Why should marketing and comms care about the UN SDGs? Because they provide the blueprint for gaining trust and demonstrating authenticity to society.

1. Why Marketing and Comms needs
the UN Sustainable Development
Goals

2. @sustainly
we face A crisis of trust in global society
That crisis of trust affects every part of society. Our collective faith in government and politics
continues to be tested amid allegations of cyber manipulation of elections in the US and Europe.
Our faith in the media is polarised along political lines to such a degree that politicians can seek
to vilify media companies they don’t like as “fake news.” And, increasingly, the public’s
confidence in brands and corporations is eroding because of a fundamental shift in the way that
the public receives information and shapes their opinions.

3. Lack of trust is fueled by instant access to
information
Social media has given every person a voice, a community to connect and learn from, and, increasingly, a mini
bully pulpit to hold companies, government and the media to account. Time and time again social media
connected communities and platforms have called out companies and brands about faulty products, rotten or
cynical customer services and arrogant governance.

4. At same time business faces existential
challenges
Climate
Change
demographics urbanisation
Technologymigration
global power
shifts
The social media-fueled crisis of trust in business and society comes at a time when companies must also
confront a series of migraine-inducing sustainability challenges that will affect how they do business in the
future and influence society’s trust in them. Companies find themselves facing greater threats to the future
of their business and to society than ever before at exactly the time when they need to regain the trust of a
new type of connected and informed consumer.

5. business knows it has to regain respect
Sustainability
Finance
Most in the world of marketing, advertising, PR and customer service already understand the crisis
of trust that threatens to engulf business. There’s a reason why authenticity, transparency and
community have become the corporate buzzwords of the social media age. But in today’s always-
on, smarter-than-before society, pledging to be a better company just won’t cut it. You have to
demonstrate how your company is creating a better experience for consumer and, yes, society.
Purpose!
Transparency!
Authenticity!

6. sustainability provides the answer
Sustainability
Finance
Marketing Customer Service
Just a few years ago most corporate communicators and marketers would have dismissed the notion that
consumers care about sustainability. Not any more. Today’s consumers discuss sustainability issues freely and
have high expectations of companies. It’s just that don’t use the jargon of sustainability experts.

7. could the sdgs be the solution?
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals - 17 in total - offer exactly the blueprint for
business to meet the needs of society, create stronger businesses and regain trust in the process.
Understanding and incorporating the goals into demonstrable action will be crucial for all companies
and will underpin authentic communication.

8. Register today!
want to learn more?

9. Trust inc. - How business win respect
The thinking behind this presentation is adapted
from the introduction to Sustainly founder Matthew
Yeomans’s new book: Trust inc.
The book reflects on Matthew’s two decades’
experience advising companies on sustainability
communication and covering social media and
technology as a journalist.
Trust Inc. will be published in April by Routledge
and can be pre-ordered online.

10. SDG CONTENT STRATEGY
WRITING AND EDITING
WORKSHOPS
EXECUTIVE BRIEFINGS
PUBLIC SPEAKING
CONTACT:
Matthew Yeomans
Founder, Sustainly
Sustainly.com
matthew@sustainly.com