Adaptation Of Sustainability Communications In Public Relations Practice In Ghana: Perspectives From PR Agency Practitioners

Abstract

Sustainability communication has emerged as an essential component of modern public relations, enabling organisations to demonstrate their long-term commitment to environmental responsibility, social equity, and economic viability. While global scholarship has extensively examined sustainability communication in developed contexts, far less is known about how PR practitioners in developing countries, particularly in Africa, adapt such communication to culturally distinct, resource-constrained environments. This study investigates how PR agency professionals in Ghana conceptualise, adapt, and implement sustainability communication within their practice. Data collected yielded four major themes: Beyond CSR, Cultural Localisation, Capacity Constraints, and Practitioner Leadership. The findings reveal that Ghanaian PR agency professionals have moved beyond the traditionally narrow CSR-focused understanding of sustainability communication that dominates both local scholarship and many client expectations. Cultural localisation emerged as a critical strategic pillar. Practitioners consistently reinterpreted global sustainability concepts through Ghanaian cultural values. However, practitioners face significant constraints, including a lack of reliable data, limited sustainability expertise among clients and media partners. The study concludes by recommending capacity-building initiatives, institutionalised sustainability communication training, development of national data systems, and stronger collaboration between PR agencies and policymakers to advance sustainability communication in Ghana.