The North Face: Communicating through powerful stories, robust data and compelling graphics

A corporate sustainability report (CSR) is more than a means of communicating success and gaining program visibility. A CSR report can provide a powerful, yearly opportunity to assess current initiatives. Companies can benchmark efforts against a global standard, evaluate progress against stated goals, and consult with stakeholders on their priorities as part of this process.

When global outdoor equipment and apparel company The North Face (TNF) wanted to tell the story of its deepening sustainability initiatives, the company selected Pure Strategies to write and design a report that would engage TNF’s consumers, employees, global athletes, retailers and suppliers. To highlight the company’s climate change commitments, The 2010 Expedition: Sustainability report combined energy and greenhouse gas data with a discussion of program priorities and compelling stories about the brand’s athletes’ first-hand exposure to the effects of climate change at both high latitudes and high altitudes.

Making the Story Interactive

Pure Strategies designed an interactive summit trail map to link together the various report themes and stories. Sections such as the one focusing on TNF’s commitment to outdoor exploration used the map, statistics about the reach of the brand’s programs, and inspiring videos and stories to convey the company’s industry-leading initiatives. Other parts of the trail map point readers to stories on supply chain improvements, innovative materials, reductions in environmental impact, and employee engagement.

As a soup-to-nuts consulting firm, Pure Strategies has been bringing a unique combination of technical expertise, communication skills and experience in strategy development to our sustainability reporting since we wrote our first report (on paper!) for Seventh Generation in 2004. We think the best reports combine engaging stories about sustainability challenges, powerful graphics, robust and transparent data, and insightful analysis of trends, gaps, goals and the larger industry context.