“I’m a writer. My job is to write.” This blunt response came from a top climate journalist at a renowned British news outlet when I asked how they were innovating their approach to retain audience attention in 2024.

It encapsulates a significant challenge facing journalism about Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) today. Despite the rapid advancements in media technology and storytelling formats, many large newsrooms struggle to adopt innovation effectively.

For a field like ESG journalism, which deals with complex topics such as sustainability, ethics, and corporate governance, this resistance to change can be particularly limiting – albeit understandable in the time-crunched and tradition-bound environment of news.

The need for change

As businesses and the public increasingly focus on sustainability and corporate responsibility, the importance of ESG journalism continues to grow. Yet, the complexity of these topics often leads to disengagement. A Reuters Institute report found that 22% of respondents actively avoid climate change news, despite over three-quarters being concerned about misinformation. This highlights the urgent need for more engaging and accessible journalism.

To face these challenges, I interviewed 10 journalists at nine outlets in five countries to understand how we can tell important and complex stories in the most engaging way. I also drew from my own experiences as an ESG Editor and reviewed the latest academic literature. The findings suggest that adopting new formats, adjusting content to be more positive, and leveraging technology can significantly enhance audience engagement. Based on the findings, here are some takeaways for everyone who works with ESG journalism to get the innovation moving in their newsroom.

Collaborate

In smaller news organisations, collaboration plays a crucial role in innovating new formats. Smaller news organisations, with limited resources, are more likely to implement and utilise the innovations they develop.

The close-knit nature of smaller teams often means that new ideas and formats are readily adopted and integrated into their workflow, maximising their creative efforts. Bringing together people with different skill sets to the table is useful, especially when covering topics with high complexity, such as ESG.

...Or don't collaborate

In large organisations, there’s often a gap between those doing the important work to innovate and those reporting on the ground. What happens in the research and development team often goes ignored or unnoticed by reporters working in the pit. Nevertheless, innovation projects undertaken by large media organisations like the BBC and the Financial Times are often picked up by other media outlets, thus are of use for developing journalism in a broader perspective.

Challenge the business model and KPIs

The primary reason innovation is stifled in newsrooms is due to existing structures and business models that favour speed, volume, and recreating what other outlets have already covered. To foster innovation, senior editors and executives must explore ways to transform the business model – away from volume and towards community – to better accommodate and support formats that are not as easily measurable as traditional text articles.

The public don’t want more news; in fact, they are overwhelmed by the sheer volume. So why not produce fewer pieces and use the extra time to devise and create news in new ways to engage with and inspire the audience?

Don't forget to balance with positive

Nobody wants to be depressed into inaction by reading the news. They want to be updated and educated. When covering ESG-related topics it is crucial to consider a mix of negative and positive stories. It’s a balance that need to reflect reality. A solution-oriented approach is potentially less depressing for the audience.

For a more in-depth discussion of these top level findings, see the PDF below, which includes interviews and insights from Robin Kwong, Tristan Ferne, Sannuta Raghu, Tim Leslie and Malcolm Moore, among others.

Conclusion

For ESG journalism to thrive in the future, it must move beyond traditional formats and embrace innovative storytelling techniques. The integration of new technologies, such as AI and AR, offers promising avenues for making complex topics more engaging and accessible. However, the success of these innovations depends on their adoption within newsrooms, which requires a shift in mindset, better collaboration, and a willingness to experiment.

As the media landscape continues to evolve, those who adapt and innovate will be the ones who shape the future of journalism. For journalists working in ESG, this means not only keeping up with technological advancements but also rethinking how stories are told to ensure they resonate with audiences and drive meaningful action.