The Connection Between PR and ESG

Public relations initiatives that prioritize Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues have become a key to success for not only brand reputation and marketability, but for the planet as well. For companies, ESG factors are used to evaluate and measure how much their business prioritizes sustainability. At first, ESGs were usually only utilized by investors to determine the success of their return on investment, however, the past few years have seen sustainability and ESGs become increasingly significant to the general public when they consider businesses that align with their values. But where do PR professionals join in when it comes to ESG issues and the topic of sustainability?

As communicators, it is up to us to roll out ESG-friendly initiatives that go beyond philanthropy and tell sustainable stories to those who matter most: the audience.

Previously on the blog, I discussed the topic of sustainability and the mistake of greenwashing, or deceptively marketing yourself as environmentally friendly. It is imperative to avoid greenwashing to not only keep your brand reputation positive, but to remain authentic and transparent in what you create and show to the world.

Earth Day this year saw companies unleash their strongest PR campaigns discussing the importance of being sustainable in their respective industries. One example was online financial service company Klarna, who introduced their carbon footprint tracker. The tracker allows users of the app to view their total CO2 emissions for each purchase they make. Another example was Budweiser, the beer company’s Earth Day ad saw them make the commitment to brew every beer with 100% renewable electricity by 2025.

In today’s world, becoming an ESG-focused business will allow you to gain long-term success with the audiences that matter most.