What is sustainability storytelling?
And why is it important?
The power of telling a good story can be transformational, enlightening, emotional and life changing. Stories have been around for thousands of years and surround us in many forms from cave paintings and wood carvings to today’s animated films, Netflix’ episodic dramas and social media posts. But what makes a good story and why can it have such an effect? And why is that a vital part of bringing about change when it comes to sustainability? In this blog, we’ll consider the role of storytelling in creating change and how that impacts on sustainability society-wide. Storytelling – a definition Storytelling can be defined as the graphic description of ideas, beliefs, values, personal and collective experiences, and life-lessons through stories or narratives that evoke powerful emotions and insights. Storytelling enables the articulation of emotional aspects as well as factual content, allowing the expression of unspoken knowledge (which is difficult to get across). It provides the broader context in which knowledge arises, increasing the potential for meaningful knowledge-sharing. And, by setting facts within a narrative structure, it increases the likelihood that learning will take place and then be passed onto others. Purposeful storytelling can deliver results that conventional, abstract modes of communications such as Company reports, presentations, formal speeches or filmed interviews cannot. It can be a powerful mechanism to bring about the desired change in individuals, communities, organisations, and society as a whole.Sustainability storytelling in a business context
When it comes to business, storytelling is a strategic branding practice by which companies apply narrative structures over branded content. Businesses use the power of storytelling as a tool for strategic change as it engages audiences cognitively, emotionally, and behaviorally. Sustainability is now thankfully high on the strategic agenda for most businesses. And, while some companies have been sustainable since their inception, others are now repositioning themselves to be associated with sustainability values. In both cases, communicating about sustainability is key but requires delicate handling to avoid misleading perceptions. Apple’s recent sustainability video is a good example of a business using sustainability storytelling to reposition itself as it transitions into a fully sustainable business by 2030. It uses the narrative to convey its targets, humanising the abstract concept of Mother Nature whilst being open and transparent about the fact they still have a long way to go to bring its carbon footprint down to zero. In a business context sustainability storytelling can do several things:- Make abstract concepts meaningful
- Articulate emotions
- Help connect businesses, people and ideas
- Inspire imagination and motivate action in individuals, communities, organisations, and society as a whole.
- Enable a business to demonstrate its authenticity and transparency
- Create sense, coherence, and meaning
- Develop valuable descriptions of the situations in which knowledge is applied and solutions are found
- Examine organisational values and culture
- Communicate complex messages simply
- Operate effectively in networks
- Inspire change