Sustainability isn’t visible on the surface – that’s why it needs to be communicated. But how do you communicate sustainability in a credible, clear, and greenwash-free way? Here are five practical guidelines for sustainability communication, plus advanced insights for those who want to make communication a tool for business development.
Why communicate about sustainability?
At the heart of sustainability are the actions of a company or organization. So why do we need sustainability communication?
The fact is, very few companies, products, or services reveal their sustainability with the naked eye. That’s why communication is necessary.
Sustainability communication means articulating sustainability actions, goals, methods, and outcomes to relevant audiences in a way they can understand. When done well, it:
- builds trust with stakeholders
- strengthens the brand
- engages both customers and employees
- and at its best, contributes to broader societal change
At Kaskas, we’ve created a five-step starter guide for sustainability communication—plus advanced insights for those aiming to go further.
1. Understand your impact—and talk about it
Sustainability communication must address actual sustainability: the most significant social, economic, or environmental impacts of your operations.
This might sound obvious, yet many organizations stumble at this first step.
Does this sound familiar?
- An airline focuses on cutlery made from renewable materials, though that’s a minor issue in the big picture
- A fashion brand campaigns to protect oceans but says nothing about its supply chain
- A car manufacturer highlights seat fabrics made from fishing nets—but avoids discussing emissions
All of these initiatives are valid, but sustainability communication should focus on what truly matters. If it highlights marginal or surface-level efforts while ignoring core impacts, it can undermine trust—even if the messaging is factually accurate.
Often, common sense is enough to identify what’s material. Larger companies can (and often must) rely on materiality assessments to guide this work.
2. Know your stakeholders and what they need
Good sustainability communication is audience-aware: customers, employees, investors, and partners each have different expectations.
Not sure who your stakeholders are? Start with a stakeholder analysis.
- Consumers want to know how products are made
- Investors want to see how sustainability risks and opportunities are identified
- Employees want fair treatment, growth opportunities, and increasingly, values alignment
Tailor your messages and channels to these needs. And remember the golden rule of communication: start where your audience is—not where you want them to go.
3. Make your message understandable, concrete—and visual
Let’s say it out loud: sustainability often feels too broad and complex. That’s why good communication must make it understandable.
Use concrete examples, numbers, stories, and visuals to make your message engaging and easy to digest.
Instead of saying “We’ve invested in sustainability”, say: “We’ve reduced plastic use by 30% in a year, saving 5,000 kg annually.”
Turn data into visual insights, because one image can be more powerful than a thousand words—or a hundred data points.
Visuals are powerful, but they come with risks. We’ve written about how to create a new kind of sustainability imagery—without slipping into unintentional greenwashing.
4. Don’t greenwash
Consumers are rightly skeptical—especially about environmental claims.
The EU’s Green Transition Directive on Consumer Protection sets stricter rules on how companies can communicate about sustainability. From 2026, companies must provide clear, truthful, and verifiable information about both environmental and social impacts.
Finland’s consumer ombudsman has already taken stronger action against greenwashing in recent years. The Chamber of Commerce’s guidelines (2023) advise avoiding vague terms like “green,” “carbon-neutral,” or “climate-friendly.”
Another directive—the Green Claims Directive—is on the way, and it’s expected to require companies to pre-verify their environmental claims.
As regulation tightens, sustainability communication should focus on concrete, core actions. In addition to ensuring claims are accurate, companies must also critically assess whether they are sufficiently substantiated.
Still unsure what you can say? Don’t worry—Kaskas offers training and support to eliminate greenwashing.
5. Communicate sustainably—with a plan
Sustainability communication isn’t just about annual reports or Earth Day posts. It’s ongoing, strategic, and multichannel work that brings sustainability actions into everyday conversations.
To put it plainly: you know your message is getting through only when you’re tired of repeating it.
At the same time, we know sustainability communication often happens under limited resources—in small teams or as a side task. That’s why it’s crucial to start with realistic goals and metrics. These help you focus where it matters.
Once goals are in place, revisit the building blocks: tone, content, and style. Do they align with your goals?
At Kaskas, we help businesses plan and implement sustainability communication. Our role is to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and offer practical solutions. We also support individual initiatives—like publication or event planning.
Advanced sustainability communication
The five tips above will take you far:
- Know your impact and communicate it
- Understand your stakeholders and their needs
- Make your message clear, concrete, and visual
- Don’t greenwash
- Plan strategically
But if you’re ready to level up—read on.
Sustainability communication often defaults to PR or reputation management, focusing on convincing others how responsible a company or product is.
But here’s the truth: perfection is impossible in sustainability, and you don’t need to pretend to have it all figured out. Credible communication openly acknowledges areas for improvement.
This means not only celebrating wins—but also addressing the challenges you’re working on. This kind of openness builds trust and connects communication more deeply to core business operations.
We know this sounds obvious, but putting it into practice is hard. That’s why it’s an advanced skill. But examples do exist: Green Building Council Finland published a report openly mapping challenges in the built environment’s sustainability.
The reward goes to the bold: admitting where work is still needed can be more powerful than a list of accomplishments.
The role of a sustainability narrative
This isn’t just about bravery—it’s about future-proofing.
The EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) requires companies—especially large ones—to report sustainability performance in more standardized and rigorous ways. And the directive will impact smaller companies via value chains.
CSRD requires businesses to identify and assess material sustainability impacts, risks, and opportunities—and to report them clearly, with goals, actions, and metrics. It’s no longer just about what you want to say, but what you must say.
In this new reality, companies need to express their ambition and acknowledge their pain points. Communication becomes more than a support function—it becomes a tool for direction, expectation management, stakeholder engagement, and business building.
One way to bring your sustainability work together is by crafting a sustainability narrative: a memorable, credible, and inspiring story that explains:
- how your organization contributes to a more sustainable world
- what challenges lie ahead
- how you plan to overcome them
- and who’s on the journey with you
This narrative can guide operational and tactical communication—like advertising or internal messaging—and serve as the core sustainability content on your website and presentations.
In closing
Sustainability communication isn’t just about standing out or avoiding risk. At its best, it’s courageous leadership, making your goals visible, understandable, and impactful.
When communication is grounded in actions, acknowledges challenges, and brings people into a shared story, it doesn’t just support sustainable business—it builds it.
Contact us
Kaskas offers a full range of sustainability communication expertise. If you’re facing challenges or need extra hands or insight, don’t hesitate to reach out!