Chapter 21 Storytelling for the Faceless: A Tool for Communicating Sustainability and Circular Economy in the Public Sector

Storytelling is a strategic tool for communicating sustainability and the circular economy (CE). So far, its effects have been analyzed mainly in the private sector, and its opportunities for application in the public sphere have been neglected. However, exploring its potential in the context of public communication can provide valuable suggestions for setting up an engaging narrative that can reach a wide audience and convey to society those principles that can activate the adoption of sustainable behaviour in line with CE principles. In this chapter, starting from explorative qualitative research on some Italian regional public administrations, best practices, peculiarities, barriers, and potentials of storytelling are illustrated. This can lead to advancing knowledge and identifying useful managerial implications for communication experts and policymakers in the public sphere.