[Infographic] 12 Steps to Implement and Improve ESG Reporting at Your Company

The Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) space is full of jargon that can be confusing, but taking steps to start and keep reporting on ESG doesn’t have to be. 

We wrote our new ESG Reporting Guide to help you cut through the noise by sharing only the most relevant context, background, frameworks, and examples. At the end, we recommend the following 12 steps to help you think through the best way to implement and/or improve ESG reporting at your company:

1. Set clear ownership and support (by involving the Board, Investors, & Executives)
2. Build an ESG Team (to operationalize and build integration across the company)
3. Decide on what to measure (using leading frameworks like SASB & GRI for guidance)
4. Establish a framework and decide which factors to report (ensuring compliance with the strictest region you operate in, typically the EU)
5. Establish targets and a baseline (using SBTi to set ambitious targets in line with the SDGs)
6. Align executive compensation with ESG targets (using a framework like Enacting Purpose and Competent Boards)
7. Integrate ESG reporting across the business (by working with your executive sponsor and ESG team)
8. Build systems to automate data capture and reporting (integrating tools like dashboards for real-time reporting)
9. Get audited and improve processes (by partnering with a verification firm)
10. Communicate progress with real-time reports (using Integrated<IR> Reporting in partnership with marketing)
11. Compare and compete (by submitting your data to evaluation bodies like the DJSI)
12. Influence and lead change (by pressuring others to prioritize ESG)

For more detailed guidance about each step, along with additional resources, tools, and frameworks, check out our full ESG reporting guide.