One key weakness of most current reports is that they don’t engage the hearts and minds of key audiences. They’re about as exciting as school reports for people you don’t know. As the sustainability debate migrates online, with more companies producing iPad-friendly content, the importance of the underlying narrative can only grow. We asked New York-based storytelling expert Michael Margolis to review a Top 20 of recent sustainability reports, picked with the help of GRI.
Why is storytelling important? Companies are trying to shift or strengthen how others perceive them. Publishing a Sustainability Report can be a critical element in that equation. They’re communicating that they think beyond financial performance; that they are carving out a larger role and relationship for themselves—and expanding their definitions of impact and value-creation.
What’s different about telling stories today? Whatever your new vision, turning your message into reality requires a convincing story. Disruptive change is not only forcing corporations to evolve how they do business, but also how they tell their stories, and to whom.
How good is business at doing this? Some companies—like Apple—excel. Most don’t. As a business storyteller, I’ve advised dozens of companies in the midst of re-branding, re-positioning, or high-stakes change. In every case, perception is king. Too often there is a big gap between the “official story” coming from leadership versus the “real story” told by others (i.e. customers, employees, investors, and stakeholders).
What is business looking for? Everybody wants to know how to get others to trust and buy-in to their message. But, in an age of cynicism and skepticism, you have to stop trying to persuade, sell, or posture. Audiences are discerning, they feel it if you are trying to convince them of something. There’s a new paradigm in corporate storytelling that takes a while to learn.
What hit you when reviewing our Top 20? For starters, the common refrain is “Sustainability is core to our business.” Right, Pinocchio. Only a few present a compelling, credible story to substantiate the claim. GE is one example, clearly demonstrating how sustainability is baked into its business model. Others, even amongst this elite group, don’t present a particularly persuasive story. Take Johnson Controls and Henkel. We may be familiar with their culture of innovation, yet their reports came off as staid, dated, and lifeless.
What were some of the best practices in storytelling that you saw? For me, the inclusion of a detailed value-chain map and analysis is key, signaling an impressive degree of foresight and integration. Interesting companies here were Stockland, an Australian real estate company, and Shell. Samsung and Westpac are interesting in terms of the mental models.
What were some obvious weaknesses in the overall story? Too much reliance on statistics to communicate. It’s the story behind the numbers that matter. Don’t imagine that numbers convince people of anything. Your report needs lots of anecdotes and examples that bring the business to life in human terms. That said, testimonials from people and organizations you give money to are not credible endorsements.
Which report did you like best—and why? No question, Stockland. They demonstrated a deep commitment to transparency and a willingness to discuss good and the bad. They provided context for their sustainability practices in terms of past, present, and future. They made strong use of infographics that turned boring statistics into digestible takeaways. And they anchored their claims using third-party assurance process.
We can’t all be Spielbergs or Camerons, but any improvement tips? Skip the self-congratulations. If you only have “good news” to share, we know you’re not telling the full story. We all know sustainability isn’t easy to deliver. A story without creative tension isn’t interesting or believable. Having the courage to discuss “work in progress”, with timelines, is a sign of real transparency. Finally, consider providing a progress score—or publicly testing your progress against external benchmarks.
Michael Margolis is a business storyteller and founder of Get Storied. He is the author of several resources including the recent book, Believe Me: a Storytelling Manifesto for Change-Makers and Innovators.
Download a free digital version at www.getstoried.com
