Ep.7: The Buzz on Buzzwords from "How to be in sustainability when the vibes are off"

Schillaci has watched sustainability communications swing from sustainability everywhere all the time to the noticeable lack of sustainability talk we are seeing now.  

"We're dealing with the consequence of everyone pushing a sustainable narrative and doing it really badly," she said. "People got fatigued. They're tired of being told about the problem without it being solved." The result is a growing reluctance to mention sustainability at all, even among companies doing genuinely meaningful work. 

Holly, who spent years in sustainability communications for a manufacturer before moving into coaching, sees the same dynamic from the inside. People have developed finely-tuned authenticity filters because "we have been lied to," she said, and "we're not going to believe anything we read or see unless it's specific, honest, and human." 

“ People are afraid to speak to sustainability because it doesn't feel genuine. We need to move past that." — Caroline Schillaci 

Ren asked Caroline what buzzwords she wished firms and companies would absolutely stop saying. She responded immediately: "transforming" she said while laughing. “I don’t want to see another ‘transforming spaces through sustainable design’ again.” This is because the word has been used so broadly and so often that to audiences it signals nothing. Same goes for vague declarations that we are used to seeing everywhere: "people, planet, positive design," "we believe in regenerative design," "it's Earth Day every day." All of these are on the “no no list.” 

The trigger for the side-eye, Schillaci explained, is the gap between the claim and the proof. Mentioning LEED v5 without context, describing a project or product as climate-responsive without a single example actively erode trust. "Are you actually doing that?" is the question audiences are silently asking, and vague language answers seem to prove that you’re not. Holly summed it up: "People want to know: tell me what you're actually doing." 

"Stop saying it and start showing it. The data points, the process, the specific choice  that's what turns a claim into a credential." — Caroline Schillaci 

Recently, Ren saw an interview with Begüm Kürkçu, the Global Senior Director of Sustainability at the activewear brand On who said her approach to sustainability communication is always “mind the gap.” Often, she said, sustainability professionals are quick to get highly technical and marketing teams struggle to translate it into terms that resonate with audiences, but she sees it as an opportunity. The trick, she said, isn't to dumb things down; it's to “mind the gap” and find the translation that bridges both sides. 

She cited the as a model: when technical R&D teams say "this product hit a 92.7% reduction" what marketing teams need to know is “it's "the most impactful thing we've made so far." Both statements are true, but the latter resonates most with their clients. The best sustainability communicators know how to mind the gap. 

Schillaci's agency approach mirrors this: her team does deep audience research before any messaging. They then craft an overall narrative or story for the client, and add layers on top, with homepage general messaging, sustainability page detail, project case studies with specifics, and thought leadership that helps tie the pieces together. They help clients use different platforms to carry different pieces of the same true story.  

AI has made this consistency more important than ever: "AI is going to get confused if you don't have the same messaging on your LinkedIn, your website, and your press placements," she said. "That's where it's pulling from." 

Ren, Holly, and Caroline all agreed: the most memorable moments in talking about sustainability are sometimes the ones that might seem silly or even slightly embarrassing. 

For Holly it was a story about a manufacturer she worked with that held monthly dumpster dives including employees in hazmat suits competing by department to rescue recyclables, with prizes for the winners. Customers loved this story, she said, especially when she used it to talk about their waste diversion achievements. 

For Caroline, it was working with a client who casually mentioned they kept bees on the rooftop of their offices and even sold the honey locally, but had never mentioned it publicly. We were like, holy crap, this is amazing. Let's tell this story." Once they incorporated the story of the bees in the brand narrative, the harder conversations about material health and production process actually became easier, because they could frame them around something real and relatable.  

Ren's own version of this was when she took her firm PVC-free in 2017. Rather than a vagye “we do LEED projects” statement, this was one specific, defensible, interesting decision. "It ends up not limiting you, but opening up a ton of conversations," she said. "Like, why PVC? What does that mean for your clients? There's so much there." Specificity, it turns out, creates more to talk about. 

"The little things you're almost embarrassed about are actually what make you authentic. Not like you're trying too hard." — Ren DeCherney 

The point wasn't that data doesn't matter, because it does. Instead of leading with data, however, companies should use human stories that are authentic to reach audiences, and use the data as solid proof. 

Holly asked Caroline her advice on what designers and companies should double down on, and what they should let go of, and here’s what she said: 

Double down on telling your truth. Do it with specifics, consistency, and without apology. Pick the one real thing your company or project does that you're genuinely proud of and use it as the foundation. The layers of content and communication should flow from that.  

Let go of: The fear. Green hushing isn't protecting you, it’s doing the opposite. The market and your audience are craving authentic sustainability stories right now, so give them what they want! 

And if you need a little musical inspiration, we’ve got you covered too: 

Caroline’s current favorite pump-up jam: "We Are the Champions" by Queen. Caroline played it the night before her infant son's five-hour spinal surgery and again on the 5am drive to the hospital. If that puts your inbox in perspective, nothing will. 

Carolines’ current favorite song to get creative to: "Until the Sun Needs to Rise" — Rufus du Sol. "Whenever I need to transport to a different world," Caroline said. Dreamy, expansive, and exactly right for the kind of thinking this session was about.