From ESG to Storytelling: Building Brand Trust at PolyU SPEED

Organisations are doing more in sustainability, yet many audiences still struggle to understand or connect with their efforts. The challenge is often not the absence of ESG data, but the way that information is translated into a credible and relatable story.

Invited by Dr Helen Wong and Dr Phoebe Wong, 黃啟亮博士 spoke at PolyU SPEED’s Research Centre for Green Business on “From ESG to Storytelling: Turning Sustainability Strategy into Brand Trust.”

Table of Contents

Why ESG communication needs storytelling

ESG reporting provides important facts and evidence. However, information alone does not guarantee understanding, relevance or trust. Organisations also need to explain why their sustainability actions matter, how they affect stakeholders and what people can see or experience in practice.

The session examined four international brand examples:

Apple, using cinematic communication to make environmental commitments visible
L’Oréal, connecting refill behaviour with brand identity and customer participation
IKEA, incorporating circularity into products and customer experience
Allbirds, making sustainability tangible through measurable product attributes

These cases demonstrated different ways to move from broad sustainability claims to stories and experiences that audiences can understand.

Credibility, connection and trust

The central takeaway was straightforward:

ESG evidence builds credibility.
Storytelling creates connection.
Brand trust requires both.

Participants also raised thoughtful questions about greenwashing, proof and the tension between compelling narratives and regulatory reality. These issues are especially important when organisations communicate complex achievements to customers, employees, investors and communities.

Storytelling training for responsible communication

Dr Wong’s storytelling work combines brand strategy, research and practical communication frameworks. The aim is not to make weak claims sound stronger, but to help organisations express verified actions with greater clarity, relevance and humanity.