https://simplecast.com The Sustainability Communicator with Mike Hower Join sustainability communication expert Mike Hower—author of Sustainability Storytelling, former GreenBiz journalist, and advisor to leading global brands—as he explores one of the toughest challenges in corporate sustainability today: how to talk about sustainability in ways that are compelling, credible, and compliant—and fit cultural and reputational context. Through interviews with practitioners and insights from his own work in the field, Mike digs into greenwashing, greenhushing, and the risks and opportunities most sustainability professionals face—but few can talk about out loud. 2026 en Wed, 28 Jan 2026 07:14:57 +0000 Sun, 1 Mar 2026 01:02:55 +0000 https://the-sustainability-communicator.simplecast.com The Sustainability Communicator with Mike Hower https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/f5a3b466-0795-4dc7-9944-d5c3a227f53e/84abb06f-3d02-4b35-b47a-21693df38ba0/3000x3000/new_podcast.jpg?aid=rss_feed https://the-sustainability-communicator.simplecast.com episodic Join sustainability communication expert Mike Hower—author of Sustainability Storytelling, former GreenBiz journalist, and advisor to leading global brands—as he explores one of the toughest challenges in corporate sustainability today: how to talk about sustainability in ways that are compelling, credible, and compliant—and fit cultural and reputational context. Through interviews with practitioners and insights from his own work in the field, Mike digs into greenwashing, greenhushing, and the risks and opportunities most sustainability professionals face—but few can talk about out loud. Mike Hower false https://feeds.simplecast.com/R4Z127KI branding, business, communication, esg, green, greenhushing, greenwashing, impact, marketing, public relations, storytelling, sustainability, climate change, climate crisis Hower Impact LLC mike@howerimpact.com e944dae6-faa8-44c8-a314-35665de0beb2 The rule of law and the cost of corporate silence — with Alison Taylor As the rule of law in the United States comes under strain, many companies have chosen silence. In this episode, Mike Hower sits down with business ethicist and Higher Ground author Alison Taylor to examine what corporate courage actually looks like when legal norms, civil rights, and community safety are being tested. Together, they explore why companies retreat in moments of crisis, the limits of compliance-driven ethics, and the role sustainability and communications leaders can play when speaking up carries real risk. This is a candid conversation about silence, responsibility, and whether business is willing — or able — to stand for the rule of law when it matters most.

  • Connect with Alison Taylor on LinkedIn.
  • Order Alison's book, Higher Ground.
  • Read the American Sustainable Business Network's statement calling for companies to defend the rule of law in America.
  • Register for Sustainability Professionals Against Silence 

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> Wed, 28 Jan 2026 07:14:57 +0000 mike@howerimpact.com (Alison Taylor, Mike Hower) https://the-sustainability-communicator.simplecast.com/episodes/the-rule-of-law-and-the-cost-of-corporate-silence-with-alison-taylor-Elbhlqwd As the rule of law in the United States comes under strain, many companies have chosen silence. In this episode, Mike Hower sits down with business ethicist and Higher Ground author Alison Taylor to examine what corporate courage actually looks like when legal norms, civil rights, and community safety are being tested. Together, they explore why companies retreat in moments of crisis, the limits of compliance-driven ethics, and the role sustainability and communications leaders can play when speaking up carries real risk. This is a candid conversation about silence, responsibility, and whether business is willing — or able — to stand for the rule of law when it matters most.

  • Connect with Alison Taylor on LinkedIn.
  • Order Alison's book, Higher Ground.
  • Read the American Sustainable Business Network's statement calling for companies to defend the rule of law in America.
  • Register for Sustainability Professionals Against Silence 

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> The rule of law and the cost of corporate silence — with Alison Taylor Alison Taylor, Mike Hower 00:32:18 As the rule of law in the United States comes under strain, many companies have chosen silence. In this episode, Mike Hower sits down with business ethicist and Higher Ground author Alison Taylor to examine what corporate courage actually looks like when legal norms, civil rights, and community safety are being tested. Together, they explore why companies retreat in moments of crisis, the limits of compliance-driven ethics, and the role sustainability and communications leaders can play when speaking up carries real risk. This is a candid conversation about silence, responsibility, and whether business is willing — or able — to stand for the rule of law when it matters most. As the rule of law in the United States comes under strain, many companies have chosen silence. In this episode, Mike Hower sits down with business ethicist and Higher Ground author Alison Taylor to examine what corporate courage actually looks like when legal norms, civil rights, and community safety are being tested. Together, they explore why companies retreat in moments of crisis, the limits of compliance-driven ethics, and the role sustainability and communications leaders can play when speaking up carries real risk. This is a candid conversation about silence, responsibility, and whether business is willing — or able — to stand for the rule of law when it matters most. sustainability communication, corporate sustainability, business ethics, minnesota protests, ice false full 26 1dae25ae-1e3f-41a4-8bff-7a54785bba7f How Chief Sustainability Officers advance sustainability storytelling In this episode, Mike sits down with Erik Hansen, Chief Sustainability Officer at Workday, to explore how CSOs have evolved into the lead communicators for corporate sustainability. Erik shares insights on building trust through transparency, making the business case for sustainability initiatives, and how companies are increasingly being asked detailed sustainability questions in hundreds of RFPs. The conversation covers practical strategies for working with legal teams on compliant communications, measuring the success of sustainability storytelling, and thinking beyond company silos to advocate for industry-wide change.

  • Connect with Erik Hansen on LinkedIn.
  • Learn more about Workday's sustainability strategy.

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> Fri, 8 Aug 2025 04:00:54 +0000 mike@howerimpact.com (Erik Hansen, Mike Hower) https://the-sustainability-communicator.simplecast.com/episodes/how-chief-sustainability-officers-advance-sustainability-storytelling-7sEaobfZ In this episode, Mike sits down with Erik Hansen, Chief Sustainability Officer at Workday, to explore how CSOs have evolved into the lead communicators for corporate sustainability. Erik shares insights on building trust through transparency, making the business case for sustainability initiatives, and how companies are increasingly being asked detailed sustainability questions in hundreds of RFPs. The conversation covers practical strategies for working with legal teams on compliant communications, measuring the success of sustainability storytelling, and thinking beyond company silos to advocate for industry-wide change.

  • Connect with Erik Hansen on LinkedIn.
  • Learn more about Workday's sustainability strategy.

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> How Chief Sustainability Officers advance sustainability storytelling Erik Hansen, Mike Hower 00:31:54 In this episode, Mike sits down with Erik Hansen, Chief Sustainability Officer at Workday, to explore how CSOs have evolved into the lead communicators for corporate sustainability. Erik shares insights on building trust through transparency, making the business case for sustainability initiatives, and how companies are increasingly being asked detailed sustainability questions in hundreds of RFPs. The conversation covers practical strategies for working with legal teams on compliant communications, measuring the success of sustainability storytelling, and thinking beyond company silos to advocate for industry-wide change. In this episode, Mike sits down with Erik Hansen, Chief Sustainability Officer at Workday, to explore how CSOs have evolved into the lead communicators for corporate sustainability. Erik shares insights on building trust through transparency, making the business case for sustainability initiatives, and how companies are increasingly being asked detailed sustainability questions in hundreds of RFPs. The conversation covers practical strategies for working with legal teams on compliant communications, measuring the success of sustainability storytelling, and thinking beyond company silos to advocate for industry-wide change. workday, sustainability communication, strategy, storytelling, cso false full 25 2f3df476-0c30-4355-9db6-3aa12d01e1d9 How HP engages employees on sustainability In this episode of The Sustainability Communicator, Mike sits down with Alexandra Talleur, an internal communications lead at HP who specializes in sustainability engagement. While companies often focus on external sustainability communication, internal communication frequently receives less attention. Yet effective employee engagement is crucial for implementing sustainability strategies and maintaining talent. Alexandra shares insights on creating meaningful internal sustainability communications, connecting sustainability to employees' roles, and navigating challenges like the "green gap" between stated values and actions. 

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> Wed, 14 May 2025 05:00:00 +0000 mike@howerimpact.com (Alexandra Talleur, Mike Hower) https://the-sustainability-communicator.simplecast.com/episodes/how-hp-engages-employees-on-sustainability-tC5fbCO_ In this episode of The Sustainability Communicator, Mike sits down with Alexandra Talleur, an internal communications lead at HP who specializes in sustainability engagement. While companies often focus on external sustainability communication, internal communication frequently receives less attention. Yet effective employee engagement is crucial for implementing sustainability strategies and maintaining talent. Alexandra shares insights on creating meaningful internal sustainability communications, connecting sustainability to employees' roles, and navigating challenges like the "green gap" between stated values and actions. 

