From political pushback to regulatory rollbacks, businesses are navigating a messy middle when it comes to sustainability comms and ESG.

And yet, the pressure to act — and to properly communicate that action — isn’t going anywhere. If anything, it’s increasing.

At The Work Crowd, we’ve seen a rising demand for sustainability comms expertise across our freelance network, especially among SMEs who are trying to get started the right way.

To unpack these challenges, we hosted a LinkedIn Live with experts from the comms and sustainability world to explore how consultancies and communications specialists can work better together to support organisations in building — and telling — credible sustainability stories.

Here are our top takeaways:

1. SMEs are overwhelmed and under-resourced

A decent sustainability strategy is no longer a ‘nice to have’ — but smaller organisations often don’t know where to begin. And one of the biggest early hurdles is, quite simply, understanding the language. Acronyms, reporting requirements, alphabet soup… it's easy to get lost.

Freelancers and consultants can play a vital role in demystifying this space. Helping businesses prioritise the issues that matter most to them and their stakeholders is where the real value lies.

2. Your organisation doesn’t need to solve everything

Another common mistake we see SMEs making when it comes to building and communicating sustainability strategy is wanting to focus on everything at once. ESG and sustainability specifically has such a broad scope, it’s almost impossible to do everything without the right headcount and resources.

But our experts reiterated that you don’t need to solve everything — you need a proportionate response aligned with business purpose. Understand what directly impacts your customers, your stakeholders, and your employees, and start there.

3. Greenwashing panic is leading to greenhushing

We’ve all seen the backlash when sustainability claims don’t stack up. The result? Some brands have gone quiet, unsure of what they can say without misstepping.

This is where a solid strategy, backed by clear, honest communications, makes all the difference. It’s not about broadcasting every ambition immediately — it’s about sharing what you can say now, and showing the journey you’re on to get to a stage where you can say more.

4. Strategy and comms must go hand in hand

Too often, communications is brought in after the strategy is set. But without alignment, messaging risks becoming vague, overly technical, or completely disconnected from the audience.

As Emma, one of our expert freelance sustainability communicators, put it: “Jargon-heavy comms just don’t land. If your audience doesn’t understand it, you’ve lost credibility before you’ve even begun.”

Her advice? Bring comms into the conversation earlier. That way, messaging is shaped from the start — ensuring it’s not only accurate, but meaningful and compelling too.

5. The interim market is booming

With ESG reporting requirements increasing and permanent teams under pressure, companies are turning to freelancers and interim consultants more than ever. It’s a way to bring in the right expertise, without committing to headcount.

For freelancers, this is a big opportunity — but also a reminder to position yourself clearly. Businesses don’t just want a sustainability generalist. They want someone who can slot in, bring clarity, and help them move from ambition to action.

6. One in-house unicorn often won’t cut it

Let’s be honest: hiring one person to handle every aspect of ESG — from strategy and reporting to stakeholder engagement and storytelling — is unrealistic. But by working with independents, businesses can build a flexible support team with specialist skills at each stage.

Whether it’s mapping material issues, navigating regulation, or crafting credible comms, freelancers can offer deep value without the need for a full-time unicorn.

Our key takeaways:

• Complexity is no excuse for inaction. Even amid political and regulatory uncertainty, reporting obligations remain — and stakeholder expectations are only rising.
• Clarity builds trust. Strip away the jargon. Focus on what’s relevant. Make it make sense.
• Freelancers are part of the solution. With the right expertise at the right time, you can help organisations not just tick boxes but tell better stories and drive real impact.

If you’d like to know more about how freelance comms professionals can support your sustainability initiatives, get in touch.