Companies often describe their people as their “greatest asset”. But we would never dare say that about Ruth Wood for reasons that should soon become apparent. As part of our series on the people behind our content, we asked one of our sustainability copywriters to lift the lid on her life at Stratton Craig.
How long have you been at Stratton Craig and what is your role?
I joined Stratton Craig in July 2022 as a copywriter specialising in sustainability reporting for corporate clients. I wasn’t a specialist at the time, though! It’s been the steepest learning curve of my life.
What drew you to sustainability reporting?
When I was 15, I heard on the news that the weather would get more extreme in the future because the earth was heating up.
“Huh,” said a boy in my class. “If it’s a problem, THEY will do something about it.”
“Who’s ‘THEY’?” I asked, but he just shrugged.
That was nearly 40 years ago and these days the consequences of THEIR inaction are scorching our soil and flooding our streets. What are THEY doing about it? That’s the beauty of sustainability reporting – you get to grill businesses on this very subject and record their actions for others to scrutinise. From regenerative agriculture and renewable energy to energy-efficient manufacturing and circular products, THEY are doing a lot. It’s not enough and it’s not happening fast enough, but it’s reassuring to witness something changing other than the climate.
On a typical day, what do you spend your time doing?
At any one time, I’ll usually have at least a couple of reports on the go plus a few other projects such as articles, web pages or white papers. Thank goodness our amazing account managers are in charge of my schedule as I’d break all the plates if I had to spin them myself.
Every reporting project starts with a series of bitesize tasks: reviewing the client’s existing communications, meeting the client and interviewing subject matter experts. Then I plunge deep into the zone to write the first draft and lick the report into shape over a few rounds of amends based on client feedback.
What have you learned on the job?
Another language! I’m almost fluent now in sustainability reporting speak, with its many acronyms including ESG, CSRD, ISSB, TCFD, TNFD, DEI, GHG and UN SDGs.
Luckily, I’m an avid language learner. I studied French and English at university and have had stints teaching French to preschool children and making French language resources for primary schools.
The variety at Stratton Craig is mind-blowing. One moment you’re immersed in the world of electric cars. The next you’re swotting up on Shariah-compliant finance or sustainable fashion. I learn something new every day. One of my first lessons was that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are divided into ‘scopes’ depending on where and how the emissions were generated.
Did any of your other previous experience prepare you for your role at Stratton Craig?
Yes and no. For 24 years, I was a journalist. My job was to find stories and write them in plain English for a general readership. Our newspaper rarely got much reader feedback except when we accidentally published the crossword upside down. So, it was a culture shock to enter the world of corporate copywriting where every word is scrutinised by multiple people.
Clients often want us to use fancy words such as “leverage” and “optimise” and “scalable solution” and “robust” this and that. It’s taken me years to feel comfortable with the lexicon and know when to push back and make the case for plainer English. Clichés litter corporate writing like landmines. It’s a daily struggle to sidestep them and find a different way to articulate worn-out phrases such as “Our people are our greatest asset”.
That said, much of what I picked up as a trainee newspaper reporter in the 1990s still serves me well today. Double-check claims and trace them back to the original source. Don’t be afraid to ask stupid questions. Respect your readers. Get used to the spike.
The spike?
The spike was a sharp metal rod fixed to the subeditor’s desk at the evening paper I joined in 1998. Back then, draft copy was printed out on paper, and any stories that didn’t pass muster with the editor were impaled on the spike. It was hard to see a piece of writing you’d crafted brutally discarded. But you soon learned that copy can be scrapped or cut back for a multitude of reasons. It’s nothing personal.
What do you like doing outside work?
Canoeing down limestone gorges in the Massif Central. Going for night walks with my daughter Mabel. Hanging out with our chickens Madeleine and Millefeuille. Plotting a new life in France with my husband. Playing guitar. Dancing in the kitchen. Sprouting broccoli seeds. Binge-watching cosy crime. Music. Friends. Coffee. Red wine. Deadlifting. The usual.
Ruth Wood
Ruth has been a professional writer and editor for nearly 30 years. Since joining Stratton Craig in 2022, she has specialised in writing sustainability reports for large organisations, including those on the FTSE 100 and NASDAQ.
Ruth’s confidence in diverse sectors and formats stems from her journalism career, which saw her write health features for the Daily Telegraph, produce campaign materials for the British Medical Association and edit a national real estate magazine. During her years in regional newspapers, she won three environmental journalism awards and interviewed people in myriad circumstances, from rock stars to refugees, from prisoners to a shadow prime minister.