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> How HP engages employees on sustainability Alexandra Talleur, Mike Hower 00:29:55 In this episode of The Sustainability Communicator, Mike sits down with Alexandra Talleur, an internal communications lead at HP who specializes in sustainability engagement. While companies often focus on external sustainability communication, internal communication frequently receives less attention. Yet effective employee engagement is crucial for implementing sustainability strategies and maintaining talent. Alexandra shares insights on creating meaningful internal sustainability communications, connecting sustainability to employees' roles, and navigating challenges like the "green gap" between stated values and actions. In this episode of The Sustainability Communicator, Mike sits down with Alexandra Talleur, an internal communications lead at HP who specializes in sustainability engagement. While companies often focus on external sustainability communication, internal communication frequently receives less attention. Yet effective employee engagement is crucial for implementing sustainability strategies and maintaining talent. Alexandra shares insights on creating meaningful internal sustainability communications, connecting sustainability to employees' roles, and navigating challenges like the "green gap" between stated values and actions. hp, employee engagement, internal communications, sustainability, impact false full 24 3691a63d-00bf-4aa0-9d7a-4ba7a4bcf1b3 The peaks and valleys of sustainability communication In this episode, host Mike Hower sits down with Dan Strechay, a seasoned sustainability communications professional who has worked across private companies, public organizations, and NGOs. They discuss the evolution of sustainability communications, how to navigate difficult topics like palm oil and climate change, and the balance between transparency and greenwashing. Dan shares insights from his career journey and offers practical advice for companies looking to communicate authentically about their sustainability efforts. This conversation, recorded in late 2024, remains relevant as sustainability professionals navigate the changing landscape of reporting requirements and stakeholder expectations.

 

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> Wed, 9 Apr 2025 05:00:00 +0000 mike@howerimpact.com (Dan Strechay, Mike Hower) https://the-sustainability-communicator.simplecast.com/episodes/the-peaks-and-valleys-of-sustainability-communication-qQgl3I86 In this episode, host Mike Hower sits down with Dan Strechay, a seasoned sustainability communications professional who has worked across private companies, public organizations, and NGOs. They discuss the evolution of sustainability communications, how to navigate difficult topics like palm oil and climate change, and the balance between transparency and greenwashing. Dan shares insights from his career journey and offers practical advice for companies looking to communicate authentically about their sustainability efforts. This conversation, recorded in late 2024, remains relevant as sustainability professionals navigate the changing landscape of reporting requirements and stakeholder expectations.

 

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> The peaks and valleys of sustainability communication Dan Strechay, Mike Hower 00:32:19 In this episode, host Mike Hower sits down with Dan Strechay, a seasoned sustainability communications professional who has worked across private companies, public organizations, and NGOs. They discuss the evolution of sustainability communications, how to navigate difficult topics like palm oil and climate change, and the balance between transparency and greenwashing. Dan shares insights from his career journey and offers practical advice for companies looking to communicate authentically about their sustainability efforts. This conversation, recorded in late 2024, remains relevant as sustainability professionals navigate the changing landscape of reporting requirements and stakeholder expectations. In this episode, host Mike Hower sits down with Dan Strechay, a seasoned sustainability communications professional who has worked across private companies, public organizations, and NGOs. They discuss the evolution of sustainability communications, how to navigate difficult topics like palm oil and climate change, and the balance between transparency and greenwashing. Dan shares insights from his career journey and offers practical advice for companies looking to communicate authentically about their sustainability efforts. This conversation, recorded in late 2024, remains relevant as sustainability professionals navigate the changing landscape of reporting requirements and stakeholder expectations. mars, communication, esg, pepsico, sustainability, storytelling false full 23 18dc0a93-3dd0-4bb2-a64e-8c55ad80cb2b Sustainability storytellers weigh in from GreenBiz 25 At a time when corporate sustainability faces unprecedented headwinds, last week's GreenBiz25 conference proved that sustainability leaders aren't backing down – they're doubling down on their commitments and getting more strategic about their communication. In this special episode of The Sustainability Communicator, Mike Hower sat down with six sustainability leaders from diverse industries to understand how they're navigating these challenging times. 

From Aileen Lerch at Allbirds discussing the power of "applied hope," to Elizabeth Eldridge at Kaiser Permanente sharing how they're moving beyond buzzwords to build trust, to Marcella Thompson at CBRE explaining how they're making sustainability visible in the built environment, each conversation revealed how companies are evolving their sustainability storytelling for 2025 and beyond. These candid discussions, recorded live at GreenBiz25 in Phoenix, offer a unique window into how leading companies are balancing compliance, credibility, and compelling narratives in their sustainability communications.

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> Thu, 20 Feb 2025 05:44:54 +0000 mike@howerimpact.com (Aileen Lerch, Sarah Beaubien, Elizabeth Eldridge, Marcella Thompson, Daniel Pellegrom, Mike Hower) https://the-sustainability-communicator.simplecast.com/episodes/sustainability-storytellers-weigh-in-from-greenbiz-25-yn7fLStU At a time when corporate sustainability faces unprecedented headwinds, last week's GreenBiz25 conference proved that sustainability leaders aren't backing down – they're doubling down on their commitments and getting more strategic about their communication. In this special episode of The Sustainability Communicator, Mike Hower sat down with six sustainability leaders from diverse industries to understand how they're navigating these challenging times. 

From Aileen Lerch at Allbirds discussing the power of "applied hope," to Elizabeth Eldridge at Kaiser Permanente sharing how they're moving beyond buzzwords to build trust, to Marcella Thompson at CBRE explaining how they're making sustainability visible in the built environment, each conversation revealed how companies are evolving their sustainability storytelling for 2025 and beyond. These candid discussions, recorded live at GreenBiz25 in Phoenix, offer a unique window into how leading companies are balancing compliance, credibility, and compelling narratives in their sustainability communications.

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> Sustainability storytellers weigh in from GreenBiz 25 Aileen Lerch, Sarah Beaubien, Elizabeth Eldridge, Marcella Thompson, Daniel Pellegrom, Mike Hower 00:37:33 At a time when corporate sustainability faces unprecedented headwinds, last week's GreenBiz25 conference proved that sustainability leaders aren't backing down – they're doubling down on their commitments and getting more strategic about their communication. In this special episode of The Sustainability Communicator, Mike Hower sat down with six sustainability leaders from diverse industries to understand how they're navigating these challenging times. From Aileen Lerch at Allbirds discussing the power of "applied hope," to Elizabeth Eldridge at Kaiser Permanente sharing how they're moving beyond buzzwords to build trust, to Marcella Thompson at CBRE explaining how they're making sustainability visible in the built environment, each conversation revealed how companies are evolving their sustainability storytelling for 2025 and beyond. These candid discussions, recorded live at GreenBiz 25 in Phoenix, offer a unique window into how leading companies are balancing compliance, credibility, and compelling narratives in their sustainability communications. At a time when corporate sustainability faces unprecedented headwinds, last week's GreenBiz25 conference proved that sustainability leaders aren't backing down – they're doubling down on their commitments and getting more strategic about their communication. In this special episode of The Sustainability Communicator, Mike Hower sat down with six sustainability leaders from diverse industries to understand how they're navigating these challenging times. From Aileen Lerch at Allbirds discussing the power of "applied hope," to Elizabeth Eldridge at Kaiser Permanente sharing how they're moving beyond buzzwords to build trust, to Marcella Thompson at CBRE explaining how they're making sustainability visible in the built environment, each conversation revealed how companies are evolving their sustainability storytelling for 2025 and beyond. These candid discussions, recorded live at GreenBiz 25 in Phoenix, offer a unique window into how leading companies are balancing compliance, credibility, and compelling narratives in their sustainability communications. communications, mondelez, hower impact, cbre, greenbiz 25, esg, kaiser permanente, sustainability, allbirds, leidos false full 22 dad15df8-4573-491a-af24-90ba8c72e55a Surviving sustainability reporting season As corporate sustainability teams shift to focus on regulatory and compliance, more sustainability professionals are spending a lot of time creating sustainability reports. These massive PDFs can sometimes be up to 100 pages or more and take many months to develop.  Love them or hate them, sustainability reports are here to stay. And the process can take its toll on the people who create them – both for in house folk and consultants. 

In this Brain Exchange episode, Mike sits down to talk with Dunia Namugayi, a sustainability reporting expert who has gone through many reporting cycles and can speak to how she maintains personal sustainability through the ups and downs of creating effective reports.

 

  • Follow Dunia Namugayi on LinkedIn
  • Read Mike's Trellis piece about finding personal sustainability in corporate sustainability.

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> Tue, 4 Feb 2025 06:12:34 +0000 mike@howerimpact.com (Mike Hower, Dunia Namugayi) https://the-sustainability-communicator.simplecast.com/episodes/achieving-personal-sustainability-during-reporting-season-8s6LC2mR As corporate sustainability teams shift to focus on regulatory and compliance, more sustainability professionals are spending a lot of time creating sustainability reports. These massive PDFs can sometimes be up to 100 pages or more and take many months to develop.  Love them or hate them, sustainability reports are here to stay. And the process can take its toll on the people who create them – both for in house folk and consultants. 

In this Brain Exchange episode, Mike sits down to talk with Dunia Namugayi, a sustainability reporting expert who has gone through many reporting cycles and can speak to how she maintains personal sustainability through the ups and downs of creating effective reports.

 

  • Follow Dunia Namugayi on LinkedIn
  • Read Mike's Trellis piece about finding personal sustainability in corporate sustainability.

