Contributing to a More Sustainable World
ESG & Sustainability Reports, Photography & Video, Corporate Reporting
An Independent Global Strategy Consultancy Hired OBATA to Produce its First-ever Sustainability Report
CLIENT
L.E.K. Consulting
PROJECT
2022 Sustainability Report
SERVICES
- Reporting Strategy
- Copy Editing
- Report Design
- Interactive PDF
- Infographics Design
- Photography
- Art direction
L.E.K. Consulting has recently released its first-ever sustainability report, created by OBATA, a leading provider of sustainability reporting and strategy services. The report highlights the company’s efforts toward sustainable practices and showcases its commitment to promoting sustainability in the consulting industry.
L.E.K. Consulting is an independent global strategy consultancy that works closely with business leaders to seize competitive advantage and amplify growth.
Your first sustainability report can be a challenging task
In 2023, L.E.K. Consulting collaborated with OBATA, who provided their expertise in designing and developing sustainability reports, to create their first-ever sustainability report.
Creating an inaugural report can be a challenging task, especially for service firms like consulting agencies. This is mainly because these companies often believe they have less data to report compared to manufacturing firms.
What types of data do service companies typically report on?
In the case of L.E.K. Consulting, they had been incorporating sustainable practices and policies into their business approach for several years. Like many firms, they had more material information to report on than initially thought.
L.E.K. has long believed that the integration of sustainability into its operations is highly consistent with its purpose, representing not only a moral imperative but also a strategic imperative for long-term success.
OBATA assisted L.E.K. in evaluating what information to include in the report as well as evaluating the overall structure of the report. This information included:
- Commitment to science-based targets in line with the Paris Agreement
- Tracking and reporting on Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions
- Reporting on diversity across all levels of the firm
- Submission of CDP Climate Survey
- Reporting on TCFD (Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures)
- Communication on Progress to the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC)
- Community support and involvement across its 21 offices in 12 countries
WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY
“Just having the data to report on is insufficient to create an effective sustainability report. It is crucial to present the information on company strategies and objectives in a well-organized, visually appealing, and easy-to-read format for all viewers.”
Paul Gasset, OBATA
Brand alignment was important to L.E.K.
When creating any corporate report, it is crucial to maintain branding standards. For L.E.K., their inaugural report was no exception, and branding played a pivotal role in its publication.
L.E.K. had already established branding standards, and our design team reviewed the brand guidelines extensively to seek guidance on brand elements, typography, color, and photography.
As the ESG report was a lengthy publication, L.E.K. allowed our design team to provide our expertise in publication design to work through various aspects of the report, such as pacing, grid system, and navigation. We also sought feedback from LEK during the design phase of the report to refine it as necessary.
Interpreting L.E.K.’s brand guidelines
Our design team aligned our design concept with the brand guidelines, integrating them into a cohesive, impactful and easy-to-read report.
Designing an effective sustainability report
Just having the data to report on is insufficient to create an effective sustainability report. It is crucial to present the information on company strategies and objectives in a well-organized, visually appealing, and easy-to-read format for all viewers.
OBATA presented various design concepts for L.E.K.’s first report. Our team then used these ideas to create an informative and visually appealing sustainability report, which included helpful summary pages, materiality assessments and frameworks.
The design incorporates a helpful horizontal navigation system to allow the reader to access information of interest quickly and simply.
The report is divided into six main sections as well as an appendix with performance data, GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) and TCFD indices. Each section benefits from design elements such as tables, charts and infographics that bring complex or data-rich messages to life visually.
Our design team followed LEK’s brand guidelines to ensure consistency in the appearance of the report. They utilized a flexible grid, brand typography and colors to create a visually appealing structure that enhances the report’s readability and ease of navigation.
Visually communicating sustainability data through design
Data visualization offers significant benefits as it strengthens the role of data in sustainability storytelling.
Our design team identified opportunities to showcase key data points through infographics and charts, making the data more compelling and easier to understand. By effectively conveying data, our designers were able to enhance L.E.K.’s storytelling and create a more impactful report.
Creating valuable brand photography assets
LEK’s inaugural sustainability report benefited from the use of OBATA’s custom photography services. Like many service firms, L.E.K. ’s greatest assets are its people.
The sustainability report team at OBATA felt it was important to use photography of L.E.K.’s personnel throughout the report. So a shot list was developed and OBATA’s photography team visited L.E.K. offices in two locations to capture the people of L.E.K. in action.
The use of these images throughout the report added a genuine and unique element to the finished report.
Collaboration was the key to a highly successful sustainability report
Our corporate reporting team collaborated with L.E.K.’s sustainability team to organize, write, and design the 2022 sustainability report. L.E.K. published the report in the sustainability section of its website.
OBATA’s ESG and sustainability reporting process enabled LEK to effectively communicate its sustainability story to stakeholders and position itself as a leader in the industry.
Together, we supported L.E.K. in accomplishing their reporting goals within their designated timeframe and their financial budget.
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Trusted Corporate Reporting Experience
At OBATA, we take pride in our corporate reporting capabilities, which extend beyond sustainability reporting. Our expertise also includes annual reporting, proxy design, and investor communications.
We understand the importance of effectively communicating a company’s values and achievements to stakeholders, and we are committed to helping our clients achieve their reporting goals.
To learn more about how OBATA can assist your company in effectively communicating its ESG initiatives and sustainability efforts, please click on the link below. We look forward to collaborating with you and helping you position your company as a leader in sustainability.