Mobilising business leadership behind climate action

World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)

Sector and focus area

Business leadership, net zero, climate policy, corporate communications

Context and challenge

As governments and businesses navigate an increasingly complex net zero transition, credible insight into the barriers facing business leaders is critical to maintaining momentum and informing effective policy.

WBCSD launched the Business Breakthrough Barometer to provide an annual pulse check on business confidence, investment and the policy conditions needed to accelerate the transition.

The challenge was to establish the Barometer as a credible new flagship report in a crowded climate communications landscape, translate its findings into compelling messages for media and policymakers, and position WBCSD as a leading convener of business and government ahead of key international political moments.

Approach and strategy

Greenhouse developed an integrated global communications campaign designed to turn the Barometer’s business insights into a clear and influential narrative about the risks of policy inaction and the role of business leadership in accelerating the net zero transition.

The campaign combined strategic messaging, international media relations, digital communications, film and partner activation around Climate Week NYC.

Key elements of the strategy included:

• • Developing a launch narrative that connected the Barometer’s findings to the urgent need for stronger policy signals and increased investment
• • Translating complex business insights into clear, media-ready messages for journalists and policymakers
• • Delivering an integrated global launch spanning earned media, digital communications, film and social content
• • Producing a hero film and comprehensive digital toolkit to enable WBCSD leaders and partners to amplify consistent messages through their own channels
• • Launching the report internationally and sustaining visibility around key climate and political moments
  
  This approach was designed to support informed reporting while maintaining credibility across a fast-moving negotiation process.

Work delivered

Greenhouse delivered an integrated communications programme supporting the global launch of the Business Breakthrough Barometer.

The work included strategic narrative development, international media engagement, executive positioning, a hero campaign film, social media assets and a comprehensive digital toolkit for WBCSD and its partners.

As a result, through coordinating earned, owned and partner communications, the campaign created a consistent global narrative while enabling business leaders to tailor and share the Barometer’s findings with their own audiences.

Ultimately the work balanced strong international media visibility with targeted stakeholder engagement, helping the report reach journalists, policymakers and business leaders at a highly competitive moment in the global climate calendar.

Outcomes and impact

The campaign established the Business Breakthrough Barometer as a credible annual pulse check on the net zero transition and strengthened WBCSD’s position in the global climate conversation.

It also secured strong international media visibility during Climate Week and enabled business leaders and partners to amplify tailored messages through their own channels.

Media impact included:

Coverage appeared across leading international outlets, including BBC, The Washington Post, Reuters and The Times.

The work also supported progress towards a more equitable and ambitious policy outcome by delivering timely, credible and clear messaging throughout the negotiation process.

Why this work matters

Accelerating the net zero transition depends on understanding the conditions businesses need to invest, innovate and act with confidence.

By turning business insight into a clear global communications narrative, this work helped bring the barriers to faster climate action into the public and political debate.

The campaign demonstrated how evidence-led communications can mobilise business voices, inform policymakers and strengthen the case for the policy certainty and investment needed to accelerate the transition.