The panelists from ISOS Group and BrownFlynn shared a lot of how-to information, as well as some eye-opening information about the GRI report and the growing importance of sustainability reporting.

GRI is not just a report.
- It's a multi-stakeholder institution that combines input from companies and organizations around the world to develop a comprehensive, standard reporting framework. 
- It's a process, which can inform a company how to better manage its business for long-term success based on the insights found through reporting. 
- It's a framework for improving the quality of sustainability disclosures around the world. 
- It's a report guideline that aims to make sustainability reporting a standard practice for all organizations.

A culture of sustainability can benefit a company's performance.
Professors from Harvard Business School and London Business School researched the effect of a corporate culture of sustainability on corporate behavior and performance outcomes. They found High Sustainability companies significantly outperform Low Sustainability companies. Read the full report.

Many news agencies and other organizations rank companies based on sustainability.
For example, Newsweek does an annual Green Rankings of U.S. companies and global companies. Princeton Review ranks Green Colleges. The Dow Jones launched its Sustainability Indexes in 1999.

Google Finance started listing Carbon Disclosure Rankings.
Google Finance provides a company summary page for companies. The key stats and ratios section now includes Carbon Disclosure Ranking. Not all companies have one listed, but the fact that this number is now being highlighted on a major search engine, shows the growing importance of reporting.

It was enlightening to see the number of people attending the Master Classes this week. We at Standing agree that sustainability and transparent reporting will become increasingly important to businesses across many industries, and hope the large attendance is a sign of more companies also reaching that realization. If you're company is considering a report, check out a recent post from my colleague, Kristin Gumper, about best kept secrets for reporting.

In my last post, I shared tips for incorporating social media into your pre-trade show marketing efforts. Now, imagine that you rocked phase one of your trade show social media plan. You have your followers in place and you've built up a buzz about your exhibit - so now it's time to engage with them at the show, both in person and through your social media channels.

Here are a few ideas of ways to maximize your social media promotion during your trade show:

• Live tweet during the show, offering contests, polls, information about new products and updates on cool stuff that's happening (If you tweet about free donuts in the exhibit hall, they will come!). Use the show's hashtag to keep those not in attendance up-to-date, and you'll become their expert resource on what's happening.
• Set up your exhibit as a location on FourSquare so people can check in there, as well as the tradeshow.
• Place a QR code near a product demo to direct attendees to an instructional video, white paper or website with more information about your product or company.
• You have your booth manned, but have you thought about who your home base (aka your main office) contact will be? Ideally, you'll want to have someone back at your office monitoring your social media and replying to feedback from your followers in real time.

Remember, these tips can easily be modified to engage attendees at any event, not just a trade show!

Stay tuned for my final post in this series, when I'll discuss some ways to keep up the excitement and continue developing your new social media relationships after the exhibit booths close.

If you've ever attended a tradeshow, or a conference with an exhibit hall, you likely understand how difficult it is to stand out from the crowd. With rows and rows of booths to wander by, tradeshow attendees can easily get lost, overwhelmed or, worst of all, snagged by your competition before you get to them. How do you notify the people you want to talk to that you're exhibiting, and how do you make sure that they visit your booth? For such a social marketing event, might I suggest including social media in your trade show marketing?

Yes, a flashy booth or unique giveaways will likely draw some attention, but if you want to engage those people that really matter to your business - your customers, your prospects, your future employees and others - then you're going to have to be get in front of them early, and often, to make an impact. Tools like a company Facebook page or Twitter handle, or resources like a blog, can help you connect with these people weeks before the show, helping you engage them in meaningful conversations about your business online as well as at your booth.

To do this effectively, you'll need to start building your following several months before the actual event. And you need to plan to regularly update your Facebook, blog and Twitter account even after the exhibit - regular communication with your customers, prospects and other stakeholders will be the best way to keep them engaged with your company well after the exhibit booths have closed.

Over my next three posts, I'll share tips for incorporating social media in your trade show marketing.

Before the show:

• Start building buzz by talking about the show on your blog, LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter. Ask people questions about what they are hoping to see and learn, and start discussions about hot industry topics.

• Encourage people to follow you on Twitter for a chance to win a giveaway at the show. The giveaway can be something simple (everyone loves a free t-shirt), or enter them in a raffle to win a larger prize (think iPad or something equally desirable to your audience). Require them to visit your booth to claim their prize.

• Upload a video to your company's YouTube channel (note: now would be a great time to start a YouTube channel, if you haven't already). Use the tradeshow's name in the title so anyone searching for the show will come across your video. Highlight what your company will be demonstrating at the show, or ask one of your subject matter experts to discuss some timely topic.