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> Surviving sustainability reporting season Mike Hower, Dunia Namugayi 00:28:00 As corporate sustainability teams shift to focus on regulatory and compliance, more sustainability professionals are spending a lot of time creating sustainability reports. These massive PDFs can sometimes be up to 100 pages or more and take many months to develop. Love them or hate them, sustainability reports are here to stay. And the process can take its toll on the people who create them – both for in house folk and consultants. In this episode, Mike sits down to talk with Dunia Namugayi, a sustainability reporting expert who has gone through many reporting cycles and can speak to how she maintains personal sustainability through the ups and downs of creating effective reports. As corporate sustainability teams shift to focus on regulatory and compliance, more sustainability professionals are spending a lot of time creating sustainability reports. These massive PDFs can sometimes be up to 100 pages or more and take many months to develop. Love them or hate them, sustainability reports are here to stay. And the process can take its toll on the people who create them – both for in house folk and consultants. In this episode, Mike sits down to talk with Dunia Namugayi, a sustainability reporting expert who has gone through many reporting cycles and can speak to how she maintains personal sustainability through the ups and downs of creating effective reports. reporting, csr, esg, personal sustainability, sustainability, mental health false full 21 46beaac0-e66f-4b8e-9970-57b9be24bd80 Reclaiming the lost corporate sustainability narrative In this timely Thinking Out Loud episode, host Mike Hower examines the evolving landscape of corporate sustainability as we enter 2025, offering a candid assessment of the shift from the "ESG Golden Age" to today's more complex reality. Drawing from his extensive experience in sustainability communications, Mike presents six key strategies for companies to reclaim their sustainability narrative: acknowledging trade-offs, focusing on material impact, bridging economic and environmental concerns, emphasizing practical solutions, breaking out of echo chambers, and embracing humility about private sector limitations. Despite highlighting significant challenges, including missed emissions targets and record-breaking temperatures, Mike maintains optimism, pointing to strong public support for corporate climate action and advocating for a more mature, honest approach to sustainability communication that balances acknowledging difficulties with maintaining commitment to necessary change.

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> Thu, 23 Jan 2025 05:01:21 +0000 mike@howerimpact.com (Mike Hower) https://the-sustainability-communicator.simplecast.com/episodes/finding-the-lost-corporate-sustainability-narrative-tYj8R8mp In this timely Thinking Out Loud episode, host Mike Hower examines the evolving landscape of corporate sustainability as we enter 2025, offering a candid assessment of the shift from the "ESG Golden Age" to today's more complex reality. Drawing from his extensive experience in sustainability communications, Mike presents six key strategies for companies to reclaim their sustainability narrative: acknowledging trade-offs, focusing on material impact, bridging economic and environmental concerns, emphasizing practical solutions, breaking out of echo chambers, and embracing humility about private sector limitations. Despite highlighting significant challenges, including missed emissions targets and record-breaking temperatures, Mike maintains optimism, pointing to strong public support for corporate climate action and advocating for a more mature, honest approach to sustainability communication that balances acknowledging difficulties with maintaining commitment to necessary change.

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> Reclaiming the lost corporate sustainability narrative Mike Hower 00:06:45 In this timely Thinking Out Loud episode, host Mike Hower examines the evolving landscape of corporate sustainability as we enter 2025, offering a candid assessment of the shift from the "ESG Golden Age" to today's more complex reality. Drawing from his extensive experience in sustainability communications, Mike presents six key strategies for companies to reclaim their sustainability narrative: acknowledging trade-offs, focusing on material impact, bridging economic and environmental concerns, emphasizing practical solutions, breaking out of echo chambers, and embracing humility about private sector limitations. Despite highlighting significant challenges, including missed emissions targets and record-breaking temperatures, Mike maintains optimism, pointing to strong public support for corporate climate action and advocating for a more mature, honest approach to sustainability communication that balances acknowledging difficulties with maintaining commitment to necessary change. In this timely Thinking Out Loud episode, host Mike Hower examines the evolving landscape of corporate sustainability as we enter 2025, offering a candid assessment of the shift from the "ESG Golden Age" to today's more complex reality. Drawing from his extensive experience in sustainability communications, Mike presents six key strategies for companies to reclaim their sustainability narrative: acknowledging trade-offs, focusing on material impact, bridging economic and environmental concerns, emphasizing practical solutions, breaking out of echo chambers, and embracing humility about private sector limitations. Despite highlighting significant challenges, including missed emissions targets and record-breaking temperatures, Mike maintains optimism, pointing to strong public support for corporate climate action and advocating for a more mature, honest approach to sustainability communication that balances acknowledging difficulties with maintaining commitment to necessary change. messaging, communications, marketing, 2025, sustainability false full 20 c7130a71-7880-4d01-a60f-f5151025a8d2 So you want to be a sustainability communicator? The profession of being a sustainability communicator is relatively new – and seems to be evolving with each passing day. Success in this emerging field requires understanding the intricate goals and objectives of both sustainability and marketing teams, and developing the unique skill of translating between these often disparate organizational functions. In this episode, Mike delves into the field's evolution over the past few decades through the lens of Jessica Appelgren, a remarkable professional with unmatched depth and breadth of experience in sustainability communication.

  • Follow Jessica Appelgren on LinkedIn.
  • Read "AI Can (Mostly) Outperform Human CEOs" on Harvard Business Review

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> Thu, 5 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000 mike@howerimpact.com (Hower Impact LLC) https://the-sustainability-communicator.simplecast.com/episodes/so-you-want-to-be-a-sustainability-communicator-aPYcnnES The profession of being a sustainability communicator is relatively new – and seems to be evolving with each passing day. Success in this emerging field requires understanding the intricate goals and objectives of both sustainability and marketing teams, and developing the unique skill of translating between these often disparate organizational functions. In this episode, Mike delves into the field's evolution over the past few decades through the lens of Jessica Appelgren, a remarkable professional with unmatched depth and breadth of experience in sustainability communication.

  • Follow Jessica Appelgren on LinkedIn.
  • Read "AI Can (Mostly) Outperform Human CEOs" on Harvard Business Review

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> So you want to be a sustainability communicator? Hower Impact LLC 00:35:19 The profession of being a sustainability communicator is relatively new – and seems to be evolving with each passing day. Success in this emerging field requires understanding the intricate goals and objectives of both sustainability and marketing teams, and developing the unique skill of translating between these often disparate organizational functions. In this episode, Mike delves into the field's evolution over the past few decades through the lens of Jessica Appelgren, a remarkable professional with unmatched depth and breadth of experience in sustainability communication. The profession of being a sustainability communicator is relatively new – and seems to be evolving with each passing day. Success in this emerging field requires understanding the intricate goals and objectives of both sustainability and marketing teams, and developing the unique skill of translating between these often disparate organizational functions. In this episode, Mike delves into the field's evolution over the past few decades through the lens of Jessica Appelgren, a remarkable professional with unmatched depth and breadth of experience in sustainability communication. false full 19 f857922a-9038-4a10-a85b-f66b7a787463 What a second Trump term means for corporate sustainability The results of the 2024 U.S. presidential election came as a shock to many in the world of corporate sustainability and beyond. In one night, it seemed like years of progress on social and environmental issues were shattered. 

With a corrupt, climate-denying convicted criminal with blatant authoritarian ambitions heading to the White House in 2025 – corporate sustainability professionals are feeling disheartened at best and horrified at worst. While we don’t know for sure what will happen, we do know that the strength of our democratic institutions will be put to the test and federal efforts to address the climate crisis will likely be deflated in the coming years. 

But it’s during times like these that we need to come together most, and on November 8, 2024 we organized an open door Zoom event called “Corporate Sustainability in a Second Trump Term.” In less than 24 hours, we had gathered interest from over 500 sustainability professionals, with more than 350 showing up for the call. During the call, in a series of fire starter chats we heard from Heather Clancy of Trellis, Matt Sekol of Microsoft who also is author of ESG Mindset, Jennifer Allyn of ClimateVoice, Patrick Flynn of Switchboard, and Anne Kelly of Ceres. In this episode of The Sustainability Communicator, we showcase some of the conversations from the call to give sustainability professionals the boost they need during these uncertain times.

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> Thu, 14 Nov 2024 10:02:23 +0000 mike@howerimpact.com (Patrick Flynn, Anne Kelly, Heather Clancy, Jennifer Allyn, Matt Sekol) https://the-sustainability-communicator.simplecast.com/episodes/what-a-second-trump-term-means-for-corporate-sustainability-iMYQAiIW The results of the 2024 U.S. presidential election came as a shock to many in the world of corporate sustainability and beyond. In one night, it seemed like years of progress on social and environmental issues were shattered. 

With a corrupt, climate-denying convicted criminal with blatant authoritarian ambitions heading to the White House in 2025 – corporate sustainability professionals are feeling disheartened at best and horrified at worst. While we don’t know for sure what will happen, we do know that the strength of our democratic institutions will be put to the test and federal efforts to address the climate crisis will likely be deflated in the coming years. 

But it’s during times like these that we need to come together most, and on November 8, 2024 we organized an open door Zoom event called “Corporate Sustainability in a Second Trump Term.” In less than 24 hours, we had gathered interest from over 500 sustainability professionals, with more than 350 showing up for the call. During the call, in a series of fire starter chats we heard from Heather Clancy of Trellis, Matt Sekol of Microsoft who also is author of ESG Mindset, Jennifer Allyn of ClimateVoice, Patrick Flynn of Switchboard, and Anne Kelly of Ceres. In this episode of The Sustainability Communicator, we showcase some of the conversations from the call to give sustainability professionals the boost they need during these uncertain times.

