“Alice: Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?
The Cheshire Cat: That depends a good deal on where you want to get to.
Alice: I don't much care where.
The Cheshire Cat: Then it doesn't much matter which way you go.
Alice: ...So long as I get somewhere.
The Cheshire Cat: Oh, you're sure to do that, if only you walk long enough.”
A quote from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, a novel written by Lewis Carroll, tells the story of a young girl named Alice falling through a rabbit hole into a fantastical world of creatures representing facets of the human personality and character.
One of the most memorable lines from the novel is the paradoxical conversation between Alice and the Cheshire Cat on where to go and how to get there. We can find similar scenes in sustainability reports where companies attempt to tell their stories on sustainability goals, targets and performance. The plethora of sustainability jargon and the dreaded ESG alphabet soup is enough to leave readers hopelessly bewildered and lost.
How can we help users of sustainability reports (and Alice) get “there” and not just “somewhere”? The path to the right destination is through wayfinding.
Historically, wayfinding refers to the techniques used by ancient travellers and explorers over land and sea to find relatively unmarked and often mislabelled routes. In modern times, wayfinding is important in a wide range of settings, including airports, hospitals, office buildings, and public transportation systems.
Wayfinding can be challenging, especially in unfamiliar or complex scenarios. How can wayfinding strategies be applied in developing sustainability reports that are easy to navigate and can help readers arrive at a good understanding? There are many different wayfinding strategies, but those that can be applied to sustainability reporting include signage, landmarks, pathways, maps and people.
Signage: This is the use of signs and symbols to indicate directions and destinations. These help to establish a common sustainability language amongst stakeholders. It is more than a table of contents, page numbers or legends. Examples of sustainability signs include CAUTION to indicate areas of uncertainty and potential greenwashing, and UNDER CONSTRUCTION for nascent areas such as TNFD. Sustainability signs, together with landmarks, help stakeholders keep to the right pathways on the map. Sustainability signs should be clear, concise, and easy to read, and they should be placed in prominent locations such as in the sustainability reports, websites and other communication platforms.
Landmarks: Landmarks are objects or features that can be used to orient oneself in an environment. In sustainability reporting, landmarks are the goals and targets. These are the promises made by companies in putting their words into action. Landmarks can also be sustainability best practices that help companies align their bearings. Make sure that your landmarks are prominently featured on your maps to keep you on the straight and narrow.
Pathways: Reading sustainability reports can be like "going down the rabbit hole", a modern day phrase that is often used to describe getting lost. Pathways are the routes that people follow to get from one place to another. Pathways should be well-defined on maps and easy to follow, and they should be free of obstacles.
The subjective nature of sustainability reporting means that there is likely to be more than one way of getting “there”. Examples of sustainability pathways include timelines, flowcharts and alternative routes to achieving sustainability goals and targets.
Maps: Maps can be used to help people find their way around a large or complex environment. Sustainability reporting is a complex and dynamic undertaking, with an ever-changing ESG alphabet soup of the day. Sustainability maps with clear pathways should be accurate and up-to-date, and they should be easy to read and understand. Websites are the best medium to host dynamic sustainability maps.
People: People can be used as wayfinding aids. This can be done through interviews, Q&A sessions and fireside chats in the sustainability reports, videos, websites and social media. Authentic conversations can go a long way in helping stakeholders understand your sustainability stories.
The King of Hearts, one of the most popular characters in Wonderland, said to the White Rabbit “Begin at the beginning, and go on till you come to the end: then stop”.
The King's instruction is a reminder that we should be mindful of our words and actions with regards to sustainability reports. When we start something, we should see it through to the end. We should also be careful not to make promises that we cannot keep.
We have arrived.
Black Sun is a global group of strategic advisors, consultants and stakeholder engagement specialists. We believe that brands and businesses can have a big impact on our society – they can shape more ethical practices, build more inclusive communities and deliver more sustainable performance. Ultimately, they can spark positive change in the world.
We partner with visionary companies to define and communicate their purpose, strategy and culture and bring to life their value creation story. Our services and solutions directly address the business-critical concerns of today; best-practice disclosure and accountability through reporting; protecting reputation and building trust with digital communications and helping businesses to effectively communicate their long-term responsibility and sustainability story.
Explore our thinking and learn from global thought leaders through
our blogs, podcasts, webinars, and events.
