{"id":69987,"date":"2023-01-03T20:12:14","date_gmt":"2023-01-03T20:12:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/insight\/roadmap-to-your-first-sustainability-report\/"},"modified":"2025-03-07T16:58:53","modified_gmt":"2025-03-07T16:58:53","slug":"roadmap-to-your-first-sustainability-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/us\/insight\/roadmap-to-your-first-sustainability-report\/","title":{"rendered":"Roadmap to your first sustainability report"},"content":{"rendered":"

ESG and sustainability reports can be challenging projects to get off the ground. With many stakeholders contributing, a vast amount of data to include, and sometimes complex chains of approval to navigate, there are lots of hurdles to overcome. We spoke to Anna Gunning, one of our experienced ESG writers, and Gemma Brown, our Client Services Manager, to discuss how expert writing and project management can keep ESG reporting projects on track.<\/p>\n

Establishing a clear process<\/strong><\/h3>\n

With a large number of moving parts, and plenty of voices that want to be heard, ensuring that there is a clear process in place will help to facilitate the collaboration between the writer and the business. Part of this is being transparent about where your business currently sits in its ESG journey. Ultimately, you don\u2019t want to run before you can walk.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour first sustainability report is like your proof of concept, or your minimum viable product,\u201d says Anna. \u201cYou can use that first one to get the business used to engaging in the process of creating an ESG report, and then the second year it becomes easier as you formalise processes.\u201d<\/p>\n

The planning process can start out simple. Establishing some key pillars as a foundation for the report can help a business reflect on the story it\u2019s trying to tell. This is something Anna tries to get across in initial interviews. \u201cWe often ask, \u2018what are the top three to five key messages that you want somebody to remember from this report?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Seeking a clear \u2018golden thread\u2019 within the report is something that our account management team is equally experienced in. \u201cThe stories tying together one business\u2019 journey can be really broad,\u201d says Gemma. \u201cThat means that one of our key challenges is helping the client identify the most interesting and relevant of these stories. Once we know what they are, and how they link, we can begin articulating them and giving the report some structure.\u201d<\/p>\n

Manage stakeholder input<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Whether a company is in the early stages of ESG reporting or has a number of reports under its belt already, stakeholder input remains a universal challenge. When establishing a coherent structure for a report, it\u2019s important to have the right amount of input. Otherwise, Anna says, you risk input overload. \u201cThis makes it hard to see the wood from the trees when it comes to structuring the report and prioritising the messaging.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although every part of a business might see its contributions to an ESG report as valid and important, a line must be drawn at some point \u2013 something that Anna is adept in. \u201cSometimes it can be difficult for the business to take that step out of the detail and understand the big picture. There are different stakeholders with different agendas that are driving the creation of the report, and there will be different target audiences for the final reports. Whether it\u2019s regulators, investors, customers; they’re all prioritising different things.\u201d<\/p>\n

The key is to make sure that the overarching messaging reflects the journey of the wider business. But this needs to be done at the start of the process, not retrospectively. \u201cWe make sure to hear from everyone that should be involved from the outset, both in interviews and as part of the content planning stage. Otherwise, we risk getting to a stage where a first or second draft needs rewriting because someone new has been consulted and doesn\u2019t agree with the tone or messaging.\u201d<\/p>\n

More than just an environmental focus<\/strong><\/h3>\n

ESG reporting is becoming increasingly prominent. Whatever stage your business is at in its ESG journey, there\u2019s plenty to learn from award-winning sustainability communications<\/a>. One of the most important lessons is to look beyond environmental topics, and have your report say something meaningful about all aspects of ESG.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, there is now a commercial and regulatory imperative for companies to report on ESG,\u201d Anna says. \u201cBut this means that there is a danger that people think of sustainability reporting as being a sort of green carbon neutrality exercise, when actually it is just as important to be communicating to stakeholders about the effectiveness of your social policies and governance. Business resilience, continuity, succession planning; these things are also important aspects to a sustainability story.\u201d<\/p>\n

It also makes financial sense to invest in your sustainability story. A compelling ESG report is more than just a business showcase. \u201cIt has a knock-on effect,\u201d Gemma says. \u201cConsistent reporting can help a business coherently explain its sustainability messaging over a prolonged period. Not only can this attract investment, but the narrative encourages customers to join that business on their journey towards a more sustainable future \u2013 as if they\u2019re in it together.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re looking for tips on your first ESG report<\/a>, or want to know how we can help you win with words, get in touch<\/a> today.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

ESG and sustainability reports can be challenging projects to get off the ground. With many stakeholders contributing, a vast amount of data to include, and sometimes complex chains of approval to navigate, there are lots of hurdles to overcome. We spoke to Anna Gunning, one of our experienced ESG writers, and Gemma Brown, our Client […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":66269,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[314,412,320,322],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-69987","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-copywriting-us","category-esg-us","category-report-writing-us","category-sustainability-report-writing-us"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nRoadmap to your first sustainability report - Stratton Craig - Global Copywriting & Content Marketing Agency<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Expert writing and project management can keep ESG reporting projects on track. 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