Building Trust with Ethical Sustainability Communication

Sustainability has been a prevailing trend in recent years and will continue to evolve in the future. Beyond businesses, all institutions are being called on to rethink and improve their perspective on sustainability and execute it ethically. The key lies in ethics and morality. Why is this important?

The IABC has long placed ethics at the highest level of communication standards to be upheld by all its members. Ethical guidelines and integrity are outlined in several frameworks, including the Code of Ethics, the Six Principles of the Communication Profession (with ethics as the top priority), the Code of Conduct, and the latest framework on the Ethical Use of AI.

These standards are continuously refined and developed to keep pace with changing times. This is crucial because, based on IABC’s decades of experience and observation of how institutions operate across countries, ethical and integrity issues are persistent. They resemble a recurring ailment, like the flu, which can arise at any stage of life—sometimes mild, at other times fatal.

In communication science, trust is a fundamental focus for every institution. All efforts are directed toward ensuring stakeholders’ trust remains intact, as it is the essence of business sustainability. However, sustainability often plays a dual role as both a goal and a tool. This duality means sustainability can be perceived as a double-edged sword, especially when leaders view it merely as a tool rather than the ultimate goal or a means to comply with government regulations.

Consequently, while sustainability can offer opportunities and advantages, a misguided mindset or poor communication can turn sustainability communication into a disaster, potentially triggering a communication crisis. Major companies and brands have faced such challenges, particularly with issues like greenwashing, which have resulted in negative reputational impacts, multi-million-dollar fines, lawsuits, and declining consumer trust as audiences become increasingly aware of sustainability issues. So, how can we effectively manage sustainability communication?

Understanding Ethics in Sustainability Communication

Sustainability communication is the process of conveying messages, including information, values, and practices related to sustainability, to internal and external stakeholders. Its objectives range from raising awareness and enhancing understanding to driving engagement, changing behaviour, and fostering collective responsibility for sustainability issues. This is where ethics play a central role in ensuring that sustainability communication is carried out with sincerity and remains firmly aligned with the collective good of all stakeholders.

First and foremost, institutions must implement sustainable practices in their business operations. Only then can communication play its role in articulating the institution’s sustainability efforts using equally ethical communication techniques. This includes incorporating strategies and executions involving creativity tailored to the target market and audience.

Ethics in sustainability communication should adhere to the following fundamental principles:

Transparent and Honest Narratives. This involves conveying the efforts and results achieved without exaggerating or concealing essential information. This requires clarity in sharing data, such as environmental impact, statistics, and progress on ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) or DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) programs. Communication teams must avoid greenwashing practices that mislead consumers or stakeholders about the company’s commitment to sustainability. Instead, management should ensure that communication efforts prioritise honesty. For example, logical explanations should be provided if a company fails to transition from plastic to eco-friendly packaging due to COVID-19 and its economic impact. With the right communication strategies and techniques, consumers and stakeholders can understand and empathise with such challenges.

Fairness and Inclusivity. Ethical sustainability communication ensures that messages are fair and inclusive, representing the views and interests of all stakeholders, especially marginalised groups impacted by the company’s operations. This includes maintaining consistent dialogue with affected communities, such as those living near factories, to reach mutual understanding, especially on issues like waste and pollution. The approach to communication should also be inclusive, for instance, by using their local language and respecting their cultural norms.

Accountability. This is crucial in maintaining public trust, both internally and externally, by setting clear goals and expectations so that all parties understand what needs to be achieved and how the outcomes will be evaluated. It also requires clear documentation and tracking processes, such as activity records, decisions, and formal approvals. Sustainability reports can document achievements and challenges in environmental initiatives. Third, accountability can be upheld by implementing feedback mechanisms, such as hosting public Q&A sessions after publishing annual reports that have been audited by third parties. Additionally, appointing independent supervisors and audit committees within the company ensures ethical and legal standards adherence.

Build Awareness and Education. Ethical sustainability communication is vital in educating and raising public awareness about sustainability issues, especially those integral to the company’s identity. Communication teams should promote responsible behaviour and encourage active participation from consumers. Collaboration between communication, CSR, digital, and marketing teams can create consistent sustainability programs and campaigns backed by verifiable research and data, generating positive impacts for consumers, communities, and beneficiaries. Ultimately, these efforts can strengthen the company’s reputation.

 Ethical sustainability communication is the key to creating tangible positive change. Institutions can strengthen their market positioning through strategies rooted in transparency, stakeholder engagement, and systematic impact measurement while contributing to a better world.

In an era where sustainability is a global priority, ethical sustainability communication is not optional but necessary. Therefore, leaders and communication teams must be equipped with the expertise and capabilities needed to carry out the mission of sustainability communication effectively.

Elvera N. Makki, ABC, SCMP is President, IABC Indonesia, Founder & CEO, VMCS Public Relations and a Lecturer at LSPR Communication and Business Institute