4.3 Sustainability Reporting Feature

Some of the cases that you will find here will include Soneva Resorts and Apple, and they have all been selected for being good examples of effective corporate communication.

Through this feature, presenting a number of different case studies, we aim to provide you with a better grasp of how some companies are using reporting to effectively and transparently communicate their sustainability actions, which might help guide your future reporting strategies.

Through this feature, presenting a number of different case studies, we aim to provide you with a better grasp of how some companies are using reporting to effectively and transparently communicate their sustainability actions, which might help guide your future reporting strategies.

Through this feature, presenting a number of different case studies, we aim to provide you with a better grasp of how some companies are using reporting to effectively and transparently communicate their sustainability actions, which might help guide your future reporting strategies.

Main Takeaways:

  • A good design of the reports can help to truly engage people around important information being presented.
  • When writing our sustainability reports, we must be honest and also recognise our downfalls and highlight the areas where we are able to achieve further improvements.
  • It's important to make these reports accessible to consumers, allowing us to demonstrate our values, goals and actions.

Soneva Resorts

As you might already know, Soneva is a resort chain founded in 1995 by Eva and Sonu Shivdasani in the beautiful natural setting of the Maldives. Initially planned as a single resort unit, the resort eventually became one of the leading sustainable resort chains in the world but, how have they achieved this?

They place sustainability at the core of every choice they make, which has allowed the resort to create a virtuous model that fosters community development, environmental protection and considers shareholder returns. This makes Soneva an exceptional example of a best practice every hospitality business should follow.

Every year, up until the pandemic hit, Soneva provides their Total Impact Assessments, which provide quantitative assessments of all their social and environmental impacts, both direct and indirect.

Some of the sections included in their report that stand out most are:

  • Detailed and comprehensive graphics of their total impact.
  • Clear and detailed methodologies which explain the calculation of their carbon footprint, as well as explanations of the mitigation of indirect emissions, such as guest air travel.

In addition, the "Responsibility" section on their website covers all the different initiatives that they are running in relation to sustainability, including DEI programmes and strategies. You can have a look at them by clicking here or with the PDF at the bottom of this page . 👀

MUD Jeans

MUD Jeans is one of our all-time favourite examples. They strive to lead by example and find an alternative to the fast fashion status quo. The company is revolutionising the fashion industry by taking jeans and making them sustainable and circular.

Remember when we explored circularity during Module 2? Well, MUD Jeans is grounded on a circular business model! This means the whole business and the manufacturing of their products are focused on eliminating waste and centring on positive society-wide benefits.

Apart from circularity, their mission and strategy also focus on the creation of fair factories and generating positive activism. Doing this helps them focus on expanding their positive impact on sustainability, by also focusing on the people and the planet "Ps" of the triple bottom line.

Both through the sustainability section of their website and their sustainability reports, their transparency stands out. In these, they mention the certifications they have obtained, how they work with stakeholders, the materials used in their products, and much more.

One of the things that stands out most, is the amount of detail they provide throughout the different sections of the report. Furthermore, the design is simple and makes use of many visual aids to help digest all the information provided, making them a great example.

You can have a look at their Sustainability Report for the year 2020 by clicking here or on the PDF at the bottom of this page . 👀

BrewDog

BrewDog is a multinational independent brewery and pub chain based in Ellon, Scotland. With a production of over 800.000hl, BrewDog claim to be the "#1 Craft Brewer in Europe". Established in 2007, they now have +2.000 employees, serve +160M pints a year, +205K shareholders, and own 105 bars and 3 hotels.

In 2021, they established sustainability rules and launched BrewDog & Freinds, what they claim to be "the world's most sustainable beer club". This is a subscription-based service offered in the UK by which their customers receive 8 beers in 330 ml cans, 4 different styles, with at least 1 collaborating brewery to feature each month. But, how is this sustainable? The key is behind their model. They are the world's first carbon-negative brewery, which means that for every box they ship, they remove twice as much carbon from the air. Furthermore, all beers are brewed at their Aberdeenshire HQ, meaning everything comes from one place and no unnecessary shipping takes place.

What stands out from their report, which you can find below, is the strong focus on the reduction of CO2 and greenhouse gases in their operations. The report gives details about each of the different initiatives they are developing, whether independently or in collaboration with other organisations, to tackle these issues. The design of the report is in line with their branding and takes a creative layout which easily calls the reader's attention.

