Corporate sustainability has a reporting problem \u2014 it always has. Companies typically don\u2019t enjoy creating them and investors, customers, employees and most other stakeholders don\u2019t revel in reading them. Yet, with investors more interested in environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues than ever before, this long-standing problem has become an immediate liability for companies looking to maximize shared value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Today, some 90 percent of companies in the S&P 500 produc<\/a>e<\/a> corporate sustainability reports, and the practice has become so ingrained in corporate sustainability culture that few question its purpose or efficacy. Reporting has risen to prominence for good reason \u2014 there never has been a more critical time for companies to communicate their strategies and actions for corporate sustainability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many investors evaluate nonfinancial performance based on corporate disclosures, with most finding value<\/a> in assurance of the strength of an organization\u2019s planning for climate and other ESG risks. Meanwhile, consumers increasingly are demanding<\/a> responsible products, and attention to sustainability issues has become<\/a> an employee expectation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n