Category Archives: News

GONG’S PRO-BONO SERVICES BOOST IMPACT OF CLIMATE ACTIVIST’S EPIC JOURNEY

June 26, 2023 rachel_eaton Leave a comment

Though our Impact Committee which oversees our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) work, Gong Communications, a Wilful Group company provided pro-bono support for climate activist Craig Cohon and his Walk it Back campaign.

After decades of living decadently, the businessman and ex-Coca Cola executive vowed to remove his entire lifetime worth of carbon emissions. As part of this promise, Craig made a tremendous 4,250km walk from Europe to Asia on a fact-finding adventure to create the world’s biggest dialogue on carbon removal and its role in the fight against climate change.

In the lead up to the finish line in Istanbul on 5th June, Gong worked alongside Craig and the Walk it Back team to provide media relations and boost impact, achieving top tier coverage in Sky, Independent, Daily Mail, Yahoo and over 300 international and UK outlets. Gong also provided a social media toolkit for Walk it Back’s partners and additional support with blogs and thought leadership.

Craig said, “Gong Communications was instrumental in delivering media relations and social media support for our team. Gong delivered strategic insights and achieved fantastic media coverage at the climax of our environmental campaign, expanding brand awareness and helping us build a global dialogue on carbon removal.”

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GONG APPOINTED TO EXPAND STX’S SOCIAL MEDIA SHARE OF VOICE

June 12, 2023 rachel_eaton Leave a comment

Gong Communications, a Wilful Group company, has been appointed to provide social media support for STX, a leading global environmental commodity trader and corporate climate solutions provider.

STX is at the forefront of driving global efforts towards reducing pollution and preserving natural resources. For more than fifteen years, STX has been valuing the true cost of emissions and pollution, fostering confidence in carbon reduction and green energy trading.

As part of the project, Gong will devise a social media strategy and create social content to enhance STX’s thought leadership and employee brand, with a goal to spread brand awareness, generate new business leads and attract new talent into the rapidly growing sector.

STX was founded in 2005 to pioneer a nascent environmental commodities industry, and in 2022 was named “Best Trading Company – Renewable Energy Certificates in Europe and North America” for the third time consecutively in Environmental Finance’s Annual Voluntary Carbon Market Rankings.

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Gong Communications Impact Report 2022

June 5, 2023 rachel_eaton Leave a comment

We are pleased to share our 2022 impact report. In a year in which we donated 180 hours to CSR activities, spent 325 hours in training, and recycled 100% of our e-waste, we also celebrated making an impact through communications for our clients tackling urgent issues such as climate change, circular economy, global health, and education.

Click on the image above to download Gong Communications’ B Corp Impact Report 2022.

If you’d like to get in touch and find out more about our work, email us at info@gongcommunications.com

News

GONG COMMUNICATIONS SUPPORTS THE FALCON AWARDS FOR DISEASE ELIMINATION FROM GLIDE

May 17, 2023 rachel_eaton Leave a comment

We are delighted to have supported our client, the Global Institute for Disease Elimination (GLIDE), in branding and launching the second iteration of the Falcon Awards for Disease Elimination (FADE): The Climate Edit.

After we successfully helped launch the inaugural Falcon Awards in 2022, our international development communications team worked alongside GLIDE to name this years’ awards, ‘The Climate Edit’. This was to underscore the awards’ purpose in backing innovation and knowledge expansion at the intersection of climate and disease elimination.

Our sustainability comms specialists created fresh branding materials, a logo, webpage, concept note, a full brand book, a press release and thought leadership in preparation for the launch. The awards attracted 79 applicants from across 44 countries in six continents and garnered coverage in key trade and regional titles such as SG Voice, Eastern Eye, PharmiWeb, and Relief Web.

Nine winning projects were selected from Africa, Asia and South America, receiving up to $50,000 to undertake a formative research project and the opportunity to be showcased during COP28. They covered a variety of knowledge-building research in new and under-explored areas of climate and infectious disease, such as the influence of rainfall patterns on malaria elimination in Zambia, disease forecasting in the Peruvian Amazon, and community-led surveillance and response to elephantiasis in Tanzania. To learn more about the winners of the 2023 Falcon Awards for Disease Elimination, see the full winners announcement here.

