 |
Corporate
responsibility reporting is at an all time high. Our latest
research shows that 93 of Europe’s 100 largest
companies and 73 of their US counterparts produce an annual
CR (or Citizenship) report.
Why do they do it? Because an effective CR report supports
relationships with investors and key stakeholders. It demonstrates
that the company is managing the risks and exploiting the
opportunities presented by CR. The reporting process can
help to determine priorities, create internal consensus
and drive performance improvements.
A successful CR report must engage the reader and explain
the company’s performance clearly, concisely and credibly.
Ideally it should include data, targets and explain both
progress and setbacks. It should communicate the company’s
vision and priorities and address stakeholder concerns.
Achieving this is not always easy. The range of CR issues
companies are expected to report on increases year-on-year.
Credibility requires candour and transparency which can
be difficult – particularly if performance has been
poor. Reporting standards can confuse rather than illuminate.
We help companies overcome these obstacles and establish
an approach that is right for them. Our team has unrivalled
experience in helping clients develop and write reports.
Collectively we have worked on more than 150 reports and
many of our clients are reporting
award winners.
The reporting process
A typical reporting process has seven stages. We work with
our clients on some or all of these stages – depending
on their needs.
1 – Planning. The most important stage. We help clients
to identify their target audience and the most significant
(material) CR issues for their business. We explore how
CR relates to their business strategy. We may benchmark
their report against leading reports and standards, and
identify performance measures.
2 – Issue owner meetings. CR reports cover a very broad
range of issues managed by different people within the company.
We meet with these experts to extract key information for
the report.
3 – Writing. We use simple, jargon free language. We
challenge our clients (politely), to be as open, honest
and clear as possible. Where appropriate we help bring stakeholder
voices into the report.
4 – Editing. The copy is reviewed by the client and
their colleagues. Information gaps are filled and the text
is amended.
5 – Design and production. The design should reinforce
the report’s messages. We do not offer design services
but collaborate with the client’s chosen designers
to ensure copy and design work together.
6 – Distribution. Too many CR reports aren’t read.
Our Global CR Who's Who
is a hand-picked list of over 1,300 CR/sustainability leaders
which helps our clients get their report to the right people.
7 – Feedback. Reporting shouldn’t be a one way
process. We help clients to get feedback on their report
through opinion leader surveys and focus groups. See Stakeholder
engagement.
Recent examples of our work
BT – In 2007 (the
fourth year we have worked with the company) we helped BT
write its comprehensive online social and environmental
report and a short printed report, Changing World: Sustained
Values. The printed report puts BT’s most important
(material) social and environmental issues into the context
of its business strategy and the fast changing information
communications technology industry. BT was the highest rated
company in the 2006 Global Reporters benchmark survey conducted
by SustainAbility, UNEP and Standard & Poor’s.
HP –
Interest from corporate and public sector customers is a
major impetus to company CR programmes. HP’s ‘The
Hidden Component’ report speaks directly to this important
audience. The document complements the company’s full
online report and directly answers the questions that interest
customers. For example: How does HP save me energy? How
does HP give me confidence in my supply chain? We have worked
with HP on its Citizenship reporting for the last five years.
Motorola –
We began working with Motorola, the US provider of wireless
and broadband communications products and services, in 2006.
Their CR Report, “Forward Moves”, addresses
the significant CR issues for the electronics sector including
labour standards in outsourced manufacturing chains and
the use of hazardous materials in cell phones.
Vodafone – We have
helped Vodafone with its CR reporting and communications
for five years. Vodafone won Best Report at the 2006 ACCA
Awards for Sustainability Reporting. The company’s
reporting signature, ‘We said, we have, we will’
reflects their transparent approach to performance and targets.
Their report focuses on the issues Vodafone believes are
most material. We helped Vodafone prioritise issues and
understand the views of its stakeholders by organising focus
groups of prominent opinion leaders.
For more examples see Clients. |
|
 |
