The popularity of influencers has risen rapidly in recent years, and they are now a core pillar of marketing and communications strategies around the world. Food and drink, home, clothing, tech – you name the industry, there’s an influencer for it.

But, with more and more people and businesses beginning to consider their impact on people and the planet, what about influencers in the ESG space?

Back in May this year, a new campaign was revealed by Boody – an organic bamboo clothing and underwear brand. The campaign, which included a 30-second ad and billboards dotted around Sydney and Melbourne, featured renowned primatologist, Dr Jane Goodall.

In the ad, Goodall stands in a rainforest surrounded by models sporting Boody’s underwear range and says: “It’s a big job making our world a better place, but getting started? Well, that’s as easy as changing your underwear.”

With many people surprised to see Dame Jane Goodall fronting a campaign for underwear, Boody has well and truly made its mark and got people thinking about the use of influencers in the ESG space.

The brand has demonstrated the importance of careful consideration when it comes to selecting an influencer, saying: “We didn’t want to just get any influencer or celebrity. Jane was the top of our list and we’re so happy that she said yes.”

What’s more, it has not only considered the ‘E’ in ESG, but also the ‘S’ – paying Goodall’s fee for the campaign directly to the Jane Goodall Institute, which works to conserve and protect chimpanzees and their environments.

So, with Boody paving the way, is this the start of ESG influencer marketing?

Sustainable fashion is an area that we’re beginning to see more influencer activity. Educating social media users on the harsh reality of fast fashion, sustainable fashion influencers are beginning to use their platforms to change the narrative and push for positive change.

An example of this is Venetia La Manna, who sells herself as a ‘fair fashion campaigner’ and has worked with brands such as Vestiaire Collective and Loveness Lee. With 169,000 Instagram followers and 10,400 Twitter followers, she’s certainly proving to be a hit in the sustainable fashion space.

We’re also seeing an increase in the popularity of sustainable living influencers, who promote a way of life centred around minimalism, reducing waste, and eating sustainably. Francesca Willow, who goes by the name of Ethical Unicorn, is an example of this. Francesca’s blog has a big focus on sustainable living and social justice, and she’s interested in the bigger picture and systemic change – focusing on consumer choice, collective action, and policy change. She currently posts to an audience of 23,300 people on Instagram, so there’s a significant demand for this sort of content on social media.

So, with brands like Boody beginning to consider the use of ESG influencers, and the demand for this kind of content on social media high, we can expect to see this trend continue to grow in the coming months.

Are there any ESG influencers that you follow? We’d love for you to share them with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

And if you’re looking for a social media agency in Birmingham, get in touch today to discuss how social media can be used to improve your brand image.