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Gong wins again at 2023 Africa SABRE Awards

April 25, 2023 rachel_eaton Leave a comment

Gong Communications was delighted to win two Certificates of Excellence at the 2023 Africa SABRE Awards which highlight superior achievement in branding, reputation, and engagement.

The team was recognised for its work across Africa with clients the Global Institute for Disease Elimination (GLIDE) and Aon, the multinational financial services firm.

The international development communications team has been working with GLIDE as its PR partner since 2021, naming and launching its inaugural Falcon Awards for Disease Elimination (FADE). The team received recognition within the Central Africa category for its media relations support as well as developing and managing the content for GLIDE’s Webisodes Campaign, “Building Awareness to End Diseases of Poverty”.

As D&I communications experts, the Aon team was commended, alongside its African partners Phyllion & Partners Limited, within the Superior Achievement in Research and Planning category for their work on the industry staple, Dive In Nigeria. The 2022 event marked Gong’s third year in supporting the insurance giant’s event and is part of the global Dive In Festival – the largest diversity and inclusion employee engagement brand platform of its type, developed with Gong. This year’s Dive In Festival will be held between 26^th-28^th September 2023 and will include branded events across the globe.

It’s the third consecutive year that the corporate communications team, which operates out of its London and Nairobi offices, has enjoyed success at the SABRE Awards. In 2022 the team won the Central Africa and Media Relations categories for its work with African private equity firm, Birimian Ventures. In 2021 the Aon team won again within the Research and Planning and Public Education categories, receiving a Certificate of Excellence in the Financial and Professional Services category.

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Lloyd’s insurance market re-appoints Gong as communications partner for international diversity festival

April 12, 2023 rachel_eaton Leave a comment

Gong has been re-appointed to manage diversity and inclusion communications for the Lloyd’s insurance market. The appointment will mark Gong’s seventh year of working with Dive In, the first insurance market-wide diversity and inclusion festival, on behalf of the Inclusion@Lloyd’s steering group.

Dive In is a global movement in the insurance sector that supports the development of inclusive workplace cultures. Its mission is to enable people to achieve their potential by raising awareness of the business case for diversity, equity and inclusion and promoting positive action for diversity in all its forms. Since the first festival in 2015, Dive In has grown exponentially, with events taking place across 40 countries world-wide, attracting more than 34,000 people.

Narda Shirley, founder of Gong said: “As an agency with a fair amount of D&I expertise, we are able to play an integral part in a very exciting and dynamic movement. With such a wide-ranging brief that covers theme ideation, video, stakeholder relations, media communications and social media, it really allows us to play to our key strengths. The Dive In Festival grows in popularity year on year, constantly breaking country and attendee records and we can’t wait to get stuck into supporting Dive In 2023!”

Described as a ‘brave and bold event’ by Marketing Week, the success of Dive In has been widely recognised by awards in the insurance sector, marketing and PR experts and employers’ networks. Dive In has won or been shortlisted for 12 awards, won seven, and been widely praised and acknowledged across the industry.

This year’s Dive In Festival will be held between 26th-28th September 2023 and will include branded events across the globe.

News

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland reappoints Gong for media relations brief

March 23, 2023 rachel_eaton Leave a comment

Gong Communications, a Wilful Group company, has been re-appointed by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS) to provide UK and international communications support following a successful first year.

ICAS represents and regulates more than 23,000 members and 3,700 students across 200 countries. It accredits students with ‘CA’ (Chartered Accountant) designation in the UK and Europe.

Gong is working with ICAS to increase brand awareness by building on coverage already achieved in international business press such as the Wall Street Journal and Yahoo! News. As well as national titles such as The i, The Guardian and The Telegraph and Scottish dailies such as The National and The Herald.

As sustainability comms specialists, part of the team’s remit for ICAS is focused on delivering communications around mandatory sustainability reporting standards within the UK, as featured in Bloomberg and Business Leader.

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Greece’s Sovereign Wealth Fund appoints bespoke team of International ESG advisors to build value of its public assets portfolio

August 22, 2022 rachel_eaton Leave a comment

A multi-disciplinary group of international advisors led by ESG specialists, Earth Active, has been appointed by Greece’s sovereign wealth fund, Growthfund.

