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Not long ago, you may recall corporations and companies publishing annual sustainability reports that outlined goals they sought to achieve and the means by which they planned to reach them. Why did many companies begin to publish these reports? Simple - sustainability is becoming increasingly important to consumers. In fact, according to some research, 75 percent of consumers rank sustainability as an important factor in purchasing decisions and about one-third of all consumers are willing to pay more for a product or brand if it is considered to be environmentally friendly or has sustainable properties over alternative offerings.



These annual sustainability reports have shifted to ESG reports. ESG stands for "Environmental, Social and Governance" and includes more than just sustainability, but health and safety policies, charitable giving, diversity and inclusion data, and community impact. And while ESG reports were initially only published by major brands and corporations, construction companies need to be thinking about their own reports these days. Why? Because they're likely building for the brands and corporations that are emphasizing the importance of them.

How to Get Started With Your ESG Policy

Assess Your Current Policies, Carbon Footprint

Before you put together your report, you'll want to get a lay of the land regarding your firm. Assess your carbon footprint and any active environmental initiatives to help you gauge where you stand in the grand scheme of things. This can help you set goals for what you want to accomplish moving forward. We'd also suggest searching for ESG reports of any construction companies out there to see how you compare.

Work with a Consultant

While it's not unheard of for a company to put together its own ESG report, it's best to work with an expert. An expert can give you an honest assessment of where you stand and where you should be focused on improving. A good consultant can also create a report for you to share with your clients, partners and stakeholders that depicts where you are, where you want to go and the means by which you intend to meet any forward-looking goals.

Analyze and Assess

ESG reports don't stop with just publishing something and never visiting it again. Like anything, it should be something that is frequently revisited and assessed to track any progress (or lack thereof). Regular assessments can also help your firm understand how much more aggressive it needs to get with various initiatives to meet established short or long-term goals.