• Save time and keep up your communication by using a platform like Hootsuite.com or Tweetdeck.com to preschedule tweets leading up to and during the show. Make sure you use the tradeshow's hashtag, as well as your own, so that your tweets are grouped with others talking about the show.

While these tips specifically discuss social media uses in trade show marketing, remember that you can use many of these same tactics to promote any event.

Stay tuned for my next post, where I'll discuss ways to maximize your social media channels during your event.

Darden Restaurants - you probably know the company better as Olive Garden, Red Lobster, and Longhorn Steakhouse - throws away food at the end of every night. A lot of food. TONS of food. And no - we're not talking about the bits of broccoli left on diners' plates. We're talking about the entrée that someone changed before it was served or meat that wasn't used that night and won't be used before the next shipment arrives.

Instead of letting all that food go to waste, the Darden leadership team followed the example of a few of its restaurants: it packaged the unused food and donated it to local food banks. What started as a small local cause marketing program was recognized and institutionalized by the parent company. Now known as the Darden Harvest Program, it is making a significant difference with families in need nationwide. According to Darden's most recent Community Service Report:

In our fiscal year 2011, Darden's restaurants contributed nearly 10 million pounds of cooked food to local food banks across the United States and Canada during one of the toughest economic periods in recent history, worth over $90 million. This effort, which began with just 20 Darden restaurants in 2004, now includes the full participation of our more than 1,900 restaurants, who together this year, will officially surpass 50 million pounds of high quality, wholesome food donations to families in need since the program's inception.

I LOVE this program. Not because I've had the privilege to work with Feeding America and ConAgra Foods on programs addressing the issue of child hunger. And not just because I'm passionate about the critical issue of hunger in the United States (which I am). No, I love the Darden Harvest Program because it goes beyond basic cause marketing. Darden didn't make a donation to a cause du jour just so one of its executives could be in a photo opp with an oversized check and get credit for doing good. No - the company tackled this from a true Corporate Social Responsibility perspective:

Sustainability - As part of the restaurant industry in the United States, Darden contributes to the 14 billion pounds of food are sent to landfills each year. How can it lessen the company's environmental impact by keeping that good food out of landfills?

Corporate Citizenship - What can the company and its restaurants uniquely give to help address the issues its local communities are facing? How can the company and its employees truly make a positive impact on society?

Economic - How can the company operate more efficiently to recognize cost savings, grow its profits, and attract and retain quality employees?

Darden Restaurants offers a fantastic example of what we at Standing try to educate our clients about Corporate Social Responsibility, especially from the Corporate Citizenship perspective:

1. Audit your current charitable efforts. Many times, companies don't have a handle on all the different ways they (and their employees) give. Evaluate all your activities and you might find an amazing program to elevate, just like Darden.
2. Evaluate what you uniquely can give. Darden gives food. Crocs donates shoes through its Crocs Cares program. And Dow Corning sends employee teams out on volunteer assignments through its Citizen Service Corps . What can your company give that no one else can? 
3.  Research and determine the best partner. Many companies are drawn to the marketing and brand power of major non-profit organizations, whether it's a strategic fit for the company or not. It's important not to be lured in by a charity's marketing machine. You need to do your homework on which organization is the right partner for you. 
4. Invest in the effort for the long haul. It really frustrates me when clients want to focus on the issue of literacy one month, then they move on to saving the whales the next. If you truly want to make an impact, you have to commit to one or two main issues and devote your resources there. Don't be led from your path by the media darling cause of the moment.

At Standing, we are committed to good corporate citizenship - not only for our clients, but for ourselves. Over the past 20 years, we have donated our time and communications expertise to more than 100 area organizations, including Kidsmart, St. Louis PetLover Coalition, and United Way. We've also rolled up our sleeves and donated our volunteer time to groups like Variety and Habitat for Humanity. We also have planned four Done-in-a-Day projects this year... for example, we're looking forward to spending a Friday afternoon later this month at the St. Louis Area Food Bank helping sort and box food - and whatever else they need us to do.

As you think about giving - either your company, you personally, or an organization you're involved with - ask yourself the question: What can we uniquely give that will make a difference on a critical issue in our community?

What are your favorite corporate citizenship programs or the best examples of companies doing good you've seen? 

If you follow our blog on a regular basis, you're aware that sustainability is a frequent conversation topic with our team. Last week, Julie Layton shared how we're working on becoming a more sustainable company in her blog post, and a past post from Christi Dixon shared how we define sustainability.  Our team really enjoyed Earth Day and the sustainability buzz, especially since we are preparing for the Global Reporting Initiative's (GRI) U.S. conference Making Sustainability Count-Tracking Progress, Driving Opportunity .

