Shell has been named as one of the top brands for sustainability communications, a new report released by Investis Digital (IDX) has found.
Bayer came at the top of the list, scoring 85 out of 100 for providing transparent, clear and accessible sustainability-related information.
Shell followed closely, with a total of 82.
The report considered factors such as whether the company has a dedicated ESG and/or sustainability section, if it had published a materiality assessment, and whether it regularly reported on greenhouse gas emissions.
The report lays out various benchmarks for leadership in sustainability communications. For example, 82% of companies analysed had a dedicated ESG strategy page on the website, 56% included tangible targets, and 67% of companies detail their ESG ratings.
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On the topic of climate change, 88% of companies had a dedicated climate change page and 46% offered a net zero roadmap.
“Investors, customers and employees all rely on a company’s website as a primary source for ESG-related information, but corporations that promote sustainability efforts without a clear digital strategy for reaching different audience segments risk alienating these key stakeholders,” said IDX global CEO Myles Peacock.
“We believe that the content companies choose to publish sets the tone for their corporate narrative, and by exploring this in detail, we’ve not only been able to identify those brands that communicate most effectively through their digital content but grasp best practices as well,” Peacock continued.
Is Shell a ‘top brand’ in the sustainability sphere?
While Shell might be celebrating it’s second place in the IDX report, scrutiny over the gas and oil company continues to rise.
In the summer, Shell CEO Wael Sawan abandoned plans to cut oil production to prioritise shareholder payouts, leading to the company’s head of renewable energy Thomas Brostrom to leave.
Most recently, Greenpeace activists scaled London’s Intercontinental Hotel on Park Lane against a Shell conference where Sawan gave a keynote speech.
IDX creative director Simon Gittings told Sustainability Beat that oil and gas companies such as Shell and BP “continue to perform strongly in digital sustainability communications as it is critical for them to promote their societal license to operate.”
However, he added that “they need to demonstrate their role in the energy transition and their view on the continuing need for fossil fuels in the medium term.”
