Five Tips to Leverage CSR Reports for Greatest ROI
As CSR reporting season comes to a close, many communications executives may be breathing a sigh of relief–but the opportunity to leverage this amazing content may be just beginning. In fact, although 82 percent of Americans expect companies to report on the progress of social and environmental efforts, only 17 percent say they have actually read a CSR report in the past 12 months.
Now, it's up to companies to take CSR reporting content and put it in the channels that best resonate with specific stakeholders. When it comes to what forms CSR data and commitments should take, Americans feel brief written summaries (42%), interactive websites (36%) and videos (29%) are more effective than comprehensive written reports (18%). Taking these insights in mind, how can your company leverage existing and future CSR reports for greatest ROI? Here are five tips to take CSR reporting to the next level:
- Innovate Formats: CSR content should take many forms—a long-form report is just one execution. Turn CSR data and metrics into infographics or social media “badges,” transform static stakeholder quotes into videos or build a custom app for your sales teams to share CSR commitments on the road.
- Tell More Stories: Although CSR reports are typically chock-full of data and figures, it's important to balance these metrics with the amazing stories behind successes and progress. In fact, 66 percent of Americans believe a combination of both numbers and/or data and stories of impact are equally important when learning of company CSR commitments or results.
- Build for Fun, Interaction and Ease: Don't let your readers' eyes glaze over from too many static charts and pages of text. Americans want an engaging and uncomplicated experience, whether that's achieved through a dynamic website or simplified look and feel. Take advantage of navigational toolbars, hyperlinks and scannable content so readers can zero-in on the content they most want to read. Build out websites with a mix of video, images, interactive charts and more to keep readers engaged and interested.
To read more on Cone's Prove Your Purpose blog, click here.
