Ace & Tate: Communicate about the process and not just the results

Sustainable initiatives... Some companies unjustifiably share too much and others remain completely silent. We don't know which is worse, but one thing is clear: there is a need for honest and authentic sustainability inspiration.
Some of you will already have heard of Greenwashing; Companies that act as environmentally minded, only for the sake of their marketing. There are some pitfalls to recognize the ‘green sheen’, such as encouraging recycling but selling products harmful to our planet or  vague claims. Let’s take H&M and their Conscious Collection as an example. They fail to provide more details on what ‘conscious’ really means for them and product descriptions don’t go into detail.  As a result, they can make consumers believe that they’re more sustainable than they really are. However, there’s another phenomenon arising, which is quite the opposite end of the spectrum. Greenhushing or voluntarily under communicating your sustainable practices out of fear of being judged. Yet, is has never been this crucial in a society where consumers are becoming more and more critical and where there is a strong need for good examples to be shared in order to inspire other businesses in the industry. In February 2020 we’ve teamed up with w.green to take care of the communication and PR for Ace & Tate’s new store opening in Antwerp. Not just any store, but one whose interior was decorated with local, recycled waste. Inspired by this cool initiative and especially the way Ace & Tate dares to communicate their sustainability policies, we felt the need to have a chat with Marlot Kiveron - sustainability expert at Ace & Tate.

Q&A WITH MARLOT KIVERON

Q

When did you decide it was ‘the right moment’ to start communicating Ace & Tate’s sustainable practices?

A

I started working at Ace & Tate in the supply chain team 5 years ago, but sustainability wasn’t really a topic back then. Three years ago I started sourcing to new factories because we were growing as a company. At that very moment I noticed all the waste in the production process for the first time. At the same time, Mark de Lange, the founder of Ace & Tate, was researching brands that were already doing well in social or environmental terms, such as Patagonia. From then on, the ball started to roll. The first step was an environmental impact analysis with the aim of mapping out the, at that time still unknown, impact of the eyewear industry. During that time we didn't start communicating yet because we needed to cristallise our objectives. Once our strategy was finished, we decided that we wanted to be a driver for change in the industry. People were already thinking about food, mobility and fashion but the eyewear industry was lagging behind. On 1 November 2018 CEO Mark sent an e-mail to our community with a blog post 'we're not a sustainable company' and that marked the kick-off of our communication about our journey. 

Q

Haven't you ever feared being criticized?

A

What is interesting about our communication strategy is that we immediately and honestly stated that we are not sustainably founded, but that we are taking steps in the right direction. Initially, we started communicating our journey (learnings, wins, challenges and efforts) via a blog post and our own comms channels. Soon we created a dedicated responsibility page where we are sharing our learnings and results etc. For us, it was important to communicate the process instead of the results only. Reactions were mainly positive with an occasional critical note, but always constructive. Still, it isn’t the easiest topic to communicate. Internally, we check several times whether all the facts are correct and we’re using the right tone of voice. We find it essential to remain modest and to show what we don't do yet. I think there are a lot of companies where they only show the wins on their CSR page, while it’s as important to show what still needs improvement.

Q

Why do you think some companies are reluctant when it comes to communicating sustainability?

A

I think companies still fear that sustainability is linked with tree-hugging ideologies, which is nonsense. Stella Mccartney is one of the best examples that it really doesn't have to be that way. In addition, sustainability is also a whole new matter. You don't talk about money or customer engagement, but  about life cycle assessment and co2 footprint. Finally, many companies only communicate as soon as something is finished, but with sustainability it is never finished. You are never 100% sustainable. People often wait for the moment of a result while sustainability is all about small steps.

Q

Finally, what are your top 3 tips for communicating about sustainability efforts in a transparent way?

A

  1. Don't just talk about the results but also about the process. (incl. learning’s, wins, challenges etc.)

  2. Open / transparent communication with your community is key. There’s still too much going on behind the scenes, so consumers don't have the full picture before they buy a product or service.

  3. Last but not least, don’t forget to communicate transparently within the chain. Identify stakeholders and make sure there is appropriate communication for all of them.

Thank you Marlot for the lovely interview. We’ll keep an eye out for Ace & Tate.
interview