Furthermore, their website gives an overview of their responsibilities. These include:

We believe that highlighting these is quite important, as they reflect on some aspects of sustainability that might not always come to mind when developing our reports and strategies.

Apple

Apple's Environment website has a very smart and user-friendly design. On this website, Apple reinforces the image of their brand and their products, by focusing the message around each and every one of their products.

Some of the sections this website includes are:

  • Their 2030 sustainability plan.
  • Their use of clean energies.
  • Some of their initiatives in order to support sustainability.
  • Detailed environmental reports for each product and model.
  • A variety of reports and resources on circularity, climate change, people, supply chains, and their use of regulated substances.

With a slick design, their Environmental Progress Report for the 2021 fiscal year is a great document to explore in more detail all of their efforts and achievements. What we especially like about it is that they provide the highlights of the report for those who just want an overall idea of what the firm is doing, but also give detailed data and explanations about each part of their sustainability strategy for those looking for more detailed overviews of how they are achieving everything they state.

Have a look at this report by checking out the document below. 👇

Apple Environmental Progress Report 2022.pdf

Organic Basics

Organic Basics is a sustainable clothing firm that puts sustaiable thinking at the center of everything - they choose fabrics that care for the environment and only partner with factories that care about their impact too.

When we say sustainability is our core mission we don’t mean that sustainability is nice to have - we mean that it’s the only way we act.

They have dedicated an entire section of their website to explain their sustainable practices and how they reduce their impact. Furthermore, in this part of their website customers are able to fact-check information about all of their factories, allowing to prove transparency in everything they do. This page also mentions the materials they use in their products and how they contribute to their sustainability strategy.

Nonetheless, the idea behind highlighting their reporting is its very interactive design! The report takes the form of a digital "book", where the customer can choose the different chapters they would like to look into. All graphics are in line with their branding, and the report includes brief amounts of text that make the content more digestible, by also including the strictly necessary.

Something also worth highlighting from their report is the section "Our Fuck-ups", where they highlight the downfalls they have experienced when trying to become more sustainable.

An Unrealistic Net Zero Carbon Emissions Commitment

If you'd like to take inspiration from this reporting style, you can have a look at their 2021 Impact Report by clicking here. You can also have a look at their "low impact website", an innovative concept that could be applied by many organisations!

Through this feature, presenting a number of different case studies, we aim to provide you with a better grasp of how some companies are using reporting to effectively and transparently communicate their sustainability actions, which might help guide your future reporting strategies.

Through this feature, presenting a number of different case studies, we aim to provide you with a better grasp of how some companies are using reporting to effectively and transparently communicate their sustainability actions, which might help guide your future reporting strategies.

Main Takeaways:

  • A good design of the reports can help to truly engage people around important information being presented.
  • When writing our sustainability reports, we must be honest and also recognise our downfalls and highlight the areas where we are able to achieve further improvements.
  • It's important to make these reports accessible to consumers, allowing us to demonstrate our values, goals and actions.

Soneva Resorts

As you might already know, Soneva is a resort chain founded in 1995 by Eva and Sonu Shivdasani in the beautiful natural setting of the Maldives. Initially planned as a single resort unit, the resort eventually became one of the leading sustainable resort chains in the world but, how have they achieved this?

They place sustainability at the core of every choice they make, which has allowed the resort to create a virtuous model that fosters community development, environmental protection and considers shareholder returns. This makes Soneva an exceptional example of a best practice every hospitality business should follow.

Every year, up until the pandemic hit, Soneva provides their Total Impact Assessments, which provide quantitative assessments of all their social and environmental impacts, both direct and indirect.

Some of the sections included in their report that stand out most are:

  • Detailed and comprehensive graphics of their total impact.
  • Clear and detailed methodologies which explain the calculation of their carbon footprint, as well as explanations of the mitigation of indirect emissions, such as guest air travel.

In addition, the "Responsibility" section on their website covers all the different initiatives that they are running in relation to sustainability, including DEI programmes and strategies. You can have a look at them by clicking here or with the PDF at the bottom of this page . 👀

MUD Jeans

MUD Jeans is one of our all-time favourite examples. They strive to lead by example and find an alternative to the fast fashion status quo. The company is revolutionising the fashion industry by taking jeans and making them sustainable and circular.

