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This paper expands on existing analyses of corporate energy and sustainability communication and shows the potential of evolutionary theory to study and conceptualize sustainable corporate communication as niche construction and its transformative and transformational potential.

With a qualitative content analysis of non-financial reporting of energy corporations and a deep dive into one selected case (Yin, 2013) with a two-step categorization of the sustainability related text and (n = 5) expert interviews (QCAmap, Mayring, 2019; Fenzl and Mayring, 2017), the paper reflects on alterations within the organization and in the organization–stakeholder relationships through corporate sustainability communication.

The analytical deep dive into one case of corporate sustainability communication of a multinational energy corporation shows the difference between a transformative and transformational character of corporate communication. The insights from the interviews support the assumption that corporates not only adapt to changes of environmental factors (perturbative communication) but also – however rarely – alter their spatiotemporal relationships with their external environment (relocational communication), so there is a lack of actual transformational communication.

Corporates in the (renewable) energy sector as well as industry networks like gas (infrastructure) suppliers have the potential to impact their environment (stakeholder, energy communities, etc.), change cultural patterns and norms and co-construct new socio-ecological niches through communication. The study presented gives evidence and examples for transformative corporate sustainability communication. On a conceptual level, it offers an innovative framework to understand sustainability as a guiding principle for corporate communication that will stimulate corporate communication research in the future.

The purpose of this paper is to determine inasmuch energy suppliers dedicate communicative resources toward sustainable development and corporate social responsibility (CSR), also paying attention to how they frame it, and if they manage to achieve consistency in their communication or fall victim to contradictions.

By use of a qualitative content analysis, online communication tools (information on corporate websites) as well as content for download were examined in detail. The present study sample comprised of 12 case studies from selected countries (Austria, Russia, Germany, the USA, France and Korea).

Overall, findings indicate that CSR has already been implemented in most energy and energy-related industries; however, it is put forward with varying degrees of attention and intensity, depending on which topics energy companies choose to address communicatively (results were classified according to a frame positioning scheme by Weder, 2012, 2018). Results underscore the fact that, at times, companies are struggling to link their CSR projects back to their core businesses. Yet, a clear trend to politicization can be described as a strong correlation of communication strategies of energy suppliers and political programs of the respective country becomes obvious.

Limited research as to how CSR topics are framed in different branches has been conducted to date; likewise, the energy sector, whose motives has been often subject to public questioning, has received little attention in CSR communication research to date. Hence, ambiguities were presumed to exist.

The present study examines the relevance and framing of CSR in a highly competitive, centralized industry that is challenged by a global process of transition to renewable energy. The results show that the analyzed energy suppliers offer only a limited variety of issue-specific frames; instead CSR as well as sustainability are (ab)used as master frames or “buzz words” in a fairly shallow economic or socio-political argumentation.

This editorial is an introduction to the special issue on CSR communication related to the 4th CSR Communication Conference, held in Vienna (Austria) in September 2017. The purpose of this paper is to critically reflect on the state-of-the-art in academic research on CSR communication concepts, strategies and future scenarios.

The editorial critically evaluates existing academic research dealing with CSR communication in the digital age. More precisely, it analyses established theories and concepts of CSR communication in terms of their fit to meet future challenges.

It can be noted that CSR communication practice is heading for new shores. Economic pressure, legal and political requirements, reputation risks in a digital media ecology and a new civic-minded and well-being-oriented generation of employees require a reorientation of CSR communication from information to impact orientation. Thus, the authors complement the approach of communication about CSR with the concept of communicative responsibility as a normative framework for corporate communication in the future.

The analyzed literature as well as the papers of the CSR Communication Conference indicate that the authors are heading toward a future of impact- instead of information-oriented communication. Here, communicative responsibility comes in as a fourth dimension of corporate responsibility, offering a normative framework for strategic, impact-oriented sustainability communication, integrated reporting and internal CSR.

Recognizing the existence of corporate social responsibility (CSR), and more precisely a social impact related to diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI), organizations today are confronted with the question of what is considered as good. How is the good life created and communicatively constructed inside an organization? Who (agent) is responsible to realize, secure, and manage the process of value creation and social change, or moral agency? I offer a new perspective on the ethical duty of public relations (PR) practitioners to be revolutionary, to be communicative rebels. I conceptualize PR from a critical theoretical perspective as process of problematization, as process of cracking open common sense and underlying systems of power and norms in an organization. Then I offer strategies for creating shared (communication) spaces in which to imagine and experience transformation and social change. In these spaces (huddles), good life is courageously problematized to offer a new narrative of sustainability including DEI as communicatively codesigned. The aim is to highlight opportunities and tools for PR practitioners and PR scholars to be revolutionary – more than an organization's conscience, but an agent of change for exciting, innovative, and transformative communication practices at the core of the discipline.

This study examines the critical role of central banks, specifically the Croatian National Bank (CNB), in promoting environmental sustainability within the financial sector. While banking activities may seem unrelated to environmental concerns, they are pivotal in supporting the green transition and mitigating climate change. Building on Weber (2019) argument that sustainable development should be integral to banking strategies, this paper explores how the CNB communicates its environmental responsibilities. This study aims to examine how the CNB frames its environmental communication (EC) and explore the broader implications of such communication in fostering systemic change toward a low-carbon economy. By addressing this, the study fills a theoretical gap in understanding the role of central banks in EC within the context of sustainable development.

The research adopts a qualitative approach, including an in-depth interview with the CNB’s Deputy Governor and a content analysis of the CNB’s Climate Strategy based on the media and visual framing theory (Entman, 1993; Messaris, 1997). The analysis focuses on the framing of EC through key dichotomies such as anthropocentric vs. biocentric, local vs. global, pragmatic vs. constitutive, instrumental vs. intrinsic and techno-centric vs. eco-centric. Additionally, the study examines the targeted audience of these communications to understand the CNB’s approach to fostering broader engagement with sustainability goals.

The study reveals that the CNB’s EC incorporates both pragmatic and constitutive dimensions, emphasising a balance between immediate, practical financial considerations and broader systemic ideological shifts. The CNB’s Climate Strategy highlights a clear focus on reducing negative environmental impacts, supporting socially responsible business and promoting a low-carbon economy. However, while some elements of the communication are globally oriented and techno-centric, the findings suggest a need for deeper engagement with eco-centric and intrinsic value-based messaging to support a truly transformative green transition.

A limitation of the paper is that analysis may be constrained by the lack of longitudinal data, making it difficult to assess the long-term effectiveness of these communication efforts. Finally, the study focuses solely on one institution, which limits the generalisation of the findings to other banks or industries within the European Union and Western countries, where EC strategies might differ significantly.

Practical implications of the research include highlighting the need for central banks and financial institutions to adopt more comprehensive and balanced EC strategies, as well as that by refining EC strategies, central banks can play a key role in raising public awareness of climate change issues.

This study contributes to the limited literature on central banks' role in climate change communication by offering a critical examination of how environmental responsibilities are framed within the financial sector. It underscores the importance of a systemic shift in EC strategies to move beyond pragmatic concerns and drive long-term ideological change. The paper provides valuable insights for policymakers and financial institutions on how to align communication strategies with the broader goals of sustainable development and the green transition while offering avenues for future research on the evolving role of central banks in sustainability.