With all the excitement around sustainability, we wanted to share a couple articles that have caught our eyes.

• Last month Forbes' guest blogger, John Bolick, shared "Sustainability Now a Strategy, Not Just a Report," an article that explains how sustainability continues to change, and why more companies have developed ways to track their efforts.
• Since higher education is a key passion area for Standing, I wanted to share "Why and How Higher Education is Embracing Sustainability," an article that dives into sustainability practices at universities across the country.

Have you heard of any unique sustainable initiatives? Please tell us ways sustainability efforts have changed your work or learning place. We'd love to hear how these efforts affect your life.

I'm proud to report that this year Standing Partnership is taking on the St. Louis Regional Chamber & Growth Association St. Louis Green Business Challenge for the first time! In reflecting on our sustainability work on behalf of clients, the newly rejuvenated Green Team decided that charting our own sustainability efforts would be a great way to underscore the three pillars of people, planet and profitability.

Led by Eric Schneider, RCGA senior director - Energy & Environment, the St. Louis Green Business Challenge helps companies and organizations adopt sustainable business practices that yield financial savings and reduce environmental impact. Since it launched in 2010, 85 companies and institutions, representing more than 100,000 employees across the bi-state-metropolitan region, have taken the Challenge to implement sustainability strategies and improve their bottom lines.

The Challenge began March 31. All organizations were required to turn in a baseline scorecard, a measurement matrix created by the RCGA, with help from a division of the Missouri Botanical Garden called the Earthways Center. The scorecard charts where an organization begins in its green practices, so it can then quantify its progress on October 31, 2012, when final scorecards are due. The scorecard measures participating organizations' achievements in six areas:

• Forming Green Teams (that's a big checkmark for Standing!)
• Increasing Energy Efficiency
• Improving Indoor Environmental Quality
• Reducing Waste
• Conserving Water
• Providing Clean Transportation Options

The St. Louis Green Business Challenge Class of 2012 includes 86 organizations-many of whom are returning participants looking to further the company's sustainable practices, and several newbies like us. We proudly join many of our clients, including The Doe Run Company, Graybar, Maritz, Monsanto, St. Louis RCGA and URS, in taking on this challenge.

Though there is an award ceremony in December 2012 to recognize the accomplishments of the St. Louis Green Business Challenge participants, the important thing to remember is that we're not in competition with each other-we are all collaborating to make our community a smarter, cleaner and more sustainable place.

As the year goes on, we will post updates with our Green Business Challenge scorecard progress and best practice ideas. Be sure to check back. Good luck to our fellow classmates this year!

Speaking on issues including the Renewable Fuels Standard, the 2012 election and the economy, Senator Roy Blunt's attendance at the St. Louis Agribusiness Club meeting demonstrated the importance of strong relationships between those of us working in agriculture and our elected officials.

Agriculture is a vital and growing component of the St. Louis economy. According to the St. Louis Agribusiness Club's 2010 Agribusiness and the St. Louis Economy Study, the global impact of St. Louis Area Agribusiness is $75 Billion, which equates to more than 60 percent of the local Gross Domestic Product. Additionally, 265,000 jobs can be directly attributed to agriculture. This is almost 20 percent of the St. Louis region's workforce.

Organizations including meeting sponsors Missouri Pork Association, Missouri Cattlemen, National Corn Growers Association, Novus International, and Master Your Card Missouri are part of the story.  As consumers purchasing food, clothing and gasoline, (10 percent of every gallon of gasoline sold in Missouri comes from fuel grown on Missouri farms, according the Missouri Department of Agriculture) each one of us has a stake in Missouri agriculture.

It was a privilege to meet Senator Blunt during the St. Louis Agribusiness Club meeting and know that many political leaders are working to ensure agriculture remains a growth industry for our region.

How have relationships with elected officials improved your industry?    

In February my colleague Chrissy blogged about Standing Partnership's first-ever edition of Standing Presents, a new cultural event we designed with six-minute presentations on everything from client highlights to personal interests.  The idea is to enliven our happy hours by learning more about and from each other - all while sharpening our presentation skills.

Yesterday we spiced up a Wednesday afternoon with our second edition of Standing Presents, and I'm proud to report it was a resounding success!

