Is sustainability disclosure drowning dialogue?

Key takeaways from our recent webinar, which discussed the challenges and opportunities facing sustainability communications teams today.
Business has never had more to gain from communicating sustainability, yet with increased politicization and regulation, it’s never been harder. In January 2025, David Willans, Director, Sustainability, chaired a discussion with some of the most experienced professionals in sustainability communications to discuss the key challenges and opportunities in 2025.
On the panel was:
Kerrita McClaughlyn
Head of Sustainability Communications, BAT
Dan Strechay
Senior Director, Pep+ Communications, PepsiCo, Inc
Sara Neame
Global Sustainability Communications Lead, Givaudan
Below is a roundup of the main insights from our panel:
We’ve overcomplicated it
Employees, customers and consumers want to know what companies are doing on sustainability, but we’ve made the topic so complicated. It’s probably because we’ve been talking to each other in a game of one-upmanship. Interest in sustainability is at an all-time high, so communicators need to make their message understandable for the general public.
Politicization is just a point in the cycle
Politics runs in short-term election cycles. Sustainability issues don’t, they’re here for the long term. With some parts of sustainability getting increasing amounts of negative attention, it’s important to have a strong business narrative behind your sustainability efforts. The heat and attention we’re experiencing now is just a part of the cycle. Be prepared but don’t be distracted by the noise, focus on doing what you do best.
In light of the added scrutiny, businesses may also struggle with whether or not to comment on external events. The entire panel agreed that the right answer is ‘it depends’. It depends on the interplay between the business and the event, whether the business’ employees are affected and if there will be a material impact to the business or its supply lines. A good place to start is to focus on your values and your employees.
The age of big commitments has passed, now it’s all about
A few years ago, communicating sustainability meant making big commitments. That time has passed. With trust declining across society and people’s interest in sustainability issues increasing, communicators have to get into the detail and talk about their actions and the progress they’ve made. This means we need to work harder on simplifying the technical so it’s not just understandable but also engaging.
Employees have been overlooked; their role is essential
Internal audiences have been neglected, yet they want to know what their company is doing. They want to know the bigger picture and why the sustainability strategy matters, as well what their role in that bigger picture is. As sustainability becomes more connected to supplier and customer relationships, equipping these teams with the knowledge and confidence to talk about sustainability becomes essential.
They are also a great place to start if you’re worried about external sensitivities. Not only are they already a captive and engaged audience, they’re also best placed to effect change within the business and improve the company’s sustainability performance. Help them understand what the business is doing – and their part in it – and they can become change makers as well as ambassadors for your organization’s sustainability efforts.
Get into the field
Finding stories to communicate is hard. Getting out into the business to meet your colleagues – the people doing the work that delivers sustainability benefits – is crucial. It will help you source stories and make the role of sustainability in the business clearer for the teams you meet.
Have a holistic view
Sustainability communications can’t sit just within communications or just within sustainability. It needs to straddle the two teams and be part of both. You also need close connections to your legal team. By having a holistic view and strong connections within each of these teams, you can ensure what you’re doing joins up and that you have the full picture. It gives you a platform to work with legal to produce and publish an engaging story.
If you want more information on how Bladonmore can help with your sustainability program, get in touch. To get more insights into sustainability communications, read some of our ‘Inside sustainability communications’ Q&As with leading practitioners in the field below.
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