discusses marketing, sustainability, and how we can all help organisations become more responsible.
AJ Climate Champions
The AJ's podcasts, including AJ Climate Champions hosted by Hattie Hartman.
Podcast Episodes
Sustainability - The Company Director’s Imperative W/ Joanne Flinn
Danny Levy interviewing Joanne Flinn talking about sustainability – lots of practical tips and advice on how boards can tackle sustainability and ESG.
Climate Crisis: What Are Communicators' Moral Obligations?
Digital Download with Paul Sutton interviewing Laura Sutherland FCIPR Chart.PR FPRCA from the PRCA’s Climate Misinformation Strategy Group talking about the responsibility that the entire communications industry has when it comes to tackling the climate change crisis.
Courses and training
The Sustainable Marketing, Media and Creative online short course from the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL)
(8 Weeks)
A new short course to equip you with skills and strategies to re-align the purpose of marketing, media and creative to support long-term wellbeing for all people and planet. You’ll learn how to inspire and reignite the potential for brands and creative roles to enable positive change and gain a heightened awareness of both marketing’s physical impact on people and the environment and its capacity to influence human behaviours and identities, and engage in challenging discussions on issues such as growth, greenwashing and consumption.
CIPR Special Diploma in Sustainability Communications (6-8mths)
A new course from the CIPR that's been developed in line with the UN Principles for Responsible Management Education, the new specialist diploma will provide a theoretical and practical understanding in how to strategically manage sustainability communications in complex situations. It says you can complete the course in 6 - 8 months and the main deliverable/ assessment is you working on a sustainable communications report for your chosen organisation.
The Carbon Literacy Project
Carbon Literacy®: “An awareness of the carbon costs and impacts of everyday activities, and the ability and motivation to reduce emissions, on an individual, community and organisational basis.”
Today, over 117,245 individuals from over 8,352 organisations are Carbon Literate - are you?
Our project initiates and helps deliver
Carbon Literacy in a unique and award-winning way:
Through the certification of people and organisations by their participation in a brilliant day’s-worth of learning about climate change, which the participants themselves help devise.
CIM Sustainability courses
The CIM runs a series of courses about sustainability from Carbon Literacy for Marketers, Greenwashing 101, Effective Sustainable Communications and much more.
Books
Sustainable Marketing: How to Drive Profits with Purpose - Michelle Carvill
Sustainable Marketing delivers the new benchmark for modern marketing. This book clarifies the importance of the sustainable approach before providing a comprehensive guide to implementing, driving and maintaining these practices in any organisation.
Corporate Responsibility in the Digital Age - Ivri Verbin
A roadmap to help organisations adopt corporate responsibility and sustainability practices and be fit for purpose in a digital era. It explains why corporate responsibility is the only option in the twenty-first-century post-COVID-19 world, and guides readers through the process of transforming their organizations with continued reference to the importance of technology.
Greener Marketing - John Grant
This book is packed with up-to-date learnings, case examples and trends, covering everything from eco labeling, transparency and the circular economy; to rebound effects, sustainable finance, blockchain and regenerative farming. A core message being that to drive sustainability, marketers firstly do really need to properly understand sustainability, its many applications and implications.
Sustainable Marketing - The Industry’s Role in a Sustainable Future
Transform your marketing practice into a force for good by understanding marketing's complicity in the sustainability crisis and learning how to embed sustainable thinking and practice in your day-to-day work.
Customer-Centric Marketing - supporting sustainability in the digital age
Customer-Centric Marketing shows readers how sustainable development practices and digital marketing techniques work naturally together to add value, leading to improved customer satisfaction, better professional relationships and increased effectiveness.
Sustainable Marketing Planning
This book provides practical insights, tools and frameworks to help readers produce tactically and strategically appropriate marketing plans.
The text reflects on contemporary themes that impact on sustainable marketing planning, including consumer behaviour, entrepreneurialism, internal marketing, services, international marketing, event management and digital marketing.
Sustainable Advertising: How Advertising Can Support a Better Future
Lead the way and make every aspect of your advertising sustainable with this practical guide filled with insights, tools and expert guidance.
Goodvertising: Creative advertising that cares - Thomas Kolster
Can advertising be a force for good? Can it bring about positive social or environmental change? Should it tell the truth about a brand? With today's consumers being more informed, empowered and ethically minded than ever, advertising needs to do all those things and more.
Documentaries
3 part BBC documentary series that will honestly make your blood boil from earlier this year.
Campaign film about the oil industry.
'The Turning Point' explores the destruction of the environment, climate change and species extinction from a different perspective.
An absolutely amazing series of films featuring comedians talking about the climate on behalf of scientists. It’s so well done and well produced. Well worth checking out their YouTube channel here.
Webinars
How to talk about sustainability without greenwashing?
Brilliant session hosted by Joe Glover The Marketing Meetup talking to Louisa Holbrook, Head of Sustainability at Brompton Bicycle about how to do market sustainability. Lots of brilliantly simple and honest advice and well worth a watch/listen.
Homing In! The C-Bomb: Climate Change
One from the lockdown vaults of 2021 from the Build Up - Networking Community crew about how how to communicate authentically around climate change issues and solutions. Featuring both journalists and comms pros from the built environment sector - lots of useful gems here.
How to talk about going green?
A LinkedIn Live session with Stacey Meadwell, Emma Drake and me sharing our experiences as part of our 'It's A B2B Comms Thing' talks with this one focusing on going green and what built environment communicators should consider.