Once a sustainability program has been created and implemented within a brewery, one of the major next steps is figuring out how to talk about it. Communication is one of the primary drivers of culture and can be one of the most difficult when it comes to telling an authentic story without “greenwashing.” In this presentation, Brewers Association Sustainability Ambassador Matt Gacioch and Sierra Nevada Brewing Company External Communications Manager Ashlee Mooneyhan will set you up for internal and external sustainability communication success, whether you’re a marketing professional, operations manager, executive, or a mix of all three.

We will begin with a discussion of internal communication best practices, describing the communication relationships within an organization, how best to leverage each, and how to assess for successes or breakdowns. We’ll go on to discuss external communication, including how to incorporate sustainability into your brand story, speaking the language of your customers (with different approaches to sustainability messaging), and how to increase your brand’s “stickiness” with an effective sustainability message. We will wrap up the presentation with a downloadable template that breweries can walk away with to step up their sustainability communication game right away.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand where the potential financial benefits of sustainability are—both in reducing expenses as well as increasing revenue Discuss how to build a more effective sustainability program with internal communication Hear what the research says about communicating effectively within your organization Learn the basics of building your brand story and identity Understanding the different ways to message sustainability to connect with your customers and community Learn to collect user data to optimize your communication approach Take home a template for implementing own sustainability communication plan