Business success is no longer measured just by the financial bottom line, sales, growth, customer satisfaction or regulatory compliance. Modern practice requires a much broader view of how organisations impact on the environment, the positive social value they create and how well they’re run to achieve high standards of integrity, probity and diversity.
These extra and more sophisticated dimensions are the focus of ESG reporting – a fast-growing area of business practice that’s already established an essential feature of many markets. A good ESG report paints a true picture of an organisation and its work – highlighting the important softer and less tangible things that might otherwise go unnoticed or be underplayed.
We’ve helped to research, copywrite, edit, design and publish ESG reports for a number of leading clients including Midland Heart and emh group. This involved starting from scratch to identify the anticipated regulatory requirements and examine best practice in the commercial world and other sectors. We then interviewed key stakeholders to gather solid evidence of ESG in action and produce compelling stories to reflect the client’s wider impact.
New standards and guidance on ESG is emerging all the time (especially from clients’ lenders, investors and the markets in which they operate). So we also keep an eye on these developments and advise on the benefits of consortia, industry protocols and software to make tracking and recording evidence easier.
ESG reports span the biggest, international measures (for example, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals) to the smallest actions at grassroots level, such as support for a local community project or protecting a corner of wildlife habitat. This is the new language of enlightened, 21st century business.