With new explicit 😶 anti-greenwash guidance for Auditors in place, there's even more urgency for marketing and sustainability teams to get their #ClimateCommunications exactly right. If public organisations, such as councils or state-owned businesses, describe themselves as currently 'carbon positive', 'climate positive', 'net zero' or 'carbon neutral' in annual plans and sustainability reports, their Auditors will now not accept them without approval from the Auditor-General. The Office of the Auditor-General, New Zealand's new guidance also says Carbon reduction targets can expressed in a range of ways, eg: 🌏carbon neutral by 2050; 🌏 30% reduction in gross emissions by 2030; or 🌏30% reduction in scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2035. but they expect CLEAR disclosures that let a USER understand what the target means. Including: 🍃 which emissions are included and excluded (at a high level); 🍃 being clear whether the target is for gross emissions reductions or a target that can be met through the purchase of offsets; 🍃 where a target is described as a science-based target, then there must be clear explanation of what this means and how it has been determined (at a high level); 🍃 if the target involves third party certification, an explanation at a high level of the nature and scope of the certification; 🍃 saying if the entity has a plan for achieving the carbon reduction target or is working on a plan 🍃 explaining any technical terminology so it is understandable to a non-expert but informed reader. At GoodSense we welcome this extra scrutiny auditors will be bringing. It reinforces good practice in #sustainabilitymarketing and #communications based on: ✅ Transparency ✅ Clarity ✅ Specifics ✅ Plain Language ✅ Audience fit A tip for hiring or procurement - we find these disciplines are more prevalent in #sciencecommunication than #PR or #advertising. These anti #greenwash guidelines build on the Commerce Commission and Advertising Standards Authority (NZ) work. It's vital organisations communicate action and ambition - #greenhush ain't an option with the #climateEmergency, public and lenders' demands for action, and #reportingRequirements We encourage #sustainabilityprofessionals #auditors and #marketing teams in organisations to work together to get their wording right. If you're pulling your team together to agree this, an experienced external facilitator or advisor can be helpful 😉 #PlainLanguage #Sustainability #MarketingSustainability #ScienceCommunications #Facilitation Science Communicators' Association of New Zealand SCANZ Sustainable Business Network Sustainable Business Council NZ The image is by our founder and MD Katherine ( Kath ) Dewar and shows a flood eroded section of the Ōhinemahuta River (formerly mis-spelled as Onamalutu) in drought conditions February 2024.
I'm looking forward to climate claims being treated with the same rigor, inside businesses, across departments, as financial performance claims for investments are. This is a good step in that direction. Less fluff more fact!
This how to Laura Hikawai-Goodall and Kylie Bailey in our GoodSense team shared at the last Science Communicators' Association of New Zealand SCANZ conference has great how-tos for technical sustainability comms > https://goodsense.co.nz/getting-impact-from-messaging-to-communicate-science/
BVO Audit
5mo
Thanks for sharing this post. It’s great to see how auditors and communicators can support each other to help organisations to achieve transparency and clarity. We only get one planet! 🌎
For the full detail on what auditors will now need see > https://oag.parliament.nz/2024/climate-change-greenwashing