Remember when we explored circularity during Module 2? Well, MUD Jeans is grounded on a circular business model! This means the whole business and the manufacturing of their products are focused on eliminating waste and centring on positive society-wide benefits.

Apart from circularity, their mission and strategy also focus on the creation of fair factories and generating positive activism. Doing this helps them focus on expanding their positive impact on sustainability, by also focusing on the people and the planet "Ps" of the triple bottom line.

Both through the sustainability section of their website and their sustainability reports, their transparency stands out. In these, they mention the certifications they have obtained, how they work with stakeholders, the materials used in their products, and much more.

One of the things that stands out most, is the amount of detail they provide throughout the different sections of the report. Furthermore, the design is simple and makes use of many visual aids to help digest all the information provided, making them a great example.

You can have a look at their Sustainability Report for the year 2020 by clicking here or on the PDF at the bottom of this page . 👀

BrewDog

BrewDog is a multinational independent brewery and pub chain based in Ellon, Scotland. With a production of over 800.000hl, BrewDog claim to be the "#1 Craft Brewer in Europe". Established in 2007, they now have +2.000 employees, serve +160M pints a year, +205K shareholders, and own 105 bars and 3 hotels.

In 2021, they established sustainability rules and launched BrewDog & Freinds, what they claim to be "the world's most sustainable beer club". This is a subscription-based service offered in the UK by which their customers receive 8 beers in 330 ml cans, 4 different styles, with at least 1 collaborating brewery to feature each month. But, how is this sustainable? The key is behind their model. They are the world's first carbon-negative brewery, which means that for every box they ship, they remove twice as much carbon from the air. Furthermore, all beers are brewed at their Aberdeenshire HQ, meaning everything comes from one place and no unnecessary shipping takes place.

What stands out from their report, which you can find below, is the strong focus on the reduction of CO2 and greenhouse gases in their operations. The report gives details about each of the different initiatives they are developing, whether independently or in collaboration with other organisations, to tackle these issues. The design of the report is in line with their branding and takes a creative layout which easily calls the reader's attention.

Furthermore, their website gives an overview of their responsibilities. These include:

We believe that highlighting these is quite important, as they reflect on some aspects of sustainability that might not always come to mind when developing our reports and strategies.

Apple

Apple's Environment website has a very smart and user-friendly design. On this website, Apple reinforces the image of their brand and their products, by focusing the message around each and every one of their products.

Some of the sections this website includes are:

  • Their 2030 sustainability plan.
  • Their use of clean energies.
  • Some of their initiatives in order to support sustainability.
  • Detailed environmental reports for each product and model.
  • A variety of reports and resources on circularity, climate change, people, supply chains, and their use of regulated substances.

With a slick design, their Environmental Progress Report for the 2021 fiscal year is a great document to explore in more detail all of their efforts and achievements. What we especially like about it is that they provide the highlights of the report for those who just want an overall idea of what the firm is doing, but also give detailed data and explanations about each part of their sustainability strategy for those looking for more detailed overviews of how they are achieving everything they state.

Have a look at this report by checking out the document below. 👇

Apple Environmental Progress Report 2022.pdf

Organic Basics

Organic Basics is a sustainable clothing firm that puts sustaiable thinking at the center of everything - they choose fabrics that care for the environment and only partner with factories that care about their impact too.

When we say sustainability is our core mission we don’t mean that sustainability is nice to have - we mean that it’s the only way we act.

They have dedicated an entire section of their website to explain their sustainable practices and how they reduce their impact. Furthermore, in this part of their website customers are able to fact-check information about all of their factories, allowing to prove transparency in everything they do. This page also mentions the materials they use in their products and how they contribute to their sustainability strategy.

Nonetheless, the idea behind highlighting their reporting is its very interactive design! The report takes the form of a digital "book", where the customer can choose the different chapters they would like to look into. All graphics are in line with their branding, and the report includes brief amounts of text that make the content more digestible, by also including the strictly necessary.

Something also worth highlighting from their report is the section "Our Fuck-ups", where they highlight the downfalls they have experienced when trying to become more sustainable.

An Unrealistic Net Zero Carbon Emissions Commitment

If you'd like to take inspiration from this reporting style, you can have a look at their 2021 Impact Report by clicking here. You can also have a look at their "low impact website", an innovative concept that could be applied by many organisations!