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> What a second Trump term means for corporate sustainability Patrick Flynn, Anne Kelly, Heather Clancy, Jennifer Allyn, Matt Sekol 00:25:04 The results of the 2024 U.S. presidential election came as a shock to many in the world of corporate sustainability and beyond. In one night, it seemed like years of progress on social and environmental issues were shattered. With a corrupt, climate-denying convicted criminal with blatant authoritarian ambitions heading to the White House in 2025 – corporate sustainability professionals are feeling disheartened at best and horrified at worst. While we don’t know for sure what will happen, we do know that the strength of our democratic institutions will be put to the test and federal efforts to address the climate crisis will likely be deflated in the coming years. But it’s during times like these that we need to come together most, and last week Mike Hower of Hower Impact organized an open door Zoom event called “Corporate Sustainability in a Second Trump Term.” In less than 24 hours, we had gathered interest from over 500 sustainability professionals, with more than 350 showing up for the call. During the call, in a series of fire starter chats we heard from Heather Clancy of Trellis, Matt Sekol of Microsoft who also is author of ESG Mindset, Jennifer Allyn of ClimateVoice, Patrick Flynn of Switchboard, and Anne Kelly of Ceres. In this episode of The Sustainability Communicator, we showcase some of the conversations from the call to give sustainability professionals the boost they need during these uncertain times. The results of the 2024 U.S. presidential election came as a shock to many in the world of corporate sustainability and beyond. In one night, it seemed like years of progress on social and environmental issues were shattered. With a corrupt, climate-denying convicted criminal with blatant authoritarian ambitions heading to the White House in 2025 – corporate sustainability professionals are feeling disheartened at best and horrified at worst. While we don’t know for sure what will happen, we do know that the strength of our democratic institutions will be put to the test and federal efforts to address the climate crisis will likely be deflated in the coming years. But it’s during times like these that we need to come together most, and last week Mike Hower of Hower Impact organized an open door Zoom event called “Corporate Sustainability in a Second Trump Term.” In less than 24 hours, we had gathered interest from over 500 sustainability professionals, with more than 350 showing up for the call. During the call, in a series of fire starter chats we heard from Heather Clancy of Trellis, Matt Sekol of Microsoft who also is author of ESG Mindset, Jennifer Allyn of ClimateVoice, Patrick Flynn of Switchboard, and Anne Kelly of Ceres. In this episode of The Sustainability Communicator, we showcase some of the conversations from the call to give sustainability professionals the boost they need during these uncertain times. climate change, corporate sustainability, trump, 2024 election false full 18 fde82f8e-2fbd-4f2f-917a-3cab59bde6e0 Finding a voice for corporate climate policy action As global temperatures continue to rise and we see the negative effects of a warming world, it’s becoming clear that businesses can’t address the climate crisis through voluntary action alone. Businesses need good policy to shape the rules of engagement that unlock private sector innovation to tackle tough sustainability challenges like climate.  Many companies with sound corporate sustainability strategies aren’t speaking up in the policy arena for fear of alienating customers, investors, employees and other stakeholders. 

In this episode, Mike speaks with Bill Weihl and Deborah McNamara of ClimateVoice a nonprofit that leverages the power of corporate influence from climate-positive companies to win crucial policy battles. Without getting too political, we explore the challenges companies face around advocating on climate policy, and the opportunities they face in ensuring that they back up their sustainability communication with policy action.

  • Follow ClimateVoice on LinkedIn.
  • Sign the LEAD statement calling for more climate action from the corporate sustainability community.
  • Check out the Climate Policy Obstruction Scorecard spotlighting how 15 U.S. based companies are obstructing climate policy by financially supporting the Business Roundtable, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and hiring lobbyists who also work for the fossil fuel industry.
  • Find your local polling center and VOTE. 

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> Tue, 22 Oct 2024 07:00:00 +0000 mike@howerimpact.com (Bill Weihl, Deborah McNamara, Mike Hower) https://the-sustainability-communicator.simplecast.com/episodes/finding-a-voice-for-corporate-climate-policy-action-z_YwdPYI As global temperatures continue to rise and we see the negative effects of a warming world, it’s becoming clear that businesses can’t address the climate crisis through voluntary action alone. Businesses need good policy to shape the rules of engagement that unlock private sector innovation to tackle tough sustainability challenges like climate.  Many companies with sound corporate sustainability strategies aren’t speaking up in the policy arena for fear of alienating customers, investors, employees and other stakeholders. 

In this episode, Mike speaks with Bill Weihl and Deborah McNamara of ClimateVoice a nonprofit that leverages the power of corporate influence from climate-positive companies to win crucial policy battles. Without getting too political, we explore the challenges companies face around advocating on climate policy, and the opportunities they face in ensuring that they back up their sustainability communication with policy action.

  • Follow ClimateVoice on LinkedIn.
  • Sign the LEAD statement calling for more climate action from the corporate sustainability community.
  • Check out the Climate Policy Obstruction Scorecard spotlighting how 15 U.S. based companies are obstructing climate policy by financially supporting the Business Roundtable, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and hiring lobbyists who also work for the fossil fuel industry.
  • Find your local polling center and VOTE. 

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> Finding a voice for corporate climate policy action Bill Weihl, Deborah McNamara, Mike Hower 00:46:07 As global temperatures continue to rise and we see the negative effects of a warming world, it’s becoming clear that businesses can’t address the climate crisis through voluntary action alone. Businesses need good policy to shape the rules of engagement that unlock private sector innovation to tackle tough sustainability challenges like climate. Many companies with sound corporate sustainability strategies aren’t speaking up in the policy arena for fear of alienating customers, investors, employees and other stakeholders. In this episode, Mike speaks with Bill Weihl and Deborah McNamara of ClimateVoice a nonprofit that leverages the power of corporate influence from climate-positive companies to win crucial policy battles. Without getting too political, we explore the challenges companies face around advocating on climate policy, and the opportunities they face in ensuring that they back up their sustainability communication with policy action. As global temperatures continue to rise and we see the negative effects of a warming world, it’s becoming clear that businesses can’t address the climate crisis through voluntary action alone. Businesses need good policy to shape the rules of engagement that unlock private sector innovation to tackle tough sustainability challenges like climate. Many companies with sound corporate sustainability strategies aren’t speaking up in the policy arena for fear of alienating customers, investors, employees and other stakeholders. In this episode, Mike speaks with Bill Weihl and Deborah McNamara of ClimateVoice a nonprofit that leverages the power of corporate influence from climate-positive companies to win crucial policy battles. Without getting too political, we explore the challenges companies face around advocating on climate policy, and the opportunities they face in ensuring that they back up their sustainability communication with policy action. climate policy, 2024 presidential election, sustainability, climatevoice false full 17 58a98589-f4f7-4ab0-91dc-b5ea7fcec774 A new 'KIND' of sustainability communication strategy While food isn’t always the flashiest sustainability topic, with agriculture being a significant driver of the climate crisis, strong sustainability communication is needed to educate and engage consumers to act. KIND is leading some cutting-edge work around regenerative agriculture – which comes with its own set of sustainability communication challenges. In this episode, Mike speaks with Lindsay Philpott, Sustainability Communication Manager at KIND to learn more about how the company navigates communicating complex sustainability topics to consumers.

  • Connect with Lindsay Philpott on LinkedIn.
  • Learn more about the KIND Almost Acres Initiative.

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> Thu, 19 Sep 2024 07:00:00 +0000 mike@howerimpact.com (Lindsay Philpott, Mike Hower) https://the-sustainability-communicator.simplecast.com/episodes/a-new-kind-of-sustainability-communication-strategy-uo_LCa9Q While food isn’t always the flashiest sustainability topic, with agriculture being a significant driver of the climate crisis, strong sustainability communication is needed to educate and engage consumers to act. KIND is leading some cutting-edge work around regenerative agriculture – which comes with its own set of sustainability communication challenges. In this episode, Mike speaks with Lindsay Philpott, Sustainability Communication Manager at KIND to learn more about how the company navigates communicating complex sustainability topics to consumers.

  • Connect with Lindsay Philpott on LinkedIn.
  • Learn more about the KIND Almost Acres Initiative.

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> A new 'KIND' of sustainability communication strategy Lindsay Philpott, Mike Hower 00:31:56 While food isn’t always the flashiest sustainability topic, with agriculture being a significant driver of the climate crisis, strong sustainability communication is needed to educate and engage consumers to act. KIND is leading some cutting-edge work around regenerative agriculture – which comes with its own set of sustainability communication challenges. In this episode, Mike speaks with Lindsay Philpott, Sustainability Communication Manager at KIND to learn more about how the company navigates communicating complex sustainability topics to consumers. While food isn’t always the flashiest sustainability topic, with agriculture being a significant driver of the climate crisis, strong sustainability communication is needed to educate and engage consumers to act. KIND is leading some cutting-edge work around regenerative agriculture – which comes with its own set of sustainability communication challenges. In this episode, Mike speaks with Lindsay Philpott, Sustainability Communication Manager at KIND to learn more about how the company navigates communicating complex sustainability topics to consumers. communications, kind, regenerative ag, sustainability false full 16 6492d051-ec28-4fd9-a9f7-8bffc9f2a1c7 The sustainability communication woes of CSOs, with Ellen Weinreb The role of the CSO has changed significantly over the years, from a backroom marketing function to being key figures in their company’s business operation and growth. Roughly 183 public companies in the U.S. now employ a CSO, up from 29 in 2011, according to a recent report from recruiter Weinreb Group. Of those, more than three-quarters sit on the company’s leadership team while just over a third report directly to the CEO.

