You might have noticed that sustainability is no longer just a marketing buzzword. It has become a movement, an absolute hygiene for businesses that want to build trust with clients and customers and stay relevant in society, and green PR agencies are really helping brands push this forward.
These forward-thinking agencies are reshaping how brands communicate with their audiences. They aren’t just helping companies slap a “green” label on their products and job done, they’re specialists in creating sustainable, eco-friendly brand strategies while ensuring that these initiatives are communicated effectively. They’ve got one foot in the world of public relations and the other in the rapidly evolving sustainability space. Think of them as the bridge between companies and their increasingly eco-conscious audience.
So, how exactly are Green PR agencies doing this, and why should brands be paying attention?
Agencies like Wilful are involved throughout their clients’ businesses, looking upstream at their supply chain and downstream at their client and customer relations to ensure that this organisation is behaving as its promising. As importantly, green PR agencies are studying how these organisations treat their staff, impact their communities, how they run their operations, so that marketing claims are authentic and that green claims are resilient. Today, green PR agencies are more like management consultancies than traditional PR teams. At Wilful, we call this the “inside out” approach to good PR.
At Wilful, we work with brands with ambitions to change the world for the better. We have led high-profile PR and communications initiatives aligned with our pioneering clients’ visions for innovation and sustainable development. Our partnerships with clients such as Recycle it Global and Royal Academy of Engineering, have affirmed our growing reputation for delivering impactful, innovative and sustainable PR campaigns across diverse sectors such as finance and infrastructure, talent and education, tech and FMCG.
But what is it that sets Green PR agencies apart from regular PR firms? Firstly, they have a deep understanding of the issues surrounding the environment, social fairness and the real-world impact of a company’s practices. Secondly, they know how to sift through an organisation to find aspects of the way that company does business to authentically communicate its sustainability efforts, and if they find something that doesn’t support the external position, they have the power to take it to leadership and share its potential negative impact on marketing claims. More importantly, they understand that transparency and honesty are paramount, greenwashing is simply off the cards.
PR agencies know that today’s consumers are sceptical and can see through companies claiming to be “green” without showing real proof. Consumers are more vested in supporting brands that align with their values, so when a brand can prove its commitment by inspiring, educating and motivating consumers to take green action, while also making it relatable and actionable, it earns a lot of love from eco-conscious buyers. Green PR agencies must be trusted to tell real and authentic sustainability stories, helping create messaging that speaks directly to these sustainability-minded consumers, and let’s face it, this is only going to get more important as the future unfolds.
Gen Z and Millennials are the ones driving the sustainability conversation online. The new generation of consumers are vocal about environmental issues and expect the brands they support to take meaningful action. Green PR agencies are monitoring social channels to ensure they understand the sentiment, the temperature and the trending issues. This not only ensures that they are aware of any potential opportunities but can help steer clients away from topics that can cause upheaval and pitfalls for effective PR. In this way, a good green PR agency should be continuously adjusting their clients’ messaging, initiatives and strategies to reflect changing environmental concerns.
So, what does this mean moving forward? Simply put, sustainability is no longer a “nice-to-have.” It’s a necessity. If your brand isn’t taking steps toward more eco-friendly practices, it’s likely you’re going to fall behind. And it’s not just about making changes behind the scenes. It’s about sharing those changes with the world in an authentic way and that’s where green PR agencies like Wilful come in, they help you do better for the planet and show that you’re doing better as a business.
Done well, companies using green PR agencies can build stronger relationships with their customers, increasing loyalty and staying ahead of the competition.
