«(...)
I. Strategic Alignment Integrating business and sustainability strategies
The Routine to Strategic Reporting Map illustrates
the journey that companies typically take from the
status quo of tried-and-tested, technical reports
to using a suite of strategic solutions to meet their
communications needs.
The backdrop to this shift over the last twenty years is a
series of trends that we call the Drivers of Change. These
drivers are crucial because they don’t just explain the
past: they are trends that we believe every business will
have to tackle in the years ahead as they think about how
to engage with audiences on their role in society.
In recent years, company executives and investors
have developed a heightened awareness of the
impact that responsible and sustainable business
practices can have on financial performance
and corporate reputation – from developing the
right products and services through to building
brands and motivating talent. This is about much
more than reputation. Companies are seeking to
demonstrate that integrating sustainability into
their business can help with cost-efficiencies, risk
management, creative innovation and long-term
growth.
In parallel, departments responsible for corporate
responsibility and sustainability are increasingly
under pressure to justify their activities in financial
terms. They are not immune from having to
demonstrate a business case for their activities in
order to secure business resources.
As a result, different ways of communicating how
companies go about approaching this integration
and harnessing the benefits are starting to emerge.
These include: Environmental Profit and Loss
Accounts; Total Impact or Contribution Reporting;
Sustainability Plans; and Integrated Reporting. (...)».