With this elevated status comes increasing responsibility for CSOs to be the chief communicator of a company's social and environmental efforts — both internally and externally. Yet with many CSOs coming from technical backgrounds, they aren’t always prepared to be the person behind the podium. In this episode, Mike connects with Ellen Weinreb, one of the world’s leading sustainability recruiters who has worked with countless CSOs over the years, to better understand the ever-evolving role of the CSO and what this means for sustainability communication. 

  • Connect with Ellen Weinreb on LinkedIn.
  • Follow Weinreb Group Sustainability Recruiting on LinkedIn.
  • Read "Sustainability Chiefs Say Their Roles Have Become More Complex and Relevant" on The Wall Street Journal.
  • Read the 2023 Weinreb Group Chief Sustainability Officer report.

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> Thu, 22 Aug 2024 07:42:21 +0000 mike@howerimpact.com (Hower Impact LLC) https://the-sustainability-communicator.simplecast.com/episodes/the-sustainability-communication-woes-of-csos-with-ellen-weinreb-dBpfQ_q0 The role of the CSO has changed significantly over the years, from a backroom marketing function to being key figures in their company’s business operation and growth. Roughly 183 public companies in the U.S. now employ a CSO, up from 29 in 2011, according to a recent report from recruiter Weinreb Group. Of those, more than three-quarters sit on the company’s leadership team while just over a third report directly to the CEO.

With this elevated status comes increasing responsibility for CSOs to be the chief communicator of a company's social and environmental efforts — both internally and externally. Yet with many CSOs coming from technical backgrounds, they aren’t always prepared to be the person behind the podium. In this episode, Mike connects with Ellen Weinreb, one of the world’s leading sustainability recruiters who has worked with countless CSOs over the years, to better understand the ever-evolving role of the CSO and what this means for sustainability communication. 

  • Connect with Ellen Weinreb on LinkedIn.
  • Follow Weinreb Group Sustainability Recruiting on LinkedIn.
  • Read "Sustainability Chiefs Say Their Roles Have Become More Complex and Relevant" on The Wall Street Journal.
  • Read the 2023 Weinreb Group Chief Sustainability Officer report.

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> The sustainability communication woes of CSOs, with Ellen Weinreb Hower Impact LLC 00:33:32 The role of the CSO has changed significantly over the years, from a backroom marketing function to being key figures in their company’s business operation and growth. Roughly 183 public companies in the U.S. now employ a CSO, up from 29 in 2011, according to a recent report from recruiter Weinreb Group. Of those, more than three-quarters sit on the company’s leadership team while just over a third report directly to the CEO. With this elevated status comes increasing responsibility for CSOs to be the chief communicator of a company's social and environmental efforts — both internally and externally. Yet with many CSOs coming from technical backgrounds, they aren’t always prepared to be the person behind the podium. In this episode, Mike connects with Ellen Weinreb, one of the world’s leading sustainability recruiters who has worked with countless CSOs over the years, to better understand the ever-evolving role of the CSO and what this means for sustainability communication. The role of the CSO has changed significantly over the years, from a backroom marketing function to being key figures in their company’s business operation and growth. Roughly 183 public companies in the U.S. now employ a CSO, up from 29 in 2011, according to a recent report from recruiter Weinreb Group. Of those, more than three-quarters sit on the company’s leadership team while just over a third report directly to the CEO. With this elevated status comes increasing responsibility for CSOs to be the chief communicator of a company's social and environmental efforts — both internally and externally. Yet with many CSOs coming from technical backgrounds, they aren’t always prepared to be the person behind the podium. In this episode, Mike connects with Ellen Weinreb, one of the world’s leading sustainability recruiters who has worked with countless CSOs over the years, to better understand the ever-evolving role of the CSO and what this means for sustainability communication. false full 15 679e9ac8-433b-4f78-adf3-08b52943d72a Avoiding the legal landmines of greenwashing Greenwashing law is still in its nascency, but recent regulations in Europe and case law in the U.S. is beginning to shape its future. In Europe, companies must prove that they aren’t greenwashing, while in the U.S. the burden is on the consumer to prove that a company is making false claims. As companies navigate this new legal landscape, they must tread carefully with their sustainability communication efforts. In this episode, Mike connects with legal and ESG expert Christine Uri to better understand this emerging legalese, and how sustainability communicators should proceed.

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> Thu, 8 Aug 2024 07:00:00 +0000 mike@howerimpact.com (Christine Uri, Mike Hower) https://the-sustainability-communicator.simplecast.com/episodes/avoiding-the-legal-landmines-of-greenwashing-2zOTHJij Greenwashing law is still in its nascency, but recent regulations in Europe and case law in the U.S. is beginning to shape its future. In Europe, companies must prove that they aren’t greenwashing, while in the U.S. the burden is on the consumer to prove that a company is making false claims. As companies navigate this new legal landscape, they must tread carefully with their sustainability communication efforts. In this episode, Mike connects with legal and ESG expert Christine Uri to better understand this emerging legalese, and how sustainability communicators should proceed.

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> Avoiding the legal landmines of greenwashing Christine Uri, Mike Hower 00:16:51 Greenwashing law is still in its nascency, but recent regulations in Europe and case law in the U.S. is beginning to shape its future. In Europe, companies must prove that they aren’t greenwashing, while in the U.S. the burden is on the consumer to prove that a company is making false claims. As companies navigate this new legal landscape, they must tread carefully with their sustainability communication efforts. In this episode, Mike connects with legal and ESG expert Christine Uri to better understand this emerging legalese, and how sustainability communicators should proceed. Greenwashing law is still in its nascency, but recent regulations in Europe and case law in the U.S. is beginning to shape its future. In Europe, companies must prove that they aren’t greenwashing, while in the U.S. the burden is on the consumer to prove that a company is making false claims. As companies navigate this new legal landscape, they must tread carefully with their sustainability communication efforts. In this episode, Mike connects with legal and ESG expert Christine Uri to better understand this emerging legalese, and how sustainability communicators should proceed. communications, marketing, greenwashing, green claims directive, sustainability false full 14 39118bf4-5ec7-4039-aad4-aadad81c64bb How Microsoft maintains an ‘ESG mindset’ in the era of AI Now that we’re halfway through 2024, it’s safe to say that ESG has been having a “complicated” year. With the anti-ESG backlash having been largely successful scaring many companies to backtrack or downplay their social and environmental work, the future of ESG remains unclear. Despite all of this, companies must strive to maintain an “ESG mindset”, according to Matt Sekol, author of the book “ESG Mindset” and Sustainability Global Black Belt at Microsoft. And in this effort, sustainability communicators have an important role to play. 

In this episode, Mike speaks with Matt about his new book, ESG Mindset, to help us better understand the confusion around ESG – and how sustainability communicators can help clear it up. 

  • Follow Matt Sekol on LinkedIn
  • Buy ESG Mindset
  • Check out Microsoft's 2024 Environmental Sustainability Report

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> Thu, 18 Jul 2024 10:00:00 +0000 mike@howerimpact.com (Matt Sekol, Mike Hower) https://the-sustainability-communicator.simplecast.com/episodes/how-microsoft-maintains-an-esg-mindset-in-the-era-of-ai-Tr4EYvdv Now that we’re halfway through 2024, it’s safe to say that ESG has been having a “complicated” year. With the anti-ESG backlash having been largely successful scaring many companies to backtrack or downplay their social and environmental work, the future of ESG remains unclear. Despite all of this, companies must strive to maintain an “ESG mindset”, according to Matt Sekol, author of the book “ESG Mindset” and Sustainability Global Black Belt at Microsoft. And in this effort, sustainability communicators have an important role to play. 

In this episode, Mike speaks with Matt about his new book, ESG Mindset, to help us better understand the confusion around ESG – and how sustainability communicators can help clear it up. 

  • Follow Matt Sekol on LinkedIn
  • Buy ESG Mindset
  • Check out Microsoft's 2024 Environmental Sustainability Report

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> How Microsoft maintains an ‘ESG mindset’ in the era of AI Matt Sekol, Mike Hower 00:20:01 Now that we’re halfway through 2024, it’s safe to say that ESG has been having a “complicated” year. With the anti-ESG backlash having been largely successful scaring many companies to backtrack or downplay their social and environmental work, the future of ESG remains unclear. Despite all of this, companies must strive to maintain an “ESG mindset”, according to Matt Sekol, author of the book “ESG Mindset” and Sustainability Global Black Belt at Microsoft. And in this effort, sustainability communicators have an important role to play. In this episode, Mike speaks with Matt about his new book, ESG Mindset, to help us better understand the confusion around ESG – and how sustainability communicators can help clear it up. Now that we’re halfway through 2024, it’s safe to say that ESG has been having a “complicated” year. With the anti-ESG backlash having been largely successful scaring many companies to backtrack or downplay their social and environmental work, the future of ESG remains unclear. Despite all of this, companies must strive to maintain an “ESG mindset”, according to Matt Sekol, author of the book “ESG Mindset” and Sustainability Global Black Belt at Microsoft. And in this effort, sustainability communicators have an important role to play. In this episode, Mike speaks with Matt about his new book, ESG Mindset, to help us better understand the confusion around ESG – and how sustainability communicators can help clear it up. microsoft, sustainability communication, esg communication, esg false full 13 cc4422e2-0225-4486-a8c1-b651e34ce1e6 What Gen Z wants brands to know about communicating sustainability Companies have always been trying to engage young people on sustainability. But for some reason, this is getting harder. While Millennials were among the first to more heavily weigh social and environmental factors into employment decisions, Gen Z is taking this trend into hyperdrive. Companies hoping to attract and retain the best talent must tell authentic sustainability stories that are capable of persuading young people that they are committed to sustainability. In this episode, Mike speaks with Daniel Gonzalez — a recent Master’s graduate from the Yale School of Environment — to get a deeper understanding of what Gen Z is looking for when it comes to sustainability communication, and offer some candid advice to companies looking to do better.

