Consulting Services

From strategic advisory and sustainability reporting to content development and executive thought leadership, we help organizations translate sustainability strategy into narratives that build trust, move stakeholders, and drive business value.

Learn more about our approach and service offerings below.

Why Hower Impact

Strategic depth. Practical partnership. Senior experience, every step of the way.

Founder Mike Hower leads every engagement personally, supported by a network of trusted partners who add specialized expertise or extra capacity when needed. '

The result: senior-level strategy and attention throughout—without the layers or overhead of a traditional agency.

Our Approach

Successful sustainability communication lives at the intersection of four essential elements—what we call the Four C’s of Effective Sustainability Storytelling—and finding that balance requires understanding both how stories are crafted and how they're scrutinized.


The Four C’s of Effective Sustainability Storytelling

COMPELLING

Stories that inspire action

Your sustainability narrative must capture attention and motivate stakeholders to engage.

CONTEXT

Forces shaping message reception

Different stakeholders have different priorities—your story must resonate with each audience's specific concerns and expectations.

CREDIBLE

Words aligned with actions

Claims must be grounded in evidence and authentic progress, not aspirational goals alone.

COMPLIANT

Claims that withstand scrutiny

Every message must navigate evolving legal and regulatory requirements without creating risk.

A perspective from both sides of the podium

Founder Mike Hower built the Four C’s framework from nearly two decades spent on both sides of the podium—first as a GreenBiz journalist analyzing corporate sustainability claims, then as a strategist helping Fortune 500 companies craft them.

That experience gives our work uncommon nuance. We see communication through the eyes of both the skeptic and the storyteller. We know what builds credibility, what creates risk, and what compels real action. From strategy and content to executive thought leadership and sustainability reporting, every project applies the Four C’s to build trust, protect reputation, and drive measurable business impact.

As detailed in Sustainability Storytelling: Communicate Trust, Brand Value, and Better Business (Kogan Page, 2026).

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Core Services

  • Equipping your teams with the skills to craft effective sustainability communications.

    Great sustainability strategies falter without teams equipped to communicate them effectively. We design customized training programs that develop in-house expertise, align cross-functional teams on best practices, and ensure your organization can execute sustainability communications with confidence and consistency.

    What we provide:

    • Sustainability communication strategy development and roadmaps

    • Stakeholder mapping and audience-specific messaging frameworks

    • Communication maturity assessments and gap analysis

    • Cross-functional team alignment (sustainability, communications, legal)

    • Message testing and refinement

    • Crisis preparedness, issues management, and rapid response support

    • Implementation support and ongoing strategic counsel

    Ideal for: Organizations building or refining their sustainability communication approach, navigating regulatory changes, aligning teams around a unified narrative, or responding to sustainability-related controversies and stakeholder challenges.

  • Creating reports that build credibility and trust while meeting regulatory requirements.

    The best sustainability reports do more than check compliance boxes—they demonstrate authentic progress, acknowledge challenges, and build stakeholder confidence. We help organizations develop reports that satisfy regulatory frameworks while telling compelling stories that resonate with investors, customers, employees, and other stakeholders.

    What we provide:

    • Report strategy and project management from concept to publication

    • Content development and narrative architecture

    • Stakeholder engagement planning and materiality assessment support

    • Framework alignment (GRI, SASB, TCFD, CSRD, and emerging standards)

    • Cross-functional coordination and timeline management

    • Report design and production (PDF and web versions)

    • Launch strategy, stakeholder engagement, and amplification planning

    Ideal for: Organizations at any stage of their reporting journey—whether developing your first report, elevating an established program, or seeking a partner who provides senior-level strategic expertise throughout the entire process.

  • Expert-led content strategy and execution that ensures your sustainability narratives resonate and withstand scrutiny.

    AI can generate drafts quickly, but effective sustainability communication requires strategic direction, subject matter expertise, and quality oversight. We provide that essential human layer—developing content strategies and guiding execution to ensure every message is compelling, credible, compliant, and contextual.

    What we provide:

    • Content strategy and messaging frameworks

    • Website copy and digital campaign content

    • Blog posts and thought leadership articles

    • Social media strategy and content development

    • Internal communications and employee engagement materials

    • Video scripts and multimedia content

    • AI-assisted content review, refinement, and quality assurance

    Ideal for: Teams that need high-quality sustainability content but lack in-house expertise, organizations seeking to scale content production while maintaining strategic consistency, or companies ensuring AI-assisted content meets compliance and quality standards.

  • Positioning your sustainability leaders as authoritative voices through strategic content development and speaking opportunities.

    In today's high-stakes sustainability landscape, executive communications require expert strategy and execution. We help CSOs, CEOs, and other sustainability leaders build credibility and influence through compelling thought leadership that advances both personal brand and organizational objectives.

    What we provide:

    • Executive positioning and messaging strategy

    • Bylined articles and opinion pieces for industry publications

    • LinkedIn content strategy and ghostwriting

    • Conference speaking content and messaging

    • Media interview preparation and talking points

    • Podcast and webinar content development

    • Personal brand development for sustainability leaders

    Ideal for: Chief Sustainability Officers, CEOs, and senior leaders who need strategic support building their voice on sustainability issues.

  • Equipping your teams with the skills to craft effective sustainability communications.

    The most successful sustainability programs are built on strong storytelling capabilities—teams who understand how to balance compelling narratives with credible evidence, compliance requirements, and stakeholder context. We design customized training programs that build these capabilities, align cross-functional teams, and ensure consistent application of best practices across your organization.functional teams, and ensure consistent application of best practices across your organization.

    What we provide:

    • Customized workshops tailored to your organization's challenges and goals

    • The Four C's Framework training for communication and sustainability teams

    • Writing for Impact programs focused on sustainability storytelling

    • Board-level briefings on sustainability communication trends and best practices

    • Cross-functional alignment sessions (sustainability, communications, legal, marketing)

    • Train-the-trainer programs for scaling communication capabilities

    Ideal for: Organizations building internal sustainability communication capabilities, companies upskilling existing teams, leadership teams seeking alignment on messaging strategy, or boards requiring education on emerging sustainability communication trends and stakeholder expectations.

See our work

Curious about results? Explore how we've helped organizations like Mars, Berry Global, and Cloudera strengthen their sustainability communication and reporting.

View Case Studies

Ready to get started?

Schedule a free 30-minute consultation to discuss your sustainability communication and reporting challenges and explore how we can help.

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