The Sustainability Communicator with Mike Hower

Mike Hower
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Join sustainability communication expert Mike Hower—author of Sustainability Storytelling, former GreenBiz journalist, and advisor to leading global brands—as he explores one of the toughest challenges in corporate sustainability today: how to talk about sustainability in ways that are compelling, credible, and compliant—and fit cultural and reputational context. Through interviews with practitioners and insights from his own work in the field, Mike digs into greenwashing, greenhushing, and the risks and opportunities most sustainability professionals face—but few can talk about out loud.

  1. JAN 28

    The rule of law and the cost of corporate silence — with Alison Taylor

    As the rule of law in the United States comes under strain, many companies have chosen silence. In this episode, Mike Hower sits down with business ethicist and Higher Ground author Alison Taylor to examine what corporate courage actually looks like when legal norms, civil rights, and community safety are being tested. Together, they explore why companies retreat in moments of crisis, the limits of compliance-driven ethics, and the role sustainability and communications leaders can play when speaking up carries real risk. This is a candid conversation about silence, responsibility, and whether business is willing — or able — to stand for the rule of law when it matters most. Connect with Alison Taylor on LinkedIn.Order Alison's book, Higher Ground.Read the American Sustainable Business Network's statement calling for companies to defend the rule of law in America.Register for Sustainability Professionals Against Silence  Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)Follow Mike on LinkedInSubscribe to The Sustainability Story on SubstackGot a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

    32 min

  2. 08/08/2025

    How Chief Sustainability Officers advance sustainability storytelling

    In this episode, Mike sits down with Erik Hansen, Chief Sustainability Officer at Workday, to explore how CSOs have evolved into the lead communicators for corporate sustainability. Erik shares insights on building trust through transparency, making the business case for sustainability initiatives, and how companies are increasingly being asked detailed sustainability questions in hundreds of RFPs. The conversation covers practical strategies for working with legal teams on compliant communications, measuring the success of sustainability storytelling, and thinking beyond company silos to advocate for industry-wide change. Connect with Erik Hansen on LinkedIn.Learn more about Workday's sustainability strategy. Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)Follow Mike on LinkedInSubscribe to The Sustainability Story on SubstackGot a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

    32 min

  3. 05/14/2025

    How HP engages employees on sustainability

    In this episode of The Sustainability Communicator, Mike sits down with Alexandra Talleur, an internal communications lead at HP who specializes in sustainability engagement. While companies often focus on external sustainability communication, internal communication frequently receives less attention. Yet effective employee engagement is crucial for implementing sustainability strategies and maintaining talent. Alexandra shares insights on creating meaningful internal sustainability communications, connecting sustainability to employees' roles, and navigating challenges like the "green gap" between stated values and actions.  Connect with Alexandra Talleur on LinkedInLearn more about sustainability at HP Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)Follow Mike on LinkedInSubscribe to The Sustainability Story on SubstackGot a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

    30 min

  4. 04/09/2025

    The peaks and valleys of sustainability communication

    In this episode, host Mike Hower sits down with Dan Strechay, a seasoned sustainability communications professional who has worked across private companies, public organizations, and NGOs. They discuss the evolution of sustainability communications, how to navigate difficult topics like palm oil and climate change, and the balance between transparency and greenwashing. Dan shares insights from his career journey and offers practical advice for companies looking to communicate authentically about their sustainability efforts. This conversation, recorded in late 2024, remains relevant as sustainability professionals navigate the changing landscape of reporting requirements and stakeholder expectations.   Connect with Dan on LinkedInCheck out the Mars Net Zero Roadmap Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)Follow Mike on LinkedInSubscribe to The Sustainability Story on SubstackGot a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