Here are a few of my favorite moments:

• Standing's resident theatre star, Julie Layton (take a moment to click that link and check out that fabulous costume - we'll wait), helped us understand how a play becomes a show.
• Accounting Manager Susan Zumwinkel reminded an office full of "word people" that numbers can be compelling too - with a six-minute short about a detective on the trail of the "Case of the Missing Time." Of all of the creative ways Susan has nudged us to enter our time, this is the only one I can remember that generated laughter and applause. (Take a minute to watch the video below - you won't be sorry!)
• A recent addition to the team, Jessie Muir raised the energy level in the room with a presentation on her outside-the-office passion, Zumba. A certified instructor, Jessie helped us all work on our moves, and our cardio, with her lively presentation.
• Nick Sargent brought us all inside an exciting client project he's been working on - a video production project for Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

In an office of people that work hard and move fast, it's nice to take some time to share our passions (both inside and outside of work) among the full group. I'm already looking forward to next quarter's edition of Standing Presents!

At Standing Partnership, pro-bono work isn't an afterthought, it's a priority. For 20 years, Standing Partnership has been giving back to the community. Our history and reputation as community partners is why Senior Vice President Julie Steininger recently participated in an International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) - St. Louis panel during their March meeting entitled, "Grow Your Community, Grow Your Career."

As one of three panelists, Julie described key benefits of pro bono work including:

• Allowing team members to work with organizations on issues for which they have a personal passion
• Allowing employees to refine their skills and grow in their careers
• Allowing team members to develop and expand their professional networks

Team members at Standing Partnership serve on many boards throughout the St. Louis community. One great example is Kristin Gumper, who has a passion for horses. She joined the board of Mid America Horse Rescue, which rescues, rehabilitates and retrains ex-racehorses. Her involvement with the organization has not only been personally rewarding, but she's also had the opportunity to stretch her professional skillset by leading the organization's rebranding efforts. Kristin is just one of the many Standing Partnership team members who are giving back to the community. Some of our other colleagues serve on the boards for the St. Louis Petlover Coalition, Habitat Young Friends and Jefferson National Parks Association.

Julie was careful to point out that pro bono work and serving on a board can often be time consuming and much of the work takes place outside of the normal workday. She said that is why being passionate about the cause you support is so important. It takes commitment, and passion is critical for success.

At Standing Partnership, as Julie shared, we encourage employees to seek opportunities to lead, manage projects and guide teams by serving on committees or boards. And, on an annual basis, Standing Partnership selects Community Partners, which receive support through in-kind professional services or volunteer hours. Over the years, Standing Partnership has supported more than 100 community organizations

What recommendations do you have for individuals considering joining a board or participating in pro bono work? 

In our second installment of thought leadership campaign tips, we focus on what to do once you've identified your topics and subject matter experts and prepared them for their role as a thought leader. Click here to check out our first four tips from our previous post.

1.     Prepare your subject matter experts: Develop a bio showcasing their expertise on the topic and take a headshot of them for use with future articles. Provide the subject matter expert with a list of resources to monitor for topic ideas (and monitor them yourself). For example, have them sign up for RSS feeds from the top five blogs covering the topic area. Get them online subscriptions to key industry publications covering the topic. Identify and help them get involved in industry associations or attend events, seminars or conferences that address the topic. Remind them that the purpose of your outreach is not to talk up your products or services, but to provide helpful tips and advice.

2.     Make it easy for your subject matter expert: Set up Google Alerts on the topic, so you can stay up to speed and help the subject matter expert identify timely news about the topic. Schedule regular meetings to discuss potential news angles and to ensure your subject matter expert has time set aside to download their thoughts, opinions, advice and tips on the topic. From there, you can put together initial drafts of thought leadership pieces for them to react to.

3.     Secure opportunities: Online and traditional media are starved for helpful tips, advice and commentary from industry experts. So, start by pitching guest posts on blogs with existing traffic (think industry associations or trade media outlet's blogs). Identify editorial calendar opportunities related to your topic and pitch your subject matter expert as an information resource. Trade publications have small staffs these days, so offer to write a bylined article. Move on to pitching speaking opportunities, starting at the local or regional level and building up to national opportunities once your subject matter expert has more experience under his or her belt. Conduct polls to help give your content and pitches more timely fodder. Offer to do articles for industry associations' newsletters. Remember, add to your subject matter expert's bio when they are published in trade publications and been a featured speaker at industry events.  

4.     Promote the campaign internally: Promote the campaign's success within your organization, which will encourage others to come forward with new thought leadership topics. Also, be sure to recognize the subject matter expert for their efforts to encourage others to volunteer. One organization was so impressed with the extra effort a subject matter expert put forth that they promoted her, which was a great incentive for others to sign on as future thought leaders.

Remember, it takes many organizations about a year to establish a reputation as a thought leader on a particular topic. However, you'll know it's worth the investment when the media, industry associations and prospects start seeking out your organization for insights and advice.

Has your organization encountered any challenges while developing your thought leadership campaigns? What have you done to make your thought leaders successful?