Creating authentic, stand-out stories for our partners starts with one important move: taking a step back to understand the bigger picture. Before crafting a powerful media strategy, we ensure we know what macro issues are shaping the world around our clients, and what journalists are interested in.

We work with changemakers across multiple sectors. One key area we’ve been focused on in recent years is sustainability. In light of that, we’re reflecting on today’s most pressing energy trends, how these impact our clients’ work, and, crucially, how they influence the way we communicate.

Beyond the headlines

As PR and communications experts, our job is to scratch beneath the surface of headlines and interrogate what is being said.

For example, while claims that UK electricity is the cleanest it has ever been might be true – 58% of our electricity now comes from clean energy sources, renewables and nuclear – this is far from the whole story.

Electricity represents just 18% of the energy consumed in the UK, which means that just 10% of our energy comes from renewables – with gas dominating heating, and petrol and diesel dominating transport. As we transition from fossil fuels, electricity production will also need to double by 2050 if the UK is to meet its sustainability goals.

Cutting through the noise

When it comes to communicating about sustainability, there’s a lot of noise. What do we take at face value?

This is where authentic storytelling comes in. Our job is to help clients see – and tell – the full story: the good, the bad and the ugly of climate change and sustainable business practices. There is no silver bullet – reducing global emissions and securing a cleaner future is a journey. But through informed, strategic communication, we can help make sense of it all.

That’s why our approach is grounded in humility. We encourage our clients to celebrate milestones, but to be honest about the work that is still to be done.

Storytelling in action

Our work with the Ofwat Innovation Fund and Cushon demonstrates this.

We have worked with the Ofwat Innovation Fund to help tell the story of its £600 million, decade-long investment in collaborative projects that are developing solutions to the water sector’s biggest challenges. These include achieving net zero emissions, tackling pollution, and adapting to the impact of climate change.

The water sector consumes 3% of all electricity in the UK and is responsible for about a third of the country’s industrial emissions. In addition to CO2, wastewater management generates more potent greenhouse gases that must be managed, such as methane and nitrous oxide. There’s urgent work to do.

A big part of our work is highlighting the lessons learned from individual projects supported by the Ofwat Innovation Fund so that the whole sector can benefit from shared knowledge of what went well and what’s left to do.

Recently, we amplified the Ofwat Innovation Fund’s learning reports through a series of video interviews for Water Magazine, focusing on numerous themes. Spotlighting the work of pioneering innovators, as well as leaders in the space, the interviews provide valuable insight into the different solutions that are being developed.

We also worked with workplace pensions and savings provider, Cushon, for several years, and within this time supported it to announce its science-based emission reduction targets.

Cushon set a target of reaching an 80% reduction in Scope 1 & 2 emissions by September 2030, having already achieved a 64% reduction (compared to its industry benchmark) since it launched in 2021. However, coinciding with this news, the company closed its Net Zero Now proposition to new members – a product that used carbon offsets to neutralise the emissions related to investments.

We approached this campaign with honesty, crafting messaging that protected the company’s reputation. While the 80% news was a positive step forward, the closure of Net Zero Now to new members placed the company at risk of scrutiny.

Seven developed a targeted campaign built on offering the exclusive to FT’s Moral Money to ensure the news received a robust but fair hearing, demonstrating that Cushon was approaching these changes from a place of authenticity.

The result was a very balanced write up in FT; two exclusive op-eds by-lined by company spokespeople, setting out Cushon’s position in detail; as well as targeted distribution of the release to pension trades.

Navigating this announcement with humility enabled the brand to retain trust among media and the public. Today, Cushon is part of the Natwest Group, with the pensions fintech having been majority acquired in June 2023.

Looking ahead

Authentic storytelling is one part of the puzzle. The right communication campaign doesn’t just repeat headlines; it builds understanding, navigates nuance, debunks misinformation and creates cultural momentum.

To embed sustainable practices into public consciousness and policy, we need more than technical solutions; we need stories that paint the full picture, helping to accelerate the adoption of and support for realistic but future-looking solutions.

As a brand, there’s a tendency to put a good spin on everything – and it is often the role of PR and communications agencies to help brands position themselves in the best possible light. However, that can backfire when talking about sustainability, where sometimes there is no sugar-coating to be done.

Honest communications that acknowledge the challenges to overcome are the foundation for engaging audiences in the progress that is being made, and garnering public support.