The fight against climate change has become a priority, but when we talk about carbon, we forget about other issues: biodiversity, social inequalities, the overexploitation of living organisms. We should rather talk about "responsible communication" to have a broad view of the challenges and reduce our impact globally, not just carbon at the expense of other issues. The term "decarbonize" might give the impression that all carbon presence will be eliminated, while the real goal is to reduce this presence because there will always be a certain level.
Responsible communication is part of a more restrained society: communicating less but better. Today, we are overwhelmed with information, and fake news is proliferating. Practicing responsible communication means asking whether we contribute to this information overload felt by the public by evaluating the relevance of the information disseminated. In form: when developing a website, one must analyze the entire life cycle, from materials used to people mobilized and content edited. In essence, one must ask: does my communication contribute to certain stereotypes? Am I contributing to greenwashing? The way we present our product or service is crucial: does my advertisement promote overconsumption by creating frustration?
In the coming years, to continue to exist, companies will need to undergo a profound transformation in their communication. Inflation since the war in Ukraine has highlighted the importance of a responsible strategic model, and communication is at the heart of these issues.
Why is it important for companies and organizations today?
In my opinion, it is a collective movement. Companies and organizations face increasing pressure from civil society in terms of CSR. NGO alerts about greenwashing, such as those from Thomas Wagner of Bon Pote, exert constant pressure on companies. And now, citizens are mobilizing more radically, independent actions to denounce are multiplying and pushing companies to change. Additionally, national regulations like the climate law or European regulations protecting consumers from greenwashing are forcing companies to rethink their models. Personally, I find these directives not sufficient, but the pressure is increasingly being felt.
What are the main challenges that companies and organizations face when trying to transition to responsible communication?
Firstly, it is challenging to find suitable indicators to measure the environmental impact of an event or communication action. This is the area where we are least mature. Life cycle analyses can be costly and not always appropriate. However, simpler indicators, such as carbon calculators or the percentage of subtitled videos broadcasted, can be used to estimate environmental impact. Currently, carbon measurement is often used as an indicator, but much remains to be done to develop more comprehensive and effective measurement methods. We need to look at what we are doing and what we can do. For that, it is important to train employees in eco-responsible design.
How to Avoid Common Pitfalls of "Greenwashing" Communication?
It is essential to understand ethical rules and realize that communication intentions can be understood differently than intended. Communication teams often lack a real understanding of ecological issues. It is important to be humble about the issues and acknowledge that there is always room for improvement. In communication campaigns, one should not give the impression that companies are perfect. For example, in their latest communication campaign, Burger King is not allowed to make people believe that reusable tableware comes from their own referee.
Furthermore, there are independent organizations and regulatory agencies that can provide clear guidelines on environmental communication. Companies can also consult sustainability experts to help avoid communication mistakes and adopt sustainable and ethical business practices.
In most cases, companies realize their communication mistakes after the fact. They don't do it on purpose, as they often feel like they are discovering the subject.
What advice would you give to a company looking to adopt responsible communication?
It is essential to train communication and marketing teams. Allocating time and resources for employees to implement actions beneficial to the company's transition to more responsible and sustainable communication is crucial.
Incorporating CSR criteria into the specifications is a good start. It is important to anticipate and integrate responsible communication into projects from the outset. This may involve more qualitative choices, such as purchasing higher-quality, domestically manufactured promotional items. Although this may represent an additional cost, it can be a profitable long-term investment and a quality guarantee for potential clients.
And what about PR? How do you go about building a responsible PR strategy?
When it comes to a responsible PR strategy, it is essential to focus on the message and the content you want to promote. PR should convey a clear message and think about how it is disseminated. Emphasizing the reliability of data and press releases, such as offering a CP certification to guarantee the quality of information, is important.
"Black PR" practices exist, and it is necessary to break away from them. An example was observed with the company Orpea. They commissioned a PR agency to conduct a European-level study about citizens' perception of the quality of life in nursing homes, just before the release of a critical book about the company. This PR technique aimed to steer public debate and provide a different angle on a sensitive topic. It is crucial to be aware of these practices and fight against their harmful effects.
What advice do you have for a responsible PR strategy?
It is important to return to the aspect of sobriety in information overload. Changing the approach allowed by digital massification is essential. Once aware of this, it is necessary to reestablish dialogue with the public and no longer consider journalists as mere receptacles of information but as human beings. For example, you can ask them if they are interested in the information before sending it, and you can also ask for their communication preferences (PDF or email, for example).
Does adopting responsible communication not impact performance?
Adopting responsible communication can indeed impact performance, but it should not be perceived as a loss of efficiency. If some companies refuse to advertise on illuminated billboards, they can choose print media as a platform and allocate resources to other more responsible communication tools. It is about forgoing certain benefits for the common good and considering the long-term sustainability of the company.
In most sectors, making more responsible choices often leads to greater efficiency. Having a responsible website provides the public with better navigation, with a weight that allows for faster content loading and, therefore, good search engine optimization. For example, reducing the number of social media posts from 7 to 5 per week can allow a focus on the quality of productions, thereby improving performance.
It is important to find a balance between the common good and maximizing short-term profits. To be effective, one must rethink how the impact and benefits of communication are measured.
Interview by Randa El Fekih