ESG Reporting in Corporate Communication What the EU Regulation Means for Corporate Reporting

This book illustrates the challenges posed by the highly complex ESG regulation to corporate communication—and how they can be overcome. Starting from the year 2024, the requirements for Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting will be significantly increased. The Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD or CS3D) of the EU mandates that more companies of all sizes provide detailed explanations about the compatibility of their business models with ESG standards.

This new era of corporate reporting must be tackled collaboratively by experts in corporate communication, investor relations, and accounting. The goal is to enhance the persuasiveness, reach, and crisis-resilient narrative of ESG reporting. The authors explain which aspects and perspectives are particularly crucial in this context, and how corporate leaders can continuously reassess and balance their speech and actions.

ESG Communication and Business Model.- ESG Communication and Corporate Financing.- ESG Communication and Corporate Values.- ESG Communication and Intangible Assets.- ESG Communication, Metrics, and Accounting.- ESG Communication and Manager Liability.- ESG Communication and the 1.5-Degree Limit.- ESG Communication and CO2 Compensation.- ESG Communication and Independent Disclosure.- ESG Communication with Consumers and Employees.- ESG Communication, the Choice of Permissible Words, and Litigation PR.- ESG Communication, Broken Promises, and Public Mea Culpa.- ESG Communication on the Path out of Crisis and Insolvency.- ESG Communication and AI: What Must Remain "Human".- ESG Communication and the Future "Beyond Compliance".

Dr. Michael Neumann is a lawyer with many years of experience as a head of communications in various companies. He is currently working as a communications consultant and book author.

Jörg Forthmann is the managing director of Faktenkontor, one of the ten largest PR agencies in Germany, and he focuses intensively on challenges in corporate communication.