Sustainability Storytelling LIVE takes on greenhushing this May
Community is everything in corporate sustainability. It's what initially attracted me to this profession—and what sustains me through the highs and lows. Right now certainly qualifies as a low.
Companies are scaling back sustainability ambitions at a pivotal moment when they need to be accelerating them. As a consequence, many sustainability professionals are losing their livelihoods. And, of course, there's greenhushing galore as many companies choose silence—if not calculated cowardice—over the logic that treats sustainability as the business strategy it is.
But the show must go on. And while we certainly aren't living in the best timeline, I don't believe it's the worst one, either—because we are here.
Ever since discovering the sustainability community at my first Sustainable Brands nearly 14 years ago, I've been enamored by our small but mighty collection of passionate, smart, and kind people working tirelessly—and too often thanklessly—to create a healthier, safer, freer, fairer, and stronger world through better business. While we have different job titles, work across industries, and might even compete with each other, it always feels like we're on the same team.
And in just two months, I'll become a father for the first time. If there was ever a moment to fight harder for the world we want to leave behind—this is it.
But vibrant communities require active maintenance. That's why I started my Impact Hour event series several years back. These in-person events have convened sustainability professionals for fun, insightful happy hour-style netlearning—a mix of networking and professional development—where people can connect and engage in ways that build trust, share knowledge, and inspire action. I've organized them across the country—from San Francisco to New York and Washington, D.C.
As I began planning the launch of my upcoming book, Sustainability Storytelling, I knew a traditional book tour wasn't right for me. Everything I do—my book, this Substack newsletter, The Sustainability Communicator podcast, and my LinkedIn writings—serves a single purpose: helping everyone, everywhere communicate sustainability more effectively.
While some might say widespread greenhushing makes sustainability communication less relevant right now—that's exactly why it's more critical than ever. For investors, consumers, B2B customers, employees, and other stakeholders, silence itself is a form of communication—and inaction speaks louder than words.
That's when the idea for Sustainability Storytelling LIVE was born: I would use the publication of my book as a focusing event for bringing together both virtually and in-person professionals facing sustainability communication challenges—from sustainability to communications to legal and even government affairs—to create a forum for candid conversation, authentic connection, and professional co-development that educates and inspires sustainability communicators to keep going. This will involve four events: one virtual State of Sustainability Storytelling event (May 5) and three in-person events in New York (May 5), Washington, D.C. (May 7), and San Francisco (May 13). Attendees of the virtual event will receive a discount code for my book, and in-person attendees receive a signed copy as part of their ticket.
This isn't a passive sit-and-listen experience. My goal is for participants to walk away with practical tools you can apply immediately, plus real connections with peers wrestling with similar sustainability communication challenges.
The tour is produced by Hower Impact and presented by Baker Tilly, a leading advisory, tax, and assurance firm helping organizations navigate ESG and sustainability challenges—with support from 3BL.
What to expect at the in-person events
A signed copy of Sustainability Storytelling (retail $40)
A working session on the Four C's of Effective Sustainability Storytelling — a practical framework for communicating context-aware, compelling, credible, and compliant sustainability stories
Light bites and drinks included with ticket
Dedicated time to connect with sustainability practitioners and communicators tackling these challenges firsthand
Who should attend
Sustainability practitioners (CSOs, Sustainability VPs, Directors, Managers)
Communications professionals (CMOs, Communications/Marketing/Corporate Affairs VPs, Directors, Managers)
Legal professionals (General Counsel, ESG Counsel, Compliance Officers)
Government affairs professionals
Early bird tickets are $60 through April 17 — $75 after that. Space is limited at the in-person events, so register now to secure your spot.
Here's a rundown of the events making up Sustainability Storytelling LIVE:
The State of Sustainability Storytelling Virtual Event (May 5)
The State of Sustainability Storytelling kicks off the Sustainability Storytelling LIVE series, bringing together corporate sustainability, communication, legal, and government affairs professionals to discuss the latest sustainability communication challenges—and how companies can overcome them with the Four C's of Effective Sustainability Storytelling. This is the framework underpinning my new book, Sustainability Storytelling.
During this one-hour virtual event, you'll get:
A detailed overview of the Four C's of Effective Sustainability Storytelling and how you can apply this to your organization today
A live conversation with Joel Makower, GreenBiz co-founder and author of the book's Foreword
Real-world insights from sustainability communication leaders, including Nate Pepper, VP Communications and Sustainability at Veolia North America; Dave Stangis, Sr. Advisor and Apollo's First CSO at Apollo Global Management; Susan Jackson, Head of Communications & Sustainability at BASF; and Aman Singh, Director of Global Sustainability Communications at Kenvue
Learn more and register for free here.
Sustainability Storytelling LIVE NYC (May 5)
New York is home to more Fortune 500 companies than any other city in the world—and its financial institutions, consumer brands, and media companies are at the forefront of ESG disclosure pressure. If you're navigating sustainability communication in New York, the stakes have never been higher.
Join us for an evening of netlearning where the conversation goes beyond the talking points—into the real tensions sustainability communicators are navigating right now. Speakers include Alison Taylor, author of Higher Ground and Professor of Practice at NYU Stern; Josh Wiener, VP of Global Sustainability and Climate Lead at MetLife; and others.
Learn more and register here.
Sustainability Storytelling LIVE DC (May 7)
Washington D.C. sits at the intersection of corporate sustainability and federal policy—and right now, that junction has never been more complicated. For sustainability, communications, legal, and government affairs professionals navigating sustainability in the U.S. capital, getting the story right is both a communications challenge and a strategic imperative.
Join us for an evening of netlearning where practitioners get candid about what's working, what isn't, and how to keep moving forward when the policy ground keeps shifting. Speakers include Dan Strechay, Senior Director of pep+ Communications at PepsiCo, and others.
Learn more and register here.
Sustainability Storytelling LIVE SF (May 13)
The Bay Area has never been short on big ideas about sustainability. But in 2026, even the most innovative companies are questioning what to say—and what to stay quiet about. Fresh off SF Climate Week, Sustainability Storytelling LIVE SF is where those conversations get real.
Join us for an evening of netlearning where the sustainability community comes together to share what's actually happening inside organizations—and what it takes to keep communicating with clarity and conviction when the pressure is to go quiet. Speakers include Ellen Jackowski, Chief Sustainability Officer at Mastercard; Patrick Flynn, Founder of Switchboard; and others.
Learn more and register here.
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Four events in a week, a book launching, and a baby on the way. It's an ambitious moment—but bringing sustainability communicators together in community is exactly what we need right now. I hope you'll be part of it.
Whether at the virtual event or one of the in-person stops, I hope to see you there.
