Transparency in ESG communications
16 Jul 2024
5 mins
Following COP 28 in Dubai last Autumn, the global climate community’s collective attention turned once again to the promises that nations and organizations are making regarding sustainability initiatives. In recent years, government entities and businesses alike have faced significant pressure to measure their ESG progress. That’s driven a surge in data and reporting platforms that measure outcomes—but it’s equally important (and, in some ways, even more challenging) for these organizations to share their journey toward progress, even before they reach their goals.
Global scrutiny on corporate sustainability initiatives is immense, and businesses face internal and external pressure to communicate their continued commitment to positive progress while consciously mitigating organizational risk. Companies face pressure to share hard facts and clear numbers—and as data becomes increasingly complex, so too does the narrative surrounding the progress companies are striving to make.
It can be difficult to weave together a seamless narrative when numbers and hard data are the priority, but allowing your message to reach all global stakeholders is important—and eminently possible when working in partnership with RWS.
Communicate a cohesive narrative, with data and narrative seamlessly intertwined
ESG reporting is required, important and consequential—and it’s critical for clients to share their message as clearly as possible, with as many constituencies as possible, as soon as possible. Too often, organizations are so focused on fulfilling their reporting requirements that they share delayed explanations of what has transpired. The result is a lack of clarity for stakeholders, who hear promises and plans before an initiative is underway, then perceive that the organization is backtracking once it’s been completed.
Instead, corporations can provide seamless, timely communication by working with RWS to effectively and consistently weave their data and narratives into cohesive multilingual communication. This helps businesses communicate their narratives clearly throughout their journey toward sustainability.
Effective translation is about more than words
Communicating ESG progress is a challenge for global organizations—not just because of the complexities of weaving data into an overarching narrative, but also because disparate interested parties now exist all around the world. Businesses not only need to think about how to tell their stories accurately and effectively—they need a plan to do so in multiple languages, jurisdictions and cultures.
Multimedia presentations and events add further layers of complexity to this challenge. It’s easy to forget that translation applies to more than words; indeed, graphs, tables, images, and charts also need to be translated and transcreated with care and attention to linguistic and cultural nuances. Likewise, investor updates and shareholder events create a need to ensure consistency of messaging across multiple channels and touchpoints.
At RWS, we’ve developed strong capabilities in design and delivery, so we can ensure clarity of all types of content—wherever that content may be published or delivered. We also support real-time interpreting and transcription of content presented at both virtual and in-person stakeholder events.
Plan your ESG communication strategy today
We’re ready and eager to work with clients to create cohesive, comprehensive messaging that seamlessly interweaves narrative with data—all in the service of providing clear and accurate reporting to clients around the world.
To plan your ESG communication strategy and begin sharing your story with the world, reach out to our team today.
David Hetling
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