Mission Zero – how prepared are we to support the transition?

The UK Government’s report, Mission Zero, lays out the mammoth task to be undertaken if the UK is to meet its net zero commitments, and play a significant role on the global stage for sustainability.

A fully comprehensive report, it details a six-pillar strategy to get the UK to where it needs to be on its decarbonisation journey and most importantly, the need to bring society along with it. Essentially, it’s probably the biggest wholesale governmental change management programme since the industrial revolution.  

What the report does highlight is the need to upskill people to deliver the jobs that a greatly decarbonised society will require and, while it talks about communications, I think it is worth us unpacking what that really means for PR professionals across all sectors, public and private. 

The challenge we face as professionals is how to straddle the fine line between reputation management in sustainability, while still ensuring we can remain competitive and fulfil our purpose. What is clear is that this is no time to divide the activities of our marketing teams from our communications teams – net zero disclosure is quite rightly driving us towards greater transparency, and how we integrate that with both our external and internal communications is going to be key.

The Mission Zero report, at a very high level, covers a wide area of skills across the communications’ professional spectrum, from behavioural science to ethics and from internal communications strategy to external disclosure and reporting. What is clear is that communication skills are not just required, but essential if we are to move both individuals and organisations in the right direction, but in what has to be an accelerated timeframe. So what do we need to do to ensure we remain a key strategic voice in the net zero journey?

• Build our knowledge: We need to understand what is driving the movement behind each area of ESG. What is a net zero imperative for a financial organisation, may be different to a construction company, so understand the context you are in and the regulatory environment it must operate within.
   
• Understand our stakeholders: what motivates our investors and our customers in an ESG arena may now be different, and these insights may now focus your communications strategy in a different way. Just as we prepare to engage and positively connect with our stakeholders, we need to consider different groups who may challenge what we are, or are not, doing.
   
• Advocate for transparency: greenwashing is a reality and, as professionals responsible for safeguarding the reputation of our organisations, we need to be aware of the regulatory environment we are operating within. This is not easy as there is no universal regulation surrounding disclosure yet, but with the Mission Zero report committing to endorse a new set of standards (ISSB), the landscape is set to become more complex and there is value in being as transparent as possible in your communications – even if it means admitting you aren’t quite there yet.

Suzy Giles is an associate partner in communications for ERM and co-chair of the CIPR ESG Expert panel.

Main image: Yauhen Akulich on iStock.

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