27.06.2025
Communications expert Renata Yaresko delivered the third lecture within the Energy Club’s online training course “Communications and Interaction in Energy: Strategies for PR, Marketing, GR and Lobbying in Ukraine”. This time, the class was dedicated to ESG communications: how businesses, especially in the energy sector, can talk about decarbonization, energy efficiency and social projects to build trust, not create risks.
During the lecture, the founder of the CommsTrue agency emphasized that ESG communication is not about buzzwords, but about a system of trust that provides a company with access to resources, sustainability, and a future. This is especially critical for the energy industry, which always has a huge impact on the environment, people, and the state.
“If no one knows about your decarbonization, energy efficiency, or local initiative, it’s as if it doesn’t exist for stakeholders,” noted Renata Jaresko, emphasizing that silence in this area is equal to reputational risk.
The expert analyzed in detail the key aspects of an effective ESG strategy:
What is ESG? It is not just charity, but clear criteria for evaluating a business. They cover three areas: E (Environmental) — environmental impact, from emissions to waste management; S (Social) — social responsibility, from working conditions to impact on communities; and G (Governance) — quality of management, transparency, and business ethics.
Why is it important? The implementation of ESG practices is required by investors and regulators, expected by society, and, ultimately, it is a guarantee of the sustainability of the business itself.
The main risk is “greenwashing”: Attempts to appear “green” without real action can lead to high-profile scandals and financial losses, as happened with Toyota or Kronospan. You cannot pass off simple compliance with the law as an outstanding achievement.
Communication is the “language of evidence”: All company statements must be supported by specific data, reports, and facts. At the same time, the language must be adapted: investors need numbers and KPIs, and communities need human stories and simple explanations.
The expert emphasized that the main mistake is to create “successful success” where there is none. An effective strategy, according to her, begins not with a presentation, but with a conversation and analysis of the company’s real actions. It is communication that turns real actions into strategic value and reputational capital.
About the training course:
The course “Communications and Interaction in Energy: Strategies for PR, Marketing, GR and Lobbying in Ukraine” from Energy Club lasts 12 weeks and is designed to strengthen the communication capabilities of energy sector companies. It offers an integrated approach to building strategies that help strengthen stakeholder trust and support business goals.
