Corporate Affairs Summit Ireland 2025

Key takeaways from the Corporate Affairs Summit 2025

The discussions at the Corporate Affairs Summit in Ireland provided valuable insights into how organisations are approaching sustainability communications in 2025. Most attendees reported their orgs continue to communicate externally around sustainability initiatives – albeit with some witnessing an element of scaling back. The reasons given for this reveal emerging trends in how corporate affairs leaders are navigating the landscape. 

Diverging approaches to sustainability communications

• Scaling back: Some organisations, particularly those headquartered in the US, highlighted that communication strategies are tightly controlled by corporate HQ. Others expressed caution, preferring to “strategically wait” until their sustainability claims could be substantiated by demonstrable progress. 
• Maintaining visibility: Many leaders continue to engage externally, although with mixed results. Press releases are often overlooked by media outlets, with journalists showing reduced interest in sustainability initiatives. Others prioritise topics with the highest customer relevance, while some acknowledged that stakeholders already assume sustainability measures are underway, reinforcing the need to align perception with reality. 

Broader themes and insights 

• The human role amidst AI: With AI reshaping communications, corporate affairs professionals remain essential to contextualise information, build empathy, and craft narratives that cut through digital noise. Storytelling and critical interpretation are more important than ever. 
• Effective case studies: To resonate in today’s environment, sustainability case studies must go beyond performance data. Recommendations, testimonials, and human perspectives enhance credibility and impact. 
• Resource pressures: Organisations continue to face the challenge of “doing more with less,” intensifying the need for clarity and prioritisation in communications. 
• Critical skills: Relationship capital and human judgement are emerging as the most valuable capabilities for leaders navigating complex stakeholder environments. 

Leadership alignment and strategic influence 

• Convincing the C-Suite: Directors of Sustainability and Communications noted the challenge of securing leadership attention on sustainability communications, with many CEOs focused elsewhere, echoing themes from The Cost of Silence. 
• Understanding perceptions: Barry Field, Corporate Affairs Director at AIB, stressed the importance of research to understand how organisations are perceived—an approach aligned with Anthesis’ recommendations for evidence-led communication strategies. 
• Value-based language: Rosie Valentine, Global Director of Internal Communications, Inclusion & Engagement at Primark, highlighted the importance of inclusive, values-driven language. For example, using terms such as belonging rather than DEI to avoid polarisation. This reinforces the principle that authentic, human-centred communications resonate more strongly with diverse audiences.