As the Editor at thinkPARALLAX, I read hundreds of pages of sustainability reports each month. With clients representing some $150 billion in annual revenue, I get to work on the sustainability communications of some of the most influential companies on the planet. While reports are always evolving, and every company takes a unique approach, I’ve learned a few things while immersing myself in every detail between the CEO letter to the appendix. Here's what distinguishes the best sustainability reports from the rest:
Details matter. Good reports are rooted in specifics — actions, data, values. From the details of a specific program to the exact impact it had. This rule also applies more broadly. What is the story you are telling about your company? How are you making your company — and your products — better? Why would anyone want to work there? What are the challenges you’re facing? How can you improve? Honest, transparent communications build trust with stakeholders while reducing the risk of greenwashing.
Don’t have a lot of details? That’s okay, but as stakeholders continue to get more savvy, recognize the risk of being vague or sugar-coating your lack of progress. Investing in a double materiality assessment, a sustainability communications platform, or climate risk strategy, for example, may be a better use of resources in the short term to uplevel your reporting long-term. (And note: we can help with all those things.)
Speaking of details, great data is the bedrock of every interesting report. The most advanced companies have environmental management systems in place that help measure and show progress around emissions, water, waste, and other metrics. For example, showing year-over-year reductions in Scope 1 emissions tells a much more compelling story than simply stating a continued commitment to reducing them.
Of course, data is just, well data. What are the stories behind the numbers? How do those stories ladder up to a broader theme throughout your report? What is the message that readers should come away with? Are you positioning yourself as a leader in your industry, or is your board more interested in mere compliance? Finding this narrative thread is where many companies benefit from objective, experienced guidance.
A critical element of telling your story is being able to do so with really clear language. You might manufacture the most complicated widget ever. You should still be able to explain your processes in terms that all stakeholders, inside and outside of your industry, can understand. That doesn’t mean dumbing down your report. It means leveling up the writing and editing to ensure your message is clear and not getting lost in the minutiae and esoterica of your world.
At thinkPARALLAX, we regularly partner with clients to develop strategic frameworks that guide both messaging and strategy. These frameworks do more than ensure consistency — they challenge teams to think critically about their big-picture goals and whether individual sustainability initiatives truly align with and matter to the business.
What exactly is a strategic framework? Simply put, it's an externally facing, visual roadmap of activities that form an organization’s overarching strategy. It serves as the foundation for all communications, organizing priorities and initiatives into strategic pillars that connect directly to high-level goals and purposes.
Sometimes reports can feel practically indistinguishable from one another. Swap out the logos and proper nouns and none would be the wiser. No, your sustainability report is not an engagement tool, but it should capture the spirit of your business through a clear identity, tone and voice, theme, and consistent messaging. A great way to make your report true to your brand is by featuring the humans who make the work possible.
By including quotes, case studies, and vignettes that feature leadership, team leaders, or front-line employees, you can humanize your report and make it more accessible, appealing, and meaningful. Think about not just the new policy your company implemented, but a person or team that policy may have impacted. Or consider highlighting an employee who was key to an innovation or sustainability initiative. If the topic is sensitive, consider making the quotes anonymous. You could also reach out to your nonprofit partners for quotes about how your contributions impacted their work.
Just as the theme, tone and voice, data, and vignettes should tell the story of your company — so too should your photography through unique, thoughtful images that showcase your brand. Original, high-quality images are the gift that keep on giving — an investment that pays dividends for years across multiple communications channels.
If you're unsure where to begin, thinkPARALLAX can help develop a tailored photoshoot plan that aligns with your brand and sustainability story.
You can have the most robust data, brilliant copy, and beautiful photography in the world, but if you don’t have great design to tie it all together, your report will still fall flat. The design of your report should give it a polished, cohesive feel. It will make it more engaging and navigable, with a clear hierarchy of content. Ensuring you have different content types — think sidebars, infographics, and pull quotes — to really make your report sing.
A report aimed at investors is going to be very data heavy versus a report aimed at customers, for example. It’s also worth noting that a report aimed at everyone doesn't work for anyone. Reach out to us to help you develop a customized reporting and communications strategy that works for your unique business, industry, and goals.
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Creating an impactful sustainability report is about telling your company’s authentic sustainability story in a way that resonates with stakeholders. At thinkPARALLAX, we’ve seen how these fundamentals transform standard reports into powerful communication tools that build trust, showcase progress, and inspire continued commitment. Whether you’re creating your first report or looking to elevate your existing reporting practices, focusing on these elements will help ensure your sustainability story is truly understood.
Ready to take your sustainability reporting to the next level? Let's talk about how we can help bring your sustainability story to life.