Sustainability Strategy and Storytelling: Why Freelancers Are Key

Madeleine Weightman, Co-founder of The Work Crowd

Opinion Worldwide

Sustainability hasn’t dropped off the agenda—far from it. While political rhetoric and regulatory shifts may have created uncertainty, the pressure to act and to communicate clearly is only increasing. At The Work Crowd, we’re seeing strong and growing demand for sustainability communications and consultancy across our freelance network.

But it’s often SMEs that struggle the most. They know they need to act—but don’t know where to start. That’s why, in partnership with the PRCA, we recently hosted a LinkedIn Live to explore how strategy and storytelling must work hand in hand—and the critical role freelancers play in supporting this.

We were joined by an excellent panel:

Here are the top takeaways—and why they matter now more than ever.

1. Reporting isn’t going away

As Lucy explained, even with shifting political winds and CSRD rollbacks, regulatory requirements are increasing. Businesses—especially SMEs—are under growing pressure from customers, partners, and investors to show progress. The key? A proportionate, focused strategy that reflects who they are and what matters to their stakeholders.

2. Jargon kills credibility

Emma made it clear: sustainability comms often fail because they lean too heavily on technical language. “Jargon-heavy comms don’t land.” Her advice: start with issues that are relevant to the brand, communicate clearly and authentically, and only speak when there’s something credible to say.

3. Greenhushing is real

Fear of greenwashing has pushed some companies into silence. But staying quiet isn’t a strategy. The role of comms professionals is to help clients speak with confidence and transparency—owning their progress and being honest about the journey ahead.

4. Strategy and comms must collaborate

Too often, communications is brought in too late. The result? Disconnected, vague messaging. The earlier strategists and communicators work together, the stronger and more credible the narrative becomes. For freelancers, this means teaming up and offering complementary skills to clients.

5. The freelance market is growing

Johnny highlighted that while some permanent teams are shrinking, the workload is rising—especially around disclosures. Interim and freelance support is on the rise, giving businesses the ability to bring in specialist expertise as needed.

In summary:

  • Regulation and stakeholder expectations are rising.
  • Clear, honest comms is essential to building trust.
  • Freelancers are perfectly positioned to help businesses navigate complexity and tell better sustainability stories.

If you missed the session, you can watch it back here.

And if you’re an independent consultant working in sustainability or comms—we’d love to connect.