05.03.2025Industry Report Highlights Challenges and Strategies in ESG Communication

A new report jointly released by the University of Zurich’s research group Strategic Communication and Media Management at the Department of Communication and Media Research (IKMZ) and the Center for Research in Financial Communication at the University of Leipzig sheds light on how organizations are managing their ESG communication

The report, titled "ESG Communication: Insights into Issue Management, Greenwashing, and Crisis Communication", explores how organizations manage ESG communication, mitigate greenwashing risks, and handle ESG-related crises amid growing pressure from regulators, investors, and the public.

Using a mixed-methods approach, combining a survey of 111 communication and sustainability practitioners with twelve in-depth expert interviews, the key takeaways of the report are:

• Professionalization is rising: Companies are establishing dedicated ESG teams with expertise and integrating sustainability into their business strategies. Yet, many still struggle to align ESG efforts across departments and secure sufficient resources.
• Effective issue management is key: Monitoring industry trends, engaging internal stakeholders, and establishing clear accountability structures are essential for ESG communication ‒ yet many organizations lack formalized issue management processes.
• Greenwashing remains a significant challenge: While few organizations admit to misleading ESG claims, many fear backlash. The study highlights six key strategies to avoid greenwashing: greenhushing, internal training, open stakeholder dialogue, benchmarking, transparent communication, and external audits.
• ESG crises require better preparedness: Though most organizations have general crisis plans, only 21% have a dedicated ESG crisis strategy. Transparent, quick, and proactive communication is critical when facing stakeholder scrutiny.

The report underscores the urgent need for organizations to professionalize ESG communication to meet regulatory requirements and build long-term stakeholder trust in an era of increasing ESG scrutiny.
The complete study is now available for download: Report ESG Communication (PDF, 9 MB)