Key takeaways
- To achieve a wider viewers, firms have to keep away from jargon-heavy water stewardship phrases.
- Credible descriptions for water stewardship targets succeed when water is linked to local weather, nature and folks.
- Compelling tales might help stakeholders perceive why water points and packages matter to them.
If the phrases “water constructive” and “nature constructive” go away you confused, you’re not alone. To enhance water stewardship and communications across the matter, firms have to keep away from technical or jargon-heavy phrases that aren’t participating for many audiences.
In a latest survey of greater than 350 water and sustainability specialists, Trellis knowledge companion GlobeScan, along with the World Wildlife Basis, discovered essentially the most significant and credible descriptions for water stewardship targets are:
- “restoration of nature and ecosystems” (49%)
- “science-based” (42%)
- “safety of rivers, lakes, and wetlands” (40%)
In distinction, specialists contemplate “water constructive,” “nature constructive,” and “replenish” to be the least significant and credible of the choices introduced. Equally, GlobeScan’s public opinion analysis reveals individuals rank “shield rivers, lakes, and different water-based habitat/nature” a lot greater than “use much less water in operations and provide chains” when it comes to a very powerful water-related targets for an environmentally-responsible firm.
The analysis factors to 3 causes for low ranges of consciousness and engagement associated to firms’ water stewardship actions:
- Most firms don’t speak about water fairly often or by way of channels that attain many stakeholders
- Water-related communications normally put a heavy emphasis on knowledge and methodologies like “water constructive” and “replenish” that aren’t very relatable or compelling for many stakeholders
- Company communications on water focus an excessive amount of on the amount/effectivity of water whereas air pollution or ecosystem restoration is extra more likely to acquire traction with the general public
What this implies
Going ahead, firms can enhance transparency and disclosure by speaking in methods which are extra related, tangible and fascinating by linking water to local weather, nature and folks. Organizations can spotlight the vital ways in which water hyperlinks, shapes and contributes to highly effective, nature-based options for local weather resilience, adaptation and mitigation. The general public strongly associates water with nature and conservation, and linking it to nature provides alternatives for restoration, progress and constructive tales. Extra compelling company communications on water stewardship might help stakeholders perceive why points and packages matter to them and the way each the corporate and customers stand to learn from company actions and investments.
Primarily based on a survey of 352 water and sustainability specialists throughout 63 nations and territories performed in Nov.-Dec. 2024.
