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Podcast

Jennifer Hoyer
The Nature Conservancy

Jennifer Hoyer is the Global Director of Cause Marketing at The Nature Conservancy, a global environmental nonprofit working to create a world where people and nature can thrive. The Nature Conservancy has grown to become one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world thanks to more than a million members and more than 400 scientists. During this week’s episode, Jen and Jonathan talk about the positive shifts she has seen during her 10+ years of working at The Nature Conservancy (TNC). They discuss how companies are making true investments and commitments. She has found that companies that understand how environmental issues impact their dependencies on nature jump in whole heartedly. “It’s cool to see a full sweep of engagement around social impact beyond just marketing,” said Jen. 

Jen discusses her role to help those companies that are really committed and invested in nature to tell their story to not only influence industry, but take what could be a complicated thing and make those issues relevant in a way consumers can attach to.

“We’re in an interesting transition between corporate philanthropy and cause marketing. A lot of companies believe that philanthropic contributions should bring a return benefit – asset capture, storytelling, and TNC singing about how wonderful they are. If you look at what the definition of philanthropy is, it’s giving without expected return,” said Hoyer.

Jonathan and Jen talk about the expectations companies have around their environmental commitments and donations which often tie back to ROI. 

The Nature Conservancy uses social listening tools and Jen talks about how this helps gather data and the importance of their partners bringing data about their business to them.  It helps them understand issues they are testing in their marketing and make decisions off of that. They collect whatever metrics they can through digital social traffic, tags and more. 

Jen talks about her personal passion around the intersection of people and nature. She likes looking at how nature can provide so many solutions to some of the biggest challenges we’re facing. As a director, she speaks to her management style. “I’m more of a player coach type of manager; don’t mind licking envelopes if they need to be licked. Don’t mind tough conversations to make my team successful,” said Jen. The two wrap the conversation discussing how listeners can participate in a tree giving program now they can get involved in The Nature Conservancy.