How can you write an actionable environmental services report for a retail business?

2 Collect and analyze data

The second step is to collect and analyze data that supports your environmental performance and impacts. You can use various sources of data, such as environmental audits, surveys, metrics, benchmarks, standards, and best practices. You should also consider the relevant environmental regulations and policies that apply to your retail business. You need to ensure that your data is accurate, reliable, and consistent. You can use tools such as spreadsheets, charts, graphs, and tables to organize and visualize your data.

3 Write the executive summary

The third step is to write the executive summary of your environmental services report. This is a concise overview of the main findings, conclusions, and recommendations of your report. It should highlight the key environmental aspects and issues that you addressed, the results and achievements that you obtained, and the actions and improvements that you propose. The executive summary should be written in a clear, simple, and engaging language. It should also include a call to action that invites your audience to read the full report.

4 Write the main body

The fourth step is to write the main body of your environmental services report. This is where you provide more details and explanations of your environmental performance and impacts. You should structure your main body according to the environmental aspects and issues that you defined in the first step. For each aspect or issue, you should describe the situation, the causes, the effects, the solutions, and the outcomes. You should also use evidence, examples, and stories to support your claims and arguments. You should also use headings, subheadings, bullet points, and transitions to make your main body easy to read and follow.

5 Write the recommendations

The fifth step is to write the recommendations of your environmental services report. These are the specific actions and steps that you suggest to improve your environmental performance and impacts. You should base your recommendations on the data and analysis that you presented in the previous steps. You should also prioritize your recommendations according to their urgency, feasibility, and impact. You should also explain the benefits and challenges of implementing your recommendations. You should also use clear and actionable language to convey your recommendations.

6 Write the appendices

The sixth and final step is to write the appendices of your environmental services report. These are the additional or supplementary information that you want to include in your report, but that are not essential for the main body. For example, you can include technical data, calculations, methodologies, references, glossaries, and acknowledgments. You should label and number your appendices and refer to them in the main body where appropriate. You should also make sure that your appendices are relevant, consistent, and concise.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?