ESG and sustainability are the new game-changers of our times. The expectations of society and policymakers are growing. The capital market demands the ability to deliver on all ESG criteria and the pressure to transform is on the increase. Business needs to reposition and re-legitimise itself.
We assist companies in developing a sustainability profile with a clear stance and making it easily identifiable. We enable companies to enter into discourse in major sustainability debates in society so that they can credibly communicate their transformation to all stakeholders and address conflicting goals, all while being a part of the solution and making a clear contribution to overcoming major future challenges.
ESG transformation as an existential challenge for the reputation of corporations
Sustainability and ESG performance are critical to the success of a company’s overall reputation. In the absence of discernible progress in ESG performance, the risks for corporate activity rise. Social acceptance and the (social) licence to operate are jeopardised, the goodwill of policymakers towards corporate goals fades, and so does the company’s attractiveness as an investment in capital markets. Last but not least, the employer brand and employee engagement are also at stake.
The disruptive power of ESG transformation is just as great as that of digitalisation. Business models are being put under scrutiny, governance structures and processes need to be radically transformed and corporate culture must be called into question. Much more so than with digitalisation, however, the resulting strategic (re-)alignment must also be able to meet the high expectations of a critical public.
As part of a holistic approach, we develop content and concepts for effective ESG communications aimed at the critical public, policymakers, the capital market, as well as managers and employees.
Companies have to address key questions in order to effectively communicate ESG transformation and sustainability
- What are the opportunities and risks in balancing perceptions of ESG performance and material deliverability?
- What does a robust ESG narrative look like that links the transformation of the business model and processes, as well as the company’s strengths and stance, to solutions to major challenges of the future?
- How might a constructive discourse on conflicting goals and areas of tension linked to the necessary ESG-driven transformation be organised and moderated?
- How should the relationship with policymakers be rethought and translated into communications that position companies in the dialogue as part of the solution and partners of policy-makers?
- How can the company’s contribution be clearly and unambiguously communicated to the capital market and prominently displayed with regard to ESG criteria, assessments and goals?
- How can a common understanding be fostered among employees and managers regarding the company’s external aspirations and ESG goals? And how might integration and exchange be organised for this purpose?
- How can employees be motivated and empowered to convey the company’s commitment to sustainability to the public as authentic ambassadors?
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