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Sustainability in PR

How to pitch sustainability stories, what to avoid, and how to steer clear of your brand being labelled as green-washing.

Home PR Insights Sustainability in PR – Earth Day 2023

What is sustainability, and what does it have to do with PR?

We're living in a climate emergency, and this has rightly become an important conversation in the PR and journalism world.

It’s important for PRs to make sure that they are speaking about sustainability in the right way. Brands are too often selling themselves as sustainable and eco-friendly without the right accreditations and paperwork to back up their claims.

This can put you, the PR, in a tricky position when it comes to contacting journalists. This page was built to help equip you with as much information as possible, and know what to expect and how to pitch a sustainable angle.

Sustainability Webinar Series

We have spoken to some of the biggest names in sustainability journalism, and got their takes on what makes a great sustainability story and pitch. Give these videos a watch and learn more of what to do, what to avoid, and what information and accreditations you may need from your clients before you can confidently pitch a sustainability angle.

Webinar replay:
Travel and the environment

Play Video

Chris Haslam
Chief Travel Writer
The Sunday Times

Webinar replay:
Food & Drink and the environment

Play Video

Helen McGinn
Freelance Journalist
Food & Drink, Daily Mail

Webinar replay:
Fashion and the environment

Play Video

Philippa Grogan
Sustainability Consultant
Policy, Fashion & Textiles

Fleur Britten
Freelance Journalist

Webinar replay:
Beauty and the environment

Play Video

Bridget March
Digital Beauty Director
Harper’s Bazaar (UK)

Becci Vallis
Freelance Beauty Journalist

Looking for PR Training?

Roxhill’s PR Academy is your go-to resource page for junior PR training. Brush up on your basics, hear from seasoned professionals and learn some of the best tips and tricks of the trade. Learn to pitch, how to build a successful media list, and how to build life-long professional relationships with the journalists in your industry.

GET PR TRAINING

Roxhill Webinar with

Emily Beament
Environment Correspondent
Press Association

Emily writes about topics such as climate, energy, farming, wildlife and natural heritage, including rewilding and parks and city landscaping. She covers English and Welsh government approaches to the environment.

Play Video

Travel and Sustainability: Where does the greenwashing end and news begin?

Roxhill Q&A with

Chris Haslam
Chief Travel Writer
The Sunday Times

Karen Edwards
Sustainability Editor
Wanderlust

Lisa Grainger
Deputy Editor & Travel Editor
LUXX (The Times)

Highlights:

TOP Tip:

(Chris) If you’re going to pitch sustainability, make sure you’re sustainable. It’s not good enough to have a turtle expert on-site.

(Lisa) If you pitch and say that you’re sustainable and you’re not, we will quickly find that out and we will write about it.

QUESTION:

Is it ever worth pitching a story based solely on a sustainability angle?

Answer:

(Karen) Yes, but you have to know the publication and the editors

(Lisa) I feature places that are sustainable, but it won’t be the sole focus as Times Luxx readers won’t resonate with it.

QUESTION:

Is taking a uk holiday more sustainable than going overseas?

Answer:

(Chris) It depends. “Sustainable travel” has become an industry, and it’s overcomplicated. The only thing that matters is decarbonisation, so the answer is yes unless you’re flying there on a private jet.

Question:

Are you open to covering hotels doing the bare minimum, or that are just starting to make changes towards sustainability?

Answer:

(Karen) If I could see that they were being open and honest, talking about their progress and making big moves, despite just starting out, then yes.

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