The group, comprising London-headquartered Earth Active and Gong Communications and Athens- based Sympraxis, combines expertise in ESG audit, capacity building, policy and strategy and best practice implementation with ESG stakeholder communications.

Commenting on the appointment, Anthi Trokoudi, Chief Communications and Sustainability Officer at Growthfund said, “The international team we have appointed draws on specialists with many years’ experience, much of it honed in complex contexts where they have perfected the art and science of combining data and culture to bring about transformations that support ESG best practice. What our team in Growthfund aims for with regards to the vital issues of Sustainability and Climate is to achieve managing public companies and public real estate responsibly”.

Narda Shirley, Gong Communications Founder & CEO said, “The role of the sovereign and public wealth funds has never been more important in demonstrating global leadership on climate change, a just transition and the biodiversity crisis. Our bespoke, cross-functional team brought together for this unique engagement is supporting the team at Growthfund in delivering its vision to add value to Greece’s public enterprises and assets for the benefit of its people. We feel very lucky to be part of this ambitious project and for the association with such an iconic portfolio of assets that includes at one extreme flagship real estate and at the other, infrastructure projects such as the refurbished Corinth Canal.”

About Growthfund

Growthfund, the National Fund of Greece is a holding company established in 2016 with the Greek State as its sole shareholder, as represented by the Minister of Finance. Its mission, as Greece’s Sovereign Wealth Fund, is to: play an active role in the modernisation of Public Enterprises, maximise the value of public property, ensure enhanced services for citizens/consumers and contribute to the national economy. In 2021, Growthfund (HCAP), signed up to the One Planet Sovereign Wealth Fund initiative (OPSWF). Growthfund’s portfolio includes subsidiaries and holdings in public enterprises that are active in key sectors of the Greek economy, such as Real Estate: Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (HRADF), Hellenic Public Properties Company (HPPC), GAIAOSE, ETVA-VIPE, TIF HELEXPO; Energy and Utilities: PPC, EYDAP, EYATH; Transport and Infrastructure: Athens International Airport, OASA (Transport for Athens) AEDIK, 23 Regional Airports; Food Supply: CMT, CMFO, Hellenic Saltworks; Technology: PHAISTOS Fund; and Postal Services: HELLENIC POST The value of the portfolio managed by Growthfund currently stands at €6 billion, and its companies have a total of 31,000 employees.

About Earth Active

Earth Active is a globally experienced team of bespoke ESG advisors, with headquarters in London. We create sustainable value for clients from their investments by understanding the intrinsic links between E, S and G, and focusing on the investment outcome. We are specialists in leadership and governance with a deep technical understanding of the challenges of climate change, biodiversity, environmental, and social performance. We work across the agriculture and forestry, energy and renewables, manufacturing, industrial and extractives and retail sectors for clients including development finance institutions, commercial banks, private equity and multinational companies.

About Gong Communications

Gong Communications, part of the Wilful Group, is a corporate and B2B communications agency with offices in London and Nairobi. A certified B Corp since 2017, Gong works at the intersection of finance & risk, sustainability and global development for clients including the IFC, UNESCO, Aon and Old Mutual. Alongside ESG, key themes in its work for clients include stakeholder communications around diversity and inclusion, innovation, entrepreneurship and technology.

About Sympraxis

Sympraxis team provides end to end sustainability strategy, implementation and communication services to clients such as OTE (Deutsche Telecom), Papastratos (Philip Morris International), Beiesdorf, Google, SOS Children’s villages and the European Commision. In the past 22 years Sympraxis has supported more than 500 projects with an overall value that exceeds 50m€, in 16 countries throughout the globe.

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Gong Communications launches Morrow Sodali ESG capability in the UK

July 21, 2022 rachel_eaton Leave a comment

Gong Communications launches Morrow Sodali ESG capability in the UK via thought leadership programme and expert panel event

Investor and stakeholder expectations are changing rapidly, and while climate issues have taken centre stage in ESG plans and disclosures, an increasing focus is being placed on social impact reporting. Decisions taken by corporates are under increased scrutiny, with stakeholders keen to understand how businesses are ensuring they contribute to a just and green transition.

