ESG COMMUNICATION ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA: IS IT NECESSARY?

ESG COMMUNICATION ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA: IS IT NECESSARY?

ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) Communication has been one of the main topics being discussed by companies worldwide. As ethical and environmental well-being is being sought after in today’s modern market, lots of companies try to implement and communicate the importance of ESG into society. Living in the modern world, every brand, company, and organization must have an online presence in order to gain awareness. Social media has become as powerful as the press as it increases the chances of marketing, showcasing products, and also communicating values in a personalized way.

The presence of online media drives more transparency and ethical responsibility–the two has become the essential components of corporate strategy, Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) communication stands out as a key factor in building trust and fostering long-term success for companies (Druzhba & Orekhova, 2022). Effective ESG communication is no longer a regulatory or reputational consideration but a strategic imperative. This article states reasons on how social media demonstrates commitment to sustainability and ethical practices.

It Builds Trust with Your Stakeholders

Based on a research on social media for brand awareness, over 65% of customers are more likely to trust businesses when executives publicly share their corporate principles on social media (ElAydi, 2018). In building trust, companies are able to show their dedication in ethical behavior and sustainable practices by using social media to maintain an open communication about their ESG initiatives. The open communication builds and improves their credibility and reputation among their stakeholders.

Updating a company's ESG initiatives on social media boosts brand identity as “sustainable” and the algorithm will attract audiences interested in the topic. By using social media, companies can maintain existing or new relationships with stakeholders and audiences that resonate with the company’s values.

It’s Cost-Effective

Upon using social media as a tool to make ESG efforts well-known to the public eye, be it organic or paid, paid social media content undeniably gets boosted to a larger audience faster. Not necessarily slower in reaching your target audience, organic content brings organic traffic within social media from people being genuinely interested in the content served. Most of the time, organic content lasts longer than paid content.

Makes Your Customer Feeling Satisfied

Customers navigate through social media easily. Upon trusting a company with their services or products, most customers will try to find out whether or not the company has similar values to them. When they do feel their value aligns with a company, they would leave feeling satisfied and will most likely come back to discuss future projects. In fact, according to recent research, 83% customers believe that organizations should aggressively adopt ESG best practices and to actively communicate it (Keteres, 2023).

By doing so, companies develop an emotional connection with their clients or customers. Trust built through emotional connection by using effective brand communication from selected tools such as social media can bring extra profit to the company. Customers will be more devoted to a company and inclined in referring to their friends and family as they value the company’s efforts in becoming more ethical and sustainably conscious.

Dig Deeper Into ESG Communication

Make the most of becoming sustainable and create effective ways to communicate it. Find more information about ESG via CPROCOM’s social media and public trainings. Learn, discuss, and build a network with industry practitioners who are already on their ESG journey.

Source:

Hannah, A. (2021, July 15). How can social media help businesses achieve their ESG goals? Retrieved from LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-can-social-media-help-businesses-achieve-esg-goals-alex-hannah

Keteres. (2023, January 25). KETER. Retrieved from Keteres: https://www.keteres.com/resource/top-3-reasons-your-business-should-share-your-esg-efforts-on-social-media#:~:text=of your business.-,Your customers' perception of your brand is vital to the,to sustainability and ethical prac

Druzhba, O., & Orekhva, L. (2022). Communications as an ESG factor of sustainable development: analysis of the media discourse of social networks. E3S Web of Conferences, 1-5.

ElAydi, H. O. (2018). The Effect of Social Media Marketing on Brand Awareness through Facebook: An Individual-Based Perspective of Mobile Services Sector in Egypt. Open Access Library Journal, 1-5.