As Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) matters continue to play a growing role in the responsibilities of many public relations and communications pros, it’s essential to understand how to weave that messaging into your stories – most notably, your press releases.
ESG has become a key part of the narrative for many brands today. Further, investor relations (IR) teams are increasingly including ESG talking points in their earnings calls, in their press releases, and as part of their wider IR communications programs.
With press release distribution being a cornerstone of an effective communications program, it’s worth asking the question – how can you best use press releases to tell your ESG story effectively?
Keep reading to learn more!
How ESG Fits Into the Context of Your Overall Messaging
As consumers become more conscious, not to mention employees and potential hires, ESG can impact the decisions these audiences make.
You want your messaging to be holistic – so be sure to factor in customers, employees and partners.
And it should amount to more than just a one-off campaign. For example, if your brand leans into mentioning ESG around Earth Day, instead of having it revolve only around that one holiday, try to weave it in throughout the year.
Don’t just look for examples from successful ESG initiatives. Instead, learn from those who failed, lied or stayed on the sidelines.
You’ve Written an ESG Press Release – Now What?
Once you’ve written a press release showcasing your ESG story, what’s the best way to draw attention to it?
According to Karen Yu, Senior Director, Global Head of Media Relations at Notified, some of the top tips include:
● Using a press release distribution service that specializes in targeting ESG media outlets and journalists.
● Subscribing to a media contact database to curate your own ESG distribution list that’s tailored precisely to your ESG content.
● Being consistent with your ESG strategy, program and messaging so journalists see that your company is serious about investing in its ESG initiatives and that it’s not just talk.
● Targeting ESG content to financial journalists and investment professionals to convey why and how your ESG initiatives will benefit the company. Investors want to know why they should invest in your company!
● Ensuring your goals are specific and driven by purpose. This will help make it easier to communicate your measurable impact moving forward.
● Adding ESG-related keywords and tags to your press release increases your release's visibility, which increases the chances of good media pick-up and coverage.
How Do You Measure the Impact of ESG News?
If you can measure it, measure it – look at every metric possible for ESG. How does it help influence brand relevance?
Look to see how your press releases and other content are performing. Perhaps certain pieces focused on one ESG initiative are moving the needle more than others.
Other tips to help underscore the impact of ESG initiatives include:
● Sharing historical ESG activity information as well as forward-looking goals. With benchmarks, you’ll be able to help leaders understand how far you’ve come.
● Aligning ESG reporting with the company’s financial reporting calendar helps investors better assess the overall picture.
● Looking at the impact of ESG initiatives on the company’s financial performance. These initiatives may bring additional positive impacts, for example, reducing operating costs or creating new sources of revenue.
● Using press release analytics to help understand the impact of your news – such as GlobeNewswire’s Newswire Analytics.
About Notified PR Cloud
The Notified PR Cloud provides integrated solutions for PR communications, including media monitoring, GlobeNewswire press release distribution, media contacts database and so much more.
Learn more today.
