April's Focus: Good ESG Stories about Earth Day
The focus on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) communications has been increasing with demand for content coming from stakeholders and shareholders. As one of the pillars of ESG, environmental-themed press releases allow a company to communicate its initiatives, goals, accomplishments, etc. to its audience. Trending for April on PR Newswire was the Earth Day-themed press release topic. This year’s theme for Earth Day is “Invest In Our Planet”, which is a great topic and talking point for ESG communications. Let’s look at some of the press release examples related to this trending topic, LONGi unveils "Zero Carbon Energy for Earth" initiative on 2023 Earth Day LONGi, a leading supplier of solar photovoltaics (PV) solutions, unveiled the "Zero Carbon Energy for Earth" initiative, hosted a "Solar for All" themed event, and brought together representatives from the UN and other NGOs. In its press release, LONGi provides more details to provide context and uses it as an opportunity to communicate the company’s ESG strategy. Earth Day: Angel Yeast Sets Out Green Manufacturing Roadmap, advancing sustainable development This press release from Angel Yeast, the world's leading yeast manufacturer, provides details about its commitment to full implementation of green manufacturing. Details in the body include its achievements in 2022 including carbon reduction measures and expanding PV power generation projects. Information on tangible numbers, goals, and awards is provided to readers as a way of measurement. Furthermore, goals to “continue lower energy consumption and improving energy efficiency” for 2023 are announced. LILYSILK Celebrates Earth Day 2023 through Continued Investment in Our Planet and Longstanding Sustainable Fashion Practices LILYSILK, the world's leading silk brand, made a few announcements about its achievements and reiterated its commitment to upholding sustainable fashion practices. It is partnering with One Tree Planted to help with reforestation, a partnership with TerraCycle® will help offer a free and convenient way to recycle non-donatable LILYSILK products. It has also self-launched a zero-waste movement. The press release also includes tangible outcomes of its actions to provide readers with a way to quantify results. In conclusion, telling stories about your ESG goals, achievements, and other initiatives during Earth Day is a great strategy to communicate the company’s commitment to the planet, because mentions on Earth Day receive more awareness and attention. These companies are also wise to have chosen to launch their press releases aligning the yearly Earth Day topic to gain an edge over their competitors who might release Earth Day-related press releases at another time. Be sure to keep an eye on the announcement of the Earth Day 2024 theme and use it as an opportunity next year to strategically communicate your company’s ESG goals and achievements. If you'd like to keep your investors informed of your company's ESG strategy and news, our ESG Wire can help. We can provide you with an ESG Resource Centre to showcase your annual reports and your company's ESG highlights, ESG News Automation, which will keep your website updated with the latest ESG news stories and design services to create your business's personalized branded ESG website. Contact us to find out more about Cision PR Newswire's ESG Wire!
April 2020 PR Calendar Cheat Sheet: Easter, Earth Day and World Health Day
April is a month for brands to pay more attention to the environmental and health issues that are plaguing the world. Besides the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, there are other pertinent global issues such as the importance of nursing and midwifery workforce in the healthcare sector. Recognising this pillar is World Health Day 2020, which aims to trigger a wave of public appreciation for nurses and midwives and their invaluable contributions. Another socially conscious occasion is Earth Day, which catalyses support for climate change. Here is a list of major events and festivals to help communicators plan their PR campaigns and activities in April 2020. Key Dates: 7 April – World Health Day 12 April – Easter 13 April – Songkran Festival (Thailand) 22 April – Earth Day 25 April – ANZAC Day (Australia) 29 April – Showa Day (Japan) April 2020 Highlights 1. World Health Day (7 April) Over the past 50 years, World Health Day has brought to light important health issues highlighted by the World Health Organization, such as mental health and childcare. With 2020 being the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife, this year’s event highlights the vital role played by nurses and midwives in providing healthcare around the world. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="613"] To mark Plant Nanny app’s first anniversary, Fourdesire launched a limited-time campaign to promote environmental sustainability. (Photo: Fourdesire)[/caption] With the recent emphasis on staying healthy, Taiwan-based digital design company Fourdesire launched an upgraded version of Plant Nanny2 . The nifty water consumption reminding app allows users to keep track of how much water they consume daily. To mark the app’s first anniversary, Fourdesire launched a limited-time campaign to promote environmental sustainability. From 19 March to 15 April, a tree will be planted for every birthday wish or posted shared on the Plant Nanny2' Instagram account. American gym company Snap Fitness is partnering with global fitness platform FitnessOnDemand to provide free access to virtual workout platform for people who want to stay healthy but prefer staying at home. These workouts are designed to optimize space with little to no equipment required, which is a timely move amid growing Coronavirus concerns. 