Expectations of reporters have never been higher.
The story of company performance is more complex and connected than ever. From group strategies, sustainability commitments, and ESG disclosures, to market dynamics and company culture, stakeholders are demanding increasing transparency on what sits behind the numbers. They expect access to information precisely how and when they like it, too.
So, while regulatory disclosure is still reporting’s backbone, truly transparent reporting offers an engaging, forward-looking and complete picture of where an organisation is at, and where it is going.
The push for clarity
TCFD. CSRD. s.172. NFRD. SECR. SASB. IIRC. GRI. CDP. CDSB. UNGC. UNGP: just some of the frameworks, standards and regulations from recent years that have created a complicated landscape for reporters to wade through.
But clarity lies ahead. The formation of the International Sustainability Standards Board promises one clear international standard for investor-oriented reporting, in the shape of IFRS(s1) – and clear guidance for reporters that should generate consistent, comparable global sustainability disclosure. To complement this, the GRI Standards remain applicable for reporting aimed at broader stakeholders.
Telling a clear story
At Radley Yeldar, we welcome this clarity. But reporting is so much more than alignment with frameworks, standards and regulations. It offers something special: one big moment of truth where, every year, you get a clear picture of where business has been and where it is going.
Many believe there’s no place for storytelling in such a regulated, legal environment. But ‘story’ is far more than a marketing exercise. It’s an underlying thread that connects the sections of a report and delivers a consistent, coherent narrative for the reader. Reports may not be marketing, but they certainly are communication tools.
Tailored for your audiences
Far more than ‘just’ a collection of content, reporting is a process that defines a company’s messaging to all audiences for the year ahead. But those messages – your story – will only connect if you deliver them through the channels your audiences use. Effective reporting uses a connected ecosystem of content including website, social media and presentations and publications targeted to specific audiences.
Technology that puts you in control
Reporting can be an intense process involving close collaboration with multiple content creators and influencers. While we take full control of the day-to-day, we use technologies such as Wdesk, CtrlPrint and ns.publish to putp clients in control of content through 24-hour access and intuitive editing.