Abstract
Sustainability has become imperative for organizations due to rising stakeholder awareness of environmental, social, and economic impacts. For-profit organizations play key roles in sustainability communication through public campaigns and ESG reporting, setting the agenda for attaining sustainable development goals. This paper elucidates how organizational storytelling can foster effective stakeholder engagement and sustainability messaging. We define storytelling as a strategic narrative approach for translating technical details and abstract concepts into relatable stories. In the literature review, we identify storytelling motivations, opportunities, and contexts spanning branding, advocacy, and reporting. This conceptual paper provides insights into how sustainability storytelling enables organizations to construct sustainable identities, convey commitment, spark action, and build trust. We present an agenda for future research to assess stakeholder reactions and quantify storytelling impact. By synthesizing storytelling literature, we conceptualize how organizations leverage stories as vehicles for communicating sustainability practices. Using a case study approach, we analyze a Unilever sustainability campaign’s narrative element. Our work identifies storytelling as a potent strategic communication tool, offering guidance for crafting compelling sustainability narratives. This research explains storytelling’s role in balancing public relations and sustainability. It provides a roadmap for organizations to catalyze stakeholder action and construct sustainable identities through impactful stories.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2024 Special Focus—People, Education, and Technology for a Sustainable Future
KEYWORDS
Sustainability, Sustainability Storytelling, Communication, Organization, Organization Storytelling, Education, Sustainable Future
