The bioeconomy is full of successful businesses who are
proud that they are reducing the environmental impact of their sector!
Whether it’s switching to renewable feedstocks, shrinking
the environmental footprint of manufacturing, or making a product that is
greener to use, the bioeconomy is contributing to a more sustainable life. For
many of us in the bioeconomy, the chance to contribute to a greener world is
what drew us to the bioeconomy in the first place.
However, despite our enthusiasm and knowledge, this green
aspect can be subtle and difficult to communicate. Everyone knows communication
works best with simple messages, but when the green part of your business is
buried in a complex value chain or technical process, that’s not easy to do.
There is also a risk of greenwashing; it’s hard to draw the
line between telling a simple story and omitting vital information. Many
companies have damaged the reputation of green technology by promising things
they could not deliver. Platforms like Twitter mean that companies making
unfounded claims can be humiliated very quickly in public, damaging their
credibility.
Small enterprises and start-ups often struggle to tell their
story in a compelling but genuine manner.
In November last year, NNFCC teamed up with Sustainability
Consult to hold a training event on communicating sustainability for SMEs in
the bioeconomy. Our event in York attracted several bioeconomy SMEs from the
UK. This year, we’re repeating the event in Brussels. The event will be held on
the 14th March 2018 in the White Rose Brussels office.
The full programme is available on our homepage.
To register, e-mail your name and company name to our consultant Lucy Montgomery l.montgomery@nnfcc.co.uk.