Episode 94: ‘The 9 Principles of Effective Climate Communication’ (and more…) with Dr Graeme Heyes and Laurence Adams, Litmus Sustainability

Businesses need to be asking themselves – “What could this business be, redesigning it from the ground up?” Start with the opportunity as opposed to the challenges.

We know communication and engagement is critical to driving change, a su bject we have explored many times on the podcast, but there’s always something new to learn. Hence why we really enjoyed meeting Laurence and Graeme from Litmus Sustainability to talk more deeply about a subject which is very close to our hearts.

Setting up their business with the aim of helping creative and ambitious organisations integrate sustainability into the core of what they do, Laurence and Graeme are working across a wide range of areas with communication playing a vital role. The need to focus on the long term vision, understand the short term wins and, navigate the challenges and confusion when you’re told one thing is good (e.g. offsetting) - and then finding out it’s bad, are all part of the complex learning curve when it comes to sustainability.

Graeme talks about the need to level up your game, he explains, “businesses need to do something really exciting that capture people’s imaginations, so thinking what could this business be, redesigning it from the ground up.” An approach and way of thinking which drives long term vision and opportunity to do something unique, as opposed to starting with the challenges.

We discuss the need for climate skills and how mobilising an army of climate champions can drive hope and motivate people who then often go on to become experts in the field (of sustainability). Laurence, talks about the fact that technical expertise isn’t always the most impactful thing. He explains, “the greatest climate skill I think is communication, one piece of research into what makes a great sustainable leader revealed it’s skills like collaboration, negotiation, influence and effective communication, once engaged this is what brings great ideas which can be uses on the ground”. And of course these are all key traits of Marketers.

We delve deep into communication with both Laurence and Graeme sharing many insights and examples...a great conversation and source of knowledge for Marketers everywhere.

 Tune in and listen as we talk to Laurence and Graeme about:

The barriers to sustainability – ‘it’s not easy being green’.

How businesses are integrating sustainability into the core of what they do and as a result taking their organisations forward.

The 9 principles of effective climate communication - taken from their work and evidence of what works for different people and psychologies.

The need for Marketers to start and change the conversations.

The difference between communication and engagement.

How communicating and influencing other people has a much greater impact than acting alone.

How we need to level up our knowledge about good communication and link it back to the core values of what drives a person’s behaviour.

What your unique superpower is in bringing ‘good’ to the world.

For more information you can contact the team via : https://litmussustainability.com/

Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/litmus-sustainability/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvMk_MGGoooRGnfn3uzcb9A

Dr Graeme Heyes was also involved in a piece of work with a local community group looking to embed Doughnut Economics across Greater Manchester through engagement with communities. You can find out more here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/transform-gm

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About us…

We help Marketers save the planet. 🌍

Join the Marketers and organisations who have signed our manifesto, engage with our newsletter and training and, work with us to communicate sustainability more effectively. Sign our Sustainable Marketer Manifesto, work with us, and join us on our mission. Get in touch to chat.

You’ll find the Podcast on all the usual pod platforms - and also on The Global Player and via The Marketing Society. If you love it, do share it and spread the word. Talking about climate change and the role we play is one of the most important things we can do. So join the conversation. We’re all in this together.

Our podcasts are recorded purely via online conferencing platforms, we apologise for any minor sound quality issues.