Tech

3 Features of a Successful ESG Website

Published

3 weeks ago

November 18, 2023

As ESG assets grow in worth and popularity, now is the time to highlight your efforts in sustainability with a dedicated ESG website. Building one from the ground up can be challenging, but it’s worth the effort. It’s easier when you keep these three goals in mind.

1. Compliance

Regulatory frameworks for ESG compliance are in a constant state of evolution, which can make it hard for the average IR professional to keep up. Regardless of your difficulties, achieving compliance is mission-critical for your corporation. Failure to do so could result in hefty fines, and it could tarnish your company’s reputation as an ethical brand.

The EU’s new European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) are the latest regulations to add to the list of laws that impact your ESG website. Under these new rules, EU-based and EU-operating companies will have to embed environment disclosures in their annual reports, amongst other filing requirements.

Some EU countries (like Sweden and Denmark, for example) have their own rules to prevent greenwashing. While individual country’s frameworks often complement the EU’s, they can add to your regulatory challenges.

Navigating Sweden’s Financial Supervisory Agency (Finansinspektionen) with the broader ESRS reporting standards is easier when you work with an IR firm that has Nordic professionals on the ground, like Q4. The recent launch of Q4 Sweden and Denmark assists European and Nordic companies in achieving and maintaining compliance as these laws come into effect.

Knowledgeable and experienced ESG consultants take some of the pressure off your team. With their help, you can feel confident that your ESG reporting and supplemental financials satisfy all applicable requirements, wherever you operate.

2. Value Proposition

An ESG website does more than ensure you achieve regulatory compliance. It’s also the main source of information on your ESG performance. Investors visit this site to determine if your initiatives align with their environmental priorities and principles, so it’s important you provide them with the details they need to make this determination.

Your ESG web design is the first step in this process. Work with IR website design experts who can create a visually stunning site with intuitive navigation. Site design and architecture should effortlessly guide visitors towards ESG strategies and financials.

Once you have these principles down, focus on how your overall IR narrative supports your ESG growth. Talk about your company’s journey towards sustainability, while sharing demonstrable evidence of your performance so far. Don’t be afraid to talk about the future. Your ESG storytelling should clearly establish the goals your company has for sustainability.

3. Cybersecurity

As an extension of your investor relations platform, your ESG platform is under the same privacy compliance regulations as a general IR site. You need to work with web designers who follow cybersecurity best practices. These best practices include SSL protocols to encrypt data shared between your visitors and servers, SOC-2 Type 2 certification, and AWS or Cloudflare infrastructure.

ESG Storytelling is Unique; These Features Are Not

While your sustainability initiatives reflect your brand’s unique journey, you should base your ESG site on the same principles as everyone else: security, expressive storytelling, and compliance.