    32 min

  5. 02/20/2025

    Sustainability storytellers weigh in from GreenBiz 25

    At a time when corporate sustainability faces unprecedented headwinds, last week's GreenBiz25 conference proved that sustainability leaders aren't backing down – they're doubling down on their commitments and getting more strategic about their communication. In this special episode of The Sustainability Communicator, Mike Hower sat down with six sustainability leaders from diverse industries to understand how they're navigating these challenging times.  From Aileen Lerch at Allbirds discussing the power of "applied hope," to Elizabeth Eldridge at Kaiser Permanente sharing how they're moving beyond buzzwords to build trust, to Marcella Thompson at CBRE explaining how they're making sustainability visible in the built environment, each conversation revealed how companies are evolving their sustainability storytelling for 2025 and beyond. These candid discussions, recorded live at GreenBiz25 in Phoenix, offer a unique window into how leading companies are balancing compliance, credibility, and compelling narratives in their sustainability communications. Read GreenBiz 25 takeaways: Telling a sustainability story that doesn’t suckFollow the interviewees on LinkedIn:Aileen Lerch, AllbirdsElizabeth Eldridge, Kaiser PermanenteMarcella Thompson, CBREDaniel Pellegrom, LeidosSarah Beaubien, MondelezLearn more about GreenBiz conferences Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)Follow Mike on LinkedInSubscribe to The Sustainability Story on SubstackGot a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

    38 min

  6. 02/04/2025

    Surviving sustainability reporting season

    As corporate sustainability teams shift to focus on regulatory and compliance, more sustainability professionals are spending a lot of time creating sustainability reports. These massive PDFs can sometimes be up to 100 pages or more and take many months to develop.  Love them or hate them, sustainability reports are here to stay. And the process can take its toll on the people who create them – both for in house folk and consultants.  In this Brain Exchange episode, Mike sits down to talk with Dunia Namugayi, a sustainability reporting expert who has gone through many reporting cycles and can speak to how she maintains personal sustainability through the ups and downs of creating effective reports.   Follow Dunia Namugayi on LinkedInRead Mike's Trellis piece about finding personal sustainability in corporate sustainability. Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)Follow Mike on LinkedInSubscribe to The Sustainability Story on SubstackGot a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

    28 min

  7. 01/23/2025

    Reclaiming the lost corporate sustainability narrative

    In this timely Thinking Out Loud episode, host Mike Hower examines the evolving landscape of corporate sustainability as we enter 2025, offering a candid assessment of the shift from the "ESG Golden Age" to today's more complex reality. Drawing from his extensive experience in sustainability communications, Mike presents six key strategies for companies to reclaim their sustainability narrative: acknowledging trade-offs, focusing on material impact, bridging economic and environmental concerns, emphasizing practical solutions, breaking out of echo chambers, and embracing humility about private sector limitations. Despite highlighting significant challenges, including missed emissions targets and record-breaking temperatures, Mike maintains optimism, pointing to strong public support for corporate climate action and advocating for a more mature, honest approach to sustainability communication that balances acknowledging difficulties with maintaining commitment to necessary change. Read 6 strategies for finding corporate sustainability’s lost narrative in 2025Check out the recent Pew poll on climate change sentiments in the U.S. Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)Follow Mike on LinkedInSubscribe to The Sustainability Story on SubstackGot a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

    7 min

  8. 12/05/2024

    So you want to be a sustainability communicator?

    The profession of being a sustainability communicator is relatively new – and seems to be evolving with each passing day. Success in this emerging field requires understanding the intricate goals and objectives of both sustainability and marketing teams, and developing the unique skill of translating between these often disparate organizational functions. In this episode, Mike delves into the field's evolution over the past few decades through the lens of Jessica Appelgren, a remarkable professional with unmatched depth and breadth of experience in sustainability communication. Follow Jessica Appelgren on LinkedIn.Read "AI Can (Mostly) Outperform Human CEOs" on Harvard Business Review Pre-order Sustainability Storytelling — Mike's book on crafting compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability narratives (Kogan Page, May 2026)Follow Mike on LinkedInSubscribe to The Sustainability Story on SubstackGot a guest or topic idea? Reach out at howerimpact.com/contact

    35 min
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5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Join sustainability communication expert Mike Hower—author of Sustainability Storytelling, former GreenBiz journalist, and advisor to leading global brands—as he explores one of the toughest challenges in corporate sustainability today: how to talk about sustainability in ways that are compelling, credible, and compliant—and fit cultural and reputational context. Through interviews with practitioners and insights from his own work in the field, Mike digs into greenwashing, greenhushing, and the risks and opportunities most sustainability professionals face—but few can talk about out loud.

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