4 ways comms can take the wheel on climate

The communications field is often at the tip of the spear within organizations when it comes to many issues of access and justice. Consider the tremendous and rapid change companies have recently undergone on issues such as DE&I, LGBTQ+ issues, racial justice, education equity and so much more. The roots of these positive evolutions can often be traced back to the strategic communicators in the room.

This ability to be champions of change, not merely messengers, is what underpins my hope that our industry can deftly lead the way toward addressing climate change.

Climate change is the most consequential issue of our time. If our planet becomes uninhabitable, we lose life as we know it, much less the opportunity to make a positive difference on any other issue. Maybe because of your organization’s size or its industry, climate change feels like a problem too large to tackle. But every big problem in history has been overcome by people doing focused work on what they can, and communicators are in the position to help change behavior — both inside and outside the organization — with powerful messages powerfully delivered.

Here are four ideas for using strategic communication to move the needle on climate change:

1. Embrace — and then use — your global vantage point.