Use Your Influence

16. Share your commitment, actions and journey publicly

Why does it matter?

Publicly sharing your organization’s commitment to environmental sustainability fosters transparency, builds stakeholder trust, and amplifies impact by inspiring others. It demonstrates corporate responsibility, responding to increasing consumer and investor demand for companies prioritizing the planet and profit. As a product leader, you should publicly promote actions your organization takes from this document.

What can I do?

Collaborate with your marketing department and highlight the benefits of being open about your commitment to sustainability (in the product, in social media, to your investors and your community at large)
Work with your supply chain to align your goals for environmental sustainability and provide supplier standards of practice
Clearly outline the organization’s environmental goals and values with near term goals (ideally yearly goals)
Work with relevant stakeholders to try to align with the Paris Agreement: 50% emissions reduction by 2030, (on all three scopes) then net-zero by 2050; Focus on cutting emissions by 90% first, then remove or offset the remaining 10%
Don’t overstate your commitment or claim that you already are carbon-neutral or net-zero (even if it is your objective, to reduce the risk of greenwashing)
Try to be transparent and open about unknowns, blockers, and challenges
Publish periodic progress reports on environmental initiatives (not only ESG reports)
Use blogs, podcasts, meetups or webinars to discuss sustainability efforts
Create spaces for open dialogue with stakeholders about environmental challenges and solutions
Highlight quantifiable changes and milestones achieved
Obtain sustainable digital or IT labels such as the Sustainable IT label
Share insights with your users to help them monitor their impact
Share your offset and removal strategy; offsetting carbon emissions can be a controversial topic.

What does success look like?

💰🌍Engaging partners and suppliers committed to sustainability
💰Employee retention reflecting a positive and sustainable work environment

Things to consider

Transparency is a double-edged sword; it builds trust and mandates authenticity. Every claim must be backed by tangible action to avoid accusations of “greenwashing.” Engaging in two-way conversations, actively seeking feedback, and being receptive to critiques can further enhance credibility. Collaborating with recognized environmental organizations or obtaining third-party verifications can bolster claims. A genuine commitment to the cause, consistent communication, and action are the foundations of a successful public sustainability narrative.

Share your offset and removal strategy. Offsetting carbon emissions can be a controversial topic. Therefore, having credible corporate climate strategies that follow a clear mitigation hierarchy with long-term science-based targets helps to build trust.