Companies with more than 250 employees and over 40 million euros in net revenue or 20 million euros in balance sheet total are required to submit an annual ESG report. It is also useful for smaller companies to publish their activities in the areas of environmental, social and governance. For more and more customers and (potential) employees, these topics are so important that they make cooperation dependent on the scope and quality of the measures implemented. Stef Forberich and Hans-Peter Brendel examine the topic from the perspective of brand communicator and entrepreneur.
Perspective from Stef Forberich, Graphic Designer
The ESG report is mandatory for many companies. You could simply fulfill this by setting up the required information in Word or even in Excel. My conviction, however, is that an ESG report can and should be much more – the extended image or service brochure of the future. A valuable tool for conveying a company's corporate and brand values. Nobody should underestimate the power of such a document when it has the right visual language, good texts, an appealing design and easy-to-understand infographics.
The ESG report documents a company's activities with regard to environmental protection, social concerns and ethical corporate governance. Of course, this also involves numbers. A lot of numbers. My task – and also challenge – as a designer is to make the flood of data and facts understandable. And in the best case scenario, to generate emotions as well. Beautifully designed information graphics add a creative touch to dry numbers, are easier to remember and make the whole report more accessible. As a reader, you almost want to feel what is important to the company, what makes it “special.” Because what really counts when it comes to a brand is the emotion you associate with it. A good concept in the interplay between text and design appeals to all senses. In my opinion, the ESG report therefore has great potential for brand presentation.
An ESG report can and should be much more – the expanded image or performance brochure of the future. <span class="quote-author">Stef Forberich, Graphic Designer</span>
PDF, Brochure, or Digital Experience
What should an ESG report look like? There are currently no design guidelines. As with annual reports, electronic formats have been common practice for years. Printed copies are only available in small editions and upon request. That is absolutely logical when it comes to sustainability. PDFs now offer so many options that they are superior to a printed brochure in terms of attractiveness and ease of use. The only thing they lack is an independent feel and that they cannot be designed in a company's reception area, for example. But an ESG website is also possible. It must not only be visually appealing, but also functional, exciting and technically flawless. This also includes accessibility. The information should be presented in a clearly structured and understandable way. Good navigation and a clear presentation of key figures in the form of infographics are particularly important here.
My summary: The importance of the ESG report for positioning and characterizing companies will increase. For this reason, those responsible should not stop at an Excel overview, but use a high-quality solution to differentiate themselves from the competition and thus strengthen their brand.
What's happening? There is a completely different awareness of this report. <span class="quote-author">Hans-Peter Brendel, Entrepreneur</span>
Perspective from Hans-Peter Brendel, Entrepreneur
We live in Germany and in Europe. Time and again, we face challenges and demands that we do not find attractive or successful and that involve financial costs.
In my opinion, the ESG report should be viewed differently. It makes us think about what we may already be doing, want to do or need to do in this area in the near future. It gives us the opportunity to think about doing more good together with our employees.
Every good entrepreneur is concerned with the future and the usefulness of their company. What if we didn't exist or we didn't do one thing or the other? Such questions provoke. But they enable us to reflect on whether our products and services are really needed. Whether we're needed. Whether it makes sense what we're doing.
Do we really have to do “the report”? We are well advised not to let the key figures decide, but to assume our responsibility and at the same time the opportunity to make a statement. For ourselves and for our environment. The report gives me the opportunity to completely question myself and my company: What are we already doing well and where can we get even better? What contribution can and do we want to make?
From this perspective, this report makes a lot of sense. We at Bergwerk see an ESG report (although I don't like the word) as a great opportunity to present the real and true values and services of companies.
Do Good Things and Talk about Them
There is currently a lot of discussion on a formal level. From what size of company do I have to do this? Who and what do I need for this? Which consultant can do that? The law provides the guidelines for this. The content is much more important. When we look at the points that are necessary for the report, we suddenly realize that we are already doing or planning a lot of things. Because we take it for granted. The only problem is: No one knows that, hence my appeal: Let's combine the formal with the communicative. Let's combine facts and figures with your entrepreneurial spirit and values. What's happening? There is a completely different awareness of this report. It is transformed from a collection of facts into your values and behavior in a brochure. It appeals to all senses and makes you want to read it. It has a wonderful, almost magnetic effect on people who want to work with and for you. This makes the ESG report the key to recruiting and reassuring your current employees. You know: Yes, I'm in the right company.
Digital? Analog? Dialog!
At Bergwerk, we combine digital and analog options. Because we understand them and know how they work. My and our competence lies in the level of understanding. We talk to your specialists in the specialist areas and prepare the content in such a way that it is understood. Not only from bankers or tax advisors or investors, but also from the people next door. Let's not wait until we have to do something; let's do it because we want to. And can.
This text was translated automatically.