2. Easter (12 April) [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="781"] The Official 2020 White House Easter Eggs. (Photo: The White House Historical Association)[/caption] Christians celebrate this holy festival, which commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ and symbolizes rebirth and hope. Synonymous with Easter is the Easter Egg and Easter Bunny. It is a tradition that those who hunt more Easter Eggs will receive more blessings throughout the year. The White House Historical Association will organize its annual White House Easter Egg Roll on 13 April, when limited-edition eggs will be given to children who attend the event. The Official 2020 White House Easter Eggs, which are available for sale, will feature an illustration of the White House portico on the front and come in four Spring colours. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="898"] Kintetsu Railway offers special train services to view cherry blossoms in secluded areas in Japan. (Photo: Kintetsu Railway)[/caption] With the Easter Holidays approaching, nature lovers can view the beauty of Japan’s cherry blossoms season, which is expected to peak around 8 April. Visitors can also enjoy the blooming scenery in secluded spots in Nara and Mie Prefectures and Ise Shima with Kintetsu Railway Co., Ltd, which offers special train journeys with a slice of Japanese culture. 3. Earth Day (22 April) Earth Day is a unified response to an environment in crisis, with the growing occurrence of oil spills, forest fires and smogs around the world. Reinforcing the importance of environmental protection is one of the world’s largest environmental movement that drives transformative change for people and the planet. This year’s theme is climate action, which is a pressing topic that will be addressed in the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day celebrations. The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has brought about some changes for Earth Day events this year. Earth Day Network, the organizer of Earth Day, will shift to a global digital mobilization. The updated digital-first strategy includes a global conversation that will be unified and tracked by the shared hashtags #EarthDay2020 and #EARTHRISE. Earth Day Network will also provide live coverage of the digital mobilizations from its social media accounts (@earthdaynetwork). Also going the virtual route is Earthx2020, one of the world’s largest environmental events, which will host conferences and film festival online. Highlights include the EarthxGlobal Gala and the world premiere of The Way of the Rain – Hope For Earth, directed by Sibylle Szaggards Redford, with a special narration by Hollywood icon Robert Redford. Besides conferences and campaigns, music can also help raise awareness on climate change. Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman teamed up with various musicians and artistes to record “Hands Around the World”, an anthem for Hands Around The World, a year-long campaign that inspires more than one billion people to hold hands in a virtual selfie chain around the world. RELATED: Click here to view more PR Calendar Cheat Sheets [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="720"] Click to view PR Newswire’s 2020 PR calendar.[/caption] Plan your upcoming campaigns and news releases around festivals, exhibitions and conferences in Asia-Pacific in 2020. Click here to view the PR Newswire’s Public Relations Calendar. About the Writer: Nicole Lee is an Associate Editor at PR Newswire. She graduated from City University of Hong Kong, majoring in Media and Communications.
March 2020 PR Calendar Cheat Sheet: International Women’s Day, International Day of Happiness and Earth Hour
March marks the end of the first quarter of 2020, which got off to a rocky start with the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and the subsequent slew of event cancellations. Despite the gloomy outlook, brands can associate themselves with some feel-good causes this month. They can tap on the growing buzz surrounding female empowerment through International Women’s Day, showcase the importance of focusing on one's positive energy with International Day of Happiness or affirm their commitment to environmental conservation on Earth Hour. Here’s a list of major events and festivals to help communicators plan their PR campaigns and activities this month. Key Dates: 5 March - World Press Freedom Day 8 March - International Women’s Day 11 March - Fukushima Tsunami Remembrance Day (Japan) 14 March - White Day (Japan) 20 March - International Day of Happiness 24 March - World Tuberculosis Day 25 March - Earth Hour 25 March - Balinese Day of Silence (Indonesia) March 2020 Highlights International Women’s Day (8 March) [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="659"] Banana Republic launched the Work Where? Campaign to mark International Women’s Day this year. (Photo: Banana Republic)[/caption] International Women's Day celebrates the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women around the world. For more than a century, the occasion has been advocating women’s rights and encouraging gender equality in all walks of life. Global apparel brand Banana Republic launched a multimedia news release on its WORK Where? campaign in conjunction with the female-centric day. The campaign celebrates unconventional jobs through a montage of videos and images on stories of women from all walks of life, from recording artists, real estate developers to cafe owners. Banana Republic will also make a US$100,000 donation to the non-profit organisation CARE, which focuses on fighting poverty and the advancement of women and girls around the world. On the healthcare front, Farrer Park Hospital in Singapore has teamed up with 44 high-intensity focal ultrasound (HIFU) centres in mainland China and Taiwan to perform HIFU treatment on women with uterine fibroids in the lead-up to International Women's Day. Uterine fibroids are benign growths in the uterus that often appears during a woman's childbearing years. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="635"] Cho Hee-sook, chef-owner of modern Korean restaurant Hansikgonggan in Seoul. (Photo: Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants)[/caption] To coincide with International Women’s Day festivities, Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants typically announces the recipient for its annual Asia’s Best Female Chef award in March. This year’s recipient is Cho Hee-sook, chef-owner of one Michelin-starred modern Korean restaurant Hansikgonggan in Seoul. The award celebrates female chefs whose dedication, skills and creativity set new standards in the gastronomy world. