Are Sustainability Positioning Statements Worth the Time?

Stakeholder expectations for corporate, social and environmental responsibility are intensifying. Businesses are under increasing pressure to share their position on a range of environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) issues.

Net Zero is one issue putting a spotlight on businesses to demonstrate what they are doing to reduce carbon emissions. Government targets, supply chain pressures, and consumer demand are all playing a key role in bringing this issue to the forefront – but what can businesses do to reinforce their commitment?

A good first step is to create a positioning statement around your sustainability commitments.

What are sustainability positioning statements?

Positioning statements clearly communicate what your business is doing to move towards Net Zero. They provide clarity to all stakeholders on the company’s position. Also, employees will benefit from being able to tell a consistent story around your sustainability initiatives to customers, prospects, investors, and suppliers. 

The key here is clarity, consistency, and credibility, so getting this trio right is critical to the success of your sustainability communications.

What should your positioning statements include?

When creating your own positioning statements around sustainability, there are some things you should consider:

• Understand the impact your business currently has on the environment.
• Know what steps you need to take to become Net Zero.
• Include any science based targets within your statement.
• Mention any carbon reduction and energy saving projects already in place.
• Reference any carbon reductions achievements.

Tailor your positioning statements

You also don’t need to stick to one positioning statement. Creating a range of statements tailored to each stakeholder can have a greater impact. For example, an internal positioning statement would look different to a positioning statement for suppliers. 

It’s not just about increasing the exposure of your Net Zero commitments either. Positioning statements can help start a conversation with suppliers around emissions data, increase investor value, and even be used as a competitive advantage for winning new business.