top of page

Talking Green

Communications strategies to generate unwavering support from guests, without falling into the greenwashing trap.

Hotel Booking Image
Clean Beach
Talking Green Receptionist Image

Communications in Numbers

The Talking Green programme offers a comprehensive toolkit, insights, and friendly support to strategically revitalize your communication around all of your sustainability initiatives, not just plastic reduction. By realigning your messages with your brand values, our goal is to help you stand out amidst all this noise, and to bring your initiatives to life in a way that connects with your ideal customers.

​

Everything you DO is a form of communication.  Talking Green goes beyond your online marketing by drawing together 20 Top Communications Strategies, numerous best practices and the Inspiration Gallery showcasing how other hotels are reaching their guests with proactive communications that work.

​

We operationalize your communications strategy so that everyone understands the role they play, we'll give you 12 months of inspirational ideas and we'll even help you to understand how the décor, the products you use on a daily basis and even the areas outside of the hotel communicate what sort of business you run.

​

With STANDARD and PREMIUM options, you can choose the level of support that works best for you.  

What is included:
  • Analysis of current internal and external communications.

 

  • Access to all 7 modules of the Talking Green programme and accompanying work packages.​

 

  • 12 month sustainable communications calendar, strategies for engagement and templates for posts.

 

  • Guide to identifying and avoiding #greenwash

 

  • Live calls with the TWP Team

Talking Green Cover Image

How does Talking Green work?

1

Designed to be accomplished in 6 months or less, we start by assembling the CORE sustainable communications team with the right team profiles to foster a direct connection between your staff and your sustainability initiatives. 

 

Subsequently, we help you to define, redefine or connect with your hotel's mission, vision and values, whilst consciously integrating your sustainability goals and targets.  This lays the foundation for a communications strategy that authentically reflects your brand,  appeals to your ideal customers and drives you towards achieving your goals. 

​

With this stage achieved, you unlock a live call with the TWP team and access to a range of communications templates to prepare you for the next phases.

Expanding upon the strategic foundation, you'll pinpoint the optimal locations, timings, and methods for communicating with both current and prospective guests. This involves identifying all available communication touchpoints, some which may surprise you, ensuring your messages reach guests through various channels and means before, during, and after their stay with you. 

2

3

This is the creative part, where you weave together your brand values and sustainability targets with the specific actions you'd like your current and potential guests to take. The goal is to craft compelling content that seamlessly fits into the touchpoints you identified in the earlier phase. This process ensures messages resonate deeply with your guests and that they are strategically delivered at key points throughout the customer journey for maximum impact.

​

With this stage achieved, you unlock a further call with the TWP team so that we can review your progress so far and set targets for the next 12 months of content.

It's stressful and inefficient to have to create communications content at the last minute, so our 12-month plan with optional calendar links helps you to plan content, events and press releases in advance.  We have listed all of the World Sustainability Days into one place, complete with ideas for staff and guest engagement, social media posts, and supporting facts and figures giving you over 35 "news hooks" for the calendar year.    

4

5

Now you know WHAT to say, WHO to say it to and HOW to reach them, you need to be sure your strategies are working.  This means defining Key Performance Indicators so that you can track performance and adapt your messages as necessary.    

When your programme is completed, you and your team will be invited to our regular communications training and given access to our podcasts* so that you can keep up with emerging trends and topics, and stay relevant to your key audiences. 

*Podcast series starting in 2nd half of 2024  

6

Couple Checking In

BENEFITS
OF INVESTING IN THE TALKING GREEN PROGRAMME 

1

Sustainability is Boring!

Too often, the language used when talking about sustainability actions is dry and boring.  We help you to bring sustainability to life in a way that resonates with your guests values, making it interesting, exciting and inspirational.  

4

More than Plastic

Talking Green covers ALL of your sustainability initiatives and not just plastic. From engaging guests with energy and water saving, food waste reduction and recycling, to how you communicate and involve guests with your local and social actions. 

Tailor your communication to genuinely connect with your audience, fostering a deeper appreciation for your  actions.

2

More than words

Talking Green helps you to engage guests through more than just words.  We show you the power of visual and operational communications, for example simple changes to the buffet that will automatically reduce food waste and save costs. 

5

12 months of content

Say goodbye to communications hurdles and moments without inspiration.  Our 12 month "News Hook" calendar becomes your roadmap and structured plan for consistency.  Allow us to add  key dates into your own digital calendar so you never miss a communications opportunity*  

*Available for gmail accounts
 

​

​

3

Learn How to "Sell" Sustainability

We help you to employ tried and tested sales techniques to "sell" sustainability without over-exaggeration or #greenwash, ensuring that your communication remains authentic. Build trust through transparency communication, solidify your reputation and  attract guests who value integrity and eco-conscious businesses. 

6

PREMIUM BENEFITS

Our premium programme includes support with content creation for your sustainability policies and reports, together with additional consulting hours and a sustainable communications workshop for your CORE sustainability communications team.

​

​

​

STANDARD PROGRAMME

The Standard Programme gets excellent results because your CORE communications team will be made up of representatives from all operational roles.  It draws upon skill-sets that are not normally associated with a communications role, but which are vital to your success, and to ensuring that no communications opportunity is missed.

PREMIUM PROGRAMME

The Premium Programme includes all of the modules of the Standard Programme, but also frees up valuable time for your sustainability team to get on with implementing positive change, as we take over the role of writing content for sustainability policies and reports. 

Premium also opens the door to additional workshops to consolidate learning and responsibilities across operational roles.   

Standard Programme +

  • Policy and report writing

  • Additional consulting hours

  • Sustainable Communications Workshop with CORE team

  • Access to the 6 month modular programme

  • Accompanying work plans and templates

  • Analysis of current communications

  • Annual sustainable events planner & strategies

  • Guide to identifying and avoiding greenwash

  • Direct access to TWP Team 

  • Access to ongoing group workshops and podcast*

*Podcast due 2nd half of 2024

Ready to Take the Next Step?

Laura Simmonds

Head of Responsible Procurement, IHG

At IHG we are committed to reducing our environmental footprint and seeking out more sustainable solutions. A core part of this commitment is helping our colleagues to better understand the options that enable them to make more environmentally-friendly choices.

 

The “Let’s Reduce Single-Use Toolkit” has been a useful way to help our procurement team to expand their knowledge, and in-turn support our hotel brands to make buying choices that have a more positive impact on both our operations and the environment

bottom of page