  • Follow Daniel Gonzalez on LinkedIn.
  • Read "Gen Z cares about sustainability more than anyone else – and is starting to make others feel the same" on World Economic Forum.

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> Wed, 26 Jun 2024 10:00:00 +0000 mike@howerimpact.com (Daniel Gonzalez, Mike Hower) https://the-sustainability-communicator.simplecast.com/episodes/what-gen-z-wants-brands-to-know-about-communicating-sustainability-xjGDIt6p Companies have always been trying to engage young people on sustainability. But for some reason, this is getting harder. While Millennials were among the first to more heavily weigh social and environmental factors into employment decisions, Gen Z is taking this trend into hyperdrive. Companies hoping to attract and retain the best talent must tell authentic sustainability stories that are capable of persuading young people that they are committed to sustainability. In this episode, Mike speaks with Daniel Gonzalez — a recent Master’s graduate from the Yale School of Environment — to get a deeper understanding of what Gen Z is looking for when it comes to sustainability communication, and offer some candid advice to companies looking to do better.

  • Follow Daniel Gonzalez on LinkedIn.
  • Read "Gen Z cares about sustainability more than anyone else – and is starting to make others feel the same" on World Economic Forum.

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> What Gen Z wants brands to know about communicating sustainability Daniel Gonzalez, Mike Hower 00:26:29 Companies have always been trying to engage young people on sustainability. But for some reason, this is getting harder. While Millennials were among the first to more heavily weigh social and environmental factors into employment decisions, Gen Z is taking this trend into hyperdrive. Companies hoping to attract and retain the best talent must tell authentic sustainability stories that are capable of persuading young people that they are committed to sustainability. In this episode, Mike speaks with Daniel Gonzalez — a recent Master’s graduate from the Yale School of Environment — to get a deeper understanding of what Gen Z is looking for when it comes to sustainability communication, and offer some candid advice to companies looking to do better. Companies have always been trying to engage young people on sustainability. But for some reason, this is getting harder. While Millennials were among the first to more heavily weigh social and environmental factors into employment decisions, Gen Z is taking this trend into hyperdrive. Companies hoping to attract and retain the best talent must tell authentic sustainability stories that are capable of persuading young people that they are committed to sustainability. In this episode, Mike speaks with Daniel Gonzalez — a recent Master’s graduate from the Yale School of Environment — to get a deeper understanding of what Gen Z is looking for when it comes to sustainability communication, and offer some candid advice to companies looking to do better. climate change, communication, corporate sustainability, gen z false full 12 00b90dee-64b1-4d8f-8068-045514677d84 How Neiman Marcus makes sustainability fashionable The fashion industry faces its own unique set of ESG and sustainability challenges. Understanding how to communicate complex sustainability challenges to diverse consumer audiences is critical for companies as they progress on their journeys. In this episode, Mike speaks with Ali Mize, an ESG and sustainability expert to learn more about Neiman Marcus Group’s approach to sustainability storytelling, and how companies can improve sustainability communication overall.

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> Tue, 4 Jun 2024 07:00:08 +0000 mike@howerimpact.com (Ali Mize, Mike Hower) https://the-sustainability-communicator.simplecast.com/episodes/how-neiman-marcus-makes-sustainability-fashionable-x04HVC0q The fashion industry faces its own unique set of ESG and sustainability challenges. Understanding how to communicate complex sustainability challenges to diverse consumer audiences is critical for companies as they progress on their journeys. In this episode, Mike speaks with Ali Mize, an ESG and sustainability expert to learn more about Neiman Marcus Group’s approach to sustainability storytelling, and how companies can improve sustainability communication overall.

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> How Neiman Marcus makes sustainability fashionable Ali Mize, Mike Hower 00:24:14 The fashion industry faces its own unique set of ESG and sustainability challenges. Understanding how to communicate complex sustainability challenges to diverse consumer audiences is critical for companies as they progress on their journeys. In this episode, Mike speaks with Ali Mize, an ESG and sustainability expert to learn more about Neiman Marcus Group’s approach to sustainability storytelling, and how companies can improve sustainability communication overall. The fashion industry faces its own unique set of ESG and sustainability challenges. Understanding how to communicate complex sustainability challenges to diverse consumer audiences is critical for companies as they progress on their journeys. In this episode, Mike speaks with Ali Mize, an ESG and sustainability expert to learn more about Neiman Marcus Group’s approach to sustainability storytelling, and how companies can improve sustainability communication overall. communication, luxury goods, esg, fashion, sustainability, neiman marcus false full 11 00ff46f6-4acc-4a46-9db9-eeee881ee57b What to call this thing we do, with Moody’s Raheem Cash The words used to describe sustainability work have morphed and changed over the years — from corporate philanthropy to CSR, to sustainability and ESG. This constant change in terminology confuses even those who live and breathe it everyday and poses a big problem for sustainability communicators. What exactly should we call this “thing” we do?  

In this episode, Mike interviews Raheem Cash, vice president of Corporate Sustainability at Moody’s Corporation, to better understand where we've been, where we are and where we're going when it comes to sustainability terminology and discourse.

Useful Links:

  • Follow Raheem Cash on LinkedIn.
  • Check out Moody's sustainability page and report.

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> Wed, 8 May 2024 05:39:03 +0000 mike@howerimpact.com (Raheem Cash, Mike Hower) https://the-sustainability-communicator.simplecast.com/episodes/what-to-call-this-thing-we-do-with-moodys-raheem-cash-Z_zmkfIe The words used to describe sustainability work have morphed and changed over the years — from corporate philanthropy to CSR, to sustainability and ESG. This constant change in terminology confuses even those who live and breathe it everyday and poses a big problem for sustainability communicators. What exactly should we call this “thing” we do?  

In this episode, Mike interviews Raheem Cash, vice president of Corporate Sustainability at Moody’s Corporation, to better understand where we've been, where we are and where we're going when it comes to sustainability terminology and discourse.

Useful Links:

  • Follow Raheem Cash on LinkedIn.
  • Check out Moody's sustainability page and report.

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> What to call this thing we do, with Moody’s Raheem Cash Raheem Cash, Mike Hower 00:31:43 The words used to describe sustainability work have morphed and changed over the years — from corporate philanthropy to CSR, to sustainability and ESG. This constant change in terminology confuses even those who live and breathe it everyday and poses a big problem for sustainability communicators. What exactly should we call this “thing” we do? In this episode, Mike interviews Raheem Cash, vice president of Corporate Sustainability at Moody’s Corporation, to better understand where we've been, where we are and where we're going when it comes to sustainability terminology and discourse. The words used to describe sustainability work have morphed and changed over the years — from corporate philanthropy to CSR, to sustainability and ESG. This constant change in terminology confuses even those who live and breathe it everyday and poses a big problem for sustainability communicators. What exactly should we call this “thing” we do? In this episode, Mike interviews Raheem Cash, vice president of Corporate Sustainability at Moody’s Corporation, to better understand where we've been, where we are and where we're going when it comes to sustainability terminology and discourse. communication, esg, moody's, sustainability reporting false full 10 ddfa10bf-49e2-45f5-8025-b01a557c2bc5 What ESG investors want, according to GreenBiz's Grant Harrison Over the past few years, the surge in energy in corporate sustainability has been fueled by renewed investor interest in environmental, social and governance (ESG). Sparked by Larry Fink’s 2020 investor letter, this seemed to signal a new era of investor enthusiasm for ESG information from companies they invest in. However, the anti-ESG rhetoric and increasing politicization of ESG has caused many companies to backtrack. Many companies continue to guess at what investors want from them on the ESG front. 

In this episode, Mike chats with Grant Harrison, Vice President of Sustainable Finance and ESG at GreenBiz, to better understand the current ESG investment landscape and how companies can better engage investors with non-financial information.

  • Follow Grant Harrison on LinkedIn
  • Register to attend GreenFin 24 (Use Code GF24MHP15 to receive a 15% discount)
  • Read "Does the SEC climate rule really matter? Investors will still demand disclosure" (GreenBiz)
  • Check out Larry Fink's 2024 letter to investors

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> Thu, 25 Apr 2024 05:00:00 +0000 mike@howerimpact.com (Grant Harrison, Mike Hower) https://the-sustainability-communicator.simplecast.com/episodes/what-esg-investors-want-according-to-greenbizs-grant-harrison-iAbGCTKN Over the past few years, the surge in energy in corporate sustainability has been fueled by renewed investor interest in environmental, social and governance (ESG). Sparked by Larry Fink’s 2020 investor letter, this seemed to signal a new era of investor enthusiasm for ESG information from companies they invest in. However, the anti-ESG rhetoric and increasing politicization of ESG has caused many companies to backtrack. Many companies continue to guess at what investors want from them on the ESG front. 

