Are you about to get started on writing your first sustainability report? Find some tips below for how to make the process easier ✍️

We joined edie yesterday for their ENGAGE 2024: The Sustainability Reporting and Communications Sessions which provided a wealth of valuable insights.

The session on shaping your disclosure strategy was particularly useful, especially as businesses grapple with a surge of incoming sustainability regulations. We know it’s challenging for SMEs with limited resources to understand what they need to report and where to start – beginning with a blank sheet is definitely overwhelming!

Owen Lewis Anderson Michelle Norman and Ariane Ephraïm shared their experience of applying different regulations, balancing reporting around other responsibilities, and successfully embedding sustainability across your teams. Here’s what you need to know:

1) Collaborate across your business. Involve people from different teams to get their insights, creating shared ownership for sustainability and getting people across departments working together.

2) Plan your resources for sustainability reporting. You don’t need to only rely on your sustainability person/team, instead split responsibilities across teams with oversight and coordination from sustainability.

3) Get early buy-in from your management team to make sure you have the investment, support and resources you need.

4) Sustainability reporting is continually evolving, and there's no one-size-fits-all approach. Even large companies with large sustainability teams can find it challenging. Be transparent, proud of what you have achieved and honest about your challenges.

5) Last but not least, be creative with how you report, this is an opportunity to showcase the progress you’re making towards a more sustainable future.

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