Sustainability communications has become a reputation test. Stakeholders want proof behind the progress, and the way a company describes its work now carries as much risk as the work itself. There’s a cost on both sides: overclaim and you erode trust faster than you build it; keep quiet and someone else steps in to tell their story.
So, what’s the risk? Your brand’s reputation. Credibility is easier to maintain than to rebuild.
We’ve seen what happens when claims don’t hold up. Volkswagen and H&M both faced public greenwashing accusations when claims left impressions the companies were doing more than they actually were. But the more useful question isn’t how big brands got it wrong. It’s what getting it right looks like, especially for a company putting its progress on paper for the first time.
The proof: helping US LBM build credibility from day one
Like a number of other companies before them, national building products distributor US LBM came to us at the very start of its sustainability journey. With that comes a specific kind of challenge: When a company publishes its first sustainability report, it has no track record to point back to and no prior baseline to measure against. Every data point and goal is a first impression—and first impressions in this space are often scrutinized.
The goal was never to look like a company that had it all figured out. It was to be credible about where US LBM actually was, and honest about where it was headed. A few choices made the work hold up:
First, we built the story from the inside out. Instead of starting with messaging, we started with the company’s real data and workstreams and shaped those into a cohesive narrative. We also tied the company’s material responsibilities directly to the housing supply challenge, which is the business US LBM is in. That connection matters. It’s the difference between sustainability that feels bolted on and sustainability that reflects how the company runs.
Second, we anchored the reporting in recognized standards. The 37-page report was prepared with reference to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards, the most widely used framework for sustainability reporting; it included disclosures aligned with the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), which guide how companies disclose climate-related financial risks and opportunities; and it mapped US LBM’s priorities to the relevant United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), the UN’s 17 global goals for issues like sustainable communities and responsible production. Using established frameworks makes progress comparable to peers and gives stakeholders a familiar structure to compare the company against, which is exactly what a first report needs to earn trust.
Third, we treated design as part of the credibility. Clean structure, clear charts and consistent brand visuals help readers understand what’s being reported and cut the odds of misreading the data. When information is easy to follow, it reads as more honest.
The result was a report that represented US LBM’s sustainability work comprehensively and authentically, built credibility with key stakeholders and held up against competitors. It was also named a 2026 PRNEWS Purpose & Impact Awards winner for ESG Report (“Inaugural Sustainability Report – US LBM”).
Four lessons that carry over to sustainability communications
- Lead with context, then the win.
Start with why the work matters to your business and your stakeholders, then share what you did and what came of it. Be open about where you are in your sustainability journey: If you can’t quantify a result yet, say what’s known and what’s still in progress. - Earn credibility through recognized standards.
Aligning to established frameworks makes your progress comparable to your peers and gives stakeholders a familiar way to evaluate it. Comparable claims are believable claims. - Make the proof easy to find.
Define your scope and add a clear “what’s next.” Structure and honest visuals help people understand the story and trust it. - Get your house in order before you go public.
The most credible reporting comes out of alignment across sustainability, communications, legal, investor relations and operations. Keep one source of truth for your claims and definitions, adapt language by channel without changing the meaning and prep your spokespeople for the hard questions about what’s included, what’s excluded and where tradeoffs are.
The through-line is simple: Say what you’ve measured and keep your story the same size as your work. Credibility builds slowly and in the details, but it’s a lot cheaper to protect than to win back.
The simplest test of whether your reporting holds up is whether a skeptical reader can answer five questions from it: What’s changed? Compared to what? Over what period? How do I know? What’s next?
Sustainability isn’t a competition to win. It’s a commitment to keep. The goal is to be the best version of your brand, measured against where you are today and where you’ve pledged to go.