How to Include ESG and CSR in Your PR Activities
Companies and organizations have taken notice in the last few years of a wave of conscious consumerism and as a result, have been implementing corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities in their branding. Going one step further on this wave, ESG, or environmental, social, and governance, is a growing priority for businesses of all sizes. As consumers and investors become more aware of ESG opportunities, businesses need to be able to communicate their ESG commitments and performance effectively which largely falls on the responsibilities of PR professionals.
An Overview of CSR
CSR is focused on how a company can ‘do good’ by contributing to social issues or environmental sustainability outside of a company’s self-interest. CSR strategies can be very effective in building trust with stakeholders and positioning the company as a leader in social, financial, and environmental responsibility. CSR does not just mean doing good for society but also generally doing good business that leads to more success in the long term. Success can be measured by qualitative testimonials and success stories or by evaluating quantitative measurable objectives organized by management and PR professionals.
Understanding CSR and Social Branding within PR
CSR is important for building trust with stakeholders and positioning the company as a leader in social and environmental responsibility. PR professionals' involvement is to communicate with stakeholders through mediums such as social media, crisis response, and cause-related marketing efforts. Sustainability reports are another important communication tool that is particularly important to key stakeholders like investors who look at the ‘bottom line.’
Social branding or marketing is one way that companies have communicated their brand consciousness in taking stances on social issues. Social branding or marketing gives companies a larger ‘purpose’ that is important when building relationships with the public greater than just providing goods or services.
What are the Commercial Benefits of Using CSR Strategy?
In addition to creating positive attitudinal changes for stakeholders and impacting society, CSR has a large commercial value. Commercial benefits include enhanced corporate reputation, improvements in employee commitment, retention, and motivation, improved productivity, strengthened shareholder confidence, and finally competitive advantage through differentiation.
A real-life example of a company participating in this behavior is Patagonia, a clothing company, that donates 1% of its sales to environmental causes. This has helped Patagonia build a strong reputation for its commitment to sustainability and attract customers who share its values. The business result of these activities is increased customer loyalty resulting in retention and sales growth.
Businesses should focus on CSR activities that are aligned with their values and that have a genuine impact on society. Companies should also acknowledge the importance of authenticity in CSR activities to avoid claims such as greenwashing or virtue signaling.
How to Leverage ESG in PR
ESG is focused on the company's environmental, social, and governance performance. It is often seen as a more quantitative approach, and there are several ESG rating frameworks that can be used to measure company performance. ESG is also becoming increasingly important to investors, as they are increasingly looking to invest in companies with strong ESG performance.
Public relations is a powerful tool for communicating ESG messages to target audiences. By integrating ESG into your PR activities, you can raise awareness of your company's ESG efforts, build trust with stakeholders, and position yourself as a leader in the ESG space. An effective PR strategy not only improves a company’s reputation but can also highlight its eco-friendly, socially responsible, and well-governed achievements.
Examples of PR Activities that Communicate ESG Strategies
Press releases: Through the use of a press release, companies can announce new ESG initiatives, partnerships, or awards to gain earned media attention. To showcase a positive result, companies should share ESG data and metrics and highlight ESG success stories.
Media pitches: Pitching articles and interviews to media journalists about your ESG efforts is another tactic to boost attention to a company’s ESG plans or campaign results.
Social media: Being transparent with your communication is important and showcases authenticity. Through social media, companies can share ESG-related content on social media channels to engage with followers about ESG issues and build relationships.
Thought leadership: Writing blog posts, articles, and op-eds about ESG topics are some ways to promote thought leadership within a corporate voice. These topics should not be promotional and company-centric but rather demonstrate expertise in a field. Another tactic could include speaking at industry events and conferences about ESG.
Partnerships: Partner with other organizations to host events, create content, or conduct research on ESG topics. Similar to cause-related marketing, partnerships support a common benefit between two organizations rooted in an organizational goal to reach an ESG standard or change attitudes/behaviors.
Reports and whitepapers: Publishing annual or sustainability reports and whitepapers that share your ESG insights and expertise is important communication, particularly to key stakeholders such as investors.
By following these types of examples, companies can benefit from PR activities that communicate ESG and CSR commitment to achieve organizational or managerial goals. The bottom line of CSR and ESG is that they are increasingly important considerations for PR practitioners. CSR and ESG should be a part of an organization's strategic plan to build a positive reputation for key stakeholders and attract new business or investors while making an impact on society driven by communication.
Tina is currently studying Advertising and Public Relations at GVSU with minors in Marketing and Middle Eastern Studies. She is also a student at the Frederik Meijer Honors College. In addition, Tina works as the Communication Specialist and Program Support Fellow for the Padnos/Sarosik Center for Civil Discourse at Grand Valley. This is Tina's first year with GrandPR as an account associate. Tina studied abroad in the Winter 2023 semester and she is hoping to utilize what she learned to work at a global communications firm after graduation.
