Making ESG land in MedTech and Healthcare
Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) has become one of the most talked-about areas of healthcare communications – moving from peripheral sustainability discussions to a mainstream corporate and sector communications focus. The volume of data, the complexity of reporting, and the growing expectations from patients, regulators and investors make it hard to get right. Yet in a sector built on trust and measurable progress, clear and credible communication has never mattered more.
ESG activity often creates long reports full of numbers, but no clear narrative. Many organisations still produce ESG reports or campaigns because they feel they should, to show good intent, or to meet external pressure. When the story isn’t backed by evidence or expertise, it risks being dismissed as greenwashing. Showing proof of progress and connecting ESG commitments to real-world results is critical - whether that’s reducing clinical waste, improving supply chain ethics, or embedding Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) in how teams work. Some organisations are even moving away from using the term ESG, instead talking about sustainability or embedding it within transformation programmes.
And the value in it?
The evidence for getting it right is powerful. Companies with strong ESG performance deliver average annual returns of 12.9%, compared with 8.6% for lower-rated peers (Kroll ESG and Global Investor Returns Stude (2023)). 75% of executives say sustainability drives better results (IBM Study), and 67% of employees are more likely to apply for roles at responsible companies (Kimberly-Clark Professional, Workplace Insights Report (2023)) - a crucial factor in a sector competing hard for talent.
The common challenges
Our experience shows us that organisations commonly run into the same few issues around ESG - their agenda isn’t strong enough, they can’t coordinate effectively, or their story isn’t being told well enough. These factors are linked and getting them all correct will go a long way towards engaging audiences.
A weak ESG agenda means failing to deliver on stakeholder expectations - be it poor gender pay gaps, operating in markets with compliance challenges, or not delivering on any kind of green agenda. In cases like this, our recommendation would be to build a campaign that takes stakeholders on a journey towards a clearly stated goal. The power of collective goal setting is incredible!
Collaborating effectively is critical. If organisations can’t pull together the good work they are doing across the organisation into one gripping theme, it can undermine everything, making building a compelling story or campaign very difficult. This is where Gosling comes in: We can create a clear strategy, built around stakeholders, helping the team responsible stay targeted in their internal outreach.
Finally, if the story being told isn’t landing or being told well enough, it’s time to look at design and storytelling. At Gosling, we’ve been helping healthcare and MedTech organisations bring their ESG and sustainability stories to life for more than a decade. From defining the message to producing reports, campaigns and creative content, we help teams turn complex data into clear, engaging stories.
