Frederic Martin's List: Social Media

• In order to do so effectively, organisations need to have a story to tell
• Matthew Yeomans, social media sustainability consultant
• and author of #FAIL: The 50 Greatest Social Media Screw-Ups
• BM and GE are putting a great deal of money and effort into a business offering that looks at sustainability and social.
• They’ve put a lot of thinking into what kind of company they want to be and how they want to do business
• it’s necessary to identify where your audience is on social channels and listen to what they are interested in before you bombard them with your take on things or post photos of your latest corporate fundraising initiative. Social media is about a philosophy.
• It’s about listening and learning, and taking part in conversations as opposed to push messaging
• Social channels provide an ideal opportunity for businesses to improve their CSR strategies as a result of improved dialogue with stakeholders
• it’s a good idea to get the sustainability and marketing teams working together in order to communicate in a compelling and trustworthy manner.
• Philippa Stone, head of sustainability at ISG, says the two departments have become very closely linked at the construction services firm.
• ISG’s digital marketing manager Francis Madeira adds that about one in three of the firm’s tweets is about sustainability.
• claims around sustainability on social media platforms can lead to a very public backlash if they are found to be false or misleading.
• You have got to ensure what you say is accurate
• Aida Pérez Cadenas, who works in sustainability communications at Spanish bank BBVA, suggests the decision to communicate the bank’s CSR activities via social channels in a direct, personal and transparent manner has been beneficial for its reputation.
• Veolia’s marketing and communications director Kevin Hurst agrees it is beneficial for a brand to portray itself as approachable and human via social channels.
• Veolia’s primary channels for sustainability communications via social are Twitter and YouTube.
• For instance, topics for tweets include gardening tips, recipes for food waste and ideas for uses for old fabrics.
• About eight people now tweet on behalf of Veolia.
• Natalie Black, public relations manager for sustainability at UPS, believes it’s important for businesses, which are serious about social sustainability communication, to get everyone involved internally.
• Increased sophistication in terms of the tools marketers can use to identify and map trends in social engagement will open the door for those companies who have embraced CSR to take centre stage and showcase their efforts.
• Taking CSR social: The dos and don’ts of communicating CSR via social channels
• Do identify where your stakeholders are and listen to what interests them.
• Do update your chosen platforms on a regular basis with new – and compelling – content. 
• Do enable marketing and CSR teams to work together.
• Do think of clever or creative angles for news and stories that promote human interaction.
• Do encourage interactivity on corporate blogs wherever possible.
• Don’t be afraid of showing a human face.
• Don’t leave all your sustainability communication via social to one person.
• Don’t rush in before you’re sure of your overall business strategy and how social platforms can help you communicate it.

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