Corporate sustainability reports are getting longer

illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on Axios or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Corporate sustainability reports are getting longer, with an average length of 83 pages in 2024, up 20% from 2021, as companies increase their focus on detailed ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) communications

🔭 The context: Fewer companies are issuing press releases or providing executive summaries alongside their reports, shifting instead to in-depth sustainability micro-sites, while "sustainability" has overtaken "ESG" as the preferred terminology

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: As ESG becomes more politicized, companies are rethinking how they communicate their environmental and social commitments, ensuring compliance with new regulations and addressing stakeholder demands for transparency

⏭️ What's next: With ethical and environmental concerns around AI rising, 1 in 5 reports now mention AI responsibility, signaling that this will become a larger focus in future sustainability discussions.

💬 One quote: “It’s really about companies looking at this from a broader global perspective, and not just complying with regulatory components.” — Martha Carter, Vice Chairman, Teneo

📈 One stat: The longest 2024 sustainability report reached 211 pages, while the shortest was 15 pages

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