How to Talk About Sustainability

This article was contributed by Sustainable Choice Group.

Clear Sustainability Communication for Small Businesses

Worried about greenwashing? You’re not alone. Talking about sustainability can be daunting, but this episode with Sustainability Tracker and Xero offers a simple way to communicate your sustainability story based on facts, not buzzwords.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• What greenwashing really means
• Why small businesses have lower risk
• Words to use (and words to avoid)
• How to build trust with transparent sustainability messaging

Sustainability is something many businesses are proud to work on, but talking about sustainability and what your business is doing to be more sustainable can feel risky. With rising scrutiny on greenwashing and unclear claims, it’s no surprise that some small businesses hesitate to say anything at all.

In episode six of Sustainability Essentials, we explore how to talk about sustainability efforts with honesty, confidence, and credibility. The good news? If you’re a small business, the risk of getting it wrong is lower than you might think. Especially if you’re sharing facts, not fluff.

Talking about Sustainability: Identify the Gap

The real risk comes when there’s a gap between what you say and what people think you mean. That’s where greenwashing can occur. Even if it’s unintentional. This episode gives you expert advice on what greenwashing really is, which words can cause confusion, and how to communicate with more clarity.

Whether you’re updating your website, sharing a menu change, or simply talking to your customers, there are ways to make your sustainability story more accurate, accessible, and transparent.

Sustainability Messaging: You don’t need to say everything. Just say it clearly.

Start by documenting what you’ve done, make the evidence easy to find, and skip the buzzwords. Small businesses that communicate well build trust and that trust turns into stronger relationships.

Start building your sustainability strategy with tools designed for small business. Watch the series, take the quiz to find your biggest opportunities, then get started talking about sustainability in your business.