Shaping the Narrative: Responsible Climate Leadership
Report from the 2023 Sun Valley Forum
Each Sun Valley Forum features strategies to engage and inspire people to be part of advancing climate solutions as a powerful lever to drive climate impact. This year's Sun Valley Forum included outstanding presentations on the power of storytelling to motivate climate action and reclaim the narrative of business's role in maintaining commitments to responsible environmental, social, and governance principles and practices. The latter is at risk by those who seek to quelch corporate climate leadership.
Over the Forum’s three days, leaders from finance, business, media, sustainability, academia, communications, and government discussed whether a new approach is needed to reclaim the narrative. These sessions were guided and facilitated by Freya Williams, Author of Green Giants and former CEO of Futerra U.S.; Eammon Store, Founder and CEO of FairShare and former CEO of the Guardian U.S.; and Alex Thompson, former chief communications officer of Thomson Reuters and former VP of brand stewardship of REI. An overview of the in-depth discussion and consensus among the participants follows.
The climate communications ecosystem in the U.S. lurched suddenly in the months leading up to the 8th Sun Valley Forum. Focused efforts to misrepresent the intent and reality of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) began as sparks, ignited small brush fires, and quickly led to hand-wringing and backpedaling in jittery C-Suites, but did they start a raging wildfire, as intended?
Predictable corners of the media ecosystem amplified voices questioning whether business leaders should really be working towards more transparent information systems disparaging efforts to disclose how external factors might affect the future health of their businesses.
It was tempting to dismiss these narrative confrontations as niche or ridiculous. How is it not wise to seek to understand how climate change, war, cybersecurity, or AI threaten supply chains, business growth, and human well-being? Doesn't it make sense for businesses and investors to have a good handle on that information - and be free to invest as they choose? And wouldn't that insight contribute to a stable, growing economy?
At the end of 2022, doubt appeared to be creeping in. Research by Rokk Solutions indicated that 70% of Republicans and 39% of Democrat voters agree that "corporate wokeism has gone too far [and that] companies should focus more on their products and services and less on supporting ESG and DEI initiatives".
But Gallup research in April 2023 suggested that people weren't quite sure of what they weren't sure about–37% of the U.S. population said it is somewhat or very familiar with the term ESG and what ESG constitutes; 40% of the U.S. population said it was "not familiar at all" and 59% had no opinion on whether they view ESG positively or negatively. 1
Despite this evident knowledge vacuum, a full-throated counterargument of the principles of climate action and better public disclosures was absent or – at best – not cutting through. Was this due to a lack of message, a lack of messengers, a lack of strategy, or a lack of will? And did sustainability advocates think this was a problem? What consensus emerged from our discussions?
Don't be drawn. The conflation of ESG (a financial risk management mindset) with what detractors describe as "corporate wokeism" (distorting a term with originally positive connotations to describe businesses engaging in social issues) is deliberate and cynically reductive. Muddying the meaning of the terms sets a trap to provoke a technical, complicated defense that could add to the average person's fear of the unknown in unsettling times. Playing defense also inadvertently strengthens your opponent's frame. Instead, play offense and set the terms of your own debate.
Simplify the plot. Freya Williams, author of Green Giants and former CEO of Futerra North America, summarized in her keynote the critical importance of framing and embracing a plot that makes common outcomes very easy to grasp. Aligning the message with fundamental American values – like freedom and family – is central to connecting across the widening divide. Elevating the immediate and lasting benefits of climate action is vital. Freya shares more about possible plots in this sub-stack post.
Stay confident. In April 2023, Pew published research suggesting that 69% of Americans support the U.S. becoming carbon neutral by 2050 (including 44% of Republican voters and 67% of Republican voters under 30). Political tub-thumping by a few should not be confused with widespread resistance to innovative efforts to strengthen energy systems with clean, home-grown power and the benefits of America winning at inventing and deploying new technology.
Consistently, Forum attendees said that ignoring the problem isn't going to make it go away; reclaiming the narrative needs a serious commitment of resources and energy – including better coordination across groups advocating for effective solutions. We can look to Apple’s newly released video on its commitment to reach net zero by 2030 as one example of reclaiming the narrative. As more ideas for new frames and language emerge, evolve and be nurtured in the months ahead, we’ll continue to convene and amplify leaders and innovators dedicated to effective communications and storytelling for climate action.
We’ll be doing just that at Climate Week NY on September 19th, 6-9 PM ET. Please join us at How Storytelling Drives Climate Action with Aimée Christensen and Jake Barton, founder of the award-winning design studio Local Projects, for an evening with change makers, storytellers, communications experts, and reporters who will share insights, spark action, and strengthen collaboration. Jake Barton also will share his prototype for a new immersive experience that helps people look into their own future, so they can make more sustainable choices in their present.
We hope to see you there! Register here.
1 Gallup, April 2023: https://news.gallup.com/poll/506171/esg-not-making-waves-american-public.aspx
