Sustainability storytelling is an essential part of communicating your company's values to your stakeholders. By weaving this narrative it builds your brand, sets you apart from competitors, inspires employees, engages customers, attracts talent and investors, and grabs media attention.

publiCT.io, a leading Malaysian based public relations (PR tech start-up, introduced its proprietary ESGNewslytics.AI, a platform designed to improve the way companies analyse news coverage related to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) topics.

A prelude to the launch was an insightful panel discussion titled ‘Storytelling for ESG: The Impact of Powerful Narratives’. Over 250 participants from diverse industries benefited from insights shared by industry leaders in sustainability, PR, media, and communications. 

Moderated by Khoo Hsu Chuang, Host Do More Podcast, Former Producer & Host of BFM89.9, the discussion featured a lineup of experienced speakers, including Philip Ling, Head of Sustainability, CelcomDigi, Syed Mohammed Idid, General Manager, Strategic Communications & Stakeholder Engagement at West Coast Expressway (WCE), Chia Ting Ting, CEO of FG Media and Manminder Kaur Dhillon, publiCT.io founder and chief executive officer.

Measure, Analyse, Amplify Your ESG Narrative

Companies should utilise the data that artificial intelligence (AI) leverages on to create better narratives for their environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategies, says Manminder.

"Some companies have compelling strategies and stories to share but may struggle with knowing how to begin. That's why having a data-driven platform that offers guidance on the next steps is crucial," she said at the launch of ESGNewslytics.AI.

Manminder said the ESGNewslytics.AI is the first of its kind platform in Malaysia and possibly even in the world, whereby companies can gather data points, find content and learn how to use the proper keywords in narratives.

ESGNewslytics.Al

Highlighting the synergy between ESGNewslytics.Al and the guaranteed media coverage provided by publiCT.io, Puspavathy Ramaloo, who is the co-founder of the startup pointed out the significance of this combination in realising the company’s vision for comprehensive PR solutions.

“With the introduction of ESGNewslytics.Al and our existing platform for guaranteed media coverage, publiCT.io, we have come full circle in providing end-to-end PR solutions, to position us as a PR powerhouse in the region. This dual-platform approach ensures that our clients are not only equipped with the latest Al-driven insights into ESG-related news trends but also benefit from guaranteed media coverage to effectively communicate their narratives.”

Peeling Back the Onion: Understanding What Goes into an ESG Narrative

During the panel discussion, CelcomDigi Bhd's head of sustainability Philip Ling said ESG initiatives and strategies must go hand-in-hand. He highlighted the prevalence of misinformation and greenwashing, stressing the importance of carefully crafting narratives to achieve genuine goals. 

“When consumers perceive false or exaggerated claims of sustainability, they may become skeptical of all environmental claims, leading to a general distrust of corporate messaging. At the end of the day, you have to earn the trust of your customers by demonstrating real, measurable impacts on environmental and social issues,” he added. 

“Younger readers today are increasingly interested in ESG narratives. Traditional long-form articles, often perceived as one-way communication, sometimes do not engage to audience effectively. Instead, we propose a storytelling format that diversifies the audience, reaching employees, customers, target business audiences, and the general public.”

“Through multimedia storytelling, we can create digital content and organise on-the-ground activities, developing a 360-degree narrative that evokes emotions and inspires people to join the cause. This approach not only informs but also involves the audience, making them active participants in the ESG movement,” said Ting Ting.

Syed highlighted that in an era where consumers, investors, and employees prioritise ethical considerations, companies that demonstrate genuine commitment to ESG principles can enhance their brand reputation and attract stakeholders who align with their values. Embracing and effectively communicating ESG commitments with honesty, integrity, and transparency not only meets stakeholder expectations but also positions companies as authentic leaders in a socially and environmentally conscious economy. 

ESGNewslytics.AI reflects publiCT.io's response to the demand for specialised ESG communication tools, highlighting several key features:

1. Al and Machine Learning for Data Extraction: ESGNewslytics.Al employs Al and machine learning techniques to accurately and efficiently extract relevant data, ensuring that users have access to the most pertinent and up-to-date information.

2. ESG Keyword Analysis: The platform analyses news content for ESG-related keywords, and provides insights into the frequency and context of how companies are mentioned in relation to these keywords, enhancing understanding of a company's ESG narrative.

3. Comparative Company Analysis: ESGNewslytics. Al allows users to compare the ESG news footprint of different companies. It offers competitive analysis tools to understand how companies stack up against their peers in terms of ESG news coverage, enabling strategic positioning.

4. Sector-Wide ESG Analysis: The platform enables the examination of ESG trends and news coverage within specific business sectors.

5. Al powered ESG Content Generator: The platform identifies the least mentioned ESG keywords in the news for the brand and generates strategic content recommendations. This will help brands to build ESG narratives through targeted, data-driven insights, thereby strengthening their ESG impact.

For more information about ESGNewslytics. Al and publiCT.io, please visit www.esgnewslytics.ai and www.publiCT.io. 

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.

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