Writing for Impact Masterclass
Fall 2024 Cohort
So you want to be a sustainability thought leader?
In an era of endless email, social media content and iterative AI, many sustainability professionals are neglecting their professional writing skills. But good writing is critical for communicating sustainability effectively, cultivating a strong personal brand and establishing yourself as a thought leader.
The Writing for Impact Masterclass helps sustainability professionals improve their writing skills through a mix of lessons and hands-on workshopping. Throughout this five-week course, we’ll revisit the basics of effective prose that you learned back in school but may have forgotten, study some of the best practices in current sustainability thought leadership and actively workshop an article or blog you’re currently working on, or would like to create for your organization. We’ll also cover topics such as how to avoid greenwashing, creating compelling and compliant content and more.
Meet Mike
Mike Hower is a sustainability communication leader with more than 15 years of experience on both sides of the podium — as a journalist for leading publications such as GreenBiz, and communications strategist for leading global companies. Over the years, he has written thousands of articles covering every imaginable sustainability topic — from the climate crisis to DE&I. He also has served as a ghost writer for many sustainability executives across multiple industries, crafted sustainability content for major corporations and written sustainability reports. He also is the host of The Sustainability Communicator podcast, which examines the intersection of corporate sustainability and storytelling.
Mike believes that nobody is “born” with an innate ability to write well. Everyone can learn to be a better writer through hard work and persistence. That means you, too.
Investment: $550
The 2024 Cohort is now full. If you are interested in joining future Masterclass cohorts, please complete this form and we’ll add you to our list of folks to notify when the next class registration opens.
What you’ll get
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Five, 90-minute virtual sessions, featuring a mix of lectures and workshopping.
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The opportunity to have your work critiqued by fellow sustainability professionals in a safe, fun and supportive environment.
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Educational readings and challenge assignments to help you learn the fundamentals of effective sustainability writing.
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Actionable advice for how to improve your sustainability writing abilities in an increasingly complex legal and regulatory environment.
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Direct feedback on your work from sustainability communication expert and former journalist, Mike Hower.
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The chance to develop new connections among sustainability and communication professionals in an intimate and team-oriented setting.
Class Schedule
All lessons are 90-minutes and begin at 3:00 pm PST / 6:00 pm EST. Classes will be recorded and shared with students — so no worries if you have to miss one.
This is a great use of a professional development stipend if you have goals to improve your writing abilities and become a thought leader in corporate sustainability!
Who would benefit from this Masterclass
Sustainability professionals who are strong on strategy and/or technical fronts but would like to improve how they write and communicate social and environmental topics as thought leaders for their company’s blog, on LinkedIn articles and/or in Op-Eds on external websites.
Marketing/communications professionals who may be strong writers and communicators but lack sustainability subject matter expertise.
Career pivoters who are new to sustainability and communications/marketing and want to get a crash course in effective sustainability writing.
Some of the leading companies have had their sustainability and communication teams participate in the Writing for Impact Masterclasses:
What People Are Saying
“The Writing for Impact Masterclass provided worthwhile and practical tools and habits for writing. These tools, along with instructor and peer feedback, helped elevate not only my writing ability, but my confidence and voice as well.”
— Dave Alden, Program Manager, Environmental Engagement, The Walt Disney Company
“Hower Impact’s Writing for Impact Masterclass codified a lot of best practices I had learned on the job into a much clearer framework for writing and gathering feedback. When you work in the comms field for a while it can be easy to get sloppy and adopt bad habits, taking this course forced me to examine my own writing process and develop a piece with more intentionality and thoughtfulness than I had in years.”
— Kati Kallins, Global Lead for Sustainability, Adobe
“The Writing for Impact Masterclass was exactly the course I had been searching for. In the small but ever-evolving field of sustainability communications, staying up to date on best practices and evolving legal regulations can feel overwhelming. Mike’s expertise and thoughtful, encouraging feedback made all the difference. This course was more than developing skills—it was about building community. It was truly refreshing and energizing to connect with peers who understand the opportunities and unique challenges in the sustainability communications space. If you’re looking for a course to sharpen your sustainability writing while fostering meaningful connections, this is the one!”