Engaging with your stakeholders is a central tenet of both sustainability and of corporate responsibility.  Effective engagement with stakeholders means, of course, communicating with them.  In recent years we have seen stakeholders’ expectations of company behaviour increasing.  They want to know what the social and environmental impacts are of the products and services they buy and the growth in labelling schemes (such as Fairtrade), the surge in demand for organic food and the rise in scrutiny of supply chain practices all reflect this growing concern.

Communicating your sustainability performance – both successes and challenges – is the best way to proactively engage with your stakeholders, share best practice and contribute to the growing and evolving debate around sustainability.  In the process, you can reap rewards in terms of enhanced reputation and credibility, and even open the doors to business opportunities that you may not otherwise have discovered.

Avoid ‘greenwash’
One word of caution before you begin: avoid ‘greenwash’ in your communications.

Greenwash
An environmental claim that is unsubstantiated, misleading or irrelevant (for example, used as a distraction) .

The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is upholding more and more complaints against environmental claims that are not substantiated.  Last year, for example, the ASA pulled advertisements from a roofing manufacturer that claimed ‘all materials used are totally recyclable’.  Be sure that any green claims you make are credible.