Tips to write a winning sustainability report for your company!

By Laura Vaughan, Waterloo Wellington Community Care Access Centre (WWCCAC)
We formed our green team last year and joined WWF’s Living Planet @ Work Program to help build and structure our initiatives.  I quickly identified that we were lacking a process to benchmark and measure our initiatives.
Though daunting at first, I was encouraged to enter the HP Change the Equation contest and write our WWCCAC’s first Environmental Sustainability Report.

Left to right: Laura Vaughan (WWCCAC), Frances Edmonds (HP), Carmen Chimenti (HP) © Laura Vaughan receives HP prizes for being the grand prize winner of HP’s Change the Equation Contest

While doing my preliminary research, I quickly realized that the report would be the foundation to carry out our green initiatives. It would: 1) act as a reporting tool 2) act as a communications tool to our staff, management, clients and stakeholders and 3) act as a way to engage others.
The process was challenging, yet a rewarding learning experience.  I have since been able to reflect and can offer a few pieces of advice for those wanting to write a sustainability report too. Check out my tips below!
Collaborate. It’s easy to take on tasks by yourself, but seek assistance from others.  Utilize the skills and leadership of committee members, management and /or other organizations.
Do your research. Learn about what a sustainability report is and how it will benefit your organization.  I conducted a lot of research on the benefits of writing one.  I took the information and built a case which I presented to Sr. Management.
Secure senior buy-in. I now understand the importance of management support prior to writing the report.  The research and writing process can take a minimum of 4 months. It is essential to set realistic timeframes and gain the permission and hours to work on it.
Put the report in context. I researched several reports online from companies of different sectors. I narrowed my search to a similar industry and size for the basis of my report.
Don’t be overwhelmed! Try not to get discouraged when reviewing other organization’s reports since some can be long and complex.  It is a starting point and your report will only get stronger over time.  Think of it as the foundation and it can be worked on and tweaked over the years.
Communicate your report. We’ve used the report to gain support from staff, management and key stakeholders. It also helped our team stay focused and structured because it guides our next steps.
Be transparent. I encourage all organizations, even the small ones, to write an Environmental Sustainability Report. It is a great tool to manage and communicate green efforts. Most of all, it will highlight areas where you need to improve, which is always good corporate social responsibility.
If you work for a business that doesn’t yet have a sustainability report, contact Living Planet @ Work. Use their tools and support to get you started on your sustainability journey. I promise it to be a rich and rewarding experience for you, your green team and your business!