10 Tips for writing Sustainability Reports

I am just finalizing the writing of a hopefully interesting document about reporting and other things which will be published around February 2011. In the meantime, I couldn't risk sharing these few tips about Sustainability Reports. I am sure the authors won't mind. Oh, the authors are me. That's OK then.

Every Sustainability Report is the result of a process.
Better process, better report.
Define the process before you start working on the report and engage key people.

Every Sustainability Report tells a story.
Think of the story before you think of performance indicators.
But don’t forget the indicators.

Every Sustainability Report is about a person as well as a Company.
It’s about the person who leads the report writing.
Better person, better report.

Every Sustainability Report is as good as your sustainability strategy.
Bad strategy, bad report.
Work on your strategy before you work on your report.

Every Sustainability Report is a commitment to continued reporting.
Think through the depth of your commitment.
Stay with it when the going gets tough.

Every Sustainability Report is unique.
That doesn’t make it great.
The best approach is to make it unique AND great.

Every Sustainability Report should show progress.
Make it easy on the reader.
Make it clear where the progress can be found.

Every Sustainability Report is hard work.
Make it easy on yourself.
Stock up on ice-cream before you start writing

Every Sustainability Report has a reader.
You can be sure at least one person might read it.
Do your best job in case that one person is your largest client.

Every Sustainability Report increases your profitability.
Perhaps not now.
But it will.




elaine cohen, CSR consultant, Sustainabilty Reporter, HR Professional, Ice Cream Addict. Author of CSR for HR: A necessary partnership for advancing responsible business practices  Contact me via www.twitter.com/elainecohen  on Twitter or via my business website www.b-yond.biz/en  (BeyondBusiness, an inspired CSR consulting and Sustainability Reporting firm)