Clearly in The Press Gazette: Impact reporting will soon dominate B2B public relations and communications
In early January, I was quoted in an article for The Press Gazette that looked at the emerging trends likely to play a major role in B2B marketing over the next 12 months.
The publication, which has a readership of over 500,000 within the media and publishing industry, discussed what is on the horizon for corporate communications and public relations within the B2B space.
Everything from NFTs and the Metaverse to diversity and sustainability all got notable mentions and will all certainly rise to the top of the B2B marketer’s list of priorities in the coming months. If they are not there already.
My contribution to the melée took the subject of sustainability into a slightly different direction – that of accountability.
Environmental and social governance (ESG) is nothing new, yet the last two years have seen it transform from a nice-to-have policy to one that has become a business necessity. Over the next 12 months, it is my belief that we will begin to see a sharp rise in ESG communications and reporting emanating from businesses of all sizes.
But why is this a thing now?
The pandemic changed the way in which customers procure products and services. They want to do business with those organisations with a genuine will to do better by people and planet. And the evidence backs this up.
Over the next 12 months, we will see a sharp rise in ESG communications and reporting emanating from businesses of all sizes.
Indeed, when Clearly survey 500+ business leaders, 61 per cent said they would choose a supplier with a clear social purpose over one that does not. 8 in 10 of those said they would do so even if said supplier was more expensive.
So, when it came to answering the question of the key trend I believe will dominate the B2B communications landscape in 2022, I responded by saying:
“In B2B marketing, the growing demand for data and greater transparency to enable the better management and disclosure of organisational ESG initiatives will become a key priority for business leaders in 2022 and beyond.
“Formal nonfinancial reporting of everything from carbon emissions and choice of suppliers based on their own commitment to sustainability and social impact, to diversity and inclusion throughout the organisation, all will be under the microscope.
“Nonfinancial reporting will become just as, if not more, important as financial performance reporting. There will be no hiding from this, consumer and client demand will necessitate it.”
In the following weeks, Clearly will be rolling out its new ESG Communications service for B2B organisations throughout the South West and the rest of the UK.
If you want any information on this in the meantime, feel free to email me directly on: paul@clearlypr.co.uk
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