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="631"] Casetify’s Her Impact Matters collection features designs by an all-female artist crew. (Photo: Casetify)[/caption] Technology accessories brand Casetify is relaunching the Her Impact Matters collection that features designs by an all-female artist crew. The range of products includes handphone cases and earphones. All proceeds from the Her Impact Matters collection this month will be donated to the Malala Fund, a non-profit organization by student and Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai, who advocates for education among females. Also celebrating female talent is LG Electronics, which has signed a three-year sponsorship agreement with the world's top-ranked female golfer, Ko Jin-young from South Korea. Ko ascended to the top of the Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings last year, after she earned four tournament victories including the ANA Inspiration and the Evian Championship. Another global brand, CleverTap, a customer engagement and retention platform, is celebrating the success of women leaders in the technology industry with Inspiring Women, an interview-based video campaign. The video series, which highlights the achievements, setbacks and learnings from 13 women leaders, hopes to inspire other up-and-coming professional women. Click here to read more press releases on International Women's Day. International Day of Happiness (20 March) If you are happy and you know it, you are probably living in Finland. In 2019, the Scandinavian country topped the World Happiness Report for the second consecutive time. The report, which is spearheaded by the United Nations (UN), ranks 156 countries by how happy their citizens perceive themselves to be. In APAC, people in New Zealand are the happiest, while those in Afghanistan are most unhappy. Besides commissioning this survey, the UN also observes an International Day of Happiness, which marks the importance of focusing on positive energy and spreading joy and laughter. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="584"] Power-packed almonds can be a source of happiness. (Photo: Almond Board of California)[/caption] Happiness can be munched on, according to the latest survey by the Almond Board of California. The survey reveals that almond eaters in the United States are more likely to be happier and healthier than those who do not eat almonds. Those who snack on almonds are also more likely to stick with healthy eating habits for up to six months and prefer snacks that are made from natural ingredients. The press release also includes recipes on using almonds in cookies, smoothies and ice-cream sandwiches. To share some nuggets on pursuing happiness, author Guillermo Grey released a novel Rojo, which is an insightful read on friendship, life and redemption. Published by Page Publishing, the book enlightens readers on the true essence of happiness and how it is uniquely defined by each individual. Earth Hour (25 March) Earth Hour is an annual global movement by the World Wide Fund for Nature, which encourages individuals, communities and businesses to switch off non-essential electric lights for one hour on a designated day. The event, which is commemorated in more than 180 countries and territories, hopes to catalyse positive environmental change by sparking conversations on protecting nature and climate change. Casting the spotlight on the environment is the Indonesia Plastic Bag Diet Movement which announced that shopping centres, supermarkets and traditional markets in Jakarta will phase out providing single-use plastic bags by this year. The populous capital city joins other Indonesian cities such as Bandung and Banjarmasin to ban the use of plastic bags. This regulation brings Indonesia closer to its national target of reducing its waste by 30% by 2025. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] The organizers of ASIAWATER2020 visited Bengoh Dam in Kuching to understand the city’s water supply. (Photo: Informa Markets)[/caption] Raising awareness on water security is ASIAWATER 2020, a biennial trade event for the water and wastewater industry in Asia. Ahead of the event in November, Malaysia-based event organizer Informa Markets held site visits to Batu Kitang Water Treatment Plant and Bengoh Dam in Kuching to understand best practices in overcoming water supply challenges and sustaining a clean water supply to urban and rural areas. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Sands China properties switched off exterior lights and non-essential indoor lights for one hour during Earth Hour 2019. (Photo: Sands China)[/caption] Last year, integrated resorts operator Sands China commemorated Earth Hour by switching off exterior lights and non-essential indoor lights for one hour across its properties including Sands Macao and The Venetian Macao. Besides the annual event, Sands China maintains a long-standing monthly practice of observing Earth Hour. All its properties switch off exterior lights, signages and marquees for one hour on the first Tuesday of each month. The hospitality company also held its Climate Week, which encourages staff-driven initiatives to address climate change. One highlight is an Energy Saving Roadshow, which encouraged staff to replace lightbulbs from their homes with energy-efficient LED ones, and recycle them. [caption id="" align="alignleft" width="720"] Click to view PR Newswire's 2020 PR calendar.[/caption] Plan your upcoming campaigns and news releases around festivals, exhibitions and conferences in Asia-Pacific in 2020. Click here to view the PR Newswire’s Public Relations Calendar. This blog post is written by Kenneth Goh, Senior Marketing Executive at PR Newswire. A former journalist, he relishes keeping track of breaking news as much as telling stories with trends and data. Connect with him via Linkedin.
