Introducing the Sustainable Communications and Engagement Series
05 Nov 25
IF Editorial Team
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A new Innovation Forum series exploring how organisations can communicate their sustainability work more credibly, transparently and effectively to both business and consumer audiences.
As sustainability strategies mature, the pressure is increasing on how companies communicate progress, both within their value chains and to consumers. Many organisations are now asking the same questions: how do we talk credibly about targets, trade-offs and incomplete journeys, without overclaiming or oversimplifying?
In response, Innovation Forum is launching the Sustainable Communication and Engagement Series. Across a set of focused events, we will explore how companies can build more honest, evidence-based narratives around sustainability, and how to engage different audiences.
The series brings together corporate leaders, communications specialists, NGOs and insight experts to unpack what’s working, what isn’t, and where expectations are moving.
As companies set increasingly ambitious sustainability targets, the challenge is no longer just what to achieve, but how to communicate progress credibly and consistently across complex value chains.
This first webinar in the series explores how B2B companies are working with suppliers, partners and customers to strengthen trust through transparent and authentic sustainability communication.
We discuss how businesses are engaging stakeholders around goals, which strategies have worked (and which have not) when communicating across global value chains, and practical steps to keep messaging action-oriented and credible.
Panellists include:
Nikki Barber, head of corporate communications, ofi
Hannah Rizo, director of sustainability communications, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners
Enda Buckley, head of sustainability, Carbery Group
Sara Neame, sustainability communications lead, Givaudan
The session was moderated by Tanya Richard, chief operating officer and head of stakeholder engagement & sustainability communications, Innovation Forum
Thursday 22 January 10am EST / 3pm GMT / 4pm CET As consumers pay closer attention to brands’ sustainability claims, the challenge is no longer solely what companies do, but how they explain it clearly and honestly.
The second webinar in the series focuses on consumer-facing brands and retailers. We explore how to talk about complex topics such as supply chains, product impact and targets in a way that makes sense to everyday consumers – without overclaiming or greenwashing.
Discussion covers what works (and what does not) in campaigns and product communication, approaches to avoiding greenwash and “greenhush” while staying ahead of regulation, and how to measure whether sustainability communication is building trust and influencing behaviour.
Panellists include:
Sarah Whittaker, head of sustainability communications, Primark
Ozlem Senturk, senior partner, global sustainable transformation practice, Kantar
Katja Seidenschnur, global head of sustainability nutrition, Nestlé
Wendy Savage, senior director, social impact and transparency, Patagonia
This session was moderated by Ellen Atiyah, senior stakeholder engagement and sustainability communications manager, Innovation Forum.
As expectations around sustainability communication continue to rise, NGOs are under increasing pressure to demonstrate impact, explain complexity and be open about limitations. At the same time, they must maintain trust with donors, communities and partners while operating in an environment of heightened scrutiny and constrained resources.
This session, the third in the Sustainability Communications and Engagement series, will explore how NGOs are approaching sustainability communications in practice, focusing on:
how NGOs are communicating impact, progress and setbacks more transparently
the role of data, evidence and verification in strengthening credibility without overcomplicating messaging balancing compelling storytelling with accuracy, nuance and accountabilit
navigating communications around corporate partnerships while maintaining trust and independence
how expectations of NGO communications are evolving across donors, communities and business audiences
The discussion will examine what is working, where challenges remain, and what NGOs are doing differently as scrutiny of sustainability claims increases.
We'll be hearing from:
Kate Stritzinger, director of brand, impact and communications, Fairtrade America
Courtney Holm, board director, Green Seal
La Rhea Pepper, senior advisor, Regenerative Organic Alliance
with additional panellists to be announced We’re also building a network of professionals tackling similar challenges. If you’d like to hear more about upcoming sessions in the Sustainable Communication and Engagement Series or related stakeholder engagement projects, please complete this form.
