Corporate accountability: using employee stories to demonstrate impact
2025 marked a ground-shift in corporate sustainability. If the majority of large companies in Europe are continuing to move to more sustainable business models, they are under renewed pressure to demonstrate results. This can create a communications conundrum.
While numbers offer reassurance and reporting frameworks provide structure, a lack of human voices can leave audiences craving authenticity and individuality. When it comes to earning trust, it is stories that stick.
Your employees' voices are among the most trusted and relatable vehicles to demonstrate impact. When used well, they translate abstract commitments to ground-level experiences. They show action and, in the context of ESG, can shift your message from compliance to real commitment.
Why does individuality matter?
New generations of consumers prioritize trust in brands and authenticity more than their older peers: 79% of Gen Z highlight this priority, as compared to 61% of Baby Boomers – a shift showing a growing demand for transparency and human connection in brand communications.
And while the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) has made content creation faster, it has also brought a flood of content that’s generic and repetitive. Think audiences aren’t noticing? Think again: According to a recent study, 50% of people say they can recognize content created by AI, and more than a half (52%) report feeling less engaged when they do. This growing awareness highlights the importance of human-led storytelling to build engagement and maintain credibility.
In this new landscape, individuality and authenticity are increasingly hard to find—and all the more valuable for demonstrating credibility and accountability.
This is why turning employees and executives into advocates and building real stories on their lived experiences is key, especially when communicating about sustainability, DE&I and ESG. These highly nuanced topics are under more scrutiny than ever, with rising expectations making relatability an essential tool. When well done, people stories help show these commitments through real-life actions, adding authenticity and originality to corporate narratives.
Who should tell your story—and how?
A key strength of people-focused storytelling is the range of perspectives it brings. Different groups offer unique opportunities to spark emotion and make your story stick.
1. Elevating your teams’ voices
Employee stories can be your most powerful asset—especially when they come from the people doing the work. If your goal is to show purpose and company commitments in action, employees can bring these abstract values to life.
How, exactly? The first step is to identify voices across the business that show your company’s purpose in action. One way to do so is by bringing to the spotlight the technicians solving local infrastructure challenges, the teams implementing sustainability initiatives on the ground, or the service staff that interacts with clients on a daily basis.
A shining example comes from French food services and facilities management company Sodexo. Its Act with Purpose multimedia campaign covers videos, social media posts and website feature articles showcasing the stories of individual employees. It spotlights employees across roles and regions, bringing the company’s commitments to life. Take the story of a chef at Sodexo India who made her way into a male-dominated industry and built a team of women around her. It cleverly showcases the company’s commitment to local impact with clarity and authenticity.
Sodexo’s Act with Purpose multimedia campaign showcases employees on their daily jobs.
Sodexo’s Act with Purpose multimedia campaign showcases employees on their daily jobs.
Similarly, outdoor apparel brand Patagonia highlights employee-led sustainability stories through short documentaries and social media. The approach has positioned the brand as a remarkable example of how narratives can shape success.
Patagonia’s short video-documentaries highlight employee stories.
Patagonia’s short video-documentaries highlight employee stories.
2. Building influence through executive stories
Senior leaders can cut through complex branding messages and offer a clear, human perspective on a company’s priorities and long-term goals. The CEO is an obvious choice for spearheading communications on overall company achievements and strategy, but other executives should also be part of your approach, each with their distinct voice and key topics. Here is how to get it right:
- Use platforms such as LinkedIn to bring corporate values to life through personal reflections on company milestones, industry challenges or cultural moments. Internally, you can leverage your company’s intranet to feature leader Q&As, day-in-the-life videos or reflections tied to the company’s key initiatives—such as progress on ESG goals, DE&I initiatives or innovation practices.
- Keep an accessible, conversational tone. Avoid using corporate jargon and, instead, include personal anecdotes, like the challenges faced during a Board meeting, or lessons learned from implementing a new sustainability practice.
- Tie leadership messages to broader business impact by linking personal insights to strategic priorities. The CHRO could, for example, reflect on their personal journey at the company while demonstrating why it’s important to mentor young talent.
A prime example of this approach in action is Hanneke Faber, the CEO of Swiss tech manufacturer Logitech. She brings a human dimension to the organization by connecting product innovation with sustainability ambitions. Her promotion of the “forever mouse”—a durable device designed to reduce electronic waste—has sparked discussion across social media, tech forums and industry media. By framing her vision for sustainable innovation through concrete products and clear, accessible language, she makes complex topics tangible and credible.
Faber interviewed with industry media outlet “The Verge” to discuss the new “forever mouse.”
Faber interviewed with industry media outlet “The Verge” to discuss the new “forever mouse.”
Bringing it together
Organizations and brands have the most impact when their communications reflect an interconnected system. These companies don’t share employee stories as a stand-alone but, rather, incorporate them as part of their whole communications strategy.
Gathering and accurately reflecting these stories takes more effort than drafting a generic message—but the payoff is a stronger employer brand, deeper employee engagement and more meaningful stakeholder trust.
At Hollis & Bean, we help companies build influence across borders, connecting clients, employees and investors. We inspire employees, develop thought leadership and create client value by turning stories into lasting impact.
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