Communicating the sustainability

10’ introduction: (Trainer) - (support: slides & video & web)

Description of the activity

→ Ice breaker: the stakeholders (10 minutes)

In the previous sessions the students’ teams have identified the stakeholders of their project. Think of the shool context, who are the external stakeholders (e.g. parents)? How do they affect the classes?

45’ duration: (Trainer) - (support: slides & video & web)

→ The communication plan

A communication plan is a road map for getting a message across to an audience, pinpointing who you need to get information to as well as when and how you intend to communicate it. It’s an essential tool across the business world, whether you’re working in marketing, human resources, public relations, or corporate affairs. Taking the time to specify your goals, audiences, and communication strategies will make your plan as strong and effective as possible.

Clear communication in project management isn’t just about where you should be communicating, it’s also about which team members should be receiving which types of messages. Internal communication is as important that the one addressed to the external stakeholders and the audience. Sharing a communication plan can give your team clarity about which tools to use when and who to contact with each of those tools. Without a communication plan, you might have one team member trying to ask questions about work in a tool that another team member rarely checks. Rather than being able to clearly communicate and move forward with work, each team member would end up frustrated, confused, and disconnected from the work that matters.

A communication plan can be easily created in 4 four steps:

1. Define your target stakeholders (internal and external)

2. Define the objectives and your overall communication strategy

3. Establish your communication methods and channels for both internal and external communication

4. Create a timeline or a calendar for your plan

By using template 7d, the trainer asks the teams to design the communication plan for their project. Are all the components of the plan necessary? If not, why?

→ Communicating the sustainability

Today’s stakeholders, such as governments, consumers or buyers, expect companies to go well beyond compliance and to articulate how they’re addressing major global challenges, from climate change to modern slavery. It’s no longer enough to minimise your impacts. You must show how you contribute to a better future for people and the environment.

As sustainability has become a mainstream business concern, more and more companies are communicating their stories. Leading businesses are open about the challenges they face, and explain the important work they do to address complex social and environmental issues.

By communicating their efforts authentically, they demonstrate credibility, and earn

greater trust and recognition among stakeholders.

Communicating your sustainability programme can unlock huge benefits, whether you’re a large multinational or a small local business. Well-crafted communications can be a powerful tool, from engaging employees and helping to drive change internally, to sparking stakeholders’ interest in the big milestones you’re meeting on your sustainability journey. It can also help you increase competitive advantage as your position on social and environmental issues differentiates you from your peers.

Communicating your sustainability efforts will also help you address growing challenges, such as new reporting regulations, declining consumer trust in brands and closer scrutiny from investors.

Communicating Sustainability – how to produce effective public campaigns

By using templates 7d, the trainer asks the teams to integrate the communication plan with the sustainability components. What is the message you want to deliver? What is the sustainability added value of your project?