From Net Zero to Net Positive…
Way back when I was a producer on BBC Radio 4’s news programmes covering climate change was always a tricky story to produce. Of course, as with every story, we strived for objectivity and always aimed to illustrate both sides of the story. When covering Climate Change back in the early noughties, climate change was controversial. Whatever environmental story we were covering we would always come back to the question – is climate change real?
Thankfully today, society has (mostly) agreed that the science is right, and humans have and are continuing to change our natural environment – the earth is heating up.
Today when we work with brands and discuss sustainability, the discussion has moved from Net Zero to Net Positive. How can brands and businesses go beyond net zero and make a positive impact in the world? And importantly, how can we communicate this?
Storytelling is key. Opening up backstories of brands and their journey in creating whatever they create has never been more important. Once consumers would simply consume. Today consumers are engaged and demand more information, experience and truth.
We can look at this not just from an environment perspective, but social too. The Public is learning that our interactions and transactions should make a positive impact, adding rather than taking away. Telling the story of brands and their journey to Net Positive will be key as younger generations demand brands they engage with have a positive impact on society and our natural world.
We’re telling these stories in many ways. Through traditional PR, to podcasting – a format that compliments ‘slow news’ and where brands can elaborate, justify and champion.