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Corporate image can be described as ‘the global
evaluation (comprised of a set of beliefs and feelings)
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an individual has about an organisation’ . It must Simply put, energy sector stakeholders
be stressed that corporate image is a momentary need to strategically incorporate RE
deployment policies and plans into their
snapshot, based on a short-term, emotional organisational corporate communications
evaluation of an entity. Therefore, while a corporate plan. The advancement of RE in the
communications strategy is aimed at molding an Caribbean, or worldwide for that matter,
organisation’s image into a positive one, an isolated will not be accomplished through stand-
incident can temporarily, but negatively alter its alone and ad hoc media statements or
corporate image. Corporate identity refers to ‘how occasionally disseminated press releases.
an organisation expresses and differentiates itself,
in relation to its external stakeholders. It consists of
the cues which an organisation offers about itself via
its behaviour, communication, and symbolism, which organisation in a consistently positive manner, in
are its forms of expression.’ Corporate reputation order for a good corporate reputation to be formed
on the other hand, can be viewed as ‘the character overtime. Moreover, corporate reputation is also
background formed based on a long-term and a by-product of corporate identity, given that an
more rational evaluation of the company. It is the organisation can develop its reputation based on
longitudinal judgement of who the company is and its differentiation from other competitors, or lack
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what it stands for among multiple stakeholders’ . thereof.
It can be said that an organisation forms a Where does this fit into the advocacy for RE transition
corporate reputation through its steady portrayal in the Caribbean and globally? In order for an
of a certain corporate image to its stakeholders and organisation’s stance or policy on an issue of national
audiences, whether positive or negative. Accordingly, and global importance to be accepted and positively
communications outputs need to portray the interpreted by its audiences; it has to effectively

6 Ibid.
7 Ibid.

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