7 tips for more impact

Integrated reporting is not about format; it is about mindset. Your report should reflect that. It is far more than merging financial and sustainability reports. It represents a new way of thinking, planning and reporting.

Integrated reporting introduces a broader definition of performance. It enables you to tell a fuller story about how your business creates value—combining financial and non-financial measures, and the external factors that influence them.

Your task is to show how these elements connect. There is no universal formula, since every company is different. Start with your purpose. How does it shape your business model, strategy and ambitions? Which external factors affect your ability to deliver on that purpose? How are you mitigating risks or capturing opportunities? And, given these factors, what do your short- and long-term prospects look like?

Provide a summarizing overview up front
Make it easy for readers to access what matters most. Investors, analysts and employees all seek a complete picture of your business—but they focus on different elements. No one reads an annual report from start to finish; they move between sections of interest.
Provide a performance summary at the beginning so readers gain a high-level understanding quickly. Then structure clear sections that allow deeper exploration of relevant topics.

Make more of your interim reports
Annual reports are largely reference documents. Quarterly reports are the tools investors and analysts use to track performance. Give them greater strategic priority. Go beyond summarising financial results. Report on progress against ESG commitments, outline emerging risks and opportunities, and explain candidly when goals are missed. Use appropriate formats and channels to communicate effectively. This strengthens transparency and accountability throughout the year.

Stakeholders want to understand why you exist and the difference you make. Your purpose statement should express that—so your annual report should begin there.

There’s more to company performance than financial figures. The notion of value creation has expanded beyond profit, including how the company creates value for its people, the communities it does business in and the environment. The narrative that unfolds all that is your value story. It starts with your purpose; shows readers how you have delivered on it during the year; and explains how you will continue to do so. As such, it’s the frame that holds your report together, creating cohesion through all your chapters.

Map your ESG direction
ESG remains complex, even for specialists. Provide stakeholders with clarity about your commitments and performance. With frameworks such as SDGs, GRI, CDP, CDSB, IIRC, SASB, TCFD and CSRD creating an “alphabet soup,” comparison and assessment can be difficult. Until standards converge, reduce confusion—and counter greenwashing scepticism—by clearly stating which frameworks you apply, why they are relevant to your business, and how you monitor and ensure progress.

Make materiality and metrics meaningful
ESG reporting has moved beyond compliance. Data must be meaningful in the context of your business.

Explain why your material issues matter—to your organisation, stakeholders, industry and society. Set clear targets, disclose baselines, report progress and address challenges transparently so stakeholders can assess performance.

Take ESG beyond the report
ESG performance supports brand, reputation and talent attraction—but only if activated. Tell the story behind the numbers. Share it through social media, thought leadership and events focused on priority topics. This drives engagement and enables direct dialogue with stakeholders.

Do not limit case studies to successes. Stories of overcoming challenges often demonstrate resilience more convincingly. The case format captures real-world complexity: the issue faced, actions taken and outcomes achieved. Cases humanise your business and balance data-heavy sections. When used to address difficult issues openly, they increase credibility and trust.

The way you tell your story—the words you use and the visuals you choose—speaks volumes about your business and professionalism. If your voice is inconsistent, the report largely repeats last year’s content, or your infographics are hard to decode, readers will notice. Fair or not, first impressions shape how they perceive your business—and whether they choose to engage with it.

Cut the jargon
Use clear, direct language. Focus on your core messages and express them plainly. Overly complex language suggests uncertainty—or worse, concealment. Clear writing reflects clear thinking.

Create a strong visual language
Design reinforces meaning. Translate your value story into visuals that reflect who you are, where you operate and how you work. Visualise your business model, value chain and strategy in ways that are memorable and fact-based. Prioritise infographics that support your key messages.

From once a year to year-round

Shift from a single annual publication to an ongoing narrative across platforms. Digital tools allow reporting to evolve from static documents to dynamic communication. Use websites, podcasts, video and social media to bring your value story to life. Create forums where stakeholders can engage with your progress and ambitions.

An editorial strategy that repurposes content from quarterly and annual reporting extends relevance beyond publication and embeds the report within your broader communications ecosystem.