In this episode, Mike chats with Grant Harrison, Vice President of Sustainable Finance and ESG at GreenBiz, to better understand the current ESG investment landscape and how companies can better engage investors with non-financial information.

  • Follow Grant Harrison on LinkedIn
  • Register to attend GreenFin 24 (Use Code GF24MHP15 to receive a 15% discount)
  • Read "Does the SEC climate rule really matter? Investors will still demand disclosure" (GreenBiz)
  • Check out Larry Fink's 2024 letter to investors

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> What ESG investors want, according to GreenBiz's Grant Harrison Grant Harrison, Mike Hower 00:27:54 Over the past few years, the surge in energy in corporate sustainability has been fueled by renewed investor interest in environmental, social and governance (ESG). Sparked by Larry Fink’s 2020 investor letter, this seemed to signal a new era of investor enthusiasm for ESG information from companies they invest in. However, the anti-ESG rhetoric and increasing politicization of ESG has caused many companies to backtrack. Many companies continue to guess at what investors want from them on the ESG front. In this episode, Mike chats with Grant Harrison, Vice President of Sustainable Finance and ESG at GreenBiz, to better understand the current ESG investment landscape and how companies can better engage investors with non-financial information. Over the past few years, the surge in energy in corporate sustainability has been fueled by renewed investor interest in environmental, social and governance (ESG). Sparked by Larry Fink’s 2020 investor letter, this seemed to signal a new era of investor enthusiasm for ESG information from companies they invest in. However, the anti-ESG rhetoric and increasing politicization of ESG has caused many companies to backtrack. Many companies continue to guess at what investors want from them on the ESG front. In this episode, Mike chats with Grant Harrison, Vice President of Sustainable Finance and ESG at GreenBiz, to better understand the current ESG investment landscape and how companies can better engage investors with non-financial information. communication, sustainability, greenbiz, esg investing false full 9 376f4136-ed33-4ab9-bdae-c3981617d51c Sustainability storytelling in the new era of ESG regulations, with Tim Mohin With several new rules and regulations around ESG communication, sustainability storytellers must adapt. In this episode, Mike speaks with global ESG leader Tim Mohin of Boston Consulting Group to learn more about how sustainability and communication professionals can best navigate this new era.

Episode Notes:

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> Tue, 9 Apr 2024 05:34:25 +0000 mike@howerimpact.com (Tim Mohin) https://the-sustainability-communicator.simplecast.com/episodes/sustainability-storytelling-in-the-new-era-of-esg-regulations-with-tim-mohin-vmxbByjX With several new rules and regulations around ESG communication, sustainability storytellers must adapt. In this episode, Mike speaks with global ESG leader Tim Mohin of Boston Consulting Group to learn more about how sustainability and communication professionals can best navigate this new era.

Episode Notes:

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> Sustainability storytelling in the new era of ESG regulations, with Tim Mohin Tim Mohin 00:23:25 With several new rules and regulations around ESG communication, sustainability storytellers must adapt. In this episode, Mike speaks with global ESG leader Tim Mohin of Boston Consulting Group to learn more about how sustainability and communication professionals can best navigate this new era. With several new rules and regulations around ESG communication, sustainability storytellers must adapt. In this episode, Mike speaks with global ESG leader Tim Mohin of Boston Consulting Group to learn more about how sustainability and communication professionals can best navigate this new era. communication, esg, climate policy, csrd, sustainability, sec rule false full 8 6af9b63e-f364-4874-a1e8-ca6153bc8f69 How the owners of Grand Theft Auto communicate sustainability The video game industry is just now “pressing start” on corporate sustainability. With comparatively low levels of resource intensity and often complex chains of custody and responsibility for social and environmental impacts, many video game makers are just now figuring out their sustainability strategies. Even still, communicating sustainability in this sector faces its own challenges and opportunities. To better understand how the video game industry is approaching sustainability storytelling, Mike connected with Neil Patel, Senior Director of Sustainability at Take Two Interactive Software — owner of Rockstar Games, which produces the popular Grand Theft Auto Franchise.

Episode Notes

  • Connect with Neil Patel on LinkedIn
  • Read Take-Two Interactive's 2021 ESG report

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> Tue, 26 Mar 2024 04:30:20 +0000 mike@howerimpact.com (Neil Patel, Mike Hower) https://the-sustainability-communicator.simplecast.com/episodes/t2s-neil-patel-on-how-to-communicate-sustainability-in-the-video-game-industry-j1CsiCZ9 The video game industry is just now “pressing start” on corporate sustainability. With comparatively low levels of resource intensity and often complex chains of custody and responsibility for social and environmental impacts, many video game makers are just now figuring out their sustainability strategies. Even still, communicating sustainability in this sector faces its own challenges and opportunities. To better understand how the video game industry is approaching sustainability storytelling, Mike connected with Neil Patel, Senior Director of Sustainability at Take Two Interactive Software — owner of Rockstar Games, which produces the popular Grand Theft Auto Franchise.

Episode Notes

  • Connect with Neil Patel on LinkedIn
  • Read Take-Two Interactive's 2021 ESG report

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> How the owners of Grand Theft Auto communicate sustainability Neil Patel, Mike Hower 00:09:05 The video game industry is just now “pressing start” on corporate sustainability. With comparatively low levels of resource intensity and often complex chains of custody and responsibility for social and environmental impacts, many video game makers are just now figuring out their sustainability strategies. Even still, communicating sustainability in this sector faces its own challenges and opportunities. To better understand how the video game industry is approaching sustainability storytelling, Mike connected with Neil Patel, Senior Director of Sustainability at Take Two Interactive Software — owner of Rockstar Games, which produces the popular Grand Theft Auto Franchise. The video game industry is just now “pressing start” on corporate sustainability. With comparatively low levels of resource intensity and often complex chains of custody and responsibility for social and environmental impacts, many video game makers are just now figuring out their sustainability strategies. Even still, communicating sustainability in this sector faces its own challenges and opportunities. To better understand how the video game industry is approaching sustainability storytelling, Mike connected with Neil Patel, Senior Director of Sustainability at Take Two Interactive Software — owner of Rockstar Games, which produces the popular Grand Theft Auto Franchise. communication, video games, sustainability, grand theft auto false full 7 16270d99-9133-4a4d-914c-8456935c618a What the SEC’s climate rules mean for sustainability communication After two years of consideration and more than 24,000 comments, on March 6, 2024 the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) finally adopted its “rules to enhance and standardize climate-related disclosures by public companies and in public offerings.” These rules are part of an effort to respond to investor demand for more “consistent, comparable and reliable” information about the financial effects of climate-related risks on a company’s operations — and how those risks are managed while balancing concerns about mitigating costs. To better understand what made it into the final SEC climate rules, and how this impacts sustainability communication moving forward, Mike caught up with Derek Young, VP of ESG at the REIT CBL Properties.

Episode Notes

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> Wed, 13 Mar 2024 01:56:34 +0000 mike@howerimpact.com (Derek Young, Mike Hower) https://the-sustainability-communicator.simplecast.com/episodes/what-the-secs-climate-rules-mean-for-sustainability-communicators-gdmY64CH After two years of consideration and more than 24,000 comments, on March 6, 2024 the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) finally adopted its “rules to enhance and standardize climate-related disclosures by public companies and in public offerings.” These rules are part of an effort to respond to investor demand for more “consistent, comparable and reliable” information about the financial effects of climate-related risks on a company’s operations — and how those risks are managed while balancing concerns about mitigating costs. To better understand what made it into the final SEC climate rules, and how this impacts sustainability communication moving forward, Mike caught up with Derek Young, VP of ESG at the REIT CBL Properties.

Episode Notes

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> What the SEC’s climate rules mean for sustainability communication Derek Young, Mike Hower 00:21:13 After two years of consideration and more than 24,000 comments, on March 6, 2024 the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) finally adopted its “rules to enhance and standardize climate-related disclosures by public companies and in public offerings.” These rules are part of an effort to respond to investor demand for more “consistent, comparable and reliable” information about the financial effects of climate-related risks on a company’s operations — and how those risks are managed while balancing concerns about mitigating costs. To better understand what made it into the final SEC climate rules, and how this impacts sustainability communication moving forward, Mike caught up with Derek Young, VP of ESG at the REIT CBL Properties. After two years of consideration and more than 24,000 comments, on March 6, 2024 the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) finally adopted its “rules to enhance and standardize climate-related disclosures by public companies and in public offerings.” These rules are part of an effort to respond to investor demand for more “consistent, comparable and reliable” information about the financial effects of climate-related risks on a company’s operations — and how those risks are managed while balancing concerns about mitigating costs. To better understand what made it into the final SEC climate rules, and how this impacts sustainability communication moving forward, Mike caught up with Derek Young, VP of ESG at the REIT CBL Properties. sec, business, sustainability, policy, climate rule false full 6 6d311765-7633-4ba2-9471-f61a049bee48 Navigating the uncertainties of sustainability storytelling, with Allison’s Whitney Dailey Sustainability storytelling is more important — and complicated — than ever. With so many changing expectations and regulations around sustainability storytelling, knowing how to effectively social and environmental impact is a top challenge for companies across the globe. In this episode, Mike brings in the expertise of a fellow sustainability communications expert — Whitney Dailey, Executive Vice President, Purpose at the global public relations firm Allison Worldwide — to better understand how companies can navigate sustainability storytelling in 2024. 

