{"id":135494,"date":"2021-05-19T13:30:06","date_gmt":"2021-05-19T12:30:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/?p=135494"},"modified":"2021-05-23T13:44:14","modified_gmt":"2021-05-23T12:44:14","slug":"you-have-a-direct-role-to-play-ciprs-climate-change-and-the-role-of-pr-conference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/blog\/you-have-a-direct-role-to-play-ciprs-climate-change-and-the-role-of-pr-conference\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018You have a direct role to play\u2019 \u2013 CIPR\u2019s Climate Change and the Role of PR conference"},"content":{"rendered":"

This morning\u2019s sessions for CIPR\u2019s half-day conference on climate change<\/a> offered advice and solutions for PR practitioners to lead on sustainable practices and strategy \u2013 something posed as a challenge, an opportunity, but also a responsibility<\/a> for the sector.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Following an introduction from CIPR president Mandy Pearse, event chair Trudy Lewis led attendees through panels, presentations and discussion including Climate Group\u2019s director of internal communications Luke Herbert on \u2018How comms professionals can save the planet\u2019 and A Plastic Planet\u2019s co-founder Sian Sutherland sharing \u2018Truth, responsibility, opportunity, risk, legacy – 5 words in 15 minutes to sum up the importance of the plastic crisis for every business\u2019.<\/p>\n

The role of comms professionals on pushing forward with awareness, education and action was underlined throughout the morning, with great importance placed on true engagement and interest versus surface-level messaging for profit.<\/p>\n

\u2018For comms professionals, there\u2019s so much uncertainty on how climate measures will take place, but the pathway is very clear,\u2019 said Luke.<\/p>\n

PR communicators have \u2018one foot in our organisations and one foot in the world \u2013 you\u2019re ideally placed on this issue. You have a direct role to play\u2019.<\/p>\n

Sian underlined the responsibility of comms and PR: \u2018The myths and the facts are all our responsibility and we need to start telling the truth\u2019.<\/p>\n

On the plastic crisis, Sian shared facts not widely featured in the narrative being shared regarding climate change, that considerations of plastic\u2019s impact on soil is often ignored in favour of concern for our oceans, and that recycling is not a cure-all, despite reliance on it as a sign of engagement in environmental issues. \u2018We down-cycle plastic,\u2019 said Sian. \u2018There are no recycling fairies\u2019.<\/p>\n

Action alongside education is what Sian advocated for in the industry, using examples of The Plastic Planet\u2019s \u2018Sack the sample sachet\u2019 campaign and work with Kraft Heinz.<\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s a failing to believe that words = action if there are no consequences,\u2019 said Sian.<\/p>\n

\u2018The pandemic has created a line \u2013 there are businesses that will step across this line\u2026 and those that won\u2019t. They will be our future dinosaurs\u2019.<\/p>\n

On moving forward with action and education – advising clients to \u2018go green\u2019 – speakers Sian Conway-Wood of #EthicalHour, CommsHero\u2019s Asif Choudry and PersonaR & WhiteElephantDigital\u2019s Andras Sztaniszlav were ready with answers.<\/p>\n

The first step \u2013 understanding what \u2018greenwashing\u2019 is, and how to avoid it. According to Sian Conway-Wood:<\/p>\n

\u2018We\u2019re all being greenwashed from all angles. There are companies that are doing this intentionally, and the small businesses that just don\u2019t know any better. But we can be the gatekeepers.\u2019<\/p>\n

Personal, as well as professional, integrity was urged by Andras: \u2018There are people that are very good at influencing, but don\u2019t live sustainably. Authenticity needs to be considered when we talk about the responsibility of PR professionals.\u2019<\/p>\n

For Asif, sustainability should be part of a creative agency\u2019s resources for clients. Making any paper used FSC-certified, making sure clients are aware that this is possible and available to them. \u2018People aren\u2019t aware that these things exist,\u2019 shared Asif. \u2018We let our clients know as an active marketing drive\u2019.<\/p>\n

That there is a strong business case for ESG planning and strategy, alongside the ethical concerns, is something that shouldn\u2019t be ignored by any individual or organisation within the comms sector.<\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s not just about risk management; the \u2018doom and gloom\u2019,\u2019 said Sian. \u2018It\u2019s becoming more and more of a consumer demand. Education is happening and awareness is growing – the way to be profitable is to be sustainable.<\/p>\n

\u2019We all know the reports, we all use the phrase climate emergency, but they can make people put their heads in the sand. That\u2019s the same with consumers \u2013 people just don\u2019t want to hear it.<\/p>\n

\u2018We need to use our comms skills. The good news is, we\u2019re all here, we can do that!\u2019<\/p>\n

Andras pointed out the changed role of PR, from \u2018painting better pictures\u2019 for companies and clients, to being part of strategy, with a seat of the boardroom, to becoming a key part of operations.<\/p>\n

Asif summed up the mix of personal with corporate responsibility, and how vital PR will be for communicating importance, intent and plans for action on climate change and environmental responsibility:<\/p>\n

\u2018People have to want to do it. You have to keep going, it\u2019s not a subject you can get bored of. There\u2019s going to be costs involved, you have to reinvest profits and revenue.<\/p>\n

\u2018Above all, you\u2019re doing it because it\u2019s the right thing to do\u2019.<\/p>\n

Find out more about CIPR\u2019s Climate Change and the Role of PR conference as well as the speakers and topics being cover on the website<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Looking for more on ESG? Download our report The ESG opportunity for PR<\/a> and check out five reasons why ESG needs to be part of your planning this year<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This morning\u2019s sessions for CIPR\u2019s half-day conference on climate change offered advice and solutions for PR practitioners to lead on sustainable practices and strategy \u2013 something posed as a challenge, an opportunity, but also a …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":423,"featured_media":135493,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7365,7272,3725],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135494"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/423"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=135494"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135494\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":135552,"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135494\/revisions\/135552"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/135493"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=135494"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=135494"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vuelio.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=135494"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}