Supporting the next generation: Content Coms partners with University of Bristol MSc student

Content Coms is partnering with the University of Bristol’s brightest talent as part of our mission to support early careers in sustainability communications. 

We worked with Jingxian Zhao, an MSc Global Operations and Supply Chain Management student, who joined us at Content Coms to complete her dissertation research into greenwashing risks within business supply chains.

As a certified B Corp, supporting young careers, strengthening our local community and contributing to a more informed workforce is part of how we do business. Jingxian was mentored throughout her dissertation by Siân Clay, our Senior Account Executive specialising in Strategic Communications & Sustainability. Supported by Sian, Jingxian has helped us to enhance our understanding of where and why greenwashing risk shows up across supply chains, and what pressures businesses face when trying to communicate with credibility and integrity.

The brief: Why greenwashing is such an important focus

Greenwashing is rarely the result of a single misleading claim. More often, it emerges at specific pressure points across complex supply chains, from data gaps and poor governance to regulatory uncertainty and commercial pressures.

We asked Jingxian to explore:

• Where, within typical UK business supply chains, greenwashing or climate misinformation risk is most likely to arise.
• The challenges organisations face when balancing regulatory compliance, transparency, cost and operational reality.
• How these pressures affect decision-making, sustainability claims and stakeholder trust.

This aligned closely with our ongoing anti-greenwash work, including our Anti-Greenwash Playbook and advisory support for organisations navigating tightening regulation.

How Jingxian approached the project

To respond to this brief, Jingxian designed and delivered a mixed-method research programme.

She developed and distributed a survey to UK businesses to gather insight into real-world challenges around greenwashing compliance, regulatory understanding and sustainability communications. Jingxian also conducted one-to-one interviews with industry leaders, enabling deeper exploration of decision-making pressures, internal barriers and risk points within supply chains

This approach allowed Jingxian to capture both quantitative trends and qualitative insight – grounding academic theory in lived business experience.

Why the research mattered

For Jingxian, the project provided the opportunity to test academic thinking in a practical, commercial setting – strengthening her dissertation through direct industry insight and grounding it in real-world complexity.

For us, the value was equally clear. Her research reinforced what we see when supporting organisations day to day: greenwashing risk is rooted in governance and understanding as much as it is in marketing or communications. Effective risk management requires cross-functional awareness and a robust governance chain for data integrity and claims checking.

The research also highlighted a common challenge; many organisations want to communicate transparently but are navigating unclear regulation, evolving standards and limited internal resources. This creates growing tension between speed, certainty and accuracy in sustainability communications. These insights continue to inform how we advise clients, shape anti-greenwash frameworks and help teams communicate with confidence rather than caution.

About Jingxian

Jingxian brought a strong academic and professional foundation to the project. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration (Finance) and has hands-on experience in procurement and supply chain operations through internships with InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) and Shanghai International Hospital. She has also completed a banking-sector internship, strengthening her analytical and data-driven approach.

This background made her particularly well placed to explore how sustainability risk emerges across global supply chains – often unintentionally – and why governance, accountability and communication must work together.

What’s next for Jingxian

Since completing her MSc, Jingxian has gone on to work at Pop Mart, taking her supply chain and operational expertise into a global commercial environment.

We’re proud to have supported her at an important stage in her career and look forward to seeing how she applies her research-led thinking in practice.

Why we’ll keep doing this

The University of Bristol holds a special place for us – many of our teammates, past and present, have studied there.  Continuing to support students through meaningful, values-led work is something we care about; the benefits are shared, and the impact reaches far beyond a single project.

A huge thank you to Jingxian for her insight, curiosity and commitment, and to the University of Bristol for continuing to connect us with such thoughtful, driven individuals.

Feedback from Jingxian

I am truly grateful and honoured to have participated in this program. Throughout the journey, I received immense support from my mentor, Siân. From choosing my thesis topic to shaping my research direction, every time I encountered confusion, Siân was always there to provide guidance, helping me find clarity. Furthermore, during the meetings of completing the program, Siân offered continued support and encouragement, sharing invaluable advice drawn from her own experience.

I am also deeply thankful for choosing this program and I sincerely hope that both my mentor and Content Coms continue to be best!

Want to find out more about our commitment to social impact? Take a read of our Impacts page.