1. Define clear and shared objectives: when reflecting on why the report is made, it is essential that the subjects leading the organisation are on the same page.
2. Take inventory of the information that is already collected. To function, each organisation collects, processes and monitors a large amount of data. Often, making a report is more a matter of selection than production of information.
3. Establish importance: CSR reporting is not a competition to publish as much data and information as possible. Only information that is truly meaningful to your stakeholders should be considered.
4. Choose the frame of reference. GRI, SDGs, Global Compact, TCFD: anyone handling CSR reporting for the first time could be disoriented by how many “standards” there are on the subject. Completing step 1 should make this step much easier.
5. Governance & accountability: to make sure that the CSR report is not only dealt with by a few people, it is essential to define the key people responsible for the various areas and use the report as a working tool and not as a way to waste time.
6. Draw up a report that is complete, credible and usable for interlocutors who have different skills and interest in the company.
7. Choose the stories to use to describe the organisation. Figures do not always allow us to communicate our daily commitment to sustainable goals. The choice of some exemplary stories is fundamental in this regard.
8. Developing format, graphics and content: arriving at the final version of the sustainability report requires the contribution and coordination of different professionals, which is not always easy: it’s important that there is someone to lead the project who is able to combine business objectives with the technical needs of reporting and a communicative language that leaves an impression on stakeholders.
9. Communicate the report: Stakeholders are increasingly sensitive to what the organisation does to be a good citizen. The task is to bring out the most relevant data and stories from the report and convey them in a targeted manner to each interlocutor.
10. Make the report a platform, not a document: the collection of data must become a periodic opportunity for internal discussion in the company, to sum up the work done and set new objectives, with a view to continuous improvement.