Episode Notes

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> Tue, 27 Feb 2024 22:05:49 +0000 mike@howerimpact.com (Mike Hower) https://the-sustainability-communicator.simplecast.com/episodes/exploring-sustainability-storytelling-with-allisons-whitney-dailey-3FIytK8K Sustainability storytelling is more important — and complicated — than ever. With so many changing expectations and regulations around sustainability storytelling, knowing how to effectively social and environmental impact is a top challenge for companies across the globe. In this episode, Mike brings in the expertise of a fellow sustainability communications expert — Whitney Dailey, Executive Vice President, Purpose at the global public relations firm Allison Worldwide — to better understand how companies can navigate sustainability storytelling in 2024. 

Episode Notes

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> Navigating the uncertainties of sustainability storytelling, with Allison’s Whitney Dailey Mike Hower 00:11:47 Sustainability storytelling is more important — and complicated — than ever. With so many changing expectations and regulations around sustainability storytelling, knowing how to effectively social and environmental impact is a top challenge for companies across the globe. In this episode, Mike brings in the expertise of a fellow sustainability communications expert — Whitney Dailey, Executive Vice President, Purpose at the global public relations firm Allison Worldwide — to better understand how companies can navigate sustainability storytelling in 2024. Sustainability storytelling is more important — and complicated — than ever. With so many changing expectations and regulations around sustainability storytelling, knowing how to effectively social and environmental impact is a top challenge for companies across the globe. In this episode, Mike brings in the expertise of a fellow sustainability communications expert — Whitney Dailey, Executive Vice President, Purpose at the global public relations firm Allison Worldwide — to better understand how companies can navigate sustainability storytelling in 2024. communication, greenhushing, sustainability, storytelling false full 5 341339a1-ddb3-4d30-ab82-caf2d6cd4628 The Sustainability Communicator Trailer Tue, 27 Feb 2024 00:30:28 +0000 mike@howerimpact.com (Hower Impact LLC) https://the-sustainability-communicator.simplecast.com/episodes/the-sustainability-communicator-trailer-q3lE83_g The Sustainability Communicator Trailer Hower Impact LLC 00:00:42 false trailer 0fd4475c-dea3-4ffa-9859-8df1a126c5e4 The fundamentals of effective sustainability writing Writing is a lost art for many sustainability professionals. But the ability to write well continues to be critical for communicating social and environmental challenges effectively. In this episode of The Sustainability Communicator, Mike discusses key learnings from over a decade as a write and editor in the corporate sustainability space that form the fundamentals of effective sustainability writing. 

Episode Notes

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> Wed, 7 Feb 2024 00:30:00 +0000 mike@howerimpact.com (Mike Hower) https://the-sustainability-communicator.simplecast.com/episodes/the-fundamentals-of-effective-sustainability-writing-Qu2A5MtC Writing is a lost art for many sustainability professionals. But the ability to write well continues to be critical for communicating social and environmental challenges effectively. In this episode of The Sustainability Communicator, Mike discusses key learnings from over a decade as a write and editor in the corporate sustainability space that form the fundamentals of effective sustainability writing. 

Episode Notes

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> The fundamentals of effective sustainability writing Mike Hower 00:11:03 Writing is a lost art for many sustainability professionals. But the ability to write well continues to be critical for communicating social and environmental challenges effectively. In this episode of The Sustainability Communicator, Mike discusses key learnings from over a decade as a write and editor in the corporate sustainability space that form the fundamentals of effective sustainability writing. Writing is a lost art for many sustainability professionals. But the ability to write well continues to be critical for communicating social and environmental challenges effectively. In this episode of The Sustainability Communicator, Mike discusses key learnings from over a decade as a write and editor in the corporate sustainability space that form the fundamentals of effective sustainability writing. communication, marketing, persuasion, esg, lessons, sustainability, writing false full 4 aba40533-accc-4d8c-a967-6fd15b81ae76 Why your sustainability story sucks With the stakes of communicating sustainability higher than ever, it's important that companies get their story straight. But many continues to fail to tell authentic and engaging stories that resonate with their key audiences. In this episode of The Sustainability Communicator, Mike explains common reasons why businesses struggle to tell good sustainability stories - and how to do better.

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> Wed, 7 Feb 2024 00:20:00 +0000 mike@howerimpact.com (Mike Hower) https://the-sustainability-communicator.simplecast.com/episodes/why-your-sustainability-story-sucks-rvgEoLIu With the stakes of communicating sustainability higher than ever, it's important that companies get their story straight. But many continues to fail to tell authentic and engaging stories that resonate with their key audiences. In this episode of The Sustainability Communicator, Mike explains common reasons why businesses struggle to tell good sustainability stories - and how to do better.

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> Why your sustainability story sucks Mike Hower 00:10:22 With the stakes of communicating sustainability higher than ever, it's important that companies get their story straight. But many continues to fail to tell authentic and engaging stories that resonate with their key audiences. In this episode of The Sustainability Communicator, Mike explains common reasons why businesses struggle to tell good sustainability stories - and how to do better. With the stakes of communicating sustainability higher than ever, it's important that companies get their story straight. But many continues to fail to tell authentic and engaging stories that resonate with their key audiences. In this episode of The Sustainability Communicator, Mike explains common reasons why businesses struggle to tell good sustainability stories - and how to do better. communication, sustainability communication, marketing, esg, impact, storytelling false full 3 2708b011-db4b-4264-ad80-044762feca07 2024 sustainability communication trends If there's one things corporate sustainability professionals love more than a healthy serving of alphabet soup with our many acronyms, it's trying to make predictions about what will happen in this truly unpredictable space. But in this episode of The Sustainability Communicator, Mike takes a crack at it anyway. Here are some things to look for in sustainability communication in 2024. 

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> Wed, 7 Feb 2024 00:10:00 +0000 mike@howerimpact.com (Mike Hower) https://the-sustainability-communicator.simplecast.com/episodes/2024-sustainability-communications-trends-OUeivMOx If there's one things corporate sustainability professionals love more than a healthy serving of alphabet soup with our many acronyms, it's trying to make predictions about what will happen in this truly unpredictable space. But in this episode of The Sustainability Communicator, Mike takes a crack at it anyway. Here are some things to look for in sustainability communication in 2024. 

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> 2024 sustainability communication trends Mike Hower 00:10:00 If there's one things corporate sustainability professionals love more than a healthy serving of alphabet soup with our many acronyms, it's trying to make predictions about what will happen in this truly unpredictable space. But in this episode of The Sustainability Communicator, Mike takes a crack at it anyway. Here are some things to look for in sustainability communication in 2024. If there's one things corporate sustainability professionals love more than a healthy serving of alphabet soup with our many acronyms, it's trying to make predictions about what will happen in this truly unpredictable space. But in this episode of The Sustainability Communicator, Mike takes a crack at it anyway. Here are some things to look for in sustainability communication in 2024. sustainability communication, esg, 2024 trends, business, sustainability false full 2 1a3cac3f-7c83-4e46-a126-72cfd0f160a6 Rethinking the role of sustainability communicators The stakes of communicating sustainability are higher than ever as global companies enter a new era of ESG risk and opportunity. In this inaugural episode of The Sustainability Communicator, Mike discusses how the increased risks and rewards of bad and good sustainability communication, respectively, are calling for a new type of sustainability communications professional capable of translating between marketing and sustainability departments.

Some additional resources:

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> Wed, 7 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000 mike@howerimpact.com (Mike Hower) https://the-sustainability-communicator.simplecast.com/episodes/rethinking-the-role-of-sustainability-communicators-KmZqpzoz The stakes of communicating sustainability are higher than ever as global companies enter a new era of ESG risk and opportunity. In this inaugural episode of The Sustainability Communicator, Mike discusses how the increased risks and rewards of bad and good sustainability communication, respectively, are calling for a new type of sustainability communications professional capable of translating between marketing and sustainability departments.

Some additional resources:

  • Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)
  • Follow Mike on LinkedIn
  • Subscribe to The Sustainability Story on Substack
  • Got a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

]]> Rethinking the role of sustainability communicators Mike Hower 00:13:34 The stakes of communicating sustainability are higher than ever as global companies enter a new era of ESG risk and opportunity. In this inaugural episode of The Sustainability Communicator, Mike discusses how the increased risks and rewards of bad and good sustainability communication, respectively, are calling for a new type of sustainability communications professional capable of translating between marketing and sustainability departments. The stakes of communicating sustainability are higher than ever as global companies enter a new era of ESG risk and opportunity. In this inaugural episode of The Sustainability Communicator, Mike discusses how the increased risks and rewards of bad and good sustainability communication, respectively, are calling for a new type of sustainability communications professional capable of translating between marketing and sustainability departments. sustainability communication, esg communication, marketing, greenwashing, greenhushing false full 1