A global business with a 50 year track record of successfully advising board members and executives, Morrow Sodali provides bespoke counsel to reinforce and reassure boards on best practice when it comes to ESG.

To help launch the company’s UK ESG offering, Gong Communications worked with Morrow Sodali to design and host a panel event focused on the challenges and evolving requirements of social impact reporting. Held at The Walbrook Club in the heart of the city, a panel comprising representatives from the Financial Reporting Council, ShareAction, Rio Tino and The Church of England Pensions Board was moderated and hosted by BBC business journalist Adam Shaw. A packed room of decision makers from FTSE-listed companies kept the discussion going well after the panel itself.

In addition to the event, targeted thought leadership opportunities were secured for Morrow Sodali in Global Investor Magazine and Portfolio Institutional Magazine and a short video was produced to record both the event and the business’ understanding of this fast-evolving issue for publicly listed companies.

To learn more about our thought leadership and publishing support, and how we can support you with video production, contact us.

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82 million refugees calling for sanctuary – what can we do?

July 11, 2022 rachel_eaton Leave a comment

1 in every 95 people on Earth has fled their home. War, religious violence, political persecution and famine are forcing people from their homes to the temporary safety of neighbouring countries – 85 per cent of which are developing nations.

As part of a wider community of B Corps using business as a force for good, we wanted to use our PR expertise to help the very charities that are creating a safer, more inclusive world for forcibly displaced persons and refugees. And so, on 20 June 2021, Gong’s Refugee Press Office was born.

WHERE ARE WE NOW?

Twelve months since we launched our CSR press office, we’ve been busy supporting several refugee and humanitarian-related charities.

We’ve long been advocates for Refugee Support Europe, backing its mission of Aid with Dignity. With refugees and migration becoming increasingly politicised in the UK, the work of charities and NGOs in protecting the rights of refugees has never been more important. Volunteers are the backbone of these organisations, so we were delighted when Refugee Support asked us to help them with PR around their annual Dignify Festival. The event brought together established and upcoming music and comedy acts to raise funds to support the resettlement of Afghan refugees and provide them with essential food and hygiene items.

Held at The Bedford in Balham, Ronnie Scott’s regular Sarah Jane Morris and Hip Hop Blingo kept the crowd entertained on a drizzly November evening. In the run up to the event, we secured coverage in local titles to support ticket sales, securing coverage in London News Online, South London Press and Balham Newsie.

The event was a huge success, raising £65,000 to support the charity’s operations.

DIGNITY FOR VICTIMS FOR WAR

The war in Ukraine has seen more than 14 million people flee their homes in search for safety in neighbouring countries and across the world. Moldova, one of the poorest countries in Europe which sits to the southwest of Ukraine, has seen its population swell as a result. This is exactly where Refugee Support decided to set up its next Dignity Centre. To assist in their fundraising efforts, we placed op-eds on behalf of co-founder, Paul Hutchings in the Independent and Charity Times, where he highlighted the importance of buying locally to boost local economies where refugees reside, rather than shipping donations from the UK.

PR WITH PURPOSE ACROSS THE GLOBE

Gong has also been lending its expertise to the Refugee Consortium of Kenya, helping to increase engagement across its social platforms. We have delivered research on digital volunteer networks for Indigo Volunteers, a platform which connects volunteers with humanitarian projects.

Elsewhere, we have been busy assisting Alive & Kicking, an African social enterprise that promotes health education through sport, with the announcement of the winners of its second annual Youth with Refugees Art Contest. It has created over 1,000 jobs and donated more than 120,000 footballs to young people to improve health, fitness and wellbeing.

Refugee-Support-Europe-with-Gong-Communications — Pictured: Refugee Support volunteers at the Dignity Centre.

THE YEAR AHEAD

Looking ahead to what our CSR programme will look like over the next 12 months has got us buzzing with ideas. Employees are asked to pitch charities that they are passionate about, before the whole company votes to decide a favourite. Whichever it is, we’ll make sure we do our bit as a dedicated B Corp, to show how business can also be a force for good.

If you run a refugee charity and need communications support from press office, events management, brand awareness to digital PR and website development, please get in touch